We all know the adage that six pack abs are made in the kitchen and not in the gym, and this is absolutely true. But it isn't the whole truth. Diet is the pivotal component of letting your tedious gym sessions actually shine through, but dieting alone does little to develop the abdominals into an athletic and well defined six pack. That requires intense and concentrated abdominal training.
Six pack abs are the crowning achievement of highly trained athletes and fitness buffs. They scream a level of fitness that all of us know means more than aesthetic beauty. They represent peak fitness condition and functional strength. And they certainly don't hurt when you're at the beach. So what is the best way to train the abdominals?
Many people theorize that the abs respond best to high reps that burn the whole midsection. Others think you can and should train the abdominals daily. And there are others who don't train the abs at all because they're a minor muscle group that receives indirect stimulation from all exercise. I fall somewhere in the middle. I believe the abs should be trained like every other muscle group in the body, but not too often.
Abdominal training should adhere to the principles of strength grain we apply elsewhere. Muscles grow when stimulated through intense workouts that push past our previous levels of strength and endurance. Muscle growth also requires rest for recovery and it takes time for the body to actually grow muscle. Most people think they don't want big abs, they just want toned ones. And this is silly.
You don't tone your midsection with exercise. You tone your midsection with diet, because muscle tone is a product of low body fat, period. And low body fat is a result of calorie expenditure exceeding calorie consumption. In order to stimulate muscle growth, short and intense sessions are ideal, once or twice a week. And it is muscle development that improves definition. And when I say short and intense, I mean 10 minutes or less is ideal. Resistance should be heavy enough, or exercises hard enough to exhaust your abs in three or four sets of 10 to 20 repetitions each.
Once you've developed a moderate to high level of strength, training the abs once a week is more than sufficient for six pack abs. Daily maintenance is unnecessary and probably a waste of time. It takes weeks for muscle to atrophy or weaken, so maintenance training for the abs can be done moderately two days a weak or at high intensity one day a week. So what are some of the best exercises for the abs?
Beginners and even intermediate trainees should work to master the plank. A plank is simply holding yourself steady in a pushup position, but rather than supporting yourself with extended arms on the palms, you should support yourself on your forearms. And then work to hold the plank for one minute. Once you can do that, rest a minute, and add another minute. Once you can do that, work to perform the plank on an exercise ball, which wobbles as your abs are forced to contract to keep you from falling. The abs are stabilizing muscles, and the plank forces them to contract as they are intended to, to keep the body stable and controlled.
After this the trainee should move to full body V-sits, where, from an outstretched position on ones back, you curl into a V and try to touch your hands to your feet. Once you can do 3 to 4 sets of 15 repetitions, you're ready to attempt the real abdominal strength exercise. A hanging leg lift or knee raise is about as tough as abdominal work can get. Grab onto a pull-up bar, and with legs straight, use your abs to draw them up past 90 degrees. If this is too difficult, you can start with curling your knees into your chest. If you can do three to 4 sets of 10 repetitions of this you're probably well beyond a six pack, at least in terms of abdominal strength. If you still can't see your abs yet, its time to cut back on cheeseburgers.
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