Ab-What is this guy talking about? Yeah, you read right; that’s not a typo and your computer is running perfectly.
I know you all have had this problem. One morning you get ready for a shower, peel off your shirt, and gaze at the nearest mirror and BAM! Automatic frown. Taking a look down at a tummy with a rather large spherical shape surrounding what is supposed to be your abdominal cavity isn’t a pleasant way to kick off your day. Hey don’t fret – at one point it happens to us all and there is nothing to be ashamed about because it is fixable!
Now I’m not saying to go out there and make sure you set your alarm for those infomercials you see at 3 o’clock in the morning about getting washboard abs in 5 minutes. Listen I know everyone out there wants to look great but let’s be realistic people, it’s not going to get done in 5 minutes. Oh no, the real truth is that getting a six pack abs takes hard work.
Adjust Your Diet
First of all your diet must be good, meaning no more bad foods or going to McDonald’s because you are just so hungry for a late-night snack. There are plenty of amazing healthy natural foods out there for everyone, and last time I checked we all weren’t getting ready to leave on Noah’s Ark.
A sample plan can consist of good sources of whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats in moderation because we all know where too much will lead to, remember that big sphere? Well, you get the point. I’m glad that we have that established. Right, go out there and start eating healthier; we only have one life and one body, so be good to it and it will be good for you.
Learning From Frank Zane
A great believer in being good to one’s body is a man, a great man, none other than Frank Zane. You know, that perfectly symmetrical bodybuilder who won Mr. Olympia three times before?
Frank Zane had one of the greatest sets of abdominals in history and is a man I have admired since my youth. His pictures speak for themselves.
So now that everyone has gotten to know him, I know you will be intrigued to know one of his best philosophies that have been stored away in the closet somewhere: So a good combination of aerobics and abs in one workout.
Zane used this ideology to sculpt his abs with fantastic success. What’s great about this method is that it is so unique and does work very effectively. It’s one of the most simplistic workouts available to do and more amazingly there are no gimmicks, it really is simple. Very good, now that everyone’s tummy is dwindled down from dieting let me explain more.
Six Pack Abs The Workout
- First you start off by warming up for a good 5-10 minutes, stretching the body fully and making sure all those kinks are out of the way.
- Next you start off on a piece of cardio equipment. This can be a treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer, Stairmaster or running in place, (although you will look weird doing this in a gym with a treadmill right in front of you.) Perform this for one-minute pacing yourself in a timely fashion.
- Right after the one minute run, waste no time, run and perform an abdominal workout. Immediately after that, run and perform a different piece of cardio pacing yourself faster, and faster as each minute (interval) passes.
- Eventually, after 10 intervals you will be pooped! I have used this with enormous success and so has Zane, need I say more? Still not satisfied, there is more!
Another trick to getting abs is to treat every Ab day like a workout and to do them first. This is called the Priority Principle coined after the father of bodybuilding, Joe Weider.
When I first started training I hated doing my abs and have always done them at the end of a workout with mediocre results. In fact, even when I dieted for contests I hated having to do ab work, but now I love it because of results and progress through smart training. Being fatigued and finishing off with these exercises can be very taxing. You want to ensure that you are utilizing all of your energy on a lagging body part, which is why I recommend doing these first.
You might be thinking, “Blast! Those infomercials were lying to me!” Well, television does wonders, doesn’t it? I am a big believer that abs need to be worked in a circuit fashion for them to produce results. Sure putting weight to them creates a strain and it is a muscle after all. That is why I use a combination of weights and isometric actions.
Practice Good Form During Abs Exercises
Tensing your abs when you do your workout and fully exhaling will give you this action because essentially you want a full contraction. Usually, on the norm, I will perform my routine for approximately 30 minutes. This is non-stop hitting abs over and over with many different exercises. One of my favorites is hanging leg raises and hanging knee raises. These workouts take time to master because of the difficulty involved. On these particular workouts, form really is the key.
Benefits Of Six Pack Abs And Having A Strong Core
The beauty of having a great core is that it carries so many benefits to the bodybuilder and the healthy individual. These benefits include:
- It creates a sense of pride and accomplishment, for all you guys out there, believe me; girls love a great set of abdominals plus you prove to yourself that anyone can get into great shape with hard work.
- There’s no getting around it, having a strong core builds up your squat, deadlift and any other compound movement including the clean and press. The facts are all proven anywhere you check.
- Runner’s benefit from having a strong abdomen to keep their posture in place and to ensure that they can time their breathing by being so conditioned.
- Being on stage for a contest is enough for me to say if you don’t have abs you’re probably not gonna win. Simple.
- Waking up and being able to breathe a full breath of fresh air is enough for me to be convinced that having abs is worth the time and effort.
I could write about the benefits of abs all day but by then you would have fallen asleep. Having a great set of those fantasized Baywatch abs takes hard work and discipline. It is not out of reach and anyone is capable of getting them with the right mindset.