Ask any gym buff, and they will agree that one of the most challenging areas to train is your abs. The tricky part about sculpting the ab area is that just when you think you are making progress, it sometimes plateaus.
Achieving your dream abs takes a lot of work, and many factors are at play. These include your diet, body fat percentage, workout routine, and more. But for what it is worth, the road to ripped abs is one worth celebrating. Hence, this cheat sheet – here are the top five secrets you need to know to get that much-awaited six-pack:
#1: It all starts on your plate.
When it comes to fitness, there is a crucial formula to follow: 70% diet and 30% exercise. This is also the same for abs. You should pay more attention to what you put on your plate than your core training exercises. After all, this is where the real work begins. Eat lean protein such as fish, chicken, nuts, and seeds. It is also good to switch out whole grains over refined carbs, as they contain more fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
#2: Small, frequent meals over anything else.
Speaking of diet, you also have to switch up your conventional three-meals-a-day routine. Eating six small meals daily with adequate amounts of fibre, carbohydrates, protein, and fats is better. This boosts your metabolism and helps you burn body fat faster, especially around the abs. Of course, do not forget to keep your body hydrated! Remember that our body is 75% water, and every cell needs enough hydration to function well. Drink at least a gallon of water daily to help nourish your body.
#3: Do cardio.
Cardiovascular exercise compels your body to pump far more oxygen into the bloodstream while also causing a need for energy. Your body will want to preserve your muscle mass because you are exercising, so it will prefer to burn fat for energy instead. The benefit of cardiovascular exercise is that it mostly burns fat, typically around 70 to 90 per cent.
But if you are not into intense workouts, remember that any activity is preferable to inactivity. Take a stroll or a bike ride. Moving around and being active still burns enough fat, but it will take much longer.
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#4: Get down and start planking.
The plank, and all of its variations, are among the most essential core exercises. It seems boring because all you do is sustain a push-up position as your weight rests on your forearms. But you must master it and do it correctly, as it trains your core excellently.
Keep your spine straight while engaging your muscles by contracting your core and glutes to do a proper plank. You can also add more challenges to the plank, like adding a leg lift or a push-up.
#5: Increasing your muscle mass works wonders.
Getting a six-pack is easier when you build muscle and increase overall muscle mass. It increases your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and pushes your body to burn more calories. Your BMR measures the number of calories your body burns while sitting still. Try to train all your big muscle groups to increase your muscle mass. This entails performing all the exercises, such as squats and deadlifts, that most people tend to avoid.
#6: Try Magnetic Muscle Sculpting
Surely you have heard of Magnetic Muscle Sculpting or MMS? This novel treatment uses Functional Magnetic Stimulation to activate motor neurons that thereby contract muscles. This targets abs, buttocks and even those hard-to-get-to pelvic floor muscles. FMS also tones up gluteal muscles to lift and shape the buttocks. Speak to an aesthetic clinic to find out more!
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