Six Pack Abs--How To Get Them

How to Get Six Pack Abs

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The simple step process to gaining and maintaining six pack abs is as follows: strengthen your abdominal muscles and lose body fat. The concept is simple, but putting it into action is not. It will take dedication, willpower, patience and time to get a six pack but in the end, the effort is well worth it. Remember, abs are made mostly in the kitchen! You can have the most toned and defined abs but they won't show through if there's a layer of fat over them.

Steps

Build Muscle

1. Do Crunches. Lie on the floor (with or without a mat) and cross your arms in front of your chest. (Do not place both hands behind your head. Placing both hands behind your head can cause lower back problems in the long run as it places unnecessary stress on that part of your body from pulling on your head and neck.) Another alternative is to cross your arms in front of your chest is to lightly place your finger tips behind your ears, without pulling on your neck or ears to help raise you off the floor. Draw in your abdomen towards your spine while inhaling through your nose. Now raise your shoulders (upper torso) towards your knees, using strictly your abdominal muscles. It is very important not to lift your entire back off the floor, as this can cause back strain, and the extended movement does not help you develop six pack abs any faster. The most important part of the crunch is the initial flexing of your abs as you lift your shoulders off of the floor. As soon as you begin lifting off the floor exhale through your mouth, ending with a gasp once your shoulders are off the floor. Then pause for a second once you are at the top of the crunch and exhale the last bit of air from your diaphragm while flexing your abs. The proper breathing and flexing make all the difference. Now lower back down slowly and controlled while inhaling through your nose, just until your shoulder blades touch the ground. Do not let your head touch the ground and repeat.
   
2. Do Sit Ups. Lie on the floor, feet on the floor, knees up and fingers placed behind your ears or hands crossed on your chest. Sit all the way up, lifting your lower back off the floor along with your shoulder blades.Lower yourself down. Repeat. Once this becomes relatively easy for you (i.e. you can do a quite a bit with ease) start adding more challenges. Find an incline bench or do these on an exercise ball. Once you "graduate" from that, do weighted sit ups. Hold a weight on your chest while you do these. As these become easier, hold heavier and heavier weights. You might also try lifting your feet off the ground while doing the sit ups or alternating the leg in the air, like pretending to pedal while sitting up. If your hands are behind your head, bring your left knee up to touch your right elbow and then your right knee to the left elbow.
   
3. Do Leg Lifts. Lie on the floor, legs straight out, hands at your sides. Lift your legs straight up (not bending your knees at all) until they're at a ninety degree angle (or close). Lower your legs and repeat without letting your legs touch the floor. For more challenge there is equipment at most gyms that will allow you to raise yourself up using your arms as support and dangle your legs. You can perform leg lifts there too. If you're using this piece of equipment, you can make it easier by just raising your knees to your chest. It's more difficult to raise your legs to a horizontal position with your legs straight. This helps firm up the lower abdomen. If you're truly a monster, try doing leg lifts with a medicine ball hanging from your feet. Or hang from a pull up bar and raise your legs in front of you all the way up to the bar. Still too easy?...
   
4. Do Jackknife Sit Ups. Lie down flat on the floor. Place your hands on the ground to your sides for balance; you can pick them up as you get used to the movement. Simultaneously raise your knees and torso so that your knees and face meet on an imaginary line extending from your pelvis to the ceiling. You should be able to kiss your knees at the top of the motion. Your legs will naturally fold bringing your feet towards your hips, much like a jackknife. Lie back down (i.e. "spread out") and repeat. Place a weight between your feet when you think you can handle it. What's that? More?
   
5. Do V-ups. Lie on the floor, legs straight out, hands on the floor but this time extended out over your head. Simultaneously raise legs and torso. Don't bend your knees! What kind of V would it be if you bend your knees? Reach with your hands toward the raised feet. Touch your feet if possible (will require some flexibility). Relax, return to starting position and repeat. Add weight between feet to match your taste.
   
6. Static Hold and Side Statics. Put your body into the push-up position but with your elbows on the floor, and you whole body flat. This position is known as the static hold position and it trains your core (including your abs) to hold the body in place which is the real purpose of your abs. Hold this position for as long as possible, but you should be aiming to start off with at least 45 seconds, while seasoned ab workers known to achieve over 20 minute static holds. To perform the side static hold roll onto one side of your body and lift into the same position as before, but this time only one arm will be on the ground with the other arm pointed straight up the air and your non-weight bearing leg resting on your bottom leg. Once again, hold this for as long as possible
   
7. Train Your Oblique Muscles. It's not as important to work on your oblique muscles at first, but eventually you'll want to start working these too. These are the muscles to either side of your stomach. There are multiple ways to do this and anything that includes twisting your torso against a resistance counts. There are twisting machines at gyms, you can twist while you do sit-ups, you can do side bends, you can twist side to side with a medicine ball in hand, etc. Be aware though, that many beginners tend to have weak obliques compared to their abs (it simply isn't used as much in daily life) so go easy on the sides at first.
   

Other stuff

1. Know that since it is, literally, the center of your body there are many other tricks you can use to train your abs, and some of the other movements will more or less involve your abs. Including every abdominal exercise in existence would make this article painfully long and new methods are being developed constantly. Now that you've made up your mind about a washboard mid-section, get creative! Find new ways to crunch, bend and twist in your daily life. Some possibilities include:
   
   1. Use a stability ball. Do your crunches on the ball to introduce instability to your workout, which will improve your balance too. There are also lots of core exercises that can be done with a stability ball.You can also use a small bubble use for physical therapy.
      
   2. Duck and twist during your daily routine. Reach with your left hand to things on your right and vice versa. If you feel like turning around to face something, see if you can do it with keeping your hips in place and twisting at the waist (warning: awkward when talking to other people, use only against inanimate objects). While walking or standing, pretend that something is coming toward you and you have to duck to get out of the way. Do this as often as you are comfortable or at times when it won't look weird. You can bend forward from the hips or, if you're really into it, bend at the knees too and really "sink" out of the way.
      
   
   
2. Do the Scientific Best Abs Exercise Researchers at the San Diego State University, found that there are certain abs exercises that triggers most muscular activity. The winner was the "bicycle maneuver":
   
   1. Lie on the floor; make sure your lower back is pressed on the ground.
      
   2. Take your hands behind your ears. Then bring up your knees at a 45 degree angle.
      
   3. Start doing a bicycle pedalling motion. Touch your elbow with the opposite knee (right elbow with left knee and so on, alternating)
      
   4. Breathe relaxed and evenly throughout the whole exercise.
      
   
   

Lose Fat

1. Lift Weights. The more muscle your body has, the more calories your body burns, even at rest. Many people are afraid of getting huge due to weight lifting but the fact is you won't!, Many huge body-builders out there have been body-building for years to get huge. If you just do cardiovascular exercises without lifting weights then you will lose the muscle mass, you will also feel weak and it will take longer to lose that fat. So, to get rid of that fat quickly lift weights combined with cardiovascular exercises. Running, biking, swimming, stair climbing, jumping rope, tennis, volleyball, dancing, squash or any other activity that gets you moving and keeps you moving is a great way to burn fat. However, a cardiovascular workout should be performed for at least 20 minutes to burn fat Prior to this your body will simply run on its stored energy, which results in minimal fat loss. Cardiovascular training should always be done after your weight lifting workout. While lifting weights, you use stored, (carbohydrate) energy, thus, by performing cardiovascular exercises after weight training your body will have less stored energy to use and go straight into the fat storage for its energy use. The overall best way to shed fat fast is to do cardiovascular (30 minutes minimum) right when you wake up. Your body will search for energy to use, and when it finds nothing in your stomach, it will go directly to your fat reserves for energy.
   

Diet Tips

1. Keep Metabolism Steady. Eating one small meal (such as a potato, a salad, etc.) every three hours that you are awake will not speed up your metabolism, rather, it will keep it going. Your metabolism goes and slows with your food intake and eating something small every three hours will keep that metabolism burning calories and will help you lose weight. A jar of nuts in the office will do just fine, grab a handful when you feel like it. Most fruits can last for a couple days without refrigeration, and if you have a refrigerator at the office, make use of it.
   
2. Eat Smaller Dinners. Cut down on the size of your dinner. If you're hungry, snack on fruits or other healthy, low calorie snacks. Large dinners tend to hurt a fat loss process because most people aren't very active after dinner. This is the basis for advice along the lines of "don't eat anything within X hours before going to bed". The claim that your entire dinner is stored as fat isn't entirely true (the process is more complicated than that) but the fact you don't move after dinner is enough to hurt your cause. You can offset this by eating a larger lunch or snacking healthily before dinner. Fresh fruits or vegetables are excellent choices for curbing appetite not to mention other health benefits. A handful of nuts might do the same. Drink a large glass of water before sitting at the table.
   
3. Eat More Fiber. Most people don't get enough fiber. The recommended amount is actually not that much if you eat a healthy diet. "Fiber foods" include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds. Other options are fiber supplements.
   
4. Eat Breakfast. Many people skip breakfast because they don't have time for it. Keep this in mind: You don't have time to skip breakfast, it's simply too valuable to skip. The fact that skipping breakfast messes up your concentration and other mental functions is beyond the scope of this article. The harm of skipping breakfast from a weight loss perspective is it makes you eat a huge lunch since your body hasn't had anything in the past 12 (or more) hours. When you eat a huge lunch you get that after meal drowsiness so now you're both unproductive and inactive. Cereals don't take much time to prepare and consume, and most of them are very healthy nowadays. If you are extremely pressed for time, consider grabbing a box of breakfast bars or a smoothie and throwing one in your bag when you leave for work or school. Some breakfast bars out there are also excellent sources of fibre.
   
5. Drink More Water Everyday. Many places suggest 8 cups (2L) of water a day. It sounds like an absurd amount of water, but actually, you can drink tea without sugar to make up some of the quota. In fact tea, especially green tea, rev up your "metabolism" (actually cause a temporary increase in calories burned). For fat loss purposes, it is important to remind yourself that thirst is a much weaker stimuli than hunger. If you consistently feel hungry after meals, don't immediately think that you need to eat more. You may simply be thirsty!Needless to say there are many benefits of water. The human body is anywhere from 55% to 78% water depending on body size.
   

Tips

• Motivation is the key. Regardless of aim, having the right attitude towards your motivation is important. If your motivation source is purely the result, you will likely not last very long. It's important to enjoy the exercise, the immediate and long term benefits and to incorporate enjoyable activities into your exercise routine. And remember, your significant other can also benefit from mutual exercise "activities".
  
• It may help to use a record-keeper or plan book for your exercise program. Exercise journals are fantastic for this purpose because as you enter daily information in the journal, you're putting together a complete record that can be referred back to in the future.
  
• If you feel you need to, ease into the changes in your lifestyle. Start eating breakfast. If you have difficulty with this, start with a couple glasses of water or a large cup of coffee right when you wake up. It'll go down easy and prepare your stomach to get back to work. Cut the amount of dinners little by little. For the exercises, start slow and increase pace and/or repetitions as you are comfortable. Attempting lifestyle changes in a drastic, sudden manner can backfire. Do what you can but don't sell yourself short.
  
• Make a photo diary of your body but don't take pictures too often (once a month is fine). Don't study your pictures intensely since you might not get motivated if you don't see a difference. If you are consistent in your diet and exercise, you should see changes monthly. Keep in mind that you won't see changes in the mirror everyday since they will be very small improvements.
  
• Unless you are watching your weight for another reason, ignore the reading on the scale. You may be decreasing your body fat but your weight may stay the same (or even increase) as you build muscle. Muscle tissue is denser than fat so it will be heavier than the same volume of fat. Water weight can also vary your readings by a surprisingly large amount.
  
• Try to keep a steady eating routine. It will throw your body off if you skip a meal and starve yourself only to stuff your face later. Avoid such situations as much as possible.
  
• For added variety you may look into using a Swiss ball and/or a medicine ball during your ab workout. Doing crunches on the swiss ball will improve your balance, or you may use it to get a little more flexion in your abs. The medicine ball has many different uses, the simplest one being added weight.
  
• If you are already skinny, but simply don't have the abdominal muscle that you want, passively exercising while doing other things can help a great deal. If you spend a long time in a sitting position, try continuously clenching your stomach. Get in the habit of doing this for hours at a time and you may be surprised at its effectiveness.
  
• Try to make an effort to make your abs strong while you are young because the abs are one of the last muscles to atrophy, so you may not have to worry about them when you are older if you do a good job while you are young.
  
• Remember that six pack abs are made in the kitchen. Nutrition is the most important factor in losing body fat.
  
• Try some stress relieving activities, such as yoga or meditation. Built up stress causes an increase in your weight.
  
• You should make working out a priority like keeping a job, you don't want to miss and not get paid.
  
• 500 calories' is the calorie deficit a day needed to lose a pound of fat per week. This may be from eating less or hitting the gym.
  

Warnings

• Most, if not all of these exercises are not recommended for people with lower back problems. There are many other ways to properly develop six pack abs without putting so much strain on your back. If in doubt or experiencing lower back pain, talk to physical therapist for proper way of performing the routines.
  
• This exercise regimen will only work for a select few individuals. For some people, this exercise advice will actually provide the opposite desired effects. For example, for people who have a few extra pounds around the belly and start this from scratch. They are actually more likely to look larger in the belly for a period of time since they are putting on muscle beneath their fat at first. You may want to begin for a significant period of time by doing more cardiovascular exercises to lose fat all over the body. Doing specific muscle exercises, unfortunately does not remove fat from that specific area of the body. Additionally, focusing solely on the abs can produce an imbalance in the body and may cause back problems where there were none before or exacerbate any existing problems
  
• As with any exercise program, consult your doctor before making major changes in your workout routine if you have medical problems. Increase loads slowly. Being eager is great but setting unrealistic goals isn't going to help you in the long run.
  
• If you have a bad back be especially careful when doing abdominal exercises. You can injure it or aggravate any injuries you may have. Always stretch after warming up (a short jog or brisk walk is a good way to warm up)and after exercising.
  
• Don't starve yourself. If you go hungry for an extended period of time your metabolism will slow down. The body, thinking that no food is available tries to make the best of what it has and goes into power-saving mode. Whilst on 'power-saving' mode, the body will supplement its carbohydrates (being burnt for energy) with the proteins in your muscles. What this means is that you are in fact eating back into that six pack just to try and make it show through.
  
• Fiber also acts like a mild laxative. Be careful if you eat a lot of fiber. It can also cause some gas if you're not used to taking in so much fiber. If you increase your fiber dosage by a lot, increase your water intake too. Excessive fiber with little water can result in digestive problems.
  
• Habitual snacking on unhealthy foods is often done almost unconsciously. Many people do this and don't realize how many calories they take in. They insist they eat very little (which is true during their major meals), but they don't realize that their snacking is making them gain weight or stopping them from losing weight. Avoid buying high sugar snacks and instead buy healthy, low calorie snacks. A way to prevent unhealthy snacking is to write down everything you eat in a day. As you watch the list grow you will be inclined to put that donut down.
  
• Be wary of ab machines that you may see on TV. Many of these are in fact rip offs and you are more likely to stay motivated if you incorporate an ABS workout into a regular gym session(you are less likely to get sick of it). You can get a great ab workout just by using the floor. Remember that it's not the exercise that will give you the six pack. It's the combination of strength exercises and fat loss. Playing more athletic sports, weight lifting, and cardiovascular exercises are a million times more effective for fat loss than using an exercise machine. If you feel you need to use those machines, a gym membership will likely suit you much better.
  
• Supplements can be useful, but they are just what they advertise themselves to be; supplements. There is no magic pill to make you lose weight with no work. There are some supplements out there that can help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism or by helping you curb your appetite, but you still have to work. Most tend to be "snake oil" and will not really give you any results while costing you great deals of money. And remember, even if they DO help, all supplements still require the consumer to watch their diet and increase their exercise. A simple multivitamin or mineral pill is likely all that most people will need.
  
• Sit ups can be bad for your back. They have caused many lower back problems and are not recommended by most doctors. More and more K-12 schools are phasing sit ups out and switching to crunches. A good alternative to sit ups is to lay on your back, lift your feet in the air as high as you can reach them, and lift your butt off the floor instead. The best results come when you do them slow and tighten your abs (and even butt). When you lower your legs do not let your butt touch the ground completely, then repeat. This exercise conditions, tightens, and hardens all the same muscles as a sit up when used with crunches as well.
  
• Don't use steroids or Human Growth Hormone (HGH) without the consultation of your doctor (several if possible).
  
• Be cautious about the use of any dietary supplements, even "just" the protein powders. Consult your doctor for a reputable sports doctor who can advise knowledgeably on such "help".
  
• Don't be fooled from TV advertisements of weight loss machines, they are spoofing off your back! Do the right way by dieting, crunching and any means necessary.
  
• When you do sit-ups, its best to use a mat or fabricated mat to lie on. This will help your back from that rough nasty floor! Can cause back pain and pain in the back so be careful, don't push on yourself.
  
• Don't neglect warm-ups or you may find yourself pulling muscles and long-term pain when you start doing this method!
  
• Opinions on weight loss and muscle training routines are like noses - everyone has one but they're all different. In the end, you should find something you enjoy and that you will stick for life. Over time, you can modify it until you get the results that are right for you.
  

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Sources and Citations

• 5min - How to get six pack abs video 5min is a videopedia for instructional videos. Source of images in this article, shared with permission.
  

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SixPack Stomach--Quickly

Get a Six Pack NOW- a training and nutritional program designed to give you all of the information you require to get the six pack stomach and beach ready body that you have always dreamed of having.

Abs

Abs, you assume, are reserved only for athletes, for models, for bodybuilders, for trainers, for the lipo-suctioned, and for people who would classify spinach as a breakfast meal. But think again, great looking abs can be for anyone who wants them, if you’re prepared to put in some hard yards to get them.

Six Pack

Six pack abs are well sought after, nearly everyone who wants to look good dreams of having a six pack like you see on the ads and in movies.

One of the first things in striving for that six pack, is to lose some weight, you see if you have a bit of a belly, then that belly fat is hiding your wonderful six pack.

So, you should start by looking at your diet, do some exercise, lose some weight and begin your stomach exercise routine.

By constantly working at this you will soon start to see results.


Stomach Exercises

Stomach crunches will help tone your muscles underneath but unless you do fat-burning exercises (unfortunately that means getting a sweat-on and running, cycling, swimming, etc) you will never be able to see them. Stomach crunches should do it if you keep them up & do loads.

Exercises

Exercises that work the large muscle groups of the legs, upper and lower back, and chest give you the biggest metabolic bang for your buck in terms of abdominal fat loss.

Diet

A big consideration in getting that six pack is, looking at a good diet, coupled with moderate exercise is the only way to reveal your "six-pack". As above, all these things go hand in hand when it comes to getting a great looking washboard stomach.

Training

Training Tip to increase the range of motion and to get even more ab work, try putting a rolled-up towel under your lower back. Training Tip When you rotate your legs to the left, do not allow your upper body to rotate along with it.

Workout Consistently

Workout all the time and then you will get a six pack. It won’t come automatically, you have to work at it, so consistency is the key here. Do your exercises every day, when you don’t feel like getting into it, think of that six pack?

Abdominal Genetics

Abdominals happen to be one of those body parts victim to genetics. While it is true genetics does play a part in how you look, careful diet and the right exercise can help you tone and sculpture your body.

Health

Health & Fitness – Sit-ups can strengthen your belly muscles, but doing them incorrectly can hurt your back. It is a good idea to get professional help from a gym instructor or personal trainer if you can afford one.

Getting the right help is important to ensure you’re doing things right and not hurting yourself.

For More Interesting Info On Getting A Six Pack---Click Here

7 Tips On How To Get The Best Six Pack Quickly

If you' been wanting a six pack and don't know where to start, then you're in for a treat, as this article will show you some of the best and proven tips and tricks on obtaining that washboard stomach.

Get Rid Of The Fat Or You'll Never See Your Abs.

It is well known that you will never see your abs if you don't reduce your belly fat. Experts reveal that it is this belly fat that actually hides those six pack abs. So part of the overall program to get your six pack is to concentrate on a well-balanced diet that will help you reduce that belly fat.

The Good Old Crunch Is Still Popular

When doing your crunches, it is very important not to lift your entire back off the floor, as this can cause back strain, and the extended movement does not help you develop six pack abs any faster. The most important part of the crunch is the initial flexing of your abs as you lift your shoulders off of the floor.

Happy Balance Of Diet And Exercise

Diet alone wont do it and neither will crunches. If you are consistent in your diet and exercise, you should see changes on a month-by-month basis. If you want to see your abs, concentrate on your diet and do more cardio. Experts agree that the combination of a healthful, nutritious diet and cardiovascular exercise are needed to strengthen your abdominal muscles and get that six pack.
Hold Your Breath.

Here's another great tip, when standing up straight, or better still lie flat on your back on the floor, suck your belly button down towards the floor and hold for the count of ten.

Do this often and your stomach will get used to it, you'll soon find that you'll be holding your stomach in automatically. This also strengthens your stomach muscles.

The Pelvic Tilt

This stomach exercise requires lying on your back on a flat surface, such as the floor or a bench. Use a mat or towel to cushion your spine. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Raise your pelvis (and only your pelvis) off the floor, hold momentarily, and then lower it back down. Repeat for an entire set. Maintaining a controlled movement is crucial to this exercise. This will allow you to use your abdominal muscles, rather than your body's momentum, to do the work on the exercise. Also, be sure to keep your upper body on the floor throughout.

The Scissors Kick

This exercise requires you to lie on the floor again. Put your hands under your buttocks, keeping your back pressed hard against the floor.

You then slowly raise one leg to a about ten inches, then slowly lower it back to the floor. As you lower one leg, you then raise the other, repeat this motion for a set of about ten. Remember momentum is important here, you must maintain control throughout the entire exercise. Your upper body should remain on the floor, while doing the movements.

The Oblique Stretch

With this one, you will stand straight and then move to one side slowly, keeping straight, not forwards or backwards.

Do this, from one side to the other, do it about ten times on each side. This is an excellent exercise for working your side muscles (obliques) which is all apart of the great six pack workout.
Hopefully this article has given you some insight into getting you that six pack. You will find out more about the whole process at a new e-Book just released called the, 'Truth About Abs'. See below.

This article can be used on your site as long as the entire resource box is used as well.

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Get The Flat Abs Like A Pro Athlete

Here's the best information on getting flat abs you'll ever read.

All About Working The Transverse Abdominals

A group of muscles that often gets neglected in stomach exercise routines are the transverse abdominals, the core muscles that lie below the rectus abdominus. Most abdominal exercises target the rectus abdominus and the vertical abdominals, ignoring the transverse abdominals. Even crunches, the staple of most abdominal workouts, do nothing for the transverse abdominals.

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Here's How To Get A Flat Stomach In Just A Few Weeks

Hi and welcome to my blog about getting a six pack stomach. Over time I will add some very useful information on getting that rock hard tummy that will will envy.

Come back soon for some more gut renching news.

Cheers

Len