Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
(CNN) -- You've been trying forever to get that elusive six-pack: the holy grail of fitness goals. None of the gizmos and doodads advertised online or on TV have worked, so you figure it's time to sign up for that 30-minute abs class at the gym.
This is good as it encourages people to lift weights, make smarter food choices and approach fitness holistically. I just don't want to see the pendulum swing, as it usually does in the fitness industry, all the way to other side where people never do specific core exercises. Pallof presses, planks, farmer walks are great specific core exercises while heavy squats and deadlifts are great exercises that work the core extremely well
I workout to stay fit but more so for my health. I only eat organic , no fast food, soda pop or processed in over 25 years but after four babies a six pack not in my cards, sure my tummy flat and I didn't get stretch marks , still no matter how many things I have try , my tummy will never be like before...That's ok
This is not new news at all, but glad to see it get into the main stream a little. Many posters on here, including me, have repeatedly stated what the key to "abs" are, and that direct ab workout is basically w waste of time compared to a proper program that utilizes full body work (as in compound lifts) and most importantly, a proper diet.
I like it when/if someone asks me for exercise advice and focus on abs, I always state "I never have done direct ab work", they are surprised; there should be no surprise in it, a person's abs are worked well doing compound lifts and items like planks. The only time I have ever done direct ab type things was for physical fitness tests, and as a form of "stretching" more so than actual developing; there is nothing wrong with doing direct ab work, even weighted, but looking at it as the primary development tool is in my opinion a waste of resources.
Along with abs, two other areas guys are always concerned with, biceps and arms in general. I have never done direct bicep work, yet that surprised everyone as well; simply, weighted pull ups, heavy rows, etc, are more than adequate to develop the biceps which is a relatively small muscle in the first place. The triceps are a relatively large muscle, want bigger arms, concentrate on the tris. I do direct tri work in the for of weighted dips and narrow pushups; if a person is going to waste time doing isolated things, they may as well do it right and for the right areas.
I workout to stay fit but more so for my health. I only eat organic , no fast food, soda pop or processed in over 25 years but after four babies a six pack not in my cards, sure my tummy flat and I didn't get stretch marks , still no matter how many things I have try , my tummy will never be like before...That's ok
And it is perfectly ok. Too many people, especially guys, get really hung up on this six pack thing, which for more than a few, result in them looking like a toothpick with abs because they have concentrated so much on lowering their body fat, they atrophied their muscles in the process. You find this more with vanity focused lifters than anything.
And it is perfectly ok. Too many people, especially guys, get really hung up on this six pack thing, which for more than a few, result in them looking like a toothpick with abs because they have concentrated so much on lowering their body fat, they atrophied their muscles in the process. You find this more with vanity focused lifters than anything.
Thank-you..I'll be 51, so it really about health at this stage for me...
Abs are a function of body fat and genetics. You won't have a six pack at 30% body fat, but there are some people with relatively lean, muscular bodies who just have a flat tummy.
The whole, "six-pack" thing is probably important to single people and those under age 30. At some point, and it happens at different ages for different people, your focus becomes health more than appearances. Are your triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure at acceptable levels? Can you run a couple of miles and not pass out?
Ab workouts being a myth is a myth. Yes, gimmicks are obviously just that, but the only way to build core/ab strength is to exercise those muscles.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
