When someone first uttered the words “8 pack abs” to me, I honestly thought they were crazy. I mean, a six pack is already quite challenging to get AND keep; 8 pack abs are simply IMPOSSIBLE.
Or so I thought…
I soon realized that 8 pack abs aren’t impossible to get. With some determination, a balanced diet, and plenty of exercise, anyone can have a chiseled 8 pack…even YOU.
In this article, I’m going to stress on that last point – EXERCISE. With all the fancy gadgets that are keeping us preoccupied nowadays, exercise has been pushed down the hobbies list by many of you. If you think about it, it does require a lot of time and energy. But think about your objective for a second; wouldn’t a rock hard midsection be so much worth it?
There’s no better time to start than here and now. Try out these 4 basic ways to work out abs and you’ll get the hang of it in to time:
1. Weighted Sit Ups
2. Bicycles
3. Full Body Crunches
4. Curls
Weighted Sit Ups
For this exercise, you will need a small bag of flour or anything that can supply weight resistance. Try a little creativity – you can use your purse, a medium-sized bottle of water, or even your baby!
Now, lie down on the floor, bend your knees slightly, and plant your feet firmly on the ground. Hold down the weight on your chest with both hands to keep it from falling. Gradually lift your torso while keeping the lower half for you body completely still. Remember to keep those abdominal muscles tight. When you’re about 45 degrees off the ground, stay there for as long as you can, then assume your original position. Doing this simple exercise frequently will help you get those 8 pack abs.
Bicycle
This one’s my favorite out of the bunch. Simply lie down on the floor, bring your knees up alternately, as if you were biking in air. While you’re doing that, place your hands behind your ears and twist your upper body toward the direction of your bent knee.
Full Body Crunches
They say that the most challenging exercise of all will only give you the best results. This, right here, will definitely push you to get those killer abs.
While lying on the floor, I’ll need you to place your hands across your chest, and slightly bend your knees. Now, come up as you would when you perform a regular crunch. Here comes the tricky part: while doing the crunches, try lifting your lower body at the same time. Your target is to form a sort of horse shoe shape with your body every time you go in for that crunch. Hold that position while you keep your abs tight, and then go back to your original position.
Curls
This is very similar to the upper body crunch, but instead of just focusing on the number of reps you do, you will be paying closer attention to contracting your ab muscles and maintaining your form. Place your hands on your abdomen and feel it contract. Slowly curl your head and shoulders upward then resume your original position.
So, here's the truth regarding six pack abs: Those who say that 8 pack abs are impossible to achieve are just too lazy to do it. Keep an open mind, work hard, and you can attain ANYTHING!
Showing posts with label abdominal muscles exercises. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abdominal muscles exercises. Show all posts
Why are Abdominals Important?
Why are abdominals important? Why should we even make the effort to know what goes on behind six pack abs?
Before you can come up with a highly effective abs workout, you need to understand the different parts and functions of your abdominals. That way, you avoid any untoward injuries that could render you incapable of performing abdominal muscle exercises. Moreover, this could also come in handy someday when you improve on your fitness plan.
We see six pack abs and instantly recognize that they’re sexy. But that just covers aesthetics. Did you ever think that maybe these muscles have more important functions than just looking good?
The body is a very intricate piece of machinery, and every part of it is crucial. The abdominal muscles, together with other muscle groups, are very important since they determine our physical strength. That is mainly why building abdominals are vital – the more developed they are, the more efficient your body gets.
You’re probably aware that the abdominals are situated between the ribs and pelvis. What you might NOT know is that your abdominal muscles are responsible for shielding your internal organs from external blows and giving your upper body a full-range of motion.
Why are abdominals important and what are the parts called? There are four major parts in the abdominal muscle group:
1. Transversus abdominus
2. Rectus abdominus
3. External oblique
4. Internal oblique
Each of these divisions is equally essential so you have to keep them strong and conditioned.
The Transversus Abdominus is the innermost layer of abdominal muscle responsible for stabilizing your torso and maintaining internal body pressure. You can just imagine how things can get if this part of your abdominals was weak.
The layer of muscle that’s located in between the ribs and the pubic bone, and in front of the pelvic region is referred as the Rectus Abdominus. It controls the upward, downward, and sideways motion of your torso. It is also the most commonly known part of the abdominals. So when you say “washboard” you’re actually referring to the well-defined Rectus Abdominus.
On each side of your abdomen you will find a set of External Obliques. Now these muscles make it easy for you to twist from side to side. They also maintain abdominal pressure.
Directly below your External Obliques, you can find the Internal Obliques. Their main function is to provide support to your external obliques every time you lean over or twist around.
Aren’t you relieved that you now know what your abdominals are all about? Six pack abs are certainly more than what they seem. Think about it – they were created for a reason.
Building a strong core means that you can avert neck and back injuries. By working your abdominals, you are allowing your midsection to carry some of the weight and the pressure. Also, it helps provide support so that you always keep your balance.
"Why are abdominals important?" – now you know. So start building those abs, not just to look good, but also to maximize motion and prevent injury.
Before you can come up with a highly effective abs workout, you need to understand the different parts and functions of your abdominals. That way, you avoid any untoward injuries that could render you incapable of performing abdominal muscle exercises. Moreover, this could also come in handy someday when you improve on your fitness plan.
We see six pack abs and instantly recognize that they’re sexy. But that just covers aesthetics. Did you ever think that maybe these muscles have more important functions than just looking good?
The body is a very intricate piece of machinery, and every part of it is crucial. The abdominal muscles, together with other muscle groups, are very important since they determine our physical strength. That is mainly why building abdominals are vital – the more developed they are, the more efficient your body gets.
You’re probably aware that the abdominals are situated between the ribs and pelvis. What you might NOT know is that your abdominal muscles are responsible for shielding your internal organs from external blows and giving your upper body a full-range of motion.
Why are abdominals important and what are the parts called? There are four major parts in the abdominal muscle group:
1. Transversus abdominus
2. Rectus abdominus
3. External oblique
4. Internal oblique
Each of these divisions is equally essential so you have to keep them strong and conditioned.
The Transversus Abdominus is the innermost layer of abdominal muscle responsible for stabilizing your torso and maintaining internal body pressure. You can just imagine how things can get if this part of your abdominals was weak.
The layer of muscle that’s located in between the ribs and the pubic bone, and in front of the pelvic region is referred as the Rectus Abdominus. It controls the upward, downward, and sideways motion of your torso. It is also the most commonly known part of the abdominals. So when you say “washboard” you’re actually referring to the well-defined Rectus Abdominus.
On each side of your abdomen you will find a set of External Obliques. Now these muscles make it easy for you to twist from side to side. They also maintain abdominal pressure.
Directly below your External Obliques, you can find the Internal Obliques. Their main function is to provide support to your external obliques every time you lean over or twist around.
Aren’t you relieved that you now know what your abdominals are all about? Six pack abs are certainly more than what they seem. Think about it – they were created for a reason.
Building a strong core means that you can avert neck and back injuries. By working your abdominals, you are allowing your midsection to carry some of the weight and the pressure. Also, it helps provide support so that you always keep your balance.
"Why are abdominals important?" – now you know. So start building those abs, not just to look good, but also to maximize motion and prevent injury.
3 Parts of a Complete Advanced Workout for Abdominals
Abs exercises were made to target your upper and lower abdominal muscles, and obliques. However, if you’re really serious about getting six pack abs, you’ll need an advanced workout for abdominals.
A few years back, I used to do sit ups relentlessly, thinking I’d get a six pack quicker that way. I later on found out that no matter how many sit ups I did, it just wasn’t enough.
Clearly, performing sit ups like there was no tomorrow isn’t going to chase stubborn belly flab away. I know this now, and YOU should be aware of it, too. What most fitness experts are saying might come as a shock to some, but they’re actually quite accurate – abdominal exercises alone are not the only solution for amazing chiseled abdominals.
The truth about six pack abs: to maximize your advanced workout for abdominals, you need to think about these 3 important aspects:
1. Full body workout. Working out just one part of your body – in this case, your midsection – can be pointless if the rest of your body is out of shape. Runners, for example, rely mainly on their legs, but they, too, have to work out other parts of their bodies.
Working your ENTIRE body, instead of just one area, is the best way to go. Why? Think of your muscles as a web of intricate power lines that store and produce energy. For your whole body to run at the highest possible level, you will need to engage all your muscle groups in your workout.
This is why it’s important that you include a full body exercise routine in your advanced workout for abdominals. Here are some full body workouts that you can choose from:
Use any of these “power foods” when you prepare your meals:
There are many abdominal muscles exercises to choose from. Here are just a few examples to get you started:
A few years back, I used to do sit ups relentlessly, thinking I’d get a six pack quicker that way. I later on found out that no matter how many sit ups I did, it just wasn’t enough.
Clearly, performing sit ups like there was no tomorrow isn’t going to chase stubborn belly flab away. I know this now, and YOU should be aware of it, too. What most fitness experts are saying might come as a shock to some, but they’re actually quite accurate – abdominal exercises alone are not the only solution for amazing chiseled abdominals.
The truth about six pack abs: to maximize your advanced workout for abdominals, you need to think about these 3 important aspects:
1. Full body workout. Working out just one part of your body – in this case, your midsection – can be pointless if the rest of your body is out of shape. Runners, for example, rely mainly on their legs, but they, too, have to work out other parts of their bodies.
Working your ENTIRE body, instead of just one area, is the best way to go. Why? Think of your muscles as a web of intricate power lines that store and produce energy. For your whole body to run at the highest possible level, you will need to engage all your muscle groups in your workout.
This is why it’s important that you include a full body exercise routine in your advanced workout for abdominals. Here are some full body workouts that you can choose from:
- Kick Boxing
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Pilates
Use any of these “power foods” when you prepare your meals:
- Lean meats
- Tofu
- Beans
- Vegetables and Fruits
There are many abdominal muscles exercises to choose from. Here are just a few examples to get you started:
- Ball Crunches
- Bicycles
- Weighted Sit Ups
- Full Body Crunches
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