When you ask people to describe the perfect stomach, most will mention a six-pack, those half dozen squares of muscle running down the center of your abdomen. These muscles are the rectus abdominis, two bands of muscle which stretch from your pubis to your ribs. They are joined by your obliques, which wrap around the sides of your waist, and several smaller internal muscles to control the flex and tilt of your torso and pelvis. With a proper diet and concentrated exercise, you can work these muscles to give your stomach that perfect six-pack look.
Diet
Step 1
Reduce your body fat. No one will be able to see your abdominal muscles if they are covered by a layer of fat. Losing belly fat will also improve your health since belly fat can be particularly dangerous and make you susceptible to heart disease and type-2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. Use an online calculator to etermine your current basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight. You need to eat about 500 fewer calories than your BMR per day to lose around a pound per week purely from diet adjustment.
Step 2
Add more protein to your diet. Your muscle fibers are made up of amino acids which can be found in protein sources such as lean meats and eggs and in vegetarian options like tofu and quinoa. Feed your muscles to make them grow larger.
Step 3
Drink lots of water. In addition to amino acids the cells of your muscles need plenty of water. Aim to drink at least 8 full glasses of water a day.
Exercise
Step 1
Do hanging knee raises to work the rectus abdominis. Grip a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Keep your legs together as you pull your knees up towards your torso. Curl your hips up for further contraction of the abdominal muscles. Hold for five seconds and lower your legs. Repeat for two sets of eight to 10 reps.
Step 2
Do a variation of a crunch by adding a medicine ball. Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor while you hold a medicine ball against your chest. Curl your spine and contract your abdominal muscles to lift your shoulders off the ground. When your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor, hold the position. Twist your torso from left to right and back again while holding the medicine ball. Lower your back to the floor. Repeat for two sets of 10 to 12.
Step 3
Work the obliques to taper your waist so your six pack is more prominent. Lay on your side, propped up on one elbow, with one leg lying on top of the other. Keep your feet and legs together as you lift your legs towards the ceiling, bending at the side of the waist. Lower and repeat for two sets of 10 to 12 before switching sides.
Tips and Warnings
- Do back strengthening exercises to balance out your strong abdominal muscles.
Things You'll Need
- Medicine ball
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