Build Solid Abs Fast

If you have been struggling to produce a set of rock solid abdominals, then you may have been going about it the wrong way. Follow these four simple tips to getting better abs fast.

1. Count the Calories

The world’s most powerful abdominals will still not make a six pack if they’re hidden beneath a layer of fat. Here is an easy way to work out your calorie intake to shed that belly fat. Multiply your body weight (in pounds) by 13 to find the minimum amount of calories you need to maintain that weight. So if you are 170lb, then you need to consume 2,210 calories a day just to stay at that weight. If you want to lose weight, try to take in about 400-500 calories fewer on days that you are not exercising. On workout days keep your calorie intake about the same to keep up energy levels. No more than 20% of those calories should come from fat.

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2. Give Your Abdominals a Rest

Like all muscles, your abdominals need rest between training sessions. You do not need to train them more than three times a week. If you pound them to exhaustion every day then they do not get a chance to recover and get stronger. Remember, when you lift weights you are tightening your core, so even if you are not targeting your abs directly, they will still be getting a bit of a workout.

3. Change your Workouts

Muscles respond best when you hit them from different angles and surprise them with exercises that they have not adapted to. So do not just stick to crunches, try as many different abdominal exercises as possible. Here are some great examples:

  • Swiss balls / stability ball exercises
  • Cable crunches
  • Incline benches
  • Roman chairs
  • Hanging leg raises
  • Laying leg raises
  • Twisting crunches

Choose exercises that target the upper, lower and oblique abdominal muscles.

4. Maintain Your Cardio Workouts

It is painful, we know, but there’s no way round it if you want to shift the belly fat. We recommend interval training / circuit training as the best fat-burning option, where you alternate between training at high intensity (80 per cent to 90 per cent of your maximum heart rate) and low intensity (up to 60 per cent of your maximum heart rate). To calculate your own maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.

The best time to train is in the morning before eating, when your body largely uses fat as fuel and extra training will stoke up this fat-burning furnace.

So start exercise those abs more intelligently today to see improved results. Do not forget, keepin a training diary is an excellent way to monitor progress.

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Saturday, February 21, 2009
By MotleyHealth

4 Responses to “Build Solid Abs Fast”

  1. Great post! It’s almost everybody’s desire to get attractive six pack abs. These tips are pretty much helpful to achieve the goal. Thanks for the helpful tips!

    #302
  2. Rahul

    Hi,
    Another great reading. Hey, i have seen promotional videos of “ab king pro”. Requesting comment.
    Thanks!

    #1131
  3. MotleyHealth

    Hi Rahul, I am not familiar with Ab Pro King. It appears to just be an ab training bench. You can work the abs effectively without it, but if you like gym equipment, then go for it!

    #1136
  4. Rahul

    Thanks.

    Sorry, i had posted wrong link. Below is the video link.

    I wanted to know about gym equipment because i had a back injury in past and i can’t twist while doing crunches, i feel pain. It’s ok when i don’t twist. So, in order to work my obliques, i am looking for an alternative. I found this video and just wanted to have comment from you. Hope this video helps so that i get some comments. Thanks again.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad9XWU9g2OY

    #1138

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