Routine for 6 Pack Abs

3 Killer Tips to Uncover the Most Effective Abdominal Exercises in Your Routine!

Uncovering a killer routine for 6 pack abs doesn’t have to be difficult. You have probably searched unsuccessfully to find the secrets to revealing your six pack but have not had much success. Well I am going to reveal to you 3 secrets that you need to know in order to melt away the fat that is covering your six pack. In fact, don’t tell your personal trainer because he or she just may be out of a job.

I am not going to give you a list of exercises to do and tell you how many sets and reps for each. There are plenty of resources available that will list a lot of exercises. However, how do you know whether they are effective or not. I would rather reveal how to discover the most effective exercises. That way you will never have to worry about wasting time.

The first secret is to understand how the abdominals actually work. Everyone in the gym, including the personal trainers, think that the main reason we have abdominal muscles is to crunch our trunk (flexion). The truth is that it is not that difficult to flex your trunk when you are standing or sitting. If you just relax, gravity will take over and flex your trunk for you. So really that is not a huge issue.

Your abdominal muscles are most effective at slowing down motion. That’s right, slowing down. In the strength training world we call that an eccentric contraction. Most muscles thrive on being slightly stretched before contracting. Sure, there are times that you need to contract quickly to throw a ball, but your first motion will always be to slow down one direction so that you can accelerate in the opposite direction.

The second secret is to forget about isolating your abdominal muscles. Everyone seems to want to do an excessive number of crunches. An effective routine for 6 pack abs will consist of exercises that work all of the abdominal muscles together. This can be achieved by performing total body movements rather than isolated exercises. Some examples of total body abdominal exercises are push ups, woodchoppers and kettlebell swings. Each of these exercises requires a combined effort on all of the abdominal muscles in a way that will help everyday motions and activities.

The third secret to a routine for 6 pack abs is to select exercises that require stabilization of the trunk through the abdominal muscles. All movements require a stable base to anchor on to. For example, if you are going to throw a ball you will need to stabilize your core in order for your shoulder and arm to take advantage of as much strength as possible. If you are not sure about this, try throwing a ball with your feet off of the ground. You won’t be able to throw nearly as far as you could with your feet on the ground and your trunk stable.

If you take advantage of these simple, yet effective secrets you will be able to create a routine for 6 pack abs that will be effective and make you look better than ever before. You will also need to consider other factors that will help you to lose belly fat faster than an abdominal workout alone.

3 Best Abdominal Exercises

For a long time I have been a believer that the best way to train your abdominal muscles is through natural movements. It always seemed that there should be a better way to get six pack abs then spend hours doing crunches and variations of crunches. I found it difficult to believe that lying flat on your back training your abdominal muscles would be the best way to train for quick side to side and rotational movements.

Over time I learned that the best abdominal exercises mimic athletic movements similar to those involved in sports. The following article by Mike Geary is a great example of exercises that strengthen the entire core group of abdominal muscles.

The 3 Best Abdominal Exercises that Are Not Traditional Ab Exercises
by Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

Instead of the typical ab routines that we see so often with crunches, situps, leg lifts, etc… I like to give my readers better options for metabolism-boosting high intensity workouts that work their entire body while also working their abs… thus building rock hard abs & core, but also creating a much better fat-burning workout than a typical ab workout.

I’m going to show you an example today of one of my favorite “ab workouts” that doesn’t include any direct “ab exercises” at all. It’s in a tri-set format (similar to a super-set but alternating between 3 exercises).

Here goes:

1a. Renegade Dumbbell Rows
1b. Front Squats with Barbell
1c. Mountain Climbers on Floor

A good rep scheme to use with this could be 3-4 sets of 8 reps for each exercise, or more sets for less reps, such as 5 sets of 5 reps of each exercise. Mountain climbers can be done for a time interval (such as 30 seconds) instead of “reps”.

Exercise Pics & Descriptions:

Renegade dumbbell rows are done starting in a pushup position with the hands on 2 dumbbells. You then row one dumbbell up while stabilizing your body with the other arm. Bring the dumbbell back to the ground and alternate the rowing arm while stabilizing with the opposite arm. This stabilizing effect during the rows creates incredible work for your entire midsection core area. Trust me… you’ll feel it in the abs!

Front squats are done similar to back squats, however with the barbell in front of your body on the front of your shoulders instead of resting on the upper back as in back squats. You stabilize the barbell on your shoulders by crossing your arms and pushing your fists into the bar against your shoulders while keeping your elbows out in front of the body.

This takes a little practice at first, so you will want to seek a professional trainer at your gym to help you with the form. Front squats require extreme stabilization strength from the abs due to the barbell weight being shifted to the front of the body instead of the back. Even though this is mostly a leg exercise, you’ll feel this one in the abs big time!

Mountain climbers are done by starting in a pushup position and then shuffling your feet in and out so that your knees are moving in under your chest and then back out to starting position. It sort of resembles climbing a mountain but flat on the floor. If you want an advanced version, you can also shuffle your hands 8-10 inches forward and backward in addition to the leg movements. This really makes it a full body exercise and MUCH more difficult than standard mountain climbers.

After finishing each exercise, rest about 30 seconds before starting the next exercise. Rest about 1-2 minutes after completing each “tri-set” before repeating.

This will give you one of the best ab workouts you’ve ever had without even doing any direct ab exercises. You’ll see what I mean after you try it!

This is just a sampling of some of the killer ideas you’ll discover in my internationally best-selling ebook program, The Truth about Six Pack Abs, currently the #1 most popular abs program on the internet (as ranked by clickbank.com) with 10’s of thousands of users in over 150 countries. If you don’t already have a copy be sure to pick one up today…

Not only will you receive a complete blue-print for challenging full-body workouts that will thoroughly define your entire body in addition to your abs (can be adjusted to beginners or advanced levels), but you’ll also gain a thorough understanding of what types of nutritional strategies and other lifestyle aspects that it takes to reduce your belly fat to the level where your abs are visible.

Check out what other users are saying about their results with the Truth about Six Pack Abs program

Don’t be lazy… Be lean.

Fat Loss Secrets Revealed: Proven Methods to Get Six Pack Abs

Fat Loss Secrets Revealed: Proven Methods to Get Six Pack Abs
by Aaron Ivey ATC, CSCS

Some strategies work better than others for getting rid of belly fat and showing off the six pack abs underneath. Unveiling the six pack doesn’t need to be a complicated or tricky process. However, it seems that it has become more complicated as more and more advice is thrown around without sound science to support it. Here are 3 proven ways to reveal the six pack abs that are waiting to be discovered.

1. Control the diet
The first and most important strategy for gaining a six pack set of abs is to take control over what you put in your body. Nobody will notice the ripped abdominal muscles you have if you cover them up with unwanted fat. Exercise is certainly very important, but if have the strongest and most toned abs ever and nobody can see them, it doesn’t help you look good.

There is a lot of confusion in the diet world right now because so many different programs and opinions are out there about losing weight and what a healthy should consist of. Just pay attention to the headlines of magazines and mainstream media – the newest and greatest method seems to be revealed weekly.

The truth is that a healthy diet is one that comes directly from the ground. It is best to consume whole fruits and vegetables with as little processing as possible. Whole grains are a great source of healthy fiber. Eating good quality meat will give the right types of fat and vitamins in order to produce the hormones and energy that is needed to recover from a workout.

2. Intensity
Focusing on the intensity of the workout is the second most important thing to consider. Workouts should consist of high intensity, short duration exercises with equal rest periods in between. You should also focus on working the whole body rather than isolated muscles. This gives you the most metabolic challenge possible and will therefore stimulate your body to make the changes necessary to become more efficient at burning fat and slimming down.

3. Abdominal training
It may come as no surprise that working your abdominal muscles would be the third component. To train the abdominal muscles correctly and get real results, forget about crunches and situps. These exercises have their place for those that are deconditioned and need a basic way to get started. They are not the most effective abdominal exercise.

Effective abdominal training involves exercises that focus on rotation, stabilization, and deceleration of the trunk. Ideally, if you can combine all three of these into one exercise you will have yourself a great abdominal exercise. Most of the time, if you are performing a whole body exercise, you are also training your abdominal muscles the way they were intended.

Getting rid of excess body fat is going to be the most effective way to show off definition in the abs and midsection. The most effective exercises to burn fat are complex, whole body movements such as swings and snatches, combinations of squats or lunges with a push or pull movement. To look good, focus on these 3 things and you will get the body that you deserve.

interval training

Revealing Your Six Pack Abs: Mistakes Most People Make

Revealing Your Six Pack Abs: Mistakes Most People Make
by Aaron Ivey ATC, CSCS

I am a little bit of a people watcher. I look to observe the techniques and methods that people are using to try and get in shape. Over the years I have observed some mistakes that many people seem to make that really get them nowhere. In this article, I discuss 2 of the biggest mistakes that people make and how to fix it.

It is very important to train your abdominal muscles, there is no doubt about it. However, if they are “cleverly disguised” and nobody can see them, it doesn’t do you much good. Having a visible six pack of abs is mostly about getting your body fat percentage to a level that will reveal the hard work that you have put in to strengthening your abdominal muscles.

Getting rid of body fat is a combination of nutrition and the right kind of exercise. You need to stoke the fat burning furnace in order for the body to want to burn fat. That just doesn’t happen by working small muscle groups. You must work the whole body with complex movements rather than focus on bicep curls. Focus more on using a combination of large muscle groups like the legs, back and chest. These complex motions create a lot of demand on the body to produce energy and adapt to the overload. Some researchers suggest that high intensity exercise stimulates hormones that burn more fat and build more muscle.

As far as the diet goes, it should consist of the most natural form of foods possible. Focus on foods as unprocessed as possible. Instead of consuming fruit juices, eat the whole fruit. Whole fruits have a lot of fiber and good sugar that will actually help to regulate your blood sugar correctly. Additionally, whole fruits and vegetables pack a punch when it comes to vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants necessary to repair damaged cells and create healthy new ones.

Choose whole grains over refined grains. Whole grains also contain a great supply of fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, and essential fats. Yes, you need fat in your diet. Hormones are dependent upon them. Other good sources of healthy fat are nuts, avocados, fish, eggs, organically grown meat, etc.

There really is nothing complicated about how to show off your six pack. Don’t be fooled by the latest gimmick or device, diet, etc. claiming to be the newest and best thing. A balance of ALL of the macronutrients is necessary for a healthy diet. The combination will provide all of the necessary building blocks your body needs.

interval training

Barbell, Kettlebell, and Dumbbell Complexes to Take Your Body to a New Level of Hardness and Conditioning

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
Author: The Truth About Six Pack Abs

If you’ve been looking for a different training technique to break out of a rut, eliminate the boredom, and bring on new results, “complexes” may be just what you’ve been looking for.

If you’ve never heard of “complexes” before, the basic concept is that instead of repeating the same exercise for multiple reps to complete a “set”, you sequence one rep of several different exercises right after one another and repeat the sequence several times to complete a “set”. It’s basically like performing a routine, instead of just mindlessly performing a typical “set”.

This type of training is excellent to work a huge amount of musculature in a short amount of time, and definitely takes your workouts to a whole new level of intensity. The conditioning aspect of this type of training is amazing, as you’ll find yourself huffing and puffing after repeating a sequence a mere two or three times.

If I had to venture a guess, I’d have to say that this type of training probably elicits a good growth hormone response as well, due to the large amount of full body work completed in a given time period. But that’s just my guess.

I like to incorporate about 5 exercises into my complexes. Any more than that and you might start to forget what’s next in the sequence. Here’s an example of a killer barbell complex that really gets me fired up:

Example Barbell Complex

1. high pull from floor (explosive deadlift right into upright row in one motion);
2. barbell back to thighs, then hang clean (explosively pull bar from knees and “catch” the bar at shoulders);
3. barbell back to floor, then clean & jerk;
4. barbell back to thighs, bend over, then bent over row;
5. barbell back to thighs, then finish with Romanian deadlift

Use a weight that you can still handle for your weakest lift of the bunch, but keep it heavy enough to challenge you. Try to repeat the sequence 2-3 times without resting… That’s 1 set. You could progress over time on this routine by increasing the amount of times you repeat the sequence in each set, or by adding sets on subsequent workouts before eventually increasing the weight.

For example, say you completed the above complex with 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 3 sets in today’s workout. Next time you perform the workout, try to do 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 4 sets. Once you successfully complete 5 sets with 155, increase the weight 5 or 10 lbs next time, and drop back to 3 sets. This is a great way to make improvements over time, while cycling your training volume.

Now I’m going to show you a great kettlebell complex that really kicks my butt. If you don’t have a kettlebell, you can use a dumbbell, but I’d highly recommend picking yourself up a kettlebell… very convenient to have around when you want to bang out a quick intense workout at home without going to the gym.

I’ve been training with kettlebells for a little over a year now, and can definitely say that they’ve dramatically improved my strength, body composition, and overall physical capabilities. If you’re not familiar with kettlebells, they are an old eastern European training secret that has just started to take the US by storm over the last few years. Many elite athletes are using kettlebells as their preferred training tool for serious results. Learn more info and pick up one of your own body-hardening kettlebells here.

I’d recommend just starting off with one bell and learn all of the single kettlebell drills first, before delving into the double-bell drills. Just one kettlebell coupled with some bodyweight exercises can literally be enough to comprise your own home gym, without any other equipment necessary. Or a kettlebell can just be a great alternative workout to incorporate into your routines once or twice a week. Either way, it opens up a whole new world of training for you.

Example Kettlebell Complex

1. one arm swing
2. one arm snatch, keep the bell over head;
3. one arm overhead squat;
4. bell back down to bottom, then one arm high pull;
5. bell back down to bottom, then one arm clean & press

As with the barbell complex, repeat the sequence (without rest) 2-3 times with each arm. That’s one set…and one hell of a killer set at that! Try increasing from 3 to 4 to 5 sets on subsequent workouts with a given weight before increasing your sequence reps. If you’re not drenched in sweat with your heart beating out of your chest after that complex, you either went too light, or you are a mutant freak!

Since dumbbells are more accessible to most people than kettlebells, now I’ll show you how to put together a good dumbbell complex.

Example Dumbbell Complex

1. upright row with each arm separately then both together
2. front lunge with one leg, then the other
3. back lunge with one leg, then the other
4. curl to overhead press
5. keep dumbbells at shoulders and squat

Again, the same type of sequencing and progressions explained with the barbell complexes work great with the dumbbell complexes. I think a great strategy is to alternate barbell complexes on one day with kettlebell or dumbbell complexes on alternative training days.

For example, you could do barbell complexes Monday, K-bell or D-bell complexes Wednesday, and back to barbell complexes on Friday. Maybe hit some sprints and bodyweight drills on Saturday; then Monday would be K-bell or D-bell complexes again, Wednesday would be barbells again, and so on. Give this program a try for a month (if you dare), and you will be one hardened individual!

For more killer full body training routines and a fully comprehensive nutritional analysis for developing the body you’ve always wanted, don’t miss out on my internationally best selling program with users in over 150 countries, The Truth about Six Pack Abs.