The Abs Myth

Six packs, washboard stomach, or rippling abs. What ever you call it, we all want it. It is the envy of all men and the adoration of women. But it has proven to be as elusive to attain as can be. Is having a set of rock hard abs only the domain of the super fit and genetically gifted or is it possible for any regular reasonably healthy person to achieve.

Having an attractive set of abs is actually more to do with proper nutrition than it is to do with exercise. That brings us to the major myth in abdominal training in that you need to o hundreds of crunches to get that six pack. This is simply not the case, there is more to it than that.

As mentioned earlier, proper nutrition is integral in gaining a six pack. The reason why is simple. You may already have an excellent six pack but the best way to see it is to reduce the amount of body fat on your stomach. It is worth mentioning that there is no such thing as spot dieting or trying to lose weight just from your stomach area, you will need to lose weight all over your body to be effective.

You will need to keep your caloric intake down to reduce your body fat and show off those abs. A man needs approximately 2500 calories to maintain their body weight but you will need to eat below this and partake in more cardiovascular exercises, such as cycling or running. I personally feel that hitting a punch bag or shadow boxing to be very effective as you keep shuffling your feet and working your upper body as well in 3 to 5 minute bursts or whatever you feel comfortable with.

Even though you are reducing your calorie intake do not neglect your protein intake. A good rule of thumb is 1 gram of protein for every 1 lb. of body weight per day. So a 175 lb. man would need 175 grams of protein per day, any less and he risks losing muscle mass. Be sure to stay away from fast food and processed foods. Eat sensibly and include portions of vegetables in your diet. Try and space out your meals to 5 times per day and in smaller portions.

Crunches ae more effective ad cause less stress and injury than traditional sit ups. Try to do 30 crunches in 3 to 4 sets. There is no reason to do 300 crunches, as this wouldn’t make any real difference to your abs workout. With the proper knowledge you should now be able to get out there and get those abs of steel. It won’t come overnight but if you stick to it than the results will be seen sooner than you think.

By: Usman Ahmed

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