Walk into your gym and look at how many people are training their abs with half-hearted attempts of crunches and situps. And then guess how many of those people have lean, firm, six pack abs if you lift their shirts up. Probably very few, even among some experienced bodybuilders and those aiming to build muscle.
This is unfortunate because a lot of people neglect proper ab training and dieting only because they don't know how to approach it the right way. They don't know what exercises are best, how to eat, and all the specific details that make up an effective six pack abs program.
If you want six pack abs, you have to go beyond crunches and situps. You have to take a more comprehensive and total approach to training. Because situps and crunches are just 2 small pieces of the six pack puzzle.
Train your abs in different planes of motion using a variety of exercises. There are dozens of different productive and efficient ab movements you've never heard of. Use different rep schemes. Do different amounts of sets. Don't just stick to one or two exercise with the same number of sets every single time you hit the gym.
Train the abs for function and strength. Train them for endurance. Train them for strength. Train them for stability. The bottom line is you have to train your abs for different strength qualities and overall function. A strong abdominal and core region goes hand-in-hand with a ripped six pack. The look and definition of your muscles and its strength capabilities are not mutually exclusive. If you can train your abs to be strong, you'll be one step closer to six pack abs.
Spot Reduction is a Myth
Then there's the dieting part of getting a six pack. Spot reduction is a myth. We all have a six pack underneath whatever fat we're covering. Remove that fat with a proper fat loss dieting and exercise program and you'll see your abs. Lose the fat first, then get the six pack.
So there are 2 aspects of getting six pack abs: training and dieting/nutrition aimed for the purpose of fat loss.
First, you have to understand the basic structure of your abs and overall core muscles to understand how you can train in the most effective manner possible. The core includes the abdominal and lower back.
Knowing the basic structure will give you great insight into how the abdominal muscles works to flex, bench, stabilize, and rotate the torso. And then you pick exercises that allows you to work the abs in the flexing, bending, and rotating/stabilizing positions. Training the abs in multiple dimensions with variety is crucial to structuring and building up your core. And increased performance gets you nice looking six pack abs.
The Structure of your Abs
The lower back and abs, called the core, is the body's center responsible for providing stability. It's the link between the upper and lower body. The abdominal wall contains 4 pairs of flat muscles: the rectus abdominis, thin external oblique muscles (found on left and right side of rectus abdominis), internal oblique muscles, and the transverse abdominis.
- rectus abdominis
- external oblique
- internal oblique
- transverse abdominis
Without getting too technical, each muscle has its own unique properties. The rectus abdominis is the muscle at the front that gives you that six pack look in the mirror. It is responsible for trunk flexion and extension meaning you're able to contract and relax your abs from the front side. The oblique muslces are responsible for lateral trunk flexion and internal rotation allowing you to to bend side to side and rotate left to right while standing in place. And the transverse abdominis, the deepest muscle of the abdomen, wraps around the spine to provide overall stability when you're flexing and bending. You can strengthen the transverse abdominis by strengthening the lower back.
The Functions of your Abs
The 4 Functions of your Abdominal Muscles
- trunk flexion and extension
- trunk rotation left and right
- trunk flexion from side to side
- trunk stabilization
*your trunk is specified as your torso or upper body
These 4 functions are also the basic movement patterns of the body.
Noticed I did not mention or say anything about upper and lower abs. That's because the body doesn't recognize the differences between your upper and lower abs since there are no separate upper and lower abs to begin with in the first place. The rectus abdominis has an upper and lower region but the actual muscles are not separated. So when people refer to upper and lower abs, they're really talking about the upper and lower regions of the same muscles. Different regions but not different muscles. There are no separate upper and lower ab muscles.
Ab exercises that targets the lower abs will place more specific stress onto the lower region of your abs. They don't exactly isolate your upper abs. The upper abs still contract with lower ab specific movements. The core works within one single unit. Your body works in a single unit, rather than a collection of muscles. So whatever exercises you do, all the parts of the abdominal goes to work in varying degrees.
Specificity- Train your Abs for Function and Performance
There are plenty of different exercises you can do so you won't run out of movements. That's what we mean by a total approach to ab training. You use exercises that mimic the basic movement patterns of the abs. There are exercises that allows you to train while standing up, sitting down, lying on a support, and stabilizing on a platform that allows you to flex, contract, extend, rotate, and stabilize in different directions. This is targeted ab training for a stronger, fitter, and ripped abs.
Six Pack Nutrition
Apart from training, there's also the nutrition and dieting side of getting six pack abs. You'll have to lose fat all over your body if you want those abs to show. Doing a thousand crunches or situps isn't going to magically burn the fat off your abs. You can't just pick one area and spot reduce. Fat loss is a process that takes time, depending on how many pounds you have to lose.
Do you see any at fat people with six pack abs? No spot reduction. Doesn't work. Forget about it and do it the right way. Your six pack abs program should include proper ab training in various positions and planes of motion using a variety of exercises with effective fat loss dieting. Combine both components with time and you'll get those lean abs. Time is that other X-factor that most people don't seem understand and miss.
If you're 50 pounds overweight, you're not going to get a six pack in 7 days. It's not going to happen no matter what pills or diets you go on. There are no secrets or miracle potions to help you shed that much fat in just a week (liposuction surgery would be the exception).
The only process that works is targeted and focused abdominal training + proper and balanced eating + time. If you come across a friendly man wearing a yellow hat selling you snake oil pills promising six pack abs in 10 days, run! Like I said, no magic bullet shortcuts for this one.
But if you become diligent, persistent, and consistent in taking action to follow a proper program, you will eventually get that ripped six pack. Seeing the beginning foundations of a six pack will also serve as a great motivator for general fat loss.
5 Elements of Six Pack Nutrition
- calories deficit
- high protein
- complex carbohydrates
- essential fats
- macronutrient balance
We'll talk more about these factors of six pack nutrition in the last article of this series.
Next, I'll introduce 8 main movements that everyone can incorporate into their six pack programs for the best results and show you how to put it together into workout routines. Let's move on to "How to Get Six Pack Abs Fast: Six Pack Exercise."
Train Hard. Train Safely. Train Smart.
If you have any questions, comments or input you want to add to this article, don't hesitate to leave a comment below or email me at ZQH245@gmail.com or ZQH250@gmail.com
photo credits:
rdfrank67
allyrose18
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