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Chiseling eight rock-hard muscles out of a current beer belly may seem like a daunting task, but itʼs definitely worth it. Hereʼs how to train more effectively, get results that last for longer and turn heads at the beach.
There are a few essential things to consider when trying to sculpt the abdominal region into solid, durable perfection. And here they are:
Simple as that. Mixing up your workout both makes it more interesting and produces better results. If, like me, you have previously spent hours cranking out as many crunches and/or sit-ups as you can every day - well, letʼs just say there are better ways. The first thing to note is that working the abdominal area daily isnʼt as effective as hitting them hard twice or three times a week; the muscles need time to recover (unless, of course, youʼre taking creatine... in which case, feel free to go nuts). Sit-ups wonʼt give you an eight-pack on their own, instead being more effective as a vehicle by which you can define the muscles atop the foundations. Itʼs also worth being mindful of the fact that the stronger the core muscles are, the more effectively the rest of your training in all areas will be, and the more pronounced all muscles will show.
The core muscles, obtained by big lift exercises, press-ups or by doing the plank, are integral for getting the stomach muscles you aspire to. Personally, Iʼd recommend the plank. Although there are better (and more interesting) ways to spend several minutes of your warm up, planking shows results fast and is essential if youʼre aiming to get the side abdominal muscles - the obliques. Try the following set: one minute normal plank, one minute of each side (the points of contact being one forearm and one foot, lying on your side) and one further minute of normal. That totals 4 minutes of your warm up. Combine it with some press-ups and stretches and the dayʼs workout will be of extra special profit. Building the foundation muscles makes the ones on top far more prominent. They are the solidity behind the ʻshowʼ muscles, which simply define whatʼs underneath. Women naturally have these muscles for childbirth, but men usually have to do a little extra to get the perfect abs. Indeed, you donʼt necessarily have to spend minutes planking away - swimming, gymnastics or just walking around tensing all the time (or spending plenty of time in front of the mirror admiring yourself) will do the trick equally well.
Getting rid of any underlying fat is essential. Sit-ups donʼt burn any calories, so be sure to incorporate some cardio into your weekly workout to torch anything that covers up the true goods - and as always, donʼt be a fool when picking your meals.
Doing your repetitions slowly in any exercise is a good idea. Slowing it down to 2 seconds up, 2 down will break down more muscle fibres, which will then rebuild more efficiently. Creating tension by going slow is the best way to do this, even if it is harder and requires much more patience. Do sets of varied exercises. The following creation can be devoted to my brothers Alex and Simon, who call it ʻ8 Minute Absʼ. Essentially, it involves finding a spare bit of the gym floor and for enduring eight minutes of the most torturous exercises imaginable. But it works. The exercises are as follows - sit-ups, crunches, the plank, two minutes of side planks, bicycles (lying on your back cycling with your feet in the air), raises (raising your legs up and down while keeping your back on the floor), and a sort of upside-down plank by which you hold your legs off the floor whilst lying on your back. Alternatively, try Army Rifleman Laxle Harrisʼ core circuit - 3 sets of 10 crunches, 10 sit-ups, 20 bicycles and 20 leg raises. Or, if youʼre up for it, try my own superset; 4x1 minutes of plank (as previously explained, with no more than 30 second intervals), 30 press-ups, 50 sit-ups, 10 crunches, 1 minute sprint followed by 15 hanging leg raises (from a pull-up bar) - for 3 sets. This superset was designed to hit the core muscles as well as the surface ones, and seems to be working pretty well, so Iʼd definitely recommend it!
Donʼt worry any of the exercises hurt like a bitch for a while after doing them. The pain will go away and the progress will be evident after a bit. It will come.
Personally, Iʼd recommend the plank.
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