There are XXX Superdrewby members, Join for FREE now!
channels
fitness guide
<$side>

Build & Maintain Killer Abs

The dream of almost every person on the planet is to get great defined abdominal muscles like those seen on boys and girls in pictures. Unfortunately not everyone can have defined abs, but everyone can get a flat good looking stomach to be proud of.

I have been blessed with a naturally slim build and have almost always had a flat stomach, so when I started concentrating on my abs they showed up and responded to the workouts pretty damn well. However as I have got older I have found that I my fat levels fluctuate quite a lot so my abs show sometimes and then at other times they aren't quite so pronounced. The following workout is the way I suggest getting the best killer abs you can ever get.

The truth about getting perfect killer abs is quite simple, the three areas you need to follow are:

1) Low fat diet

Everyone has abdominal muscles from birth it's just that most of us can't see them because they are covered ina layer of fat. If you are serious about developing and showing off your abs, you will need to follow a low fat diet to reduce your overall body fat. And remember there is no such thing a spot fat loss, so if you are trying to reduce fat just on your stomach yopu are wasting your time. Instead concentrate on reducing your fat and carbohydrate intake and the abs will start to show through.

2) Ab workouts

Abs like any muscle in your body responds to being worked out and for that reason you will need to concentrate on some very specific and at times very difficult excercise to get the abs stretching and flexing. Just like your bicep or pecs respond to weight training, so will your abs.

The ab muscle is made up of one muscle not many muscles as people think. The abdominal muscle starts at the bottom of the pectoral muscle at the bottom of the rib cage over the sternum and goes al the way down to your pelvis. The sides of stomach muscle are the obliques (also know as love handles because fat loves to accumultae here).

When we are building up our abs we seperate excercises into our upper abs, lower abs and obliques so we can conetrate on getting the burn on these specific areas.

The term six pack refers to the muscles at the top of our abs the three strips down seperated in the middle, but the abs are actually made up of 5 sections down so someone who is incredibly fit and has next to no body fat can actuall acheive a 8, 10 or even 12 pack.

Most people however are more than comfortable with developing a tight ripped six pack and just a flat stomach below their belly button instead.

3) Cardio excercise

You will never get ripped abs if you don't include a certain component of cardio vascualr excercise in your workout. This combined with a low fat low carbohydrate diet will cut the fat away and show off the abs to their maximum potential.

The Workout Program

This program is a suggestion only and should be changed and or varied every couple of months so your muscles don't get used to the workout.

The ab workout should add between ten to twenty minutes into your workout routine and be done at the end of the workout after your cardio. A note of warning though, at first you will find it very hard to get through the program at all, but keep on going and you will start to see and feel the results within three to six weeks!

Crunches

Crunches are the mainstay of ab excercises and there are lots of ways to perform them well. You can either use an ab roller for stability of your neck and lower back, or you can do them straight without one.

Perform crunches by lying on a flat surface with your hands either across your chest or behind your head, although it's better to have the hands on your chest or you will be pulling your neck forward and this can cause neck strain. Contract your abs. Hold for 2 seconds, then return to the starting position. Crunches should be performed in a continuous and controlled fashion.

Lying Leg Lifts

Lying leg lifts will concentrate on your lower abs. To perform this excercise lie on a falt surface and put your hands either under your buttocks, or stretch them out on either side of your body like a cross, or you can lay them paralell with your body.

Starting Position

Lift your legs up about 8 - 12 inches off the ground hold for 1 second and then let your legs down, but do not let them touch the ground. In this way you will keep the strain on your abs and work harder and more efficiently. Continue doing this until you can do no more.

Reverse Crunches

Reverse crunches will work on your lower abs and you shoould feel the burn down in the area above your groin. Reverse crunches are done by lying on a flat surface and raising your legs and your head off the ground. Bring your legs towards your face and bend your legs concentrating on your lower abs. Hold the position for 1 - 2 seconds then let yoour legs go back to the starting position in a controlled manner.

Try to make sure that your excercise is a smooth movement, not too jerky and try to relax your neck and shoulders or your neck will get sore very quickly. And most importanlty do not let your feet touch the ground at all during the excercise as this will stop the stretching of the muscle.

Starting Position

Mid Position

Pull up Crunches

Pull up crunches work on your entire abs, both lower and upper. Pull yourself up using a Dip machine and position your arms and elbows in a nintey degree position as the rest of your body hangs below you. Then pull your legs toward your chest in a slow and controlled manner. Repeat until you feel the burn. This exercise may be hard at first, but if you can master the technique, you can get awesome results!

 

To make it harder for yourself balance a dumbell between your ankles to give your abs an even harder time!

Side Crunches

Side Crunches are basically the same as regular crunches, except the main focus is on the oblique muscles (love handles). The same technique applies, only your crunching to either side of your abs. You should feel the burn of the sides of your abs

 

Common myths about Ab workouts

You need to do hundreds of crunches

No you need to do well formed crunches and different types of excercises to ge perfect abs.

You can spot reduce fat on your stomach and sides

Come on, have you ever heard of anyone that really managed to reduce just the fat on their stomach? To reduce fat you need to work out your entire body, do cardio and eat a well balannced low fat diet.

You can eat what you want and still have abs

Sorry, that extra chocolate is not going to get you perfect abs. You need to have a calorie controlled diet to achieve the abs of your dreams.

5 Tips for Building Abs

by Justin Leonard - http://www.leonardfitness.com

5. Try to train your abs on an empty stomach.

This allows you to burn bodyfat as fuel instead of carbohydrates.

4. Perform cardio activity before your workout.

When the body is warmed up as a result of cardiovascular activity, you're able to get a better contraction on your abs when you work them. The warm up enables you to better feel the deep muscular burning sensation when your abs are trained.

3. Contract and flex your abs in between sets.

This technique helps to build abdominal definition. Bodybuilders have been know to stretch and flex in between sets to increase muscle definition. It works!

2. Minimize rest time in between sets.

Try to only take 1 minute of rest [or less] time in between abdominal exercises. The goal is to keep rest to 30 - 40 seconds in between sets. Keep those abdominals burning!

1. Focus on the diet.

Your diet is the main factor in how your abs will look.

by Justin Leonard - http://www.leonardfitness.com

We are what we Eat >>