Six pack abs signal to people that you are healthy and strong. They provide you a confident feeling and give you the sex appeal you're looking for. With the right exercise plan, you can quickly build the abs you've always wanted. These exercises can be done at the gym, at home or through a combination of both. You must include with your six pack abs exercise plan a fairly strict diet of nutritious foods.
Exercises
Step 1
Target your abs through traditional floor exercises before moving on to more advanced elements. These provide the widest range of moves and can be done through high or low impacts sessions. Your starting position is lying on your back with your knees bent.
From this position you can perform numerous exercises including heel touches, air bikes, bent knee hip raises, traditional crunches and hands over head crunches. Positioning is important when performing any of these exercises, your shoulders should stay still and in line with the rest of your body. You want to use your abs, not your neck and back, to lift your body. Do 3 to 5 sets with 10 to 15 reps in each set.
Step 2
Perform your ab exercises on several machines at the gym. The Ab Crunch Machine will allow you to target your core abs in an upright seated position which is good for people with back issues. Cable crunches also use weighted resistance to work your abs from a seated or kneeling position.
Start in an upright position grasping the cable handles behind your neck and then crunch to the floor or down to your knees. Using a weight bench will allow you to add a degree of difficulty by angling the bench to do inverted sit-ups or reverse crunches. Do 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 15 reps for each machine.
Step 3
Perform ab exercises with BOSU balls, dumbbells or an ab rolling machine to get a more advanced workout. People looking for added difficulty to the traditional exercises mentioned in step 1 usually target these moves, which require core balance. It is common to add a twist or side-bending element like a twisting dumbbell crunch or oblique crunch that targets the side oblique muscles. Add reps to challenge your ab muscles until you feel the burn associated with muscle fatigue.
Step 4
Run or add some type of cardio for 20 to 60 minutes a day in cooperation with any abs training. This will help burn calories and get your body's metabolism working at an increased level. Interval training is better than long, sustained jogging. Interval training is high intensity or maximum effort training followed by a rest period of low intensity training. An example would be sprinting the straight-aways at your local track and then lightly jogging the curves. Repeat for a total of 8 to 12 laps.
Diet
Step 1
Eat right and your abs will treat you right. According to Men's Fitness, "great abs start in the kitchen." They recommend avoiding foods that are fried, high in sugars, and refined or processed. Also avoid too much dairy. Alcohol is another thing to avoid because it has lots of empty calories. Eat natural foods like fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and drink plenty of water.
Step 2
Consume less food at each meal but eat more often throughout the day. This keeps your metabolism rate high, which will influence your body to burn more calories.
Step 3
Incorporate supplements and vitamins into your diet that burn fat and promote muscle growth. They will help keep you healthy and allow you to recover quicker after workouts. You should start taking a multi-vitamin that replenishes all the recommended daily vitamins your body needs. Make sure you get vitamins that are specific to your gender, age and weight. You should consult with a personal trainer or doctor concerning the supplements that are right for your specific workout needs.
Tips and Warnings
- Consult a trainer at your local gym. Stretch thoroughly before exercising. Buy equipment you'll use, not just the flashiest stuff.
- Avoid using too much weight on machines Start at the proper level, i.e., beginner, intermediate, advanced. Stop immediately if an exercise is causes pain.
Things You'll Need
- High-cable pulley
- Light dumbbell
- Floor mat
- Swiss ball
- BOSU ball
- Weight bench
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