We all hate crunches. I don’t know anyone I’ve talked to, in a journey for their own six pack, who says they love to do them. This blog is going to tell you how to get your six pack, without doing any. Say it ain’t so! Yes, it is. I haven’t done crunches or any “ab exercises” for a couple years now, and I think mine are doing alright. you can check them out here. This is a pretty meticulous plan, but it’s one that works. If you want to show off your six pack this summer at the pool here in Las Vegas, the beach in Cali, or maybe even your backyard in Iowa, you might want to read on. We are going to give you the key points to pay attention to, in order to get killer abs.
The first thing you need to do is work out. I know. It seems pretty simple and evident, but I know so many people who think that if they lose weight, they should have abs. You need to build some muscle, to help burn the fat that is surrounding that precious six pack. This is number one on my list. There are a few people I know, that do have a six pack, without really working out, but we are speaking to you, who doesn’t have one, who wants one. So join a gym, start doing P90X, get with a personal trainer, whatever. You need to become active, to start seeing some results.
Next, don’t listen to the television. Media, and marketing have decided to let you know that it takes two seconds to get abs. This is a big fat lie. There are tons of products that you’ll see on television that promise fitness model midsections in 5 minutes a day. What most people don’t realize is somewhere in those commercials, there are disclamers that are written in very small type, saying that this product, will get you abs…. IN ADDITION to having a strict nutrition plan and regular workout routines. Basically, what they are telling you is that you could probably get great abs WITHOUT that device, machine, or program they are advertising.
Do not neglect the rest of your body. As a personal trainer, I think one of the questions I get asked the most is about problem areas. Usually the tummy is one of those problem areas. That’s great and all, but you have to realize that just because your stomach holds fat, and you can tell, doesn’t mean there isn’t fat on the rest of your body. I think for the most part, most people realize you can’t spot reduce, but there is still some of that belief out there. I will put this simply. If you lose fat, you won’t just lose it in your abs. You will lose fat throughout your body. Work out your entire body, and that will enhance fat burning all around, including your abs. Just because you do crunches, and you are 30 pounds overweight, will not get you a six pack. At that point, your belly isn’t your only issue. Lose the fat, and it will come. Incorporate total body workouts to build muscle everywhere, which will help burn that fat.
Another way get abs without crunches is to up your workout intensity. People think that their long, steady state cardio is the only way to burn fat. Well, I’m here to tell you, not only is that extremely boring, but it’s not even the most efficient way to burn fat. Try out interval training. This is a form of cardio, if done right, can last as little as ten minutes. Basically you switch from sprinting to rest/walking, back and forth. This can burn much more fat than your average 30 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill. Think about it like this. Look at your marathon runners. What do they look like? Now take a sprinter. Which one would you rather look like? The sprinter (intervals) has more muscle tone. The marathoner (long, steady cardio) is very slender without much muscle tone. If you want to see your abs, which one do you think you should train like?
Do ab work that isn’t “ab work”. People think six pack, they think crunches, sit ups, and ab devices. If you do exercises that incorporate your core throughout your workout, you won’t even have to worry about hitting your abs at the end of the workout. Try exercises like mountain climbers, squat jumps, and burpees. If you incorporate these, you’ll realize, your abs work without doing actual crunches. Also. try to do all of your exercises standing. Your core has to brace your body, to react to the force of the resistance applied to your movements.
Lastly, pay attention to what you eat. A lot of people think if they work out hard, they deserve a treat in the form of bad food. Unfortunately, this is counter productive. The food you eat, when you work out hard, is JUST as important as the food you eat when you don’t. You need to think of food as fuel if you want a six pack. Just because something tastes good, doesn’t mean it’s good for you. That’s pretty obvious Krispy Kreme. When you are trying to get a six pack, clean foods, such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, like turkey breast, chicken breast, tuna, other fish, and some dairy products like cottage cheese help the mission. You want a six pack with no crunches? Fried foods are a no no. Skin on meat, is a no no. The cleaner you eat, the quicker you will see those abs. Tracking this food that you eat can also be a great help in the quest for six packs. Sites like Fitday.com and Dotfit.com are good sites to make sure you aren’t eating too many calories or too few, and if the balance of carbs, proteins and fat are good.
If you pay attention to these 6 things, and you follow them for a month, you will be amazed at what you can see in thirty days. As always, there are a ton or workout programs you can follow online, I offer some on my site, like the 4 Week Six Pack Plan. With a little effort, and preparation, you’ll have that six pack that you want. It’s not going to come easy, but it will come.
