Want thick, dense abs that stand out like a washboard? Want a ripped midsection with veins and shredded striations? No? How about this: Want to look good naked? If you answered yes to any of those, you’ll want to be sure you’re not making any common ab training mistakes.
You will never achieve any of the above goals or personal goals if you train your abs once a week with three sets of crunches for 100 reps, or if you eat like a horse. Avoid these 6 common abdominal training mistakes and your abs will dial in. Whether you are a bodybuilder, an athlete, or a novice, chances are you are making several of these ab training mistakes in your training right now. Take heed!
Losing stubborn belly fat can be a huge dilemma for most people. Setting out to get a flat stomach is not rocket science but involves several steps like creating a calorie deficit, exercising, and staying consistent. Each individual is different, and how a regimen works for one may produce different results for another.
Tips From A Trainer
Losing all the fat in your belly is not necessarily healthy. Only losing extra weight is essential for good health. 90% of body fat is subcutaneous, which is present right under the skin to keep the body warm and aid other functions.
The remaining 10% is visceral fat that accumulates beneath the abdominal walls and in the empty spaces between organs. This fat is dangerous and can lead to health issues like cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Crash diets and supplements may work at eliminating fat, but this could be a loss of healthy fat instead. Even spot reduction is impossible with these.
Your best bet is to lose excess body fat healthily to tone your body and achieve a flat tummy. This also helps eradicate visceral fat, which you need to eliminate.
So, if you are interested in achieving a flat stomach and are willing to put in the right amount of effort, you are at the right place. Today, we shall look at the science behind stomach fat loss and the factors that come into play. Let’s get started!
The desire to have a fit, toned physique and defined 6-pack abs may seem out of reach, but it’s actually an attainable goal – if you’re willing to put in the work to reach that goal you too can develop 6-pack abs. Washboard abdominals do not come easily to most, and the straightforward fact is that you’ll have to work hard to achieve and maintain that chiseled midsection.
Here are 8 lifestyle and training strategies you can use to make the trip to Shreds-Ville that much easier.
Everyone knows that to have visible abs, a good clean diet is absolutely essential to get rid of the fat covering them. However, this article is about creating bullet proof abs, not flimsy beach abs. The type of abs that are useful in sports, taking punches to the stomach, and that make for a strong core.
Having a strong core helps prevent back pain, so don’t skimp on regular abdominal work!
Static Holds
Having the strength to hold your body in a certain position is key in several ways. There are examples of static hold training being useful for every day situations, and for athletic endeavors.
When you’re driving, activating your core to support your spine will release stress on your back, and bring your shoulders into better alignment. When you are rock climbing and stabilizing your body to keep it from moving, or trying not to move your upper torso back and forth while running… static holds are everywhere.
Some key exercises to perform are planks, both on your hands in the push up position, on your elbows, and on your sides using one hand. An even more advanced position is raising one leg on your side – known as the starfish pose (right) – which causes a lot of imbalance and seriously engages your core.
Still too easy? Try adding a weight vest or holding a dumbbell or kettlebell overhead with your free arm.
Frustrated? Tired? Upset? Ready for change? If you’re answering all of these questions with a loud YES from your living room, then you are in good company. And that’s why I keep writing these pieces, honestly — there’s a lot of frustration going on.
I look down at a body in progress and I think about everyone else doing the same. Are we on track? Are we falling off the mark? It just depends on your goals. But if you’re dreaming of abs, dreaming of a nicely sculpted body from top to bottom, then you need this guide too.
I know that it’s time to think differently about the way we work out, but in order to start down that path, you have to know what you’re up against.
Nowadays, it seems everyone is after a toned midsection. Some people won’t even stop until they achieve shredded washboard abs. A six pack has come to be an important quest for many persons, however, many are misled as to the method to obtain it.
One common misconception is that cardiovascular exercise is the most important aspect of dialing in a six pack. Another misconception is that doing 1000 crunches a day is most important. Wrong on both accounts! Diet possibly plays the greatest role in obtaining a six pack. Let’s see why.
Is there a hotter commodity in Hollywood today than Ryan Reynolds?
The Vancouver, Canada-born actor (b.1976) has built an impressive T.V. and movie portfolio over a two-decade career. Best known for his roles in romantic comedies (“Rom-Coms”) like “Just Friends” (2005), “Definitely Maybe” (2008), and the blockbuster “The Proposal” (2009), Reynolds has also quietly built an impressive action hero portfolio.
Many of us recall his portrayal of Hannibal King in “Blade: Trinity” (2004), where his chiseled “six-pack” physique was prominently featured. More recently, Ryan played the swordsman-mercenary Deadpool in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2009) opposite Hugh Jackman, and is slated for the title role in Warner Bros. and DC Comics’ “Green Lantern“, due out in summer 2011.
Other personal accomplishments include being named People Magazine’s “Sexist Man Alive” for 2010, and the new face for Hugo Boss fragrances.
Ryan Reynolds also happens to be married to actor Scarlett Johansson, GQ’s 2010 “Babe of the Year”.
Do you see these people walking around all day long, who appear not to be that fat, but whose bellies stick out like they are preggo? This happens because their internal abdominal muscles are weak and loose. Don’t let this happen to you.
The best way to flatten your belly is to work your invisible abdominal muscles. The transverse abdominis lies beneath your rectus abdominus; the rectus abdominus of course being the muscle that most people refer to as “the six-pack”.
When you suck in your stomach and your waist appears to be flatter, the muscle responsible for this is indeed the transverse abdominis. The good news is that the transverse abdominis can be trained with exercise.
When doing crunches, sit ups, or any other abdominal work, you should always blow out forcefully at the top of the movement and suck your abs in for a full contraction.
In order to flex your abs and contract them fully, you need to blow all of the air out of your lungs and abdomen. When you do this your abs will experience maximal contraction and will actually work harder to perform the exercise.
Isometric Contractions
For a slimming isometric exercise simply stand up straight, tighten your abdominals, blow all of the air out of your lungs and abdomen, and hold the contraction for 30 seconds.
Do this for 5 minutes a day every day, and you will actually see results after a couple weeks.
Do this all day every day, and you will actually train your abs to stay tight and flat permanently.
