6 Pack Ab Myths
Estimated 4 min Read
Carved out six-pack abs are probably the most sought after muscle group in the human body for both men and women. Unfortunately, there are all kinds of misconceptions and myths surrounding this body part’s development. The following is a list of the most common myths associated with a hard set of abs.
1) Abs are made in the weight room. Most people think that doing all kinds of core exercises and Pilates moves will show the six-pack muscles the fastest. This is not the case. In fact, in order to reveal the abdominal muscles, you need to focus on your nutrition first. The saying, “abs are made in the kitchen” is accurate. eating right will strip the body of the layers of fat, revealing the abs faster. No matter how many crunches you do, you cannot out-crunch a bad diet.
2) Crunches and sit-ups are the best exercises to make the abs show. These exercises are actually low energy movements, meaning they burn relatively few calories. If you want your six-pack to show, you need to focus on the major calorie burning movements, such as compound moves (squats, lunges, pushups, etc). There is no way to actually “spot reduce” in the abs, so you need to burn more calories overall. The more muscles you use at once, the more calories are burned, thus revealing the lean muscle underneath the layer of body fat.
3) Core muscles should be worked every single day. Core muscles (including the abdominals) are just like any other muscle group of the body and they require adequate rest in order to fully develop. Be sure you include rest days as you work those muscles to see the most results.
4) Cardio needs to be high. When it comes to revealing these muscles, it’s important to burn calories so the body can strip away body fat. When it comes to burning the most calories, focus on the most efficient exercises. Cardio is great to add a few more burned calories, but if you want the most calories burned for your time, moving weights is the best option.
5) Supplements will make the difference. The bottom line is that supplements only help you if you’re nutrition and exercise program are in line. Even though some supplements contain caffeine and green tea extract, they won’t make the abdominal muscles magically appear. Eat clean and you’ll see the difference.
6) Once you get your six pack, your work is done. I think we all wish this was the case. Unfortunately, keeping them still takes work. Maintaining your six-pack is much less involved than actually getting to that point but it still takes a conscious effort to make good eating decisions and a consistent workout routine.
