Kristy Crowley
You’re planking, crunching and Russian twisting every single day, but your waistline isn’t reflecting the work you’re putting in. What’s the deal?
For starters, YOU CAN’T SPOT REDUCE! Developing well-defined abs involves working ALL of your muscle groups, not just one region! So, the exercises you choose to do make all the difference.
We’ve put together 5 golden rules to follow to get the most out of your ab workouts.
Rule #1: Train Your Entire Body, Not Just Your Abs
The only way to lose fat from your belly is to lose fat from your entire body. And in order to lose fat, your body temperature must rise high enough to trigger a metabolic response, which is necessary to burn fat. Using one small muscle group, such as your abs, isn’t significant enough to increase your temperature to the level needed to burn calories and lose fat. Instead, focus on total-body training targeting all of your major muscle groups.
Rule #2: Start Doing HIIT
Swap out your ab workouts and steady-state cardio for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn belly fat much faster. According to research, HIIT significantly reduces abdominal fat in half the time than all other forms of exercise. And because HIIT workouts tend to be shorter, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Not only that, HIIT workouts lead to an after-burn effect, a period of elevated calorie burn after you finish exercising. The after-burn effect is linked to increased metabolism and elevated calorie burn long after your workout is over. In fact, research indicates a 20-minute HIIT class results in the same calorie burn over 24 hours as a 50-minute bout of steady-state cardio.
Rule #3: Quality Over Quantity
There’s no need to do 100s of crunches each day. Just remember that your abs are like any other muscle in your body. You wouldn’t do 100 bicep curls, so why do 100 crunches? The real key to strengthening your abs is quality, not quantity.
To strengthen your abs, you must follow the same principles you apply to training other muscle groups. This means you have to overload your abdominal region. The overload principle is based on increasing the intensity, duration, type or time of a workout progressively in order to see adaptations. So, if you have to do 50 crunches before you feel fatigued, slow down and focus on your technique and form.
And don’t forget to switch things up. Doing the same ab exercises over and over again leads to adaptation. When your body adapts to the same stimuli, it’s harder to make gains. Instead, do various exercises targeting your rectus abdominis, obliques and transverse abdominis.
Rule #4: Don’t Speed Through Your Workout
Some exercises require speed and velocity—think squat jumps, plyo lunges or high knees. But when it comes to abdominal exercises, doing your reps quickly won’t give you a flat stomach. Instead, focus on slow and controlled movements.
The slower you complete the movement, the more muscle fibers you’ll recruit, which makes the exercise much more effective. For example, instead of doing as many sit-ups as you can in 60 seconds, try holding your position at a 45-degree angle for 60 seconds. This creates tension on the torso.
Rule #5: Focus on Your Diet
Abs are made in the kitchen, so a healthy diet is the fastest way to flatter abs. You could literally do 1000 crunches a day, but if you’re intaking too many calories, your six-pack will be hidden behind fat.
To get the results you want, limit alcohol consumption and refined carbs (baked goods, sugary drinks, bread, pasta), as these foods and drinks lead to increased belly fat. Instead, focus on natural, whole foods like lean proteins (beans, nuts, chicken, turkey, lean beef, seitan, fish, eggs and low-fat dairy) and non-starchy fruits and vegetables.
Remember: Developing well-defined abs involves working ALL of your muscle groups, not just your core! In the Gymondo app, you’ll find a huge selection of workouts and recipes to reduce belly fat. Start your 7-day free trial today and explore all we have to offer.
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