Here it is -the best exercise for your abs-the ab coaster machine. It is my all time favorite exercise for my abs. I can just feel it burning the fat on my stomach and giving me a 6 pack, I love it.
Just kidding. I had you there for a second, though, huh? ;) Seriously, I got on this thing just for my husband to take a picture-I don't even know how to use it.
I am posting this because one of THE most common questions I get asked is, "What can I do for my abs?"
Well, the answer is there is NO exercise that will give you 6 pack abs. There is NO exercise that will burn fat off your stomach. You could literally do 1000 crunches a day...and NEVER get a 6 pack. I know this from experience because I used to do just that back in highschool! Well, maybe not 1000...more like 500...
Every single night I'd do my crunches, thinking that it would give me "abs." Welp, it never did. You know why? Cuz I ate like crap! So even though I was active, played softball, lifted weights, and did tons of crunches every day...my abs were always covered by a layer of fat.
I was never able to see my abs until I started eating right. In order to reveal your "6 pack", which, really, everyone has underneath their fat, you have to get really lean. For most people, this is done only through careful and strict nutrition.
This is what my abs looked like over the summer when I was doing CrossFit. I was doing NO direct abdominal work. Maybe not a 6 pack , but definitely the best my abs have ever looked because I was at my leanest.
Crunches didn't give me those abs-my diet did.
Just kidding. I had you there for a second, though, huh? ;) Seriously, I got on this thing just for my husband to take a picture-I don't even know how to use it.
I am posting this because one of THE most common questions I get asked is, "What can I do for my abs?"
Well, the answer is there is NO exercise that will give you 6 pack abs. There is NO exercise that will burn fat off your stomach. You could literally do 1000 crunches a day...and NEVER get a 6 pack. I know this from experience because I used to do just that back in highschool! Well, maybe not 1000...more like 500...
Every single night I'd do my crunches, thinking that it would give me "abs." Welp, it never did. You know why? Cuz I ate like crap! So even though I was active, played softball, lifted weights, and did tons of crunches every day...my abs were always covered by a layer of fat.
I was never able to see my abs until I started eating right. In order to reveal your "6 pack", which, really, everyone has underneath their fat, you have to get really lean. For most people, this is done only through careful and strict nutrition.
This is what my abs looked like over the summer when I was doing CrossFit. I was doing NO direct abdominal work. Maybe not a 6 pack , but definitely the best my abs have ever looked because I was at my leanest.
So as far as the "best" exercise for your abs, I don't think there is one. Simply because when most people ask that question, they're basically asking what exercise they can do to get rid of fat, and that comes only through nutrition.
However, there are some exercises you can do that will strengthen and build up the abdominal muscles. NO, it's not a bunch of crunches and leg lifts. Plank variations and side planks are usually enough for most people. Really, the LAST thing people who are trying to lose weight should be concerned about is what to do for their abs.
For the more advanced, or for people who are already lean enough to see their abs and just want to make them stronger and more developed, I would say that weighted sit ups on a decline bench, hanging leg raises, and ab wheel rollouts are the best options.
Currently, I do ONE exercise for my abs twice a week-that's it. I don't waste my time doing "ab workouts" or hundreds of crunches every night.
This is awesome! Very true.
ReplyDeleteYou said every bit of this perfectly! I feel so bad when people actually believe that 1,000 crunches will do it! I tell everyone who asks me, "abs are made in the kitchen". Until about 60 days ago, I didn't ever workout abs (excluding leg workouts, etc) and people thought I had abs just because of my clean diet (and my tan) lol!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! And I liked your trick pic! I fell for it and was like... really?!
I have those machines at my gym and used it once and didn't feel much, so for a second I thought I had done it all wrong and you were gonna tell me the right way haha!!! Trickster!
But I do believe it is important to have a strong and solid core just to help you through difficult workouts and with balance/stability. Just don't expect abs if you have fat. I actually feel fatter if I have a layer of fat and workout abs because I am building muscle under fat and protruding my stomach even more!!!
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ReplyDeleteVery true!
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of abdominal exercise programs that are necessary to perform of some sort of body builder. These may come very difficult to do but they are common guaranteed effective to your abs.
ReplyDelete