Flat Abs Fitness Training

I’m writing this article for those who are really serious about getting in shape and want to know how to get flat abs fast. Although there are no miracle pills or magic potions to get great looking abs, it does take work people, there are some things that you can learn to do that will quicken up the pace and get your abs looking tight and trim in no time.

I am not talking about using any kinds of silly devices, like ab rollers or doing tons of repetitive crunches and situps, because quite frankly, they just don’t work. “Spot reduction” exercises do not cause a metabolic surge great enough to burn away the fat in your midsection. 

You see, the diet, weight loss and fitness industries has had you thinking that by downing a hand full of pills or buying their absurd contraption, you will get washboard abs overnight. This is simply not true. To really get flat abs fast, you need to learn about the right exercises and diet that will get you there.

One of the best ways to get flat abs fast is to stop eating foods that pack on the pounds. You can do all the exercise you want, but if you eat fast food 3 -4 times a week, donuts for breakfast and down 5 glasses of soda a day, do you really think you are going to get six pack abs?

And when it comes to exercise, doing crunches and situps is not the answer. What you need to do is learn some full body workout routines that will burn fat quicker and in less time leaving you with the abs you want fast. Weight training is also key, for men and women both, if you want to get that flat stomach.

Copyright (c) 2007 Greg Brookes

As a London Personal Trainer I often get asked how to develop a strong core and 6 pack stomach muscles. It seems that so many people are still practicing old exercises and cranking out hundreds of situps on a daily basis in the hope of reducing stomach fat and developing their 6 pack abs.

Doing regular sit ups or crunches will not only give you back problems but doesnt really help in develping your core and revealing your stomach muscles. Our core / stomach muscles are more complex than you may think and need to be worked in three different planes of motion for optimal results. Doing regular situps and crunches is both unnatural and only addresses one plane of movement, and its not very good at doing that.

As well as taking the core / stomach muscles through 3 different planes of movement the body fat covering the abdominals must also be addressed. Forget the old wives tale about spot reducing fat, this simply isnt the case, hundreds of situps wont burn stomach fat – fat naturally comes off in layers from all over the body. The only way to reduce stomach fat is with a good total body exercise programme and by eating a healthy diet.

Remember that we all have stomach muscles waiting to be seen under our belly fat but in order to increase their size and make them more visable they need to be trained like any other body part. So, a combination of the correct abdominal / core exercises, a healthy diet and a good all over body routine will bring your 6 pack abs out for all to see.

I have found the following 6 exercises to be the best for stabalising your core and reducing potential back pain whilst bringing your abdominals / obliques to the surface.

1. The Side Plank – keep your hips inline, belly button in and maintain this postition for as long as possible. Start with 30 secs and increase up to 2 minutes over time. Breathe!

2. The Front Plank – keep your body in a straight line, belly button in and arms at 90 degrees. Start with 30 secs and increase up to 2 minutes over time. Breathe!

3. The Bird Dog – keep your back flat, belly button pulled in, thumb up and out at 45 degrees. Opposite leg goes straight back. Start with 6 reps on each side and work up to 3 sets of 12.

4. The Front Mountain Climber – in a press up position with you back flat and belly button pulled in bring your knee straight up to your chest. Breathe out as you do so and contract your abdominals as if you were being punched in the stomach. Take leg back and repeat. Start with 6 on each side and work up to 3 sets of 12.

5. The Outside Mountain Climber – as above but drop your hips slightly and bring your knee to the outside of your elbow. Squeeze the side of your stomach, your obliques, together as if being folded in half sideways.

6. The Inside Mountain Climber – as with the above mountain climber but bring your knee across and squeeze the side of your stomach muscles (obliques).

Perform all these exercises 3 times a week along with your regular workout for the ultimate strong core and the highly ellusive six pack stomach muscles.

Good luck and enjoy your new abs!!

Most people think abdominal workouts require hundreds of sit-ups and crunches. The truth, however, is that they are just a waste of your time, and in some cases, may actually injure your low back.

If you really want 6-pack abs along with a sculpted body then the most efficient and effective way of achieving it is through total body exercises.

In this workout you will be performing nine total body exercises in circuit fashion, otherwise known as the X9 Factor. Therefore, each exercise will be performed back to back to back with no rest in between.

Start with kettlebell swings. These are 2-hand swings and you need to power up with the hips. Drive them back and power them back up.

Move immediately into extended pushups. Move your arms out in front of you as you lower yourself down and back up.

The next exercise is a stability ball pike. This is a more advanced version of the stability ball jackknife. Place your feet on the ball and your hands on the floor and pull the ball in as you push your hips up until you are in a pike position. Try to get your hips as high up as possible. If you are not very flexible, just do jackknifes in place of them.

Move immediately into stability ball back extensions. Plant your feet against a wall or something stable. Your chest is supported by the ball. Place your hands behind your head and raise yourself up and back down.

Next is a 1-arm kettlebell swing. Make sure you are driving back with your hips and back up. If you are more advanced, you can do snatches in place of the swings. Do all reps on one side and then do all reps on the other side.

Next you will do high rep close grip pushups. Tuck your elbows into your sides with your hands closer together as you move down and back up. Do as many as you can.

Move immediately into stability ball leg curls. Place your feet on the ball and bridge your hips up with your arms out to the side. Curl the ball in while keeping your hips up the entire time. Do 20 reps.

The next exercise is a stability ball rollout. Place the ball in front of you and start in an upright position, roll the ball out. Get a nice long stretch as you roll out and contract your abs when you pull it back in. If you have an ab wheel, you can use that in place of a stability ball. This is going to be harder than using a stability ball.

Finally, you’re going to finish off preferably with a sprint as the last exercise. If you can’t do sprinting, you can sprint in place or finish with burpees.

In most cases, although you aren’t directly targeting your abdominals, you are still required to brace them which in turn indirectly works your abdominals for a powerfully efficient abdominal workout.