Stop Wishin' and Start Workin' on A Six Pack
Abs
By Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS, ACE
Most everyone wants the desirable and envious six-pack abs. If you've tried every abdominal product on the infomercial circuit only to wind up with a leaner checkbook, the following tools can be counted on to move you closer to the taut midsection you desire.
Go Back to Basics: There are many myths and misconceptions when it comes to abdominal training. Here are some points to remember when performing an abdominal crunch:
- Find a neutral position to begin where the back is relaxed and the head is at a
natural extension of the spine. Knees should be bent with feet flat on the floor.
- Cradle your head in your hands and keep the elbows back. Keep the chin a fist's
distance from your chest.
- Lift and lower in a slow controlled manner without using momentum.
- Focus on contracting the abdominals as you slowly roll your shoulders up off the
floor.
- Exhale as you contract while lifting up, then inhale as you slowly lower towards
the floor stopping just short of the floor and keeping constant tension on the mid section.
Work All Abdominal Muscles: Constructing the perfect mid section must involve using all the muscles in the abdominal group. The rectus abdominis runs down the front of the torso, from the bottom of the rib cage to the top of the pubic bone. On the sides we have our external and internal obliques and transverse abdominis, which help our bodies rotate and contributes to giving our waist its shape. You'll increase the metabolic activity and balance out the look of your waistline if you incorporate training all of your abdominal muscles.
Technique Is Everything: The single most important thing you can do to correctly train your abdominals is to use proper form. Never sacrifice form for speed or resistance.
Use Variety: Get creative with several variations on the basic crunch to move closer to your goal for a washboard waist. Like any other muscle group, you must continually stimulate it for the abdominals to react and reshape. If you do the same routine week after week, you will maintain and not improve. Examples include changing the range of motion, angle, speed of motion, exercise, repetitions or resistance. You can also involve the lower body. Perform a basic crunch on a ball or bosu.
Consider a Gadget: Turn on the TV and you're likely to come across an infomercial trying to sell you the latest product guaranteed to flatten and tone your stomach. For just $29.95 (and up), you too can have a washboard stomach or "abs of steel." There may not be anything inherently wrong with most of these products, although they are not the panacea manufacturers claim them to be. Some are effective and sometimes just having a gadget will keep your interest up and remind you to work your abs. The stability ball, disc, bosu, fitness tube and ab trainer are some of my favorites.
The Prescription: There are no hard and fast rules as to the number of repetitions you should do. Strive to fatigue the muscles within 90 seconds per set. If you can continue past 90 seconds without feeling fatigued, make a change to make the exercise more challenging. For example slow down, focus on the contraction and add resistance. Abdominals can be trained every other day and should be performed last in a routine since many other exercises rely on the strength of the abdominals to maintain good posture.
Reduce Your Body Fat Percentage:
Even if you do hundreds of crunches a day (which is not recommended) with perfect form, you'll never get to see the six pack if it's covered by a layer of fat. Cardiovascular exercise along with proper caloric intake will help shrink the fat cells on top of the lean muscles. Strive for a minimum of 20 up to a maximum of 60 minutes of cardio 3+ days of the week. Train in your target heart zone and most importantly work intervals to keep the intensity up, increase the after burn and improve your performance. Losing fat around the midsection will make you feel better and is also heart healthy.
Be Realistic: Recognize that not everyone can achieve a chiseled midsection. However, everyone can reshape their torso and develop strong abdominal muscles. Complimenting the abdominal exercises with lower back exercises can decrease the back pain many people experience on a daily basis. Having a balanced core is key.
Which Exercise is Best? A recent study conducted by the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University revealed a unique look at 13 of the most common abdominal exercises ranking them from best to worst. The study was led by Peter Francis, Ph.D. An electromyograph (EMG) monitored each participant's muscle activity as they performed abdominal exercises.
Researchers found that exercises that require constant abdominal stabilization, as well as body rotation, generated the most muscle activity in the obliques. Topping the list of the most effective exercises was the bicycle maneuver, followed closely by the captain's chair. Crunches on a ball ranked third, but the best overall because it required less involvement of the hip flexors.
Everybody has a six-pack, but if it's covered by fat, you're never going to see it. All of the same training principles apply to the abdominals as they do to any muscle group. The abdominal muscles are one of the most important in stabilizing the rest of the body. Having a solid core creates a balance and foundation for all activities - and looks darn awesome and envied!
Kelli Calabrese – MS, CSCS, 2004 Personal Trainer of the Year. Kelli is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist
and 20 year fitness industry leader. She is the author of Feminine,
Firm & Fit – Building
A Lean Strong Body in 12 Weeks. She has 23 fitness, nutrition and lifestyle
related certifications and is available for personal
training, online
training,
iPod
workouts, phone coaching, grocery
shopping tours, seminars and media
appearances.
Kelli’s personal mission is to provide individuals with the tools to
make health, fitness and wellness a permanent part of their lives.
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