How to Get a Six Pack
Everyone wants great abs, but few people have them. It takes determination and discipline to just maintain a healthy body, let alone a chiseled physique.
But getting a six pack is simpler and less painful than most people realize. This simple regimen of abdomen exercises and weight loss training will whip that midsection into shape sooner than you can say washboard.
1. Do sit-ups.
Sit ups are the most basic ab exercise possible. Lie on the floor with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle, with your hands crossed on your chest. Lift your upper body until your torso is upright, then bring it down again. Repeat.
2. Do srunches.
Crunches are like sit ups, but you don’t bring your torso all the way up. Instead, use your abs to pull your shoulders up and forward, without lifting your back off the ground. This motion is the quick and easy way to build abdominal endurance and strength.
3. Do bicycle kicks.
Lie on the floor and put your hands behind your head. Lift your legs at a 45 degree angle and spin them like you are pedaling a bike. At the same time, touch your elbows to the knee on the opposite side. This is one of the most efficient ab workouts possible because it uses more muscles than any other single exercise.
4. Do leg lifts.
This will build up abdominal endurance while strengthening your muscles. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight out in front of you. Lift both legs up and your shoulders up while keeping your back flat. You should also alternate using only one leg at a time for added challenge.
How to Get a Six Pack
5. Work the obliques too.
Many people tend to miss these crucial muscles while ab training. These are the long muscles that run on either side of your abs. To work them out, do sit ups and crunches with your knees on the floor to one side. Flip your legs to the other side every set to get both sides.
6. Use weights.
Once you feel comfortable doing multiple reps of each exercise, it’s time to take it to the next level. Hold a weight in your arms, across your chest, when you do sit ups and crunches. A barbell weight will suffice, but a medicine ball is optimal. Increase the weight as you get accustomed to each increment.
7. Run
Jogging doesn’t just strengthen your legs. It also works out the body’s core muscles, specifically the abdominal muscles. While running, these muscles will contract to help maintain your balance. It will also burn off excess belly fat. A six pack is pointless if nobody can see it.
8. Incline your legs during sit ups and crunches.
Many gyms have specific benches for this purpose, but if you don’t have access to one you can get creative and make one yourself by fastening a wooden board to any structure will horizontal parallel beams like a fence or the foot of your bed. The steeper angle will make for more challenging sets.
9. Create a regimen.
You need to do at least one set of each exercise in one session if you want to maximize your work out. I do every one of these exercises in the order I have provided, and I sprint 100 meters between each set. Sprinting is excellent for keeping your heart rate up and it works out your lower abs. Alternate your ab exercises and jogging every day to give your muscles time to heal.
10. Get your bodyfat percentage below 10%.
It doesn’t matter how well-developed your abdominal muscles are if they’re covered in a layer of fat. For your abs to become visible, your bodyfat percentage has to get below 10% if you’re a man. (A woman will have a higher bodyfat percentage and still have a visible six-pack.)
If you follow these exercises and stick with your regimen, you should see results in a matter of weeks. You just have to be focused; the hardest part of working out is getting started. Once you get used to daily exercise, it becomes second nature. Because everyone’s body is different, make sure to pay attention to your body when you start your regimen. You don’t want to over exert your muscles. You should also combine your ab workout with a general exercise routine and a healthy diet. Not only will the health benefits pay off, you’ll have a great body to match. And last but not least, have fun. Exercise should be an enjoyable activity, not a chore. If you keep at it and have fun, you will be well on your way to a six pack.