Rock hard abs are set off by a tight, toned six pack in the stomach. This occurs when you get your body fat percentage into the single digits and the rectus abdominis muscle becomes very prominent. Even though there are numerous companies on the market claiming their gadget can create rock hard abs, this simply isn't the case. The secret is found in your kitchen and local gym.
Misconceptions
Getting rock hard abs is much more complicated than doing a single ab exercise thousands of times every day. It is impossible to target one area for weight loss. Even if you do not have a lot of fat in your stomach, doing the same exercise every day of the week will over train your muscles and increase your chances for injury.
Diet
By far the most important part of getting rock hard abs is eating right. Foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and simple sugar should all be avoided. If you currently have fat on your stomach, these foods will keep it there and add to it. Instead, eat a balanced diet that has quality sources of carbohydrates, protein and fats. To keep metabolism elevated and to keep hunger under control, eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Baked salmon with steamed broccoli and quinoa is a meal example.
Pass up beverages such as soda, alcohol, sweetened teas, fruit punch and dessert coffees in favor of water. Not only do these beverages contain empty calories, but some of them also cause dehydration. Water hydrates the system and helps flush toxins from the body.
Cardiovascular Training
Simply put, cardio burns fat throughout the whole body. When you lose overall fat, you will lose it in your stomach as well. A common type of cardio routine used to develop a flat stomach is interval training. Interval training starts with a light warm-up, then bouts of high intensity and low intensity are alternated. Not only does this burn a high amount of calories during exercise, but it also raises caloric expenditure several hours after. Any type of cardio can be performed in the interval format, including running, indoor cycling, elliptical training, rowing, stair climbing and swimming. Three interval sessions a week on alternating days is favorable for rock hard abs. Due to the high intensity, any more than this can lead to overtraining.
Weight Training
Weight training builds muscle, which in turn raises resting metabolism. This causes your body to burn calories efficiently around the clock, which contributes to more fat being burned on your stomach. The exercise selection is also important. Compound exercises are favored for two reasons. First of all, they recruit a high amount of muscle fibers leading to faster gains. Secondly, they require you to contract your abs to execute good form. This means you consistently get abdominal work when you are lifting weights. Bench presses, military presses, pull-ups, dips, squats and lunges are exercise examples. Do a basic workout three times a week on non-consecutive days.
Weighted Abdominal Exercises
The abdominal exercises involved with rock hard abs involve targeting the upper and lower rectus abdominis and obliques. Hanging leg raises, reverse crunches, Russian twists, bicycle crunches, stability ball crunches and v-ups are examples. To ensure that the muscles get maxed out with each exercise, added resistance is held or worn, such as dumbbells, barbells, weighted vests, medicine balls and ankle weights. Generally, three to four sets and 15 to 20 reps are performed and the abs get worked three times a week, right after cardio sessions.
Proper Form
Sloppy ab exercises lead to compromised results. Perform every exercise with a full range of motion and a forceful squeeze at the mid point of the movement. Take the weighted stability ball crunch for example. This exercise is performed while laying face-up on the stability ball and holding a medicine ball straight above your body. To use proper form, lift your torso forward, push the ball straight in the air, squeeze your abs forcefully and hold for a full second. Then slowly lower your body back to the starting point and repeat.
Member Comments