Will abs give you abs?

What do you think is the number one exercise to get great abs?

creaks?

Do you sit?

ABS?

Sit down, right?

No, this is the common concept, I thought it was the key to getting a six pack at some point and I’m sure most people do.

This is the question I get asked a lot and no offense to anyone who has asked this, but it is a frustrating question.

‘What exercise will eliminate this (point to stomach)?’

There is no magic formula or magic exercise that will simply melt away stomach fat, sadly it is not as easy as that.

The only way to melt away stomach fat is to eat right and combine it with regular strength training and high intensity cardio.

I’m not saying basic work isn’t important, I do 3 basic sessions a week. Core strength is very important, but it won’t give you abs by itself. We need core strength to be able to balance, stand up tall, get up from a chair just about most things we do. So keep up with core training but people just need to get over the perception that crunches and crunches will give you a flat stomach without concentrating on eating and other workouts.

Doing lots of crunches will help build your abdominal muscles and can make you look even fatter if you don’t eat or train right! So please don’t think crunches will flatten your stomach, they don’t. Crunches are normally performed through excessive range of motion (the upper phase) once you pass a certain point, your abs are no longer engaged and it causes an excessive bag in your lower stomach.

Did you know that you would have to do 250,000 crunches to burn 1 pound of fat?

Further!

Crunches are definitely not the best core exercise to do.

I would focus on planks, side planks, leg raises and squats long before I do crunches, crunches put unnecessary pressure on the neck, especially when done from the floor.

Also something to try is throughout the day constantly thinking about exercising your core and maintaining good posture. This is a good habit and will help prevent muscle problems later on.

Since my job as a sports massage therapist, the number of office workers I have seen with massive back and back strain is insane due to sitting in the same position every day with poor posture. Be aware of how you stand and how you sit, engage your abs, shoulders back, and stay upright.

While I’m here, I’ll give you a little bit more about our abdominal muscles and how to train them.

Not only do you have 6 abdominal muscles, there are four separate abdominal regions, all of which have different exercises that work them:

1. Upper Abs – These can be worked by performing the basic crunch…as directed, try to avoid the abs. Toe touch / v-sit is another good exercise to strengthen the upper abs.

2. Lower Abs – Hanging leg raises (Roman chair required) are a superior way to strengthen lower abs, can also be performed with a pull-up bar (try to avoid swinging), not recommended for beginners.

3. Obliques – Unsurprisingly, the oblique crunch works your obliques (sides), the difference to a regular crunch is that you bring your elbow to the opposite knee on each side. Remember to perform the same exercise on each side!

4. Whole Core: Exercise ball crunches work your entire core, so it’s a great workout alongside different pushup variations.

So there’s a little more information here and I hope it’s shed a little light on our abdominal region.

If your goal is to have a flat stomach, remember that this is what you should do:

Eat a clean natural diet
Get regular full-body strength training.
Do a high-intensity cardio workout 2-5 times a week.
Do all of those things and add some of the basic work you learned today and you’ll be well on your way to a perfectly flat and toned stomach.

good luck,

jamie stedman