7 Secrets To Getting Sharp, Defined Abs

Training for abs is the easy part. Training correctly can be a bit trickier. Building those cut, ripped beast mode abs takes the proper knowledge and skills, which we are about to impart on you! Here are 7 pro secrets to carving out your ideal stomach!

#1 Carbs

Avoid carbs like white bread, white potatoes, sodas, sport drinks and just about anything with a high processed sugar content. This breed of carbs spikes your insulin levels and causes your body to go into major fat storage mode and stops your metabolism from burning fat efficiently. The only time these kinds of carbs are acceptable to chow down on is directly after a workout to help with muscle recovery. Otherwise, stick to whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, fruits, vegetables, quinoa, legumes and brown rice.

#2 Isometrics

Isometrics involve flexing a muscle (abs, for example) and holding that position like a bodybuilder posing in a competition. Preform isometrics by tensing each muscle for 6 to 10 seconds, now relax for 6 to 10 seconds. You’ll want to repeat this for about 10 or 20 sets. You can pull this move anywhere! Try flexing in the car, at your office, on the couch…

#3 Breathing

Breathing plays a huge a role in the effectiveness of each of your ab workouts. As you complete a move such as crunches, exhale when you reach the end of the move. Breathing out at this time contracts your ab muscles and helps engage them. Try holding for a few seconds before inhaling again.

#4 Don’t Give Up

Push yourself! If you typically train in specific rep ranges, such as 8–10 or 12–15 reps per set, get out of that mindset. You can’t change the weight to match a predetermined number of reps when doing bodyweight exercises. Try doing as many reps as physically possible until you just can’t do anymore.

#5 Always Remember To Weight

Many people think adding weight to your routine will give you blocky and undefined abs. This is not the case, and doing weighted ab exercises helps to develop and define abs without creating this undesired look. Try a few ab moves with a weight for 8 to 10 reps to start.

#6 Don’t Start With Abs

If you’re thinking that starting with your ab workout will keep you from forgetting it later, tie a string around your finger. Doing abs first can impact your results negatively. Training them fatigues them, and they are part of your core which effects every exercise you do at the gym. With a tuckered out core, research has shown that you will be less likely to go hard on your other exercises and ultimately will complete a weaker, less effective workout.

#7 Don’t Train Abs At The Same Speed All The Time

Switch it up! Mix up your rep speed from slow and controlled to fast and explosive. This randomized pattern will ignite fast-twitich muscle fibers which will translate into more strength, stability, power and size. In a recent study, participants had their muscle activity monitored as they completed various types of exercise. When they did crunches, the participants who mixed up their rep speeds actually turned a basic crunch (which targets the rectus abdominis) into a great workout for the obliques as well.

What are your thoughts? How do you optimize your ab workouts?

Source: Men’s Fitness

 

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