6 Tips For 6-pack Abs

No matter if you are a teen trying to get into shape or a grown woman returning to the world of fitness, a harder and flatter stomach is the final goal for many a person. Because of this, this topic is covered in plenty of fitness myths and is especially susceptible to fancy machines and ideas that claim to give a rock hard 6-pack in  weeks, yet do absolutely nothing. This article does not claim to give "rock hard abs" in a week, but instead serves to try to change the views some people have gotten from watching too many infomercials at 2AM.

 

1. You Can't Spot-Reduce

 

This means that you can't burn fat only from a specific spot on your body. All the sit-ups in the world will not burn the fat on your gut. Body fat is lost from all over your body and is caused by a caloric deficit, not from activating a certain muscle group.

 

2. Cardio is Important

 

The key to getting a 6-pack is not in building up the abdominals, but in burning the fat that is covering them. The way to achieve this is is to have a caloric deficit, which can be achieved by both taking in less calories and using up more calories. A form of cardio that is very effective for burning fat and boosting your metabolism is HIIT. HIIT is exercising in short bursts of intense cardio followed by a short cool down. An example of a session would be a 30 second run, followed by a 30 second jog, followed by another sprint, and so on for 4 to 15 minutes depending on the fitness of person.

 

3. Abs are made in the kitchen

 

This is the least complex and yet the most difficult aspect in getting a 6-pack. The key to getting a 6-pack is to cut down on food and lose body fat. Here are some easily applicable tips:

    * Stop drinking soda and start to drink only water. It can make a huge difference.

    * Eat 5-6 small meals a day. This helps boost your metabolism and keeps your appetite in check.

    * Try to find your calorie maintenance level and gradually decrease 100-200 calories per week until your are shedding about 1-2 pounds a week.

 

4. Sit-ups are useless

 

Sit-ups are supposed to target the abs but really the hip flexors and spinal erectors are doing the work in the movement. The abdominals are only used isometrically as stabilizers. This means that sit-ups are terrible for your back and do not benefit your abs anyway.

 

5. Other Exercises To Do

 

Now this would be the time for me to plug some new life-changing product or idea, but that is not the point of this article. Here are some ab exercises for beginners to do instead of the traditional sit-up:

    * Crunches - There are many different types, but try to think of it as pulling your bottom rib directly to your hip

    * Weighted crunches - Do normal crunches except hold a plate to your chest

    * Hanging leg raises - hang from a bar and pull your knees directly to your chest

 

6. Don't Give Up!

 

While achieving  your goal of a 6-pack may not be as painless and easy as infomercials may have you think, it is still a very realistic goal even for a beginner. All it takes hard work and determination. Giving up a week after you started will not help you get a six pack or help your your overall fitness.

BodyBuilding Workout Guide - Adding Size To The Biggest Muscle Groups First

Are you looking to add some significant size to your physique? Most people who go to the gym usually are. This excludes the fitness bunnies and the leotard men, of course. Most people lifting weights are looking to add muscle to their bodies. They tackle various pieces of equipment and use a variety of movements with the same goal in mind - getting bigger. However, they often neglect a few simple tenets to gaining size which could help their cause tremendously.

If you're looking to gain size, then you should be looking to add size to the biggest muscle groups first. It will arrive faster and will weight more. Let's face it- an inch of mass on your thighs comes a lot faster than a new inch added to your arms. Therefore, if you'd like to make the most possible gains in the shortest amount of time, you're going to want to focus on those larger muscle groups. You can train the bejesus out of calves, forearms, and arms - but you're only going to get BIG when you manage to greatest stimulate your back and quadriceps. For this reason, it makes sense to utilize a bodybuilding routine which places the most emphasis upon these largest muscle groups when you are fresh, well-rested, and at your strongest. Being able to devote more resources to lifting for these groups means they will grow at a faster rate than the other body parts.

You might stop yourself and say "Why would I want to make the biggest muscle groups bigger right away? Won't that destroy my symmetry?" Chances are, if you're still sitting at a body weight of under 200 pounds in your off-season shape, you shouldn't be too worried about your symmetry. You can focus on capping off your delts and matching your neck, bicep, and calf measurements down the road once you enter the refinement stage. In the meantime, your emphasis should be placed upon adding as much muscle to your body as quickly as possible. Here is a training split which will allow you to devote the most resources toward the biggest muscle groups of quads and back.

• Day 1 - Thighs, hamstrings, calves
• Day 2 - Chest
• Day 3 - REST
• Day 4 - Back
• Day 5 - Shoulders
• Day 6 - Biceps & Triceps
• Day 7 - REST
  

As you can see, this routine allows you to hit the major body parts of back and legs after a full day of rest. No cardio is to be completed on this rest day, to ensure your energy reserves are at their highest at the start of your workout. The chest muscles would be the third-largest muscle group. The chest is trained immediately following legs, with a full day of rest following it. The smaller muscle groups of shoulders and arms are trained at the tail end of this routine. After completing your Biceps & Triceps routine on Day 6, you'll have a full 3 days of upper body rest before your next chest workout. If you want to gain the most size in the shortest amount of time, make back and quad bodybuilding workout your focus!