I hear people talk about abs all the time and sometimes giving people advice to everyone including myself. Some of them are good advice, that I keep in mind. There are things worth noting down and possibly passing down to others as well. But, there are times when people give out the wrong advice. The problem with giving wrong advice is that it actually hurts someones chances of showing off their six pack.
Imagine working hard at something. With a specific goal in mind. For example, I need a to have washboard abs before spring break or ripped abs before a wedding. The chance of not attaining ones goals is pretty hard to digest especially when someone has been working really hard at it. Here are the top 5 ab exercise mistakes that I’ve seen. Some of them are completely off the mark, while others are taken out of context.
- Focusing on crunches ONLY – Getting to reveal your abs are much more than crunches. In fact there are ways to reveal a super six pack without any crunches. But just for argument sake, yes crunches are important. How many times should you do your crunches per week? I would suggest limiting your crunches to twice a week. Over working your abs will actually make them soft since the muscles do not have time to recover and build. Focus on total body exercises more.
- Steady pace running – Running at a steady pace is great for endurance, marathon and overall cardio and lung conditioning. However, it is not a great routine for six pack abs. It could potentially have a negative effect on your pursuit for a perfect set of abs. Its not like you do not need cardio, you actually need the right variations of cardio exercises. The best cardio exercises are the interval training variations. You run/walk/climb stairs at around 85% of your capacity for 2 minutes and then slow down your pace for a minute. Repeat this set about 4 times. Yes, four times, that's it! No more boring 60 minute long runs. Continue this routine and watch the six pack grow.
- Hydration – Drink water. An average of 2 liters a day is needed to keep the body in peak condition. Ensure that you stay hydrated during your exercises. Your abs will thank you when you keep them hydrated with water. Also, water helps in many ways by helping your mind realize that you’re full. It can also prevent overeating and gorging over a meal. So do yourself a favour and drink plenty of water.
- Consuming alcohol – If you are working on your six pack abs, stay away from alcohol. Not one glass of wine, one beer, “light” or “lite”, it does not matter. Stay away. I know the “benefits” of red wine, the anti-oxidants etc. If you need anti oxidants, eat strawberries, pomegranate etc. Alcohol slows down metabolism and kick starts fat storage in your body. Its not going to make your task of getting a six pack any easier. If your’e on a 12 week program, stay away from alcohol for twelve weeks.
- Over exercising – Too much of a good thing is bad. While it is great that you need exercises, it does have negative side effects when you over do it. The biggest concern is injury. If you overwork your muscle, you will injure it and not be able to attain your full potential. The solution? Rest. Make sure you rest your muscle between exercises. You cannot (it is not advisable rather) to exert your muscles two days in a row. Do yourself and your muscles a favour by working them one of two days a week. Muscle growth actually happens when you are not working out.
