Get Six Pack Abs

So far i have the top four packs and im wondering how many sit ups or crunches will i have to do daily to get the lower part of my abdominals? I also want to know what type of exercise is best for the lower part?
I also would like to know how many of each i would need to do daily? Please and thank you it means alot, since i run cross country and run track i want to improve my running

it takes awhile, diet comes in place for abs becuase you need to have low fat. I would do leg raises and bicycle kicks for lower abs, as well as planks they work the entire core. It can take up to 6months. Keep in mind planks make your abs flat and not stick out, because they work out or obliques as well.

I heard from one person that the fastest way was to do 60 leg lifts daily. I heard from another person that the fastest way is to do 60 crunches per day.

Well, you already have a six pack, you just have to clear thelayer of fat covering them, if yu want to tone them, you should do some crunches, but cardio is the best way, since you lose the fat, you tone the abs, and you increase your endurance and stamina. A good thing to do is go outside and run for a few minutes, then just walk to catch your breath, then repeat.

Ive been working out for quite some time now (just over a year, the longest period for me), and I’m impresssed with the results on an overall level. I’ve gone from being a lanky "streak of p*ss", to a lanky streak of pretty muscular p*ss, (ALL without ANY form of specialised supplements like Creatine/Protein shakes etc) but the one thing thats been bugging me, is that even though I have a fairly well formed six pack, I can still VERY easily "wind" myself if I strike medium strength blows to my stomach/torso area around the abdominals.

Now, I know that a lot of you will probably say "why the hell are you even doing that in the 1st place", or "maybe you need to ask yourself why your actually working out", but I have a few reasons really. The main purpose is to become stronger and generally more able to do more strenuous/heavy duty tasks like lifting, climbing, hard labour etc. Other reasons are that I’ve started to see a good physique as something to be proud of. Its a personal achievement since you’ve pushed yourself and tried to raise the bar of your own physical limitations, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it raises self esteem and the sense of well-being. The last major motivation for me working out, (partly due to the areas I live in and frequent) is so I have the strength to look after myself better, and the padding from muscle tissue to protect more against blows to certain areas.

I’ve tried a few different martial arts back in the day like various styles of Karate and Muay Thai Kickboxing, but for some reason I never managed to find one I could stick with for more than a year, but thats another story. Basically the main issue, is that even with a clearly visible six pack, that doesn’t need to be tensed to see, I can still EASILY be winded (for lack of a better word), and stop me if I’m wrong, but I thought that one of the benefits of this muscle group was to act as a sort of natural shield to your vital organs, secondary to the ribcage. It seems like the muscles are there, but they aren’t capable of absorbing blows, especially in the upper mid regions.

Does anybody know if this is normal? When should I expect to be able to get the physical shock absorbing effects of the abs?

Any fitness experts / sports physicians will have to forgive me, I dont know much about the science & theory of working out, I just do it, obviously making sure I’m not injuring myself in the process. I dont hit the gym, I dont need that for press-ups, and other upper-body workouts using tension ropes and other compact kit. For leg workouts I just do squats, jog, use a stepper and a skipping rope. In that sense I just see the gym (which I used to use) as a VERY expensive waste of money, since I’ve seen FAR more progress outside of gyms than I ever have while throwing all my money at their steep monthly membership+induction+session fees… Never again lol. Anyway thats enough, I feel like I’m writing an essay, thanks for reading, hopefully someone can put my mind at ease.
Thanks a lot, these are some great answers, especially from BodyweightHealth!

Hey!

First things first, stick with body weight exercise, as if done correctly can build huge amounts of strength.
The six pack or core is primarily for stabilizing the body through movement, however it can help to absorb blows to the mid section. The first thing you must note is that a strike to the solar plexus will wind most people. A angled downward or upward strike to the ribs will fracture them – this is because the ribs are very good at absorbing shock from one angle but when you forcefully apply pressure in a direction they are not meant to flex then they will break – an interesting fact

What you need to do is as follows: First start off training your six pack as a unit with the rest of the body – this will increase your core strength. You can do this by practicing half levers or L-sits and tuck sits. Have a look at this video if you are unsure of the exercise: http://www.bodyweighthealth.com/512/l-sit-and-v-sit-training/

If you do not have parallel bars you can do it on the floor or on a chair. The L-sit may be a bit advanced to simply tucking your legs to your chest and doing the movement will slowly build the strength needed to do this.
Because of the decreased leverage and strain on the body – this exercise seriously builds strength and as a result you will get a better six pack – you may even be able to tense your six pack harder than before.

Another exercise you may wish to try is hanging leg raises – this require core strength and especially work the lower core. If you are interested in trying the exercise then have a look here:

http://www.bodyweighthealth.com/539/how-to-do-hanging-leg-raises/

Remember to take it easy.

You will also want to stretch!
You heard me correctly – stretching can allow you to do strength movements such as the L-sit, tuck sit , leg raise etc with less chance of injure, plus it makes you very flexible. Stretch for 5-10 mins before each workout.

Remember to take in protein and if necessary increase calorie intake by 500 per day. You should also know that everyone has a different looking six pack – this is not to say just because someone has a funny shaped abdominal region they are weaker – they might be stronger – it is down to genetics.

Training the oblique muscle – the ones effectively to the side of the six pack will help, this can be done by doing cycle crunches. The right elbow should come up to meet the left knee and left elbow to right knee.
Doing pull ups will again help in building a strong abdominal region – in fact so will handstands against a wall or free standing handstands.
You should also practice tensing your six pack as hard as you can for 6-7 seconds and then rest for a minute and repeat.

Good luck!

I have 2, 5kg dumbells and a 10kg barbell. I do crunches and sit ups but they only help my upper abdominals how do I train my middle and lower abdominals? Many thanks

That’s great that you are already working on it with your crunches as those are the best thing you can do and no you do not need to go to a gym with or without a fake ID.

You just need to change the type of exercises you are doing focusing more on the beginning and the end of your crunches, possibly pausing for a few seconds right before you’re back to the starting position. . .or if you’re lifting your legs try holding them straight out for a few seconds close to the floor but without touching it. This is because during crunches, most of the contraction effort is made by the biggest abs, the ones in the center, but very last part of your movement relies on the lower abs.

You will find tons of examples online, but in oder to really achieve your goal I think it is important you just learn about it so you know exactly what is happening and are more aware of it with each sit up up do.

There’s a great reading that will explain all this and answer many other questions you may have in the following page. . .I don’t know nor am I associated with the Author, I just found it well written and it helped me out.

Good luck and don’t give up those crunches!

See, I’m 16, 5’5" 143 ish. Im about to turn 17 and it seems all my friends have cut abs, and i don’t. I work my abs hard, i try leglifts, knee lifts, crunches, hanging crunches and cherry pickers. the set is 200 total everyday. I get lactic acid build up, like i can feel the burn but no results and ive been doing this for about 6 months.I get jealous and mad everytime i see any guy with ripped muscular abs because thats what i want to look like. What can i do?

Everyone has abs. However, for most people their abs are covered by fat.

1) It takes a good diet and creating a caloric deficit to burn enough fat for your abs to become visible. Burn more calories than you eat. Ab exercises help to develop and strenghten your core area but by itself is not sufficient to help you get ripped abs.

2) You also have to eat smaller nutritious meals every 3 hours so that your metabolism keeps burning fat. You don’t want to get into a starvation mode where your body starts storing fat instead of burning fat. Eat baked not fried meals, cut down on sweets and all the unhealthy snacks that can take you away from your goal.

3) Give your abs some time to come to the surface. With smart and hard work and a good diet they will start to show.

i’m just a teenager, and i have a pretty lean figure already, but i just can’t lose this awkward belly fat. when i try to work out my abs, i feel like they might turn into six-pack, which is better, but I’d rather just have a flat stomach. i am mostly trying to target my mid and lower abdominals. are there any workouts, exercises, or things i should eat (not pills please) to lose this excess fat?

You cannot target fat loss in a specific area. The only way to lose belly fat is to lose fat all over. Cut your calories and start doing some jogging for about an hour a day. Everyone has a six pack hidden under their belly fat, so you just need to be careful not to lose too much fat if you don’t want one.

Hope this helps

I’m quite muscly. I play rugby and have broad shoulders, quite big arms and chest and strong abdominals, but I haven’t really got a six pack. I know there’s not a lot I can do to change this, but what to girls prefer? Again, paranoid teenage boy here…

your fine as you are
girls think they like a guy with a six pack but to keep it you have to regularly keep in shape
they like the idea that their guy has a six pack but really id preferred muscles over a six pack
muscles defy strength and 6 pack defies rock stomach i know which one id rather want

I’m 14, 5’4" 120 lbs (pretty skinny) and have four pack abs only when I flex. I got them over the summer from a bunch of running, soccer, situps, etc. (but i also ate a ton at the time…?) It’s been nearly a year and i have not managed to get the six (or pack yet. I really would like it in less than two weeks (for a beach trip), but i don’t know how to get my abs to show without flexing, nor get the bottom two abs to show at all. Any tips to get either (or both) of these (no need to flex or the 6/8 pack) fast? I have been doing running, reverse situps, bikes, planks, etc. and i feel the ‘burn’, but they just will not define themselves…. Also, i have these uncontrollable bouts of hunger where i stuff myself, which is not good, but it accumulates after a lot of exercise for me. I know this is a lot of stuff, but i need help, and quick!!! thanks in advance

Yeah, I agree, that should help.

You should also try sky rockets. Basically, lay on your back, use your hands for balance, keep your legs straight, and bring your legs up so you are making a ninety-degree angle at your waist. With your feet all the way up in the air, try to lift them six inches (lift your lower back slightly off the ground) without moving the rest of your body.

Also, work on your legs. If you increase the muscle mass in your legs, it will help show your lower abdominals and it will give you more energy. Leg workouts increase testosterone.

Good luck!

So you’re looking for some “belly fat exercises” to trim your waste line and improve the quality of pretty much every aspect of your life. Just think about it – you’ll look better, you’ll feel better, you’ll have more energy and you’ll be more confident than ever. If only it was that easy. If only there was a couple “belly fat exercises” that you could do to rid your stomach region of the excess fat forever. Well, unfortunately, their isn’t.

As a certified personal trainer with over a decade of experience under my belt, there’s nothing more irritating than seeing hopeful, yet unknowing people basically being lied to in countless magazines ads and late night infomercials. There’s no magic pills that will give you a six pack and there’s no “belly fat exercises” that will trim your mid-section on their own – no matter what the equipment manufacturers are telling you.

Sure, performing “belly fat exercises” will help strengthen the abdominals but from an aesthetic standpoint, what good are strong abs if you still have a big layer of fat covering them? “Belly fat exercises” are not the solution to long term fat loss. So, rather than relying on “belly fat exercises” as your be-all, end all solution to weight loss, here’s what you need to do to lose the weight and more importantly, keep it off.

Create a calorie deficit – this can be accomplished through proper eating habits and a sound exercise program. By a “sound exercise program”, I’m referring to implementing multi-joint/compound movements that build lean muscle tissue while burning a lot of calories in the process. You can’t just perform a couple “belly fat exercises” and think that will be enough to rid your body of its “spare tire” and “love handles”.

You also need to eat small portions of food frequently throughout the day. Doing so will keep your metabolism revved up so you’ll burn more calories – all while getting the important nutrients your body needs to function properly. Adding lean muscle is also important as each pound of lean tissue on your frame will increase your metabolic rate by 50-100 calories. So theoretically, the muscle you have on your legs and arms will help burn the fat off your stomach.

Remember, there’s no such thing as “spot reducing”. Once again, you can’t just perform a few “belly fat exercises” and expect to lose your stomach fat. Performing “belly fat exercises” will help you burn calories (all workouts burn calories) and sure, “belly fat exercises” will help strengthen the abdominal region so when you end up losing the weight via more effective methods, all those “belly fat exercises” that you did will leave you with some nice definition in your mid-section. However, keep in mind that your main priority should be on eating right and following a well designed exercise program.

Bill Forestell

Most ab workouts designed for home use usually involve nothing except a variety of boring and oftentimes useless floor crunches.  I can assure you that these very typical workouts never deliver the results that we are looking for.

For starters, the floor crunch only provides enough resistance to cause a training effect in beginners.  Once you develop a base of strength, the crunch will only serve as an exercise capable of maintaining your current strength level.

Secondly, the crunch only trains the abs in one range of motion: flexion of the trunk.  Flexing the trunk is only one of the many ranges of motion that your abdominal muscles are capable of.  Any well designed ab workout will include exercises that target all major ranges of motion.  The bottom line is, the crunch alone can never provide a complete ab workout.

Instead, you need to perform several different ab exercises, each targeting a different abdominal function and/or region.  This may sound confusing, but once you understand the anatomy and function of your abdominals, designing an effective ab workout is quite simple.

Don’t worry, I promise I’m not to give you a boring anatomy lesson.  Instead, I’m going to take all of the guesswork out and provide you with a ready to use workout.  Additionally, this workout will require no equipment at all, making it “just what the doctor ordered” for those of you who train at home.

1a) Reverse Crunch On Floor 3×20-25 30 sec rest  1b) Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor 3×12 (5sec hold) 30 sec rest  2a) Plank 3×60 sec 30 sec rest  2b) Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle 3×20-25 30 sec rest

Now I will give you a detailed description on how to properly execute each exercise:

Reverse Crunch On Floor- Lie on your back on the floor.  Bend both your knees and your hips until they make 90 degree angles.  Bring knees toward chest by contracting your abdominal muscles.  You butt will rise off the floor. Be sure to maintain a constant knee angle throughout the range of motion. Return until hips are again at a 90 degree angle.  Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor- Lie on your side on the floor.  Keep your hands straight out above your head, in line with your body.  Keep legs straight.  Lock your hands together.  Simultaneously raise your arms and legs up so that neither are in contact with the floor.  Hold this position for the prescribed number of seconds.

Plank- Get on the floor in a push up position.  Support your body on just your forearms and your toes.  Be sure to keep the abs flexed and hold your body in a perfectly straight horizontal line.  Do not let hips drop or raise them up at all.  Hold this position for the prescribed number of seconds.

Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle- Sit on floor and cross your arms across your chest, grabbing the opposite shoulders.  Lean back until your upper body makes a 45 degree angle to the floor.  Rotate trunk to the right while simultaneously bringing your right knee towards your chest.  At this point your left elbow will be touching your right knee.  In a smooth motion rotate to the left and repeat this on the other side.  Continue to alternate until you finish the prescribed number of reps.  One full rotation equals one rep.

Now you have a result producing ab workout you can perform with no equipment whatsoever.  Do this workout two or three times per week for the next month.  After this month is over, it will be time to progress to a more advanced ab workout. 

A great six pack is only a few weeks away!  Start today and sculpt your stomach faster than you thought possible!

John Alvino
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/killer-ab-workouts-you-can-do-at-home-727358.html