How to get 6 pack abs without doing situps
As a London Personal Trainer I often get asked how todevelop a strong core and 6 pack stomach muscles. It seemsthat so many people are still practicing old exercises andcranking out hundreds of situps on a daily basis in thehope of reducing stomach fat and developing their 6 packabs.
Doing regular sit ups or crunches will not only give youback problems but doesn't really help in develpingyour core and revealing your stomach muscles. Our core /stomach muscles are more complex than you may think andneed to be worked in three different planes of motion foroptimal results. Doing regular situps and crunches is bothunnatural and only addresses one plane of movement, andits not very good at doing that.
As well as taking the core / stomach muscles through 3different planes of movement the body fat covering theabdominals must also be addressed. Forget the old wivestale about spot reducing fat, this simply isnt thecase, hundreds of situps wont burn stomach fat - fatnaturally comes off in layers from all over the body. Theonly way to reduce stomach fat is with a good total bodyexercise programme and by eating a healthy diet.
Remember that we all have stomach muscles waiting to beseen under our belly fat but in order to increase theirsize and make them more visable they need to be trainedlike any other body part. So, a combination of the correctabdominal / core exercises, a healthy diet and a good allover body routine will bring your 6 pack abs out for all to see.
I have found the following 6 exercises to be the best forstabalising your core and reducing potential back painwhilst bringing your abdominals / obliques to the surface.
1. The Side Plank - keep your hips inline, belly button inand maintain this postition for as long as possible. Startwith 30 secs and increase up to 2 minutes over time.Breathe!
2. The Front Plank - keep your body in a straight line,belly button in and arms at 90 degrees. Start with 30 secsand increase up to 2 minutes over time. Breathe!
3. The Bird Dog - keep your back flat, belly button pulledin, thumb up and out at 45 degrees. Opposite leg goesstraight back. Start with 6 reps on each side and work upto 3 sets of 12.
4. The Front Mountain Climber - in a press up position withyou back flat and belly button pulled in bring your kneestraight up to your chest. Breathe out as you do so andcontract your abdominals as if you were being punched inthe stomach. Take leg back and repeat. Start with 6 on eachside and work up to 3 sets of 12.
5. The Outside Mountain Climber - as above but drop yourhips slightly and bring your knee to the outside of yourelbow. Squeeze the side of your stomach, your obliques,together as if being folded in half sideways.
6. The Inside Mountain Climber - as with the above mountainclimber but bring your knee across and squeeze the side ofyour stomach muscles (obliques).
Perform all these exercises 3 times a week along with yourregular workout for the ultimate strong core and the highlyellusive six pack stomach muscles.
Good luck and enjoy your new abs!!
----------------------------------------------------
Greg is a health and fitness professional based inHampstead, North London. He achieves fantastic results forhis clients by using his indepth knowledge and the most upto date techniques.http://www.gbpersonaltraining.com
Doing regular sit ups or crunches will not only give youback problems but doesn't really help in develpingyour core and revealing your stomach muscles. Our core /stomach muscles are more complex than you may think andneed to be worked in three different planes of motion foroptimal results. Doing regular situps and crunches is bothunnatural and only addresses one plane of movement, andits not very good at doing that.
As well as taking the core / stomach muscles through 3different planes of movement the body fat covering theabdominals must also be addressed. Forget the old wivestale about spot reducing fat, this simply isnt thecase, hundreds of situps wont burn stomach fat - fatnaturally comes off in layers from all over the body. Theonly way to reduce stomach fat is with a good total bodyexercise programme and by eating a healthy diet.
Remember that we all have stomach muscles waiting to beseen under our belly fat but in order to increase theirsize and make them more visable they need to be trainedlike any other body part. So, a combination of the correctabdominal / core exercises, a healthy diet and a good allover body routine will bring your 6 pack abs out for all to see.
I have found the following 6 exercises to be the best forstabalising your core and reducing potential back painwhilst bringing your abdominals / obliques to the surface.
1. The Side Plank - keep your hips inline, belly button inand maintain this postition for as long as possible. Startwith 30 secs and increase up to 2 minutes over time.Breathe!
2. The Front Plank - keep your body in a straight line,belly button in and arms at 90 degrees. Start with 30 secsand increase up to 2 minutes over time. Breathe!
3. The Bird Dog - keep your back flat, belly button pulledin, thumb up and out at 45 degrees. Opposite leg goesstraight back. Start with 6 reps on each side and work upto 3 sets of 12.
4. The Front Mountain Climber - in a press up position withyou back flat and belly button pulled in bring your kneestraight up to your chest. Breathe out as you do so andcontract your abdominals as if you were being punched inthe stomach. Take leg back and repeat. Start with 6 on eachside and work up to 3 sets of 12.
5. The Outside Mountain Climber - as above but drop yourhips slightly and bring your knee to the outside of yourelbow. Squeeze the side of your stomach, your obliques,together as if being folded in half sideways.
6. The Inside Mountain Climber - as with the above mountainclimber but bring your knee across and squeeze the side ofyour stomach muscles (obliques).
Perform all these exercises 3 times a week along with yourregular workout for the ultimate strong core and the highlyellusive six pack stomach muscles.
Good luck and enjoy your new abs!!
----------------------------------------------------
Greg is a health and fitness professional based inHampstead, North London. He achieves fantastic results forhis clients by using his indepth knowledge and the most upto date techniques.http://www.gbpersonaltraining.com
posted by Peter Smith at 1:16 PM
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