How To Get The Perfect Six Pack!

How To Get The Perfect 6 Pack

So you really wanna know how to get rock solid abs? These bad boys will take a bit of work and understanding if you wish to not only get the abs of your dreams but keep them!

Strong abdominal muscles, or abs, not only make you feel better about yourself, but they also improve your posture, reduce certain injuries, ease lower back pain & increase your body’s overall performance. 

Your present fitness level and body fat percentage dictate how much work you need for your abs to become visible. So starting now, what you eat and how you train are critical to your health journey! Your genetics also play apart in your overall shape. They give a rough estimate to how your fat may potentially be distributed and risk to diseases in your body.

However, you have the power to alter your body and become the version of you that you seek. You can alter your life and future genetics drastically. You just have to know how and put the work in. After reading this article, you will be the guide to the perfect 6 pack! Let's go!

Burn Baby Burn

First stop in your journey is understanding how to get rid of the fat covering your abs. You must burn your abs out of you. No, not physically with fire ( no fires please) but by making your body burn the fat covering your abs.

Your body must be in a caloric deficit to burn fat and help you see your abs. Meaning you must do more in your day to  burn more calories than you take in. What you eat is highly important and is truly the key factor in your fitness journey.

Start eating healthy as soon as possible. A healthy diet while working toward your calorie deficit is your best bet to get you to your exercise goal. If you have poor eating habits, eating less will help start cutting bad on the bad intake of food you consume now. Do not try to start a whole new life and change everything you eat. Instead pick one fruit and vegetable to master for the whole month. Add it to your diet and become comfortable with it. The following month I will add something new. Over time you will build a new, healthier diet and you will have the abs you so desperately want!

Your road to better abs is a complete lifestyle change, so pace yourself and get started: Here are a few other ideas for setting your diet up for your rock solid abs. 

Snack On Whole Grains

Put down the white and processed food and consider substituting them with whole grains. Whole grains make you feel full quicker and they are key in your recovery and rebuilding of your muscle tissue after your workout. Whole grains include more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than processed carbohydrates like white bread. White bread and other refined carbs offer less nutrients than whole grains and easily they store the carbs into. Which is something you must limit on your quest.. 

Utilize Your Fruits

Your diet, like life, is a fun journey and it’s on you to keep it interesting. Use  a variety of fruits and vegetables, which are high in fiber and nutrients, to offset some of your daily cravings. It's a process but it's definitely worth it! An apple a day may indeed help keep the doctor away. The key thing to remember  is that the fruit WILL NOT fill you but fuel you to your next activity and meal. So keep an apple or banana close!

One clever trick is to pair your snack with fruits so you can get a multitude of benefits and be efficient. Snacks like apples with peanut butter, rather than  a peanut butter and jelly sandwich are perfect for you to stay light and burning..

Remember too to keep yourself hydrated. Drink as much water as possible, not falling beneath a few liters for your day. Schedule it out ahead of time and plan out your consumption. It makes it easier to stay on track and reach your ab goals.

Up Your Cardio

Ok, now that you have your understanding of a proper diet, it is time to get to work! You must increase your amount of cardiovascular (cardio) exercises, such as running and swimming, to get you your imminent six-pack. Don’t not be afraid to really go after it and get your body going! 

All cardio is not created equally and some exercises work better than others. Find cardio exercises you find enjoyable yet challenging and build from there. Most workouts have variations you can try when the old exercise get boring. So, you should be able to stay interested and engaged while getting your heart pumping.

Here are a couple of ways you can get the cardio you need without dreading it.

Think Outside The Box (Or Maybe In It)

Try a Zumba or an online step class to get your heart rate going. Get even more creative and try something like boxing! Give your body something it isn't used to in order to get what you’ve never had. You may actually find that you enjoy cardio more than you think!

Remember the goal is to get your heart rate up and your sweat pouring. The more physical movements you take to get there, the better. 

HIIT It Where It Hurts

The ultimate cardio training is actually a mixture of things. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and exercises are the best way to get you to your goals by far. The involvement of short but intense activities sends your heart into a frenzy and gets your heart pumping open. It’s focus on time and effort make HIIT workouts perfect for your busy or settled lifestyle.

While performing high-intensity interval training (HIIT), your heart rate increases dramatically, your fat burners are kicked into overdrive, and your metabolism is turned fully on. These exercises can reduce your fat by almost 30% compared to traditional aerobic exercises. Giving you even more reason to add them to your workout regimen.

Be careful though. Because of their intensity, limit your amount of workouts to about 3 per week. You know your body so go at your own discretion. Your body will need time to repair and heal up for your perfect abs. 

Don't stop pushing through. Perform light cardio in the days between to boost your recovery time. But make sure you get proper rest, too.

It’s More Than Your Abs

Finally, you must work out your ENTIRE CORE and not just your ab muscles.  This includes exercises for your obliques and lower back too. You are not going to sit up or just regular plank your way to these abs. You are going to have to show the surrounding muscles some love. This is a critical step and is often missed. Exercises for your obliques and lower back will help round out the overall aesthetics of your abs and make your 6 pack look even better. 

But maybe an even bigger reason to work the rest of your core is because those exercises increase your metabolism while you are not working out! Which helps  lower your body fat percentage while you rest!

Like always, stay creative and engaged with your core exercises. Try to keep specific core work to no more than twice a week. Alternating between body weight  and weighted workouts..

Here are a few examples of some core exercises to include in your next workout:

Heel Taps

Leg Drops

Side Plank Dips

Russian Twists

There You Have It!

You now have all of the knowledge and tools for your picture perfect abs. All you have to do is put it together. Remember, you need a combination of strength and cardio routines and a better diet. Also, focusing on lean protein, whole grains, and veggies will help you achieve your goal sooner than later.

No matter where you are or where you are headed, remember you are beautiful and are in progress to  becoming better. Focus on your overall beauty and put in the work, and all will be fine. See you next time!