Almost everyone who trains regularly wants to have a visible six pack, but at the same time defined abs are the most rarely seen muscle group between regular gym goers. The fact is that the majority of gym goers don’t know how to get a six pack.
Most people relate the feeling of tightness when doing crunches with having a flat stomach and so they believe that crunches are the key to well developed abs. Here are some common misconceptions about building six pack abs.
Myths about getting a six pack
What is true and what’s false in regards to getting visible abs ? Here are some of the most common misconceptions that new gym goers think are true:
1. Doing hundreds of crunches a day will get you a ripped six pack. This is absolutely not true! Abs are a muscle group just like the biceps, triceps or any other muscle group. Doing hundreds of crunches will NOT get you defined. You will just burn out your abs. Doing crunches with weights will make them stronger and a bit bigger if you give them enough rest and the right nutrients but it won’t make them visible.
2. To trim your waist you have to do crunches or sit-ups. Working a specific muscle does not burn the fat around that muscle! The body is programed to burn fat all over, not just in one part.
So if you do a lot of crunches and sit-ups you’ll have stronger and bigger abs, but they won’t be visible if they are covered with fat. The key to getting a six pack is getting rid of the excess body fat you carry.
3. You can eat junk food and tons of carbs because you work out. Well this is partially true…some people can get away without a proper diet. They however do regular work outs, move around A LOT (have demanding physical jobs etc.), and they are usually blessed with a fast metabolism. But let’s be honest, the majority of people don’t nearly move enough to burn all the calories they eat.
4. If you work your abs for hours every day, you will get great abs. Nope. Just like doing hundreds of crunches this will only get you overtrained and with no visible abs.
So how do you get a six pack ?
The key is a balanced diet and burning more calories than you eat on a daily basis. Being able to see a well defined six pack has nothing to do with doing any sort of ab exercises. It has everything to do with body fat levels.
When doing compound exercises like squats, deadlifts and bench press you already work your abs hard.
Try to cut the sugars from your diet, increase fiber intake, eat more protein, eat 500-600 calories less than you usually eat on a daily basis.
Do light 30 minute cardio sessions 3-4 times a week (cycling, fast pace walking, swiming etc.).
This is enough to get you started and see some real results in 2-3 months.
This is not entirely true. Every abs workout will make your abs grow bigger with right technique and enough time. I hate weight training because there are techniques where your bodyweight is enough even or too much. I prefer hanging leg rises as the hardest and most efficient. Currently I am at 5 sets 12 straight legs rises each, 2-4 mins rest between sets and I can say i have shredded 6 pack. Everyone says that nutrition is so important. I can afford only 1 yum yum instant soup (or equal cost product) for lunch and 5 slices of bread for dinner and still I was able to get athletic body within 2 months
How tall/heavy are you ? We are talking about muscle mass and abs, because a skinny person with a faster metabolism will have visible abs even without training.
There are actually two schools of thought on this.For a long time, spot reduction has been (and still is) considered to be a myth because the body burns fat systemically (whole body, as opposed to localized). Up until recently, I myself thought this was true. If the body burns fat systemically, then it is the body that will determine where it pulls fat from, regardless of the muscle that you workout.However, recent studies have begun to suggest otherwise. Cold fat does not mobilize well, so by warming it up (increasing blood flow to the area) you are assisting your body with mobilizing and eliminating those fat cells.Other studies have demonstrated that blood flow and lipolysis increased in the subcutaneous fatty tissue that is directly adjacent to the working muscle. In other words, the study showed that working out specific muscles increased the fat loss in that area.Whether this new science is right, and spot reduction is real, is up to you to decide. It just helps to know that there are multiple schools of thought, so keep an open mind.
Sources:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16985258http://0-jap.physiology.org.library.pcc.edu/content/106/5/1529.fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10817155