How Teenagers Can Get Six Pack Abs

If you're a fitness conscious teenager, chances are that six-pack abdominals are one of your top priorities. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation and false advertising out there, suggesting that expensive products or top-secret routines are the only means to accomplish this goal. In reality, neither money nor privileged information are a prerequisite for a ripped midsection; the only necessities are hard work and dedication.

Step 1

Trim down your diet. In most cases, the primary reason that your six-pack isn't showing through isn't a lack of muscle, but rather a surplus of abdominal fat. To fulfill the first requirement in reducing fat, you must decrease the number of calories in your daily diet. Keep a log of the foods and drinks that you consume for several days, then use your calculator and the nutritional information available on the packaging to determine your average daily caloric intake. Aim to reduce this number by 500. Start by eliminating sugars, sweets, desserts and soft drinks from your diet. This should fulfill the bulk of your 500 calorie deficit. Then, replace carbohydrates in your diet with extra protein; for instance, replace a dinnertime serving of potatoes with a serving of lean beef. This excess protein will help you build abdominal muscle, and naturally control your appetite to make your dieting easier.

Step 2

Begin a program of consistent cardiovascular exercise. While direct abdominal exercise will help to develop the abdominal muscles, it won't do much to burn calories. As such, aim to schedule a cardiovascular exercise session at least three times per week. Choose from 20 to 30 minutes of high-intensity activity or at least 45 minutes of low-intensity activity for each session. Acceptable activities include anything that produces an elevated heart rate; anything from running to swimming to organized sports is encouraged. As your fitness improves, increase the frequency and duration of your sessions. By maintaining a consistent cardio schedule, you will allow your body to maintain its metabolism in spite of your calorie-restricted diet, accelerating your abdominal fat loss.

Step 3

Begin a regular routine of abdominal resistance training. This will allow you to develop the size and shape of the abdominal muscles themselves, helping them show through any remaining subcutaneous fat. The following abdominal exercises are known to elicit relatively high levels of muscular engagement while maintaining a relatively low risk of back injury. Perform them at least twice per week in the order listed: simple crunch, bicycle crunch, hanging leg raise and reverse crunch. For each exercise, perform two sets to muscular failure, resting for 60 seconds between sets.