A quick scroll through Instagram will show you the #goals that seem to run alongside defined abs, in the shape of that holy grail of all fitness-fans - the six-pack. If you’re a keen gym goer (or personal trainer) this probably includes you AND your clients.
But if the amount of fitness challenges on Instagram were anything to go off, you’d think it was easy. As it turns out - it’s not. But to help get you on your way to achieving your six pack (or a six pack for your client - who will undoubtedly love you forever), this article will provide you with some indispensable tips for helping those solid six packs grow.
How long will it take to get a six pack
Unlike a hangover and money from the tooth fairy, a six pack doesn’t just appear over night. No matter how many crunches you do, to make a six pack visible you have to reduce the layer of stomach fat that covers the muscles. This will take a combination of cardio, ab work and diet and could take anything from weeks to months, depending on your current body composition and how hard you are willing to train.
The best way to train your six pack is to do isolation exercises for your abdominal muscles. These will make your ab muscles bigger (and stronger). If your fat percentage is low enough, your six pack will become visible quickly. Ensure that your clients fully understand the rule for visible abs, which is:
- Men: a fat percentage of approximately 13 to 16%.
- Women: a fat percentage of approximately 19 to 22%
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A six pack has to be symmetrical. It is therefore important that you train all abdominal muscle groups with your abdominal exercises. Abdominal muscles like the External and internal obliques on the side, Rectus Abdominis on the top and bottom must be trained evenly, otherwise some abdominal muscles will become bigger than others. This will give you an asymmetrical six pack - probably not the look you are going for (and your clients certainly won’t love you for leaving you with these either)!
Exercises that help you get a six pack
With the exercises below, you will train all abdominal muscle groups and your six pack will become bigger and stronger, making them easier to spot on the beach. As a plus, these abdominal exercises will improve your posture, balance and stability. This makes them a great addition to any workout plans that you are using with clients that spend their days hunched over desks or with anterior or posterior pelvic tilts.
Leg raises
- Lie on your back, legs straight and together.
- Keep your legs straight and lift them all the way up to the ceiling until your butt comes off the floor.
- Slowly lower your legs back down till they’re just above the floor. Hold for a moment.
- Raise your legs back up. Repeat.
Planking
- Plant hands directly under shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder width) like you’re about to do a push-up.
- Ground toes into the floor and squeeze glutes to stabilize your body. Your legs should be working too — be careful not to lock or hyperextend your knees.
- Neutralize your neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot beyond your hands. Your head should be in line with your back.
- Hold the position for 20 seconds. As you get more comfortable with the move, hold your plank for as long as possible without compromising your form or breath.
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Bicycle crunch
Get down on the ground. Stretch your legs and leave your arms stretched out along the side of your body.
Put your hands behind your head. You can intertwine your fingers if you want. If you find it easier, you can also leave your arms along your side.
Pull your legs up towards you. Lift your legs so that your thighs are at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground and your calves are parallel to the ground. Keep your feet together.
Touch your left knee with your right elbow. Now lift your head and with your right elbow touch your left knee while lifting your knee. At the same time, stretch your right leg and hold it about ten centimeters off the floor - think of it as the same motion you would do if you were on a bicycle.
Now with your left elbow, touch your right knee. Stretch your left leg at the same time but don’t let your foot touch the floor. Don’t forget to tighten your abdominal muscles. You have now performed a bicycle crunch.
Hypopressive exercises to tone your abs
If you are unable to perform these traditional ab exercises due to back pain or you’re a woman that is postpartum, then hypopressive exercises are perfectly suitable for strengthening and toning your six pack. Hypopressive Exercises are a workout technique meant for activating the involuntary fibers within your pelvic floor. They also work the abdominal muscles that function as your body’s self-girdle and bra (abdominal oblique and transverse).Hypopressive exercises have many advantages, especially because of the difference in pressure you create in the abdomen whilst performing the exercise and also the absence of movements in the spine. As these exercises spear the spine, they can be performed even in cases of herniated discs, contributing to their treatment.
But we will **t****alk about all this in another article** in a few weeks. Be attentive!