The main goal of exercise is to keep your body healthy and maintain your fitness. And for the most part, the bulging muscles and washboard abs are usually secondary goals. However, there’s nothing wrong with working on getting six-pack abs along with staying fit. After all, who doesn’t want to look good, right?
Having a six-pack actually goes beyond looking good. If you have well-developed abdominal muscles, then it means that you have a strong core, which helps you avoid injury when exercising and keep your body strong. Having a strong core also lets you be able to do more exercises, that’s why a lot of fitness trainers always tell you to focus on your core strength.
Getting six-pack abs isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Don’t listen to those ads that promise to give you a six-pack in only a few weeks. And those exercise gadgets that are sold on TV won’t be able to give you the results you want in the short span of time they claim.
It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and discipline to get ripped. There’s really no easy or quick way to go about it. It’ll be difficult, and there are going to be times that you’ll really have to push yourself to the limit. But once you see the results, you’ll definitely feel that it’s all worth it.
6 workouts for getting six-pack abs
One thing to remember about these exercises is that it’s important to maintain a proper form. Executing each exercise properly not only makes it effective but also reduces your chances of having an injury.
You can also try incorporating these exercises into your daily routines to mix things up a bit. Remember, if you feel any sort of pain that’s not typically a part of your workout, take a break to avoid injury. Don’t overexert yourself in the pursuit of getting six-pack abs.
Sit-ups
Let’s start with the most basic of core exercises, sit-ups. Sit-ups alone won’t give you a six-pack, but they do help build up your core muscles. Sit-ups mainly target a small part of your abdomen, and do a good job at it, but if you’re trying to lose some of the fat in you abdomen, don’t depend on sit-ups alone.
Regardless, 15 to 20 reps of sit-ups should always be a minimum in your daily workout.
Crunches
Just like sit-ups, crunches can aid in getting six-pack abs, but they work best when integrated with other exercises.
Traditional crunches aren’t very effective in giving you a six-pack, but variations such as the bicycle crunch, reverse crunch, oblique crunch, and crossover crunch work really well when it comes to working out the other muscles groups in your abdomen.
Just like sit-ups, 15 to 20 reps of crunches will be a good start for your workout.
Rowing
If you have access to a rowing machine, then you’re well on your way to getting six-pack abs. That’s because aside from being a good exercise for the abs, rowing also helps you work out other muscle groups and burn fat.
One of the secrets to having a six-pack is to have a low body fat percentage. Less fat means your muscles will become more pronounced, and you’ll get to see those “cuts” that you’ve been working hard for. Aside from building your core muscles, losing fat is also very important.
Thirty minutes of rowing exercises is a great way to exercise your entire body, lose weight, and strengthen your core muscles.
Planks
A lot of people dislike planks, and you can’t blame them. Planks are pretty difficult to do, especially if your core muscles aren’t up to snuff. However, planks are a “necessary evil” for those looking to have washboard abs.
Planks are a good way of strengthening your core and your back muscles. When you’re doing planks, a good tip is to squeeze your entire body. That way, you’re targeting various muscle groups and strengthening them as a whole. Make sure to breathe while you’re holding the pose. Take about 10 to 20 seconds for each set.
Flutter kicks
Flutter kicks are another good way of strengthening your core. In order to do flutter kicks, you just need to lie down flat on your back and lift your heels alternately by about 6 inches. Do this exercise rapidly and you’ll start to feel the burn in your core.
These are a great way to exercise your core muscles, and they don’t require any specialized equipment. You can even do these workout evens if you’re not in perfect shape. They’re good for beginners who are looking to start building their core.
Squats
Lastly, squats are another good workout for getting six-pack abs. Aside from strengthening your core, squats also work on your glutes and back muscles, which makes it a good exercise for strengthening your lower back. It also helps strengthen your calf muscles.
You can do squats with or without weights, but if you’re not familiar with the exercise, or if you’re not in particularly good shape, then doing it without weights will be a good start.
Once you’re more comfortable with squats, you can incorporate weights into your exercises. You can also try out other variations such as squat thrusts, frog squats, and barbell back squats.
