.jpg "A woman performing a situp.")
Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from Nick Clipton who manages and writes for the weight gain blog: http://www.buildingbodymuscles.com/. Nick’s blog contains lots of fantastic muscle building information and also reviews many of the top body building programs so feel free to check it out after you have finished reading.
—–
When you conduct a survey out in the street about which part of their body it is that people most dislike, their bulging stomach is probably one of the top answers that will emerge.. There are a two reasons behind this. First, even if you do have a regular workout routine, targeting the abdominal area is still a pretty difficult exercise task. Second, as people age, losing the fat especially on this part of the body becomes doubly difficult.
When you add to this the fact that a lot of people seem to be leading a sedentary lifestyle, it is no wonder why beer bellies and paunches in the stomach have become a common problem.
The Top 4 Myths about Getting Six Pack Abs that You Need to Know about
Naturally, the solution to get rid of the belly fat and reveal the six pack abs that you’ve always wanted to have is using a combination of exercise and diet. Although there are a lot of sources that you can use online which are supposed to teach you ways on how to finally get those six pack abs, there are still a lot of myths about it which persist.
To separate fact from fiction, here are the top four myths about getting six pack abs that you need to know about, and the real truth behind them:
1. Doing endless repetitions of crunches is the only solution for getting six pack abs.
Yes, it is true that crunch is an exercises which help define your abdominal muscles. But this does not mean that when you do endless repetitions of crunches, this is the only way for you to develop ripped six pack abs. As Mike Geary says, there are some really good options for metabolism-boosting high intensity workout e.g. Renegade Dumbbell Rows, Front Squats with Barbell. These workout work on your entire body while working on your abs too. Similarly, Vince Delmonte recommends Hanging Leg Raises, Wood Choppers, Weighted Cable Crunches for advanced trainers.
The only way for you to achieve this goal is to lose the underlying fat in your belly first. This can be done by having a nutritious and healthy diet. Next, you need to undergo a series of full-body exercises and abdominal-muscles targeting exercises to reveal the six pack abs once all the fat in your stomach area has been eliminated. So developing six pack abs involves more than doing endless crunches, it is actually a combination of proper diet and exercise.
2. You can’t get six pack abs because of your genes.
Genes have absolutely nothing to do with developing six pack abs – anybody can do it. Sure, there are some individuals who may have a harder time at developing six pack abs because of their muscle and bone density or the naturally way that their body is built – but there is always a way for you to get six pack abs if you are willing to work hard for it.
3. You cannot get six pack abs without the help of a specific abs exercise equipment.
This six pack abs myth is not true at all. There are a lot of abs exercises which you can do right in the comfort of your own home – where all you need is a set of dumbbells and an exercise ball. Purchasing expensive abs exercise equipment is more of a marketing ploy, and a luxury rather than a necessity.
4. You need to work on your abs every day in order to see results.
This is yet another myth about getting six pack abs. Just like any other muscle group, you need to give your abdominal muscles plenty of time to rest in order for them to grow and develop. Work out about two to three times a week to get the best results.
Now that you have an idea about the top four myths, you can modify your existing diet and exercise program so that you can have those ripped abdominal muscles in no time at all!
About Tom
A men to this post Nick/Tom!
One of the “myths” that often brings a smile to my face is when I see the adverts promoting the electronic ab stimulators where by they stick on some electrodes and have the abs being contracted by electricity.
Obtaining Six pack abs is achieveable by everyone – unfortunately there are many that want the look but are not prepared to put in the time, effort and dedication.
Be Well
Thanks for the feedback Matt. Totally agree. There’s a lot of people out there looking for a quick fix when it comes to diet and exercise. Weight loss pills are another example of this.
People want the 6 pack they see on those before and after pictures. Good for motivation in a way but it is not realistic. The photos you see are of people who have endured severe diets and lack of water to get that ripped for few hours around a photo shoot.
They are at a very low body fat percentage that cannot be maintained for any prolonged period. Very low body fat will mess with your health.
Hey John. Thanks for the comments. You are right that it’s impossible to maintain the picture perfect abs that people sport in these photos. However, I wouldn’t say it’s unrealistic to have six pack abs all year round. I know some people who manage to maintain this. Granted they aren’t as ripped as the models in photos but they still have a pretty good set.
This post needs to be spread far and wide! Good summary! A lot of people just hope that a six pack or flat stomach will just “happen” to them with just one element of good diet or exercise. What needs to be done is a combination of mainitaining a good diet and exercise routine. And those electrodes are just the easy way out!
Ros
Thanks for your comments Ros. Glad you enjoyed the post.
I especially like this line you said “but there is always a way for you to get six pack abs if you are willing to work hard for it”. Many people just give up on the exercise routine and think that its easy to get their ideal body. You got to work hard to achieve desired results. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comments. As you say many people think it’s easy to get a good body but if it was that easy everyone would have one.