How to Get Six Pack Abs
Want to get six pack abs like the guy/girls in the magazine?
Want to have a slim, toned stomach like a woman who is a model?
This is a very interesting issue. There are tons of myths about getting a flat stomach. Perhaps none that are quite as counterproductive as this one:
“To lose stomach fat, all I need to do is lots and lots of stomach exercises”
It seems to make sense, if you want to lose fat in a certain area then you need to work the muscles underneath it. Right?
Not so fast…
One of the most counterproductive ways to exercise to lose fat is to do lots of abdominal exercises. Why? Its not very energy demanding. If you want to lose fat from exercise, then you need to burn calories. Lots and lots and lots of calories. To do this, you need to do exercises that use the most muscles.
Using lots of muscles = more muscles using energy = more overall calories burned.
For example, which of the following exercises is most likely to burn the most calories?
A. Squats
B. Crunches
C. Bicep curls
D. Sit ups
The answer is A. Why? Because squats use just about every muscle in your lower body. It also engages the core muscles and your arms if you are holding dumbbells or a barbell. Doing 50 squats will have you sweating a lot more than doing 50 crunches. Crunches only work the muscles in your abs, as do most ab exercises.
It sounds strange, but if you want to get a six pack then you will get there quicker by doing exercises like squats, lunges, chest presses, lat pulldowns, seated rows, etc. All of these exercises are <strong>compound movements</strong>, meaning they use a lot of different muscles. Again, the more muscles you work the more calories you burn. To take it a step further, each workout should involve a combination of the exercises listed above. This is a total body workout, and it is far superior to an abdominal workout.
Think about this for a second. If doing lots of stomach exercises really toned the abs, then wouldn’t you see people walking around with a ripped six pack and soft, flabby arms, legs, back, etc? Losing weight is an effect that takes place all over your body. Your stomach doesn’t get smaller, YOU as a person get smaller. This includes your upper body, torso, lower body, etc.
The idea that more stomach exercises = more weight loss is absolutely flawed. Stored body fat is extra energy your body needs to store. The only way to get rid of it is to make your body use it for energy, and that only happens when you are eating the right way and burning off enough calories with exercise (circuit training and cardio).