Abs have also been one of the highest ranked body part. But, still very few men have it. The reason behind this is that building abs is much more than just working hard. It requires hard work, focus, abstinence and correct knowledge. And, if you want to gain mass at the same time, the task becomes even harder. You have maintain the right balance, which is not very easy.
In this article, we will discuss different methods you can use to build six pack abs in the least time possible. This article don’t guarantee to provide you six pack abs in a week or two. Actually, people who claim that are cons because how quickly you see your abs will depend upon many things, like fat. If you have 40% or more body fat, even god can’t get you six-pack abs in a week.
It is completely up to you but I would strongly advise to focus a little more on the upper abs, as they are easier to build and you’ll start seeing results very quickly. This will motivate you even more.
Tips for six-pack abs
Do only 8 reps
The problem with most of the people is that they are worried too much about the quantity and they always forget to give importance to quality. To build six pack abs to need to focus more on quality and less on quantity. The reason is very simple, when you are trying to do 30-40 reps of an exercise, your focus shifts from “doing it properly” to ”completing the task.”
And, when you have to do only 8 reps, you will channel all your energy into those few reps. This will benefit you more than the 100’s of crunches you’ll do. Secondly, doing low reps will help you retain the correct form throughout your workout. As you are decreasing the number of reps it is important for you to more sets. Anything between 5-8 sets is good.
Take things slowly
It is very important to go slowly while you are training your abs. When you do quick reps, you tend to go out of form, you don’t squeeze properly at the end and you start to use other muscles more. And, when you go slow, you can keep a check on your form, and squeeze hard at the end. Apart from this, you will keep you muscles under tension for more time, this will not only help you burn more fat but it will also help in building abdomen muscles.
Use weights
You abs are like any other skeleton muscle in your body. The basic rule of building muscle is to lift heavy. When you lift heavy your body struggles, this will send a message to your brain, that you need more muscles. That is when you brain start with the work of muscle building. So, to get more abs fast, you need weights. The best part about muscle building is that, you can add weight to pretty much every exercise. You take any type of crunch or raise, you’ll notice that you can use weight in that exercise.
If you are at home than it would be better if you buy dumbbells. You can train every part of the body with dumbbells. Or, you can use anything which is heavy. And, if you are at gym, you can use dumbbells, cables, benches. Doing weights with cable is a versatile approach. Cables can help you train your upper abs and obliques.
Focus
There are two types (majorly) of muscles in your body; pulling or pushing muscles. For example, you biceps are pulling muscles and your chest is a pushing muscle. To have a great physique to need to train them accordingly. But, when you look at your abs, you don’t know for sure what kind of muscles are they. Whenever, you are training your abs, if you are not focused your back and few other muscles will come into picture.
There is a general rule, every muscle have a bunch of supporting muscles. Like, your chest have shoulder, traps and triceps as its supporting muscles. While you train you chest, all these 3 muscles will also be train. To get the maximum gains, it is important to keep the supporting muscles out of the picture as much as you can.
And, for that you need to focus. While you do crunches makes sure that you are only using the abs and nothing else. Going slow will help you to do this.
Use Decline
There is a mantra for body building, if you follow it, you will surely see great results in very less time. And, that mantra is “make every move as difficult as you can.” First of all, you are doing any exercise effortlessly, then there is 99.9999999% chance that you won’t gain any muscle out of it. It is same with your abs. Doing crunches and raise of flat ground is all right on its own, but if you want to a six pack abs in less time, then you must get decline bench into the picture. When you do normal crunch or a side crunch, doing it on a decline bench will make it difficult. If you add weights it will be better. But, it is best to start from the bottom and move little by little towards top.
Run daily
If you are looking to get six packs abs, then you should definitely start running. The logic is really simple, the lower amount of fat in your abdomen then less you have to train to see your abs. That is why extremely slim people get six pack abs really fast. And, there is no way better than running for losing fat. I suggest you should run before every workout for around 10-15 minutes.
It will not only help you to burn fat but it is also great for warming up. You don’t have to run for entire 15 minutes. You can fast walk for first few minutes, it will direct the flow to the leg muscles. Then, you have run for 5 minutes. Slow down for next three minute and try to sprint of next 2 minutes. Walking for 2 hours will burn less fat than running for straight 15 minutes.
Many trainers forbid to run before a workout, as they think it will exhaust you completely and it will effect your workout session. But, if you don’t over do it, then it can improve your workout. As I have said, it is the best warm up exercise, plus, running open up your lungs, which has both temporary and permanent benefits.
Don’t do crunches for weight loss
This mistake is committed by most of the people. When they think about building abs the first think they do to cut all that belly fat is crunches. Thousands of crunches. But, as we have discussed in many articles, you cannot spot reduce fat from one part of the body. Although, when you will do hundreds and thousands of crunches you’ll reduce fat but from entire body.
The logic is very simple use the muscles that are built for endurance, to burn fat. For example, you will be able to walk 5-10 Miles very easily, but if I tell you walk on your hands. You won’t be able to walk more than few meters. So, burning fat using you arms in not a good idea. Whereas, you legs are naturally trained for endurance, hence, you can walk, jump, climb more using you legs. And, more walk, jump, climb means more fat burn.
As, I have said before, running is one of the best burner exercise. Apart from that, cycling and elliptical are also good fat cutting exercises. Any exercise in which you use big muscles groups like your leg and back is a good exercise.
Train your abs daily
You might have heard a million times that you should allow your muscles to recover but it is not as relevant to abs. First of all, you should divided your ab training into two parts: upper and lower ab training. You must alternate between them. Although, you can train them like other muscle groups, keep a separate day for them, but it is not very necessary.
You don’t have to do all the exercise every day, you just have to squeeze in one or two exercises between your normal workout. It will also help you to rest the muscles you are targeting on that particular day. For example, if you are targeting you biceps and back, then you can do one set of side crunches between biceps and back.
The Diet
The diet for six pack abs is very tricky, especially when it comes carbs. It is very important to hit a critical spot or there is a risk of over/under doing it. You must have enough carbs to provide the energy for your body but not enough to start putting on weight. In fact, you need to be very careful about the fat/carbs/protein ratio.
You do need protein to build abs, but too much of it can have negative effects. Although, protein is not converted into fats, but too much of protein will replace carbs as an energy source and the excess unused carbs will be converted into fat.
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