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Who doesn’t want to have those to-die-for washboard abs, right? Everybody dreams for that perfect body that will surely envy a lot of people. No wonder a lot of men, and also women, are searching for that ideal abs workout routine to achieve that astonishing abs.
There are probably a lot of articles and websites on different magazines and on the internet that covers this topic. Each of which offers a specific, detailed, and unique ways of turning those flabs into awesome abs. The big question here is, which one really does the trick?
Many people would suggest things like famishing diets, hardcore crunches, and tiring push-ups that would let you get those mouthwatering abs. Others will also tell you to go to the gym and find a good instructor but that would cost you some extra cash. There are actually a lot of methods that you can choose from and some of them doesn’t require that much sweating or even will not require excess cashouts.
Taking the First Step
As much as you wouldn’t want to hear it, but for the sake of giving you the best possible startup for your future abs, diet is the fundamental tool that you need to reel into shape. Having the right diet is probably one of the first few steps that people are actually failing at. They tend to spend less time in the kitchen and more time at the gym just to gain that abs that they truly desire.
This is one of the misconceptions that most people are doing. Having a healthy and balanced diet will help you achieve those rock hard abs. You may have the best workout routine of all time but with a poor diet and use of slimming pills, you truly doomed to fail.
Studies have shown that almost 90% of the results rely on a proper diet plan. It is never okay to starve yourself and workout too hard because it may cause unwanted injuries that will cause you to fail in so many levels. Remember that pushing your body to the limits without sufficiently providing the necessary nutrients and energy coming from food will not lead to healthy six-pack abs.
Experts suggest taking small meals six times a day compared to the conventional three large meals per day. Make sure that you cut down the sugar intake, lessen the consumption of processed food, and increase protein-rich food. But before you take part in this step, make sure to have a good talk with your most trusted doctor and/or nutritionist for the most viable diet plan for your body type.
Do Less, Gain More
Let this be your mantra. You may be familiar with the saying “less is more” which is also applicable with regards to aiming for that beloved abs. Since the dawn of different workout routines that promises abs in a matter of days, people also try to reinvent the methods to further enhance the results and lessen the time it takes for people to achieve that most wanted abs.
Through innovative methods that involve human science which includes anatomy, physiology, and everything in between, experts have developed a workout routine that allows the surfacing of the abs in fewer days than the usual gym or home routines out there.
Calories are burned whenever your muscle contracts. In this way, exercises that focus on gearing up those muscles also helps in burning unwanted fats on your body. There’s just one thing that you need to remember: you should work every inch of muscles on your body and not just your abdominal area.
This is another misconception that most people do. They tend to focus more or even just do abdominal exercises and doesn’t include other exercises for the rest of the body. Pushing yourself to do more crunches and situps will not lead you to stronger abdominal core muscles.
It is important to do the proper core muscle exercises that don’t cause the rounding of your lower back. Core exercises can provide almost the same but better results compared to the typical crunches and situps. It is also better to begin your workout routine with core exercises because it can help strengthen your muscles and a quicker gain in strength.
Planking is the Best Thing
Probably one of the best core exercises that you can do that doesn’t require equipment is planking. It is the simplest but most effective way of achieving that hardcore ab that you ever wanted. With a lot of available variations, the plank is an easy exercise as long as you are doing the right position.
The plank has the capability of creating a stiff core which equates to a stronger abdominal region. This exercise doesn’t only focus on the abdominal area but also helps improve almost all of the muscle regions of your body. Just make sure to observe the proper alignment of your spine and you’re off to a good start.
There are many speculations on how to do the plank right. Some may probably do it wrong which leads to a painful result or even no results at all. To help you execute the plank properly, here’s a little guide that we managed to pick out:
- You should first assume a pushup position and let your elbows form a 90° angle while your whole weight is focused on your forearms.
- Your elbows must be positioned in a way that it should be directly underneath your shoulders while your whole body is in a straight position.
- Try to hold it for a good two minutes.
The Best Workout Routine
Contrary to the popular belief that taking so much time at the gym or exercising at home will result to better-looking ab, it is actually more effective to do two to four sets of exercises that involve the core rather than spending long minutes of ab training or running on the treadmill. About 30 to 40 minutes will be enough for a full workout as long as you make every second of it count.
These workouts will duly help you in attaining those abs that you want (Unknown, 2018)
Leg Lifts
The first thing that you should do is to lie on your back and put your hands below your butt. Contract your abdominal area and raise your legs until it makes a 45° angle with your body. Hold it for about a minute and then bring your legs back to the original position.
Bicycle Crunches
While lying on your back, put your hands at the back of your head while your legs are tucked near your chest. Push one leg away from your body while the other one stays on the original position but make sure that you also twist your abdomen towards the leg that is tucked. Do the same thing with the other leg and try to hold it for 3 seconds before repeating the steps.
Superman
Lay on a mat with your face towards the floor and your arms extended in front. Lift your arms and legs simultaneously while you exhale and bring back to the original position with an inhale.
Double Leg Stretch
Lie on your back while you tuck your knees towards your hips and your heels are close together. While pointing your toes outwards, raise your shoulders and place your arm on the outer part of your legs making sure that your palms are positioned inwards. Exhale every time you extend your legs, put your arms overhead while your palms are towards your legs then go back to your initial position.
Flutter Kicks
Lay on your back while your arms are on your sides and your legs are extended. Take your heels off the floor then simultaneously kick it up and down. You will feel an immediate burn on your abdominal area as you go on with this exercise.
Stay Active and Do the Right Thing
Staying active as you do the core workouts and sub-workouts will help you achieve those beautiful and healthy abs. Always make sure that you also eat the right amount of food without letting yourself starve. It is also important to know the proper techniques, positions, and routines to ensure a safe and effective ab workout.
You can always ask experts on better strategies that will fit your body type and level. And always keep this in mind: In order to gain that dreamy ab, perseverance is the key and it may seem to be hard at first but patience will take you higher in achieving that dream.
Author Bio:
I am Ryan Norwood Canon, a health and fitness writer for almost a decade and the co-founder of Getshape.org a health and fitness blog. As a well- versed in fitness, posting blogs about a healthier lifestyle and quick tips to a body fit to help people achieve their body goals is truly my passion. My real concern is, I want you guys to be more confident of yourself.
