How to Get a 6 Pack in 6 Weeks

The abs are one of the most beautiful sets of muscles to train. In this article, we look at how we can train to form a sweet 6 pack in 6 weeks.

Burn the fat

One of the most fundamental things about training the abs is to burn the layer of fat that is covering your abs.

1. Simply doing sit-ups and crunches strengthens the abs but they cannot be seen in their true glory.
2. Remember getting a small waistline needs to correlate with reducing the fat.

Aerobic activities

Performing aerobic or cardiovascular activities like walking, brisk walking, jogging, running, sets of sprinting (all of these can be done on a treadmill or outside), cycling (and stationary cycling), kickboxing, boxing, swimming, stair stepper, elliptical machine, rowing machine etc can help accelerate the fat burning process.

How much and when to perform aerobic activities

However, avoid overdoing it because you do not want to lose your muscle mass.

1. Always perform the cardiovascular activities in addition to a good weight training program.
2. Perform for at least 20 minutes and no more than 45 minutes, 2-3 times a week.

In the morning

1. Our body has no glycogen or stored carbohydrates in the morning so performing an aerobic activity first thing in the morning on an empty stomach makes the body use the fats for energy.
2. Remember to drink at least one glass of water before the activity to avoid dehydration.

Right after weight training

If you prefer performing your cardiovascular activity at other times of the day, make sure you do it after a weight training session.

1. Remember it takes about 20-30 minutes for our body to deplete the glycogen stores before switching to fat for energy. So if you only did the cardiovascular activity you would have to perform it for twice as long.
2. Perform your weight training activity and by the time you are done, the body would have switched to the fat stores for energy which would be a perfect time to burn them fats with your chosen cardiovascular activity.

Tips to make aerobic activities enjoyable

1. Choose an activity that you like. If it is something you like, it is more likely that you will stick to it for a longer time.
2. Choose a set of music that you like. It can get boring very fast so having the company of your favourite tracks helps you go for longer.
3. Choose an exercise partner you like. Your best friend for instance. Having someone you get along with to chat as you exercise makes the session really enjoyable.
4. Perform different exercises. Dont do the same exercises over and over again. Not only do you get bored, your body also adapts and the exercise becomes less effective. Choose at least 3 activities you like so that you can rotate them. For instance, you might do 20 minutes of sprints for one session and 45 minutes of light jogging for another session. Variety is key here. Keep giving your body something different so that it responds effectively.
5. Perform at a comfortable but competitive pace. Again the exercise becomes ineffective if you do not push yourself enough or push yourself so hard that you do not feel comfortable.

Abdominal exercises

For best results, perform ab exercises in the morning after your cardiovascular activity or after a weight training session at other times of the day. Avoid doing ab exercises every day so that you give the ab muscles time for recovery.

The "L"

1. Lie on your back and raise your legs in the air with your toes pointing towards the ceiling. You might want to use a mat for cushion.
2. Raise your hips slightly off the ground
3. Keep your palms flat on the ground so that they are pushing on the ground to stabilize the body
4. Hold that position for as long as you can. Feel your abs tightening. I know. Its beautiful.

The "V"

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out. You might want to use a mat for cushion.
2. Lean slightly backward so that you form a "V".
3. Keep your hands on your abdomen and hold that position for as long as you can. Keep your legs straight.

The push up position

1. Start at a push up position.
2. Pull your abdomen in and hold it there for as long as you can
3. If that gets easy, put your feet up on a step.

The plank

Similar to the push up position but you hold your position on your elbows and forearms.

Controlled half sit-ups / crunches

1. Lie flat on your back with knees bent.
2. Your hands can be crossed on your chest or on the side of your head. Avoid putting them behind your head. This makes it easy for your to push your head causing stress on your neck.
3. Perform sit-ups / crunches but only up to the half-way point
4. Do not let your back touch the ground when you return to original position so that the abs are constantly engaged
5. Perform the exercise in a slow controlled motion. Technique is key here. Not number of repetitions or doing it as fast as you can. Doing it too fast can hurt your back.

Exercise ball ab crunches

1. Rest your lower back on the exercise ball and stabilize with your feet flat on the ground.
2. Have your hands crossed on your chest or on the side of your head
3. Perform the crunch in a slow controlled motion. Excellent for the core muscles because of the need to balance yourself.

Avoid doing lots and lots of sit-ups

* Not only are sit-ups hard to perform, they train the muscles that are already strong. For example, you are targeting the hip flexor muscles when you come all the way up. Erm... That has nothing to do with your 6 pack.

Avoid torso twists

A prime example is dumbbell twists or any other stupid twists that people do in the gym as part of their ab training.

* These twists not only cause extensive stress on the lower back, they are also very ineffective.

Please see How to get a 6 pack in 6 weeks for pictures that show how each exercise is done.

You may also visit goodlooksecrets.com for all the advice and guidance in health and fitness.