Ask any woman what is the most attractive part of a guy’s body and most of the time, they will tell you it’s a set of ripped six-pack abs.
Ask any guy what the one they want the most that’s impossible to get… and they’ll give you the same answer: ripped six-pack abs.
A ripped six-pack is considered by many as the pinnacle of healthy, fit, and sexy man.
So is it any wonder that in every gym, you will see men of all ages doing endless crunches in the hope of obtaining the much-coveted killer abs?
Unfortunately, most men will never get to see their abs no matter how many sit-ups they do.
Why Most Men Will Never Get a Six-Pack
You may not like what I am going to give to you straight… so listen up carefully.
Six-Pack Abs Truth #1:
You may be able to do a zillion crunches a day and you might even build a rock solid core, but as long as there is a layer of fat covering your stomach, you will never see your abs because it is covered by a layer of fat.
Not only that, if you do focus on building a strong core and building up abdominal muscles, you might even make your stomach look fatter because the underlying muscle will simply push your stomach and fat out even further!
Six-Pack Abs Truth #2:
When it comes to six-pack abs, there’s something else we have to get straight.
There is no such thing as spot reduction. You can’t just burn fat off your stomach without burning fat off the rest of your body.
Late night TV commercials or magazines have been telling you that you can have well-defined abs by using this gadget or that electronic gizmo.
Do you really believe that it is that simple? Of course, you don’t (at least I hope you don’t).
If that nonsense worked, every guy would have six-pack abs and you wouldn’t be reading this article.
So what does it take to get six pack abs?
With all of that out of the way, let’s take a look at what it really takes to get the elusive six-pack you really want.
1. A mild calorie deficit.
The old saying that “abs are made in the kitchen not the gym” is absolutely true, yet most guys trying to get six-pack abs completely ignore the importance of nutrition.
If you want to see your six-pack and have a defined core, you’re going to have to burn fat… and that means you need to have a clean, calorie restricted diet.
You may have heard this before, To lose fat effectively and permanently for your abdominal muscles to show, you must include a mildly deficit calorie restriction diet, frequent cardio workouts and strength training with weights to build muscle so as to raise your metabolism in order to lose weight and burn fat naturally. Your weight loss goals will not be achieved effectively or permanently when any one of the three elements is done wrong or not even incorporated in your slimming program. I repeat the three elements again:
2. Frequent cardio – preferably HIIT.
The most effective way to burn fat is with high-intensity interval training.
And if your goal is to get six-pack abs you’re really going to have to ramp it up and make it a regular part of your routine if you seriously want to get your body fat down to single digit levels.
3. Weight training workouts.
Most people who try to get six-pack abs only focus on doing cardio. And they usually do the wrong type… longer cardio session vs the high-intensity type you need to use.
To get six-pack abs you’ll need to not only do cardio, but you’ll want to lift weights as well.
Lifting weights will build muscle, which raises your metabolism, and helps your body burn fat more quickly.
A regular weight lifting workout routine supplemented with high-intensity interval training is the closest thing to a “magic pill” for getting six-pack abs.
So there you have it, the three key ingredients to getting ripped six-pack abs.
Forget about fad food diets, popping magic pills, or focusing on long cardio sessions.
A clean, calories restricted diet, high-intensity interval training, and weight training routine is all you need to get that ripped midsection.
Isometric Contraction: Secret Six Pack Abs Weapon
Unleashed Isometric contractions, a.k.a. static contractions, occur when muscles exert force – causing
tension, but without a changing their length. They are closely identified with common flexibility
activities like yoga and stretching, but also apply to strength training and especially abdominal
development in all three areas:
Rectus Abdominus (your “six-pack” muscles)
Transverse Abdominus (muscles that pull in the stomach, keeping it flat)
Obliques (V-shaped muscles tapering the waistline – the “love handles”)
The point is, if you’re looking to get six-pack abs, a flat stomach, and the v-shape waistline,
then you’ll want to make sure you’re focusing on isometric abs exercises – the secret weapon to washboard abs.
Why Isometric Abdominal Exercises?
Unlike isotonic contractions, which cause muscle shortening (things like bicep curls, triceps
pulldowns), isometric exercises do not involve any pulling or lifting motion. This makes them
particularly desirable if your goal is a lean, washboard “six-pack”. Remember – you do not want
bigger abdominal muscles that only lead to an unwanted bigger waist; instead, your goals are
strength and better definition in the core midsection.
Top 3 Isometric Abdominal Exercises
1. Isometric Stomach Flattener
Take a chair; sit up tall and straight.
Take a deep breath and contract your stomach as hard as possible.
Tense up your stomach as if bracing for a punch – still keeping it well contracted.
Breathe out tightly making a hissing sound. You should feel your abdominals getting tighter.
While breathing out, crunch your abs really hard; rotate your pelvis upwards and your rid cage inwards.
Breathe all the way out.
Finally, relax!
2. Front Plank Exercise
Bridge and plank exercises are great for beginners and experts alike. For example, the basic
isometric plank works the front abdominals. Keeping your body straight, put your forearms on
the ground. Get up on your toes to put your body in a straightened position. Hold yourself in
this fixed position for thirty to sixty seconds.
For more of a challenge, try a three-point plank with one leg completely in the air.
3. Side Plank
Work the side and front abdominals with this classic exercise:
Lay on one side.
Lift yourself into position by placing your forearm under your body and pushing up.
Your feet should be on top of each other, and your body should be straight.
Hold yourself in this fixed position for at least thirty seconds.
As you improve your performance, support your weight on your hand with elbow locked straight rather than on your forearm.
For a good breathing exercise to cap things off, consider the following “Lats” (Lattimus Dorsi)
exercise:
Standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Clasp hands together with arms outstretched in front
of you. Knees slightly bent. Take a deep breath and with back perfectly straight, stretch arms
out and hold the position for thirty seconds (shorter if you fatigue). Gently hiss out your breath instead of holding it in.
5 Benefits of Isometric Exercises
1. Great Beginners’ Exercises: Instead of worrying about what body parts to move,
isometrics offer a low-impact way of developing great abdominals thanks to your own body resistance.
2. Time-effective: Targeted isometric abdominal exercises require as few as five minutes, and
can easily be incorporated into a compound exercise, full body workout.
3. Can be performed anywhere:Whether you are in a hotel room, at home, or at a friend’s
garage, space is never an issue for these exercises.
4. Scalable for Greater Results: These exercises can be done equipment free; however, by adding external resistance (e.g. resistance bands, specialized isometric equipment, free weights) you can increase the challenge and get even better results.
5. Flexibility Transitions: With some minor adjustments, many isometric exercises can become isotonic (i.e. moving) for even more results.
Isometric contraction exercises have always been a part of my workouts, and not just for the
six-pack. Add a couple to your workout, and don’t forget about your nutritional needs! A
general rule of thumb is to get more protein into your diet to encourage a lower body fat level.
Still, don’t neglect your carbohydrates or you will lack the energy needed to carry out full
workouts and showcase your new physique!