Okay, let’s face it: most, if not all, people want a flat, lean midsection. But for most, no amount of sit-ups or sit-ups seem to get the job done. Have you ever heard this or wondered about it?
“I do hundreds of sit-ups and sit-ups a day and I still have a saggy midsection. What’s wrong?”
Well, before we reveal your blueprint for ripped abs, let’s first debunk some very important myths about how to get ripped abs:
Myth #1 – Weight loss is the key to seeing your abs WRONG! The key to seeing your abs is fat loss, not weight loss. It sounds semantic, but listen to me. Your body is made up of fat mass and lean body mass (water, muscle, bone, organs, etc.). You want to minimize your fat mass and maximize your lean body mass to build a roaring metabolism: one that burns through your fat stores and builds muscle like clockwork. By improving your body composition, you will put yourself in the best position to get that much desired six pack.
So if you lose 17 pounds on the scale at the expense of losing some lean muscle mass in the process, you’ll end up slowing down your metabolism, diminishing performance, and losing that attractive muscle tone. But if you lose 17 pounds on the scale and manage to maintain or gain lean muscle mass, you’ll increase performance, see more visible definition throughout your body, and lose mostly body fat.
The scale can be misleading, as there are a number of variables that need to be taken into account that cause frequent fluctuations, such as hydration levels, sodium intake and, for women, the menstrual cycle. If you are going to have a scale at home DO NOT get on it every day, every other day or even every week. It is an anchor, particularly for women. Get off the scale and beat the numbers. The real goal is fat loss, not weight loss. Focus on clothing size reduction, digital before and after images and of course the mirror for more accurate progress tracking. Don’t get me wrong, the scale has its place and is important, but it shouldn’t be something you put all your faith in.
Myth #2: Work your abs hard to preferentially burn stomach fat WRONG! Spot reduction does not work. You can’t just work the muscles in a certain area of your body and expect the fat in that region to disappear. Think about it: Almost everyone does sit-ups, but proportionately very few people do full-body workouts. So with all these abs, we’d expect to see nothing but people with flat bellies and fat deposits all over their bodies (arms, legs, etc.). But think of how many people you know and regularly see who have more than a few inches to lose on their midsection. See what I mean: spot reduction doesn’t work!
The point is that your body loses fat in a genetically predetermined way when there is the proper caloric deficit AND hormonal environment created by proper diet and training. So your best approach would be: burn as many calories during your workouts as possible by engaging your whole body in each and every training session (not just your abs) so that you charge up your metabolism and continue to burn a high amount of calories AFTER your workout. Compound and multi-joint movements such as squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. (or better yet, full-body exercises like squats or presses) burn a lot more calories than isolation movements like sit-ups and sit-ups. So make sure you focus on these movements first, and then if you have time, you can do some additional basic work.
Myth #3: Sit-ups and sit-ups are the best exercises for abs WRONG! The scientific term for the muscles in your six pack is your rectus abdominis. For years now, we’ve been conditioned to think that the best way to work the rectus abdominis is by doing endless sit-ups and sit-ups, as these trunk-flexion exercises cause the muscles you want to see in the mirror to “burn.” However, the true function of the rectus abdominis is to prevent hyperextension (excessive bending of the spine backwards), not to flex forward over and over again. Every time you squeeze your abs (think a slight crunch before you get punched in the stomach) and pull your belly button into your spine, you effectively stabilize your spine in a safe, neutral position. And the moment you relax your abs and lose that braced abs position, your back will begin to hyperextend, putting you at greater risk of injury.
To create the most attractive and strong midsection, focus on stabilization exercises in all three planes of motion (sagittal: front to back, frontal: side to side, and transverse: rotational) using variations of pillar exercises (also known as planks). In addition to training the true “anti-extension” function of your rectus abdominis or “six-pack” abdominal muscles, these bridging/stabilization exercises also activate the key transversus abdominis muscle, or your deep abdominal stabilizer, which wraps around your spine and supports your internal organs. Do you want to reduce back pain? Next, strengthen these inner abdominal muscles as a key to optimal posture and performance, as well as injury prevention. Just another benefit of performing sit-ups over primitive sit-ups and crunches that often cause unwanted neck and back pain.
Myth #4: Get plenty of long-lasting cardio to burn the fat that covers your abs WRONG! Both scientific research and real-world case studies show that aerobic training for fat loss alone doesn’t work. Total body resistance training is the true foundation of any solid fat loss plan. Plus, interval training, which alternates bouts of max effort and active recovery, has been scientifically proven to burn more fat AFTER your workout than regular exercise. However, why not do both resistance interval training and cardio interval training to combine the best of both worlds? More on this to come!
The Anti-Crunch Six-Pack Abs Plan:
Step #1 – Lose the fat that covers your abs so you can see them
A.) Eat to lose fat and speed up metabolism. – Drink at least 2 to 4 glasses of water immediately after waking up, and then drink at least 1 to 2 glasses of water every 2 hours that you are awake. Drink 1-2 glasses of water for every 15 minutes of vigorous activity.
– Eat immediately upon waking and then every 2-4 hours for a total of 5-7 meals per day (ie 3 meals, 2 snacks (half the size of your meals and training nutrition))
– Focus on a wide range of organic lean proteins, natural fats, and fruits and vegetables Sample Day Menu: Breakfast – Scrambled Eggs, Vegetables, and Turkey Sausage or Bacon Mid-Morning Snack – Mixed Nuts and Fruits/Vegetables from your choice
Lunch: Caesar salad with chicken, salmon, or shrimp Mid-afternoon snack: Cheese and fruit/vegetarian of your choice Dinner: Turkey or beef meatballs and spaghetti squash Bedtime snack: Protein shake and flaxseed: Take a daily multivitamin for your genus, an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement, a probiotic (good bacteria) supplement, and a vitamin D3 supplement.
Use the Low Carb Plan: Use the following step-by-step process in the exact order listed to break through any plateaus in your quest for ripped abs.
Step #1 – Replace all white carbs with 100% whole grain carbs and all refined sugars with natural sugars Step #2 – Limit whole grain starch and natural sugar to 1-2 hours post workout or immediately after to wake up for breakfast
Step #3 – Replace all starches and sugars with fruits and vegetables Step #4 – Replace all fruits with green vegetables Step #5 – Use strategic cycling of carbohydrates and calories to take your body to the next level (This is beyond the scope of this article but the success you can achieve with this strategy is powerful)
B.) Train to lose fat and increase metabolism. – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – Do Total Body Circuit Strength Training Sample Total Body Circuit Strength Training – 20 minutes (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down)
50-10 Interval Five Exercises Total Body Circuit – You will alternate 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for each exercise in the following circuit of five exercises. Do this 5-minute circuit up to four times for a 20-minute full-body workout:
1 hip extensions
2 push-up variations
3 Sit on the wall with one leg
4 bodyweight rows
5 Upper Body Twist Variation
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday: Do a Cardio Interval Workout Sample Cardio Interval Workout: 20 minutes (not including a five-minute warm-up and cool-down)
30-30 – You will alternate between 30 seconds of maximum effort and 30 seconds of active recovery. You will do this 1-minute round up to 20 times for 20 minutes total. You can perform this exercise on the cardio machine of your choice (airdyne or spin bike, running, etc.) or alternate between the following bodyweight cardio exercises for the best workout at home:
1 stationary race
2 jumping jacks variation
Step #2 – Train your abs based on their true function: STABILIZATION Below is a basic workout that would show up at my boot camp. It does not involve crunches or sit-ups by using all of the pillar stabilization exercises. Once you master these moves and follow everything else I mentioned above, you’ll have a sweet pair of rock-hard abs to show off…just wait and see!
The Power of Pillar Training – Tabata Style This 20-minute full-body core workout focuses entirely on pillar stabilization. The pillar collectively consists of your shoulders, hips, and core. It is the nerve center of your body, essential for all movement.
For each exercise below, you’ll alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. You’ll repeat this 30-second sequence eight times for four minutes total, followed by a minute of rest and transition before moving on to the next exercise on the list.
For maximum benefits, you should try to maintain a strong pillar position throughout all movements by actively pulling your navel in toward your spine, contracting your glutes, and maintaining a straight line from your heels to your shoulders. The following training signals work very well:
“tuck your belly in” “tuck your butt under” “round your lower back” “put on a pair of briefs” “be flat like a trampoline.” Exercise #1 – Front Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)
Exercise #2: Left Side Pillar Variation (Static or Dynamic) Exercise #3: Right Side Pillar Variation (Static or Dynamic) Exercise #4: Back Pillar Variation (Static or Dynamic) ) I sincerely hope that you will take this powerful information and use it.