Can you imagine walking along the beach in you swimsuit with everyone looking at your rippling six pack. All eyes jealously admiring your suntanned, muscular physique.
Ok here's the truth, "there are no easy ways to build washboard abs"!
But there are some ways that will give you fantastic results (and some that will waste your time).
It seems as if there is a new "Super Fast Power Abdominals" gadget on the market every week. Most of them are totally useless and may do more harm than good. The only thing that will get a workout is your wallet.
Some of them may work for a while but when the novelty wears off, it's packed in the back of a cupboard, never to be seen again.
They are all limited in what they can do. They only allow you to do a limited number of movements. And then you get the next gadget out! You would need to exercise in a warehouse to get everything in. And that's just for the abs!
I have even seen for sale, on eBay, with bids, a sun mask to place on your abs so that you will get sun tan where the muscle separation would be. I can imagine all the couch potatoes queuing up for this one.
If you do regular "Sit Up's" for millions of reps you are very unlikely to build rippling muscles but you will have great endurance. If you do "straight leg sit ups" it is possible that you may damage your lower back due to the strain placed upon it. It may be better to avoid sit ups at all costs. The same with "lying straight leg lifts".
One of the best exercises for abs is crunches. Lay on your back with your feet on a chair or bench. Curl up your upper body towards your knees. At the top position, hold for a few seconds, while flexing your abs. You will only get a short range of motion with this exercise but it will work wonders.
There are many variations of the crunch. Try doing them with a twist to work the side oblique muscles. Lying on the floor, try doing Jacknife crunches, raising your legs as you crunch, and try to reach past your toes with your hands.
For best results you need to do between 8-15 reps to build abs that will be admired be everyone. And take all sets to total failure and some more.
Some trainers say that in a set of 10 reps the first nine are the warm up and the tenth produces the muscle. I think this can be improved if you think that the one that produces the results is actually number 11!
If you are carrying a layer of extra body fat you will never be able to display a set of washboard abs. Losing that extra few pounds can make all the difference.
Counting every calorie that you eat is not my idea of fun. I like to eat a high protein diet and find it works for me. I enjoy lots of chicken, turkey, beef, milk, and cheese etc, eaten with plenty of healthy salads.
Avoid all processed food and cut down on the carbonated drinks, even the "low cal" ones. You do not need the artificial sweeteners and chemicals.
If you have a sweet tooth and are sometimes tempted to have chocolate it may be better to have a small bar occasionally instead of obsessing about it and then pigging out with dozens of candy bars. Buy fresh fruit and each time you have cravings eat some fruit.
As with any new program it is recommended that you start slowly and build up gradually as you gain experience. Even Arnold had to start with low weights and learn from more experienced bodybuilders.
This article is provided as entertainment and no responsibility can be taken for loss or injuries incurred during physical exercise. If you have not undertaken any form of exercise for a while, please consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program.
Above all, Have fun and be safe.
