Andrew Hoffman asked:




Jut like men, women have the desire to have six pack abs. I am going to tell you what you can do to help you along your way so that you can have sleek and sexy abs. You will be the center of attention at the beech or anywhere else.

First of all, you are going to need to work hard, just like the guys, in order to get female six pack abs. It is not hard work, but you need to change some things that you are currently doing in order to start to see results.

Most women do not know that in order to get that sexy stomach, you do not need to constantly exercise your ab muscles. This sounds crazy, but the most important thing that needs to be done is to burn off the belly fat that is hiding your abs in the first place.

In order to do that, you are going to have to stop eating the foods that are labeled as “sugar-free” and “low carb” because they contain artificial sweeteners that will actually increase the amount of belly fat that you have. I have seen so many women and men eating these foods and have a really hard time losing the flab that is on the belly area.

In order to start getting great results you are going to have to change a lot of things that you, and many other women, are doing wrong on a day to day basis. If you are doing 100 crunches without results, what makes you think that doing 200 will show results? It is just a fact that it will not show results no matter what.

So, what do you need to do then? Well, that is a good question. First thing to realize is that you are probably making a lot of mistakes and don’t even know it. Crunches and other exercise like this are not going to get you the results you are looking for.

Your main focus needs to be on exercises that are going to focus on full body metabolic-surge workouts. All of the exercises like crunches, sit-ups, ab twists, etc are just wasting your time and taking time away from what you should really be doing.

It is going to be hard work, but you can do it. I believe in you.

Did you know that 95% of women make the same mistakes over and over that prevents them from getting female six pack abs?

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John Jenkins asked:




The truth is, for most people getting six pack abs is not an easy task because it requires dedication and motivation… but it is possible! Below is a general 2-step guide that, if followed religiously for 3 months, will improve your abs.

Step 1: Nutrition

This is the single most important part of the puzzle, hands down. You can have the most impressive set of abs, but if they’re covered with a layer of fat, you won’t see them! Break up your day with 5 or 6 mini-meals because this jump starts your metabolism.

And stop eating the food that is preventing you from seeing your abs:

-white bread
-pasta
-soda
-candy
-dessert
-fast food
-hydrogenated oils
-sugars
-fructose corn syrup

Instead, eat the foods that will help you reach your six pack goal:

-oatmeal
-olive oil
-whole grain breads
-fruits
-vegetables
-nuts
-eggs
-natural peanut butter
-chicken
-fish
-protein
-green tea
-water

Be realistic – you’ll slip here and there, but make a conscious effort to improve your eating habits. Without good nutrition, getting a true six pack will be impossible.

Step 2: Exercise

You need to focus on 3 different exercises: cardio, weightlifting and ab exercises. And aim to workout 4 times per week (definitely a minimum of 3 times per week). The cardio you do can be anything: walking, running, biking, swimming…whichever cardio you don’t mind doing so you stick with it.

The trick is to do the cardio in bursts because it will burn fat fast. For example, if you’re running, walk for one minute and then sprint for 15 seconds and repeat 10 times. Perform this type of interval cardio 2 times per week.

Lifting weights is important because 3 pounds of added muscle burns as many calories as a 1 mile jog…and this is while you’re just sitting around! Aim for 30-45 minutes, 2 times per week.

The last exercise you need to add to your workout are ab exercises. Aim to work your abs 3 times per week. There are a lot of different ab exercises you can do so try to find 3 or so that you enjoy doing and mix it up.

Tip: mix up your workout routine every 2 weeks to keep your body guessing and improving. Add or take away different weightlifting or ab exercises, or at the very least, vary the weight and reps you do.

Well, there you have it. Follow the above for 3 months, and while results will vary from person to person, you will see an improvement in your abs. And keep in mind that dedication and motivation will go a long way to helping you reach your goal of having six pack abs.

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Susan Johnsson asked:




Developing Six Pack abs is easier that you think. The best news is that weights are not needed. Imagine that.

Six Pack Abs can easily be developed with a combination of Interval training, targeted exercises as well as supportive exercise.

Interval Training

Interval Training is an integral part of an Abs workout. This is because it is the quickest way to remove the layer of excess fat the covers the abdominal muscles.

This exercise involves quick bursts of hard action followed by rest periods.

Run as hard and fast as you can for 20 to 30 seconds, and then walk at a quick pace for 3 minutes. Repeat this 5 times in a session.

Do this routine at least three times a week.

This exercise works because it dramatically increases the body’s metabolism. This in turn increases the rate at which the body burns fat and fuel.

Targeted exercise

The best targeted exercise for developing Six Pack Abs are leg lifts.

Lay on your back with your hands behind your head. Using your abdominal muscles only, lift your legs up to approximately 60 degrees from the floor and hold them up there for 10 seconds (or longer of you can). Then let them down slowly without touching the floor.

Start with 3 times 10 reps increasing this to 3 times 30 reps. Avoid doing this exercise every day. Rather do it every second day. You muscles need a resting period to recover and to build up.

Supportive Exercise

Do three times 10 reps of Chin Ups or Pull Ups. You are probably asking yourself how this exercise helps develop Abs. Your abdominal muscle supports other muscles during workout.

David R. Cross asked:




Everyone has a six pack abs. surprisingly enough; the six pack abs already exists in each body. What we all covet is to get those muscles more evident and protruding. Shedding the extra fat around our tummy can make you see your abs.

In getting a perfectly shaped abs, there are three things to consider: cardio exercises, strength training, and a healthy diet. Doing crunches and other ab exercises alone will not guarantee someone a more prominent six pack abs because in order to lose those extra fat around the belly, you must reduce your total body fat. Concentrating on one area alone (such as your tummy) will not be effective because our body loses fat proportionally.

Regular cardio exercises give you one-point advantage in having perfect abs. cardiovascular exercise not only helps you lose weight but also makes your heart strong and increases your lung capacity. It also aids in battling heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. It makes you feel good, reduces stress levels, and facilitates better sleep at night.

Weight-lifting changes how your body looks. It helps raise your metabolism. Muscle-building is good for a weight loss program since muscle burns more calories than fat. Weight lifting can help you avoid injuries, and improve your balance and coordination. It also boosts your self-esteem, making you feel confident most of the time.

Giving more attention to your diet is another important step to getting a flat abs. Having a low-calorie diet will prevent extra fat to be stored in parts of your body, especially your belly. Eating healthy should be a lifestyle, and not an option. One way to do this is to avoid foods that are high in fat, calories, and sugar. You should also eat your food slower, and if you can, commit to eating four to six small meals a day, instead of three heavy meals.

Shawn LeBrun asked:




Whether you want to get six pack abs, or just looking to lose a bit of extra luggage you’re carrying around the mid-section, there are 3 “key” areas you need to focus on to get six pack abs.

Strong abs not only help strengthen your lower back, but also improve upon your posture. Most lower back injuries occur, believe it or not, due to weak abs. Focus on these three areas and over time, you will see improved results.

Key # 1- Proper cardiovascular work

You can have the greatest, most muscular set of six pack abs in the world, but if they’re blanketed by a layer of body fat, who cares. In order to rid yourself of the extra body fat around your midsection, you need to incorporate effective cardio sessions into your fitness plan.

You cannot spot-reduce the midsection by doing extra ab exercises like crunches or sit-ups. You first must burn off the body fat through proper cardio to properly define the area. Abdominal training by itself will not do much. Cardio needs to be intense enough to do the trick.

Three to four sessions a week, 20 minutes at a time, of intense jogging, running, the Stairmaster, the elliptical, jumping rope, or biking should be enough to get the process in gear. Swimming, hiking, and taking aerobics classes are beneficial as well.

Nothing beats jogging or running. It is the most intense, efficient, and effective method of burning calories. If running outside hurts your joints, try running inside on a treadmill or outside on a dirt path. It definitely is easier on the body.

Again, you NEED three to four intense cardio sessions a week, at least 20 minutes a session, to help create a calorie deficit and help rid the body of the fat that covers and lessens your chances of getting six pack abs.

Key # 2- Proper Nutrition

Do not sabotage your results in the gym by giving yourself a passport to pig out. Ridding the body of fat once and for all is accomplished by proper nutrition more so than incorporating cardio. At the end of the day, if you have consumed more calories than you have expended, you add body fat. So you need to burn more calories than you consume.

Nutrition is important because you can reduce the amount of calories you take in, therefore greatly having an effect on the amount which you have to expend through cardio. Eat five to six small, well-balanced meals spaced apart about every three to four hours. Try to keep something healthy on hand.

If not, when you become real hungry, you will opt for something that isn?t as good for you. When you become overly hungry, all rational thinking goes out the window. But it is important to get something in you. Not eating on time or at all is almost as bad as eating too much.

Keep protein intake high (approximately 50% of daily calories), carbs moderate (40%), and fats minimal (10%). Muscle fiber is made of tightly-wound protein molecules that is damaged during a workout, so you need more protein than the sedentary person to help that muscle tissue repair.

Carbohydrates have an important role in the body, but do not base your meals on them. Try to avoid simple sugars like cane sugar, honey, fruit juices, syrups, and even a lot of fruit.

Drink at least a gallon of clean water each day as well. It will help in nutrient absorption and digestion and will help flush toxins from the body.

Bottom line, make sure you are supplying your body with well-balanced, healthy food every three to four hours. To ensure you are creating a calorie deficit, you should find out your daily caloric requirements that you need just to maintain your current bodyweight.

Since you are looking to reduce your current body weight by getting rid of some fat, you want to speed up creating a calorie deficit. One way is how we talked about above, doing cardio.

The other is by reducing the amount of calories you consume by 150-200 calories per day off your daily calorie maintanence amount.

For example, if you require, at your age, weight, activity levels, etc…2000 calories just to maintain your current weight, start reducing that number to 1800 to 1850 for a couple weeks.

If after a couple weeks you still do not see results, lower that number again by 150-200. Now you would be at 1600 to 1650 calories.

Again, the key to getting six pack abs is ridding your body of the fat covering the abs.

The only way to do this is by creating a calorie deficit so that your body burns calories for needed fuel. When you burn stored calories, you’re burning body fat. The way to properly do this is a combo of increased, intense cardio and a gradual reduction of calories.

Key # 3- Weight training the abdominals

Here is where most people go wrong in their attempt to develop their abs. I often ask those I train, “Would you train your biceps with sets of 50 reps with no weight”? Of course, they say no. “How about your chest, 50 reps with no weight?” Another no. I then ask, “Then why would you do that with your abs”?

Here’s an important key. If you want proper ab development, you need to add resistance (weight) to your ab exercises. Abs are muscles just like biceps, triceps, pecs, glutes, whatever. You need resistance to properly strengthen and build them. The same goes for abdominals.

Here are some effective ab exercises to incorporate for proper ab stimulation.

Weighted crunches. Grab a dumbbell, either hold it in front of your face, or let it lie on your upper chest, under your chin, and perform regular crunches. You are now using your abs more to work against the leverage the dumbbell has created. Stick with a heavy enough weight where you can handle 10-15 reps, but no more. Remember, you need to create enough resistance where your abs are forced to work.

Cable Rope crunches–grab the tricep rope, kneel on your knees, and bend downwards, forcefully contracting your abs on the way down. It’s basically a crunch, only, you are on your knees. But the contraction is the same. Don’t swing with the hips, you are not using the abs very much if you do. Just a slight, 30 degree contraction until you feel the abs contract, hold for a couple seconds, then back up.

Weighted leg raises– Lie flat on your back, with your hands tucked under your butt. Wrap your feet around a small dumbbell, and perform leg raises. Start with your feet about 6 inches from the ground, then raise them about 12-16 inches from the ground and then back down slowly. These can be done on the end of a bench as well.

Seated ab machine– once again, do not swing all the way down, just far enough (30 degrees) to fully contract the abs, hold for a couple seconds, then back up. This is very similar to Cable rope crunches.

Stability Ball Crunches– working on the stability ball will incorporate balance into your abdominal work. They are effective at strengthening your core region, which is your abs and lower back.

You lie down on a stability ball like you are going to perform a crunch. Position yourself on the ball so your lower back is resting on it. Keep your feet close together on the floor making your body less stable (helps incorporate more balance on your part) and place your hands behind your head or folded on your chest. Crunch your upper body towards your knees, exhaling as you contract your abs. Under muscular control, lower yourself back to the original position keeping full tension on the abs.

Regardless of what exercise you do, the key is to add weight/resistance. If not, you will never increase the amount of lean muscle tissue in the area. You only need to train your abs twice a week for maximum results. Once again, treat them like any other muscle group (which means you wouldn’t train them more often). Combine this weight training with proper diet and intense cardio and that elusive six-pack is yours to be had!

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Luis Eduardo asked:




Six pack abs seem to be the holy grail of fitness. A fitness magazine would not be a fitness magazine if it was not showing a model with a six pack on the front cover. Six pack abs are very attractive, it is no wonder why everyone wants them. In order to get ripped abdominals however, you must be disciplined in 2 areas of your life, what you eat and what you do with your workouts. Exercise and nutrition are important factors in the six pack equation.

EXERCISE

Weight lifting and interval training are what will help you shed fat and burn fat while you sleep. Weight lifting is often overlooked and not considered as important as cardio, but weight lifting is probably the most important factor. For example, if you and your friend went to the movies and while at the movies you decided to eat a candy bar, who would burn more calories? Well, if your friend is a frequent weight lifter then he is burning off that candy bar a lot faster than you. Always remember that muscle burns fat. The more lean muscle you have the more fat you will burn by just standing still.

Interval training is also important. Interval training is a type of cardio exercise. What you do is, run at a fast pace for 30 seconds and jog at a slow for one minute to a minute and a half. This equals to one interval. For a complete interval sessions you would need to do at least six intervals and this is usually more than enough.

NUTRITION

Nutrition is also important because it will give your body the required energy to complete your workouts. Eating the right foods at the right time is extremely important is you want to lose your belly fat. Sticking with whole grain, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables will allow you to get a six pack in as little as 90 days.

Kris Bierek asked:




Although exercise is a part of the plan, diet is critical to achieving a low level of body fat and attaining a six pack of shredded abs. Concentrate on green and colorful, non starchy veggies for your main meals and snacks including some complex carbs such as yams and brown rice to round out the plate. Fruit is okay but keep it before noon and only 1 pc per day at most since the sugars in fruit can hinder your goals. Clean meats such as poultry and fish are a better choice for your proteins vs fattier choices. You should also consider protein shakes to help with the intake needed.

Cardiovascular work is your next concern. If you are in need of 20+ lbs of fat loss then you need to work up to 3-5 days of 45 mins moderate cardio work preferably jogging which is your most effective fat burner especially if you wish to see fast results. The appearance of a 6 packs or tummy lines is very finicky so these tips are crucial. You can decrease the cardio to 20 mins 3-5 times per week if you are already quite lean.

In order to make your abs protrude you need to thicken those squares with weighted ab exercises. Try this program for a month and see how you can tighten your mid section in now time by incorporating the suggestions above.

Warm up with 3×20 of the Bent Knee Abdominal Hip Raises making sure those hips flick up off the mat as seen in the clip. Also ensure you are pulling your belly button into your lower back during these exercises.

Next you would follow that with 3-4 sets of 12 Reverse Decline Crunches. You can see again how the hips flick up off the board. This is important to achieve but if you are unable to at first you keep it in mind and keep working at that. Watch to not speed on the down phase. If you can, hold the knees for a second or 2 at the top to really enhance the work.

Inverted Exercise Ball Leg Pull Ins is third and you do need some upper body strength but the good news is that this exercise combines to help strengthen the chest and arms while your abs do the work to pull in the ball. Take your time with this and do each rep with a count of 1, 2, 3 – 1, 2, 3, 4 on return. Breathing out during exertion will enhance the effect. Perform 3 x 10.

Fingers to Toes Abdominal Crunches are also known as V sits, you want to keep chest out, shoulders somewhat back and settled while reaching upward and making sure your arms and legs return at the same time. Work on being able to hold this at the top for a few seconds then repeat. 3×10 is to be done with this exercise.

To make this program well rounded you would want to add 2 oblique exercises and in many cases lower back but for this particular program I focused the time on frontal core.
Elbow To Knee Oblique Crunches is a nice basic yet intense addition to round out the workout. 3 x10 should be done for this exercise.

Finishing this program is one of the most intense exercises on this page. Hanging Oblique Knee Raises are counted per side so if you have 10 you do 10 per side! You cannot throw your legs up or you will swing and make things harder so control is a must! 3×5-10 will most likely be all you can get done at this stage since we pre exhausted the middle area with all the above exercises.

Try this for a month then change your program again to focus on other weak areas. You can reintroduce this program or try a newer AB program later along the line since you want to change things at least every 4 weeks. Shapefit.com has an excellent arsenal of abdominal exercises to help you toward your goal of 6 pack abs.

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Courtney Smith asked:




Are you trying to find a way of getting the perfect six pack abs in just a week? Maybe you have some reunion coming up, or maybe some outdoor social event that involves a pool. The sad truth is that reaching this goal is impossible in a week. The process of shaping your body, and those perfect abs, will take dedication and a consistent routine.

Do not be discouraged by this fact. The truth is that if it were that easy then everybody would have those prefect abs that you seek. The abs will appear when you build up the abdominal muscles and reduce the body fat that is covering them.

To make those abs appear there are two things that need to happen. The abdominal muscles need to increase in size, and the fat that is covering them needs to go away. The amount you are overweight will play a role in how long it takes, if you are not overweight and do not have much belly fat then you may not have to loose weight at all, just build up the ab muscles with strengthening exercises.

Out of shape people will find that it is more difficult but not hopeless. You will need to establish a regular routine and stick with it. You should plan for the longer term. Also, consider a diet that is low in fatty foods and to include some aerobic exercises in your workouts.

This will not happen overnight, but with exercise and a healthy diet, you will have those perfect six pack abs before you know it.

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