6 Pack Abs for Dummies

How to tighten your abs and strengthen your core

Abs have a lot to do with genetics, diet and more. It is not a guarantee that all your hard work will lead to a chiseled physique; it’s more important to feel good and live a healthy lifestyle. 

IT ALL STARTS W KITCHEN~ Nutrition is the foundation to looking and feeling good. Treating your body like a dumpster will only leaving you feeling like trash. 

Fitness Guide To Getting A Flat Stomach:

• Always include variety in your ab routine. Doing 100s of repetitions of the same exercise is not as efficient as having variation and working multiple muscle groups. Work your entire rectus abdominis (upper/lower/side and central~ obliques, serratus, and rectus abdominis 

• When creating a routine, never forget to include exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor. This is not just for women!~ Do you know how to engage your pelvic floor? Think about trying to hold your bladder~ gently pulling your belly button toward your back. If you are one of those people who feels like your stomach pushes out when you crunch up, you are not engaging your pelvic floor but rather cheating your abs. Make sure to pull your core up and in! 

• Make each repetition count. Rushing to hit 100 mediocre reps is far less effective than 25 repetitions with perfect form. Form and breath work is very important. Make sure to exhale on the crunch as you pull you stomach in.  

• Lots of people hurt their neck while trying to strengthen their core. Make sure to tuck your chin or support your spine by holding the base of your neck. 

• It’s more than possible to have six pack abs beneath a layer of fat. If your goal is to lean out, try to add cardio in order to increase your daily caloric burn. Aerobic exercise is a great addition to increase the tone. 

• Don’t work on just one area- your entire body is the machine that will support you through the long haul. Strength and cardio training is nice but always add abs and stretching to your routine (in transition or just as a closer)- but don’t ignore our core stabilizing muscles.