While there is no clear right or wrong way to get six-pack abs, there are ways of doing it that prove to be much more productive. Here are the truths and myths about six-pack abs to make yourself aware of. Learn more.
The goal of getting six-pack abs is one that a large number of individuals strive to reach using a variety of different methods. While there is no clear right or wrong way to get six-pack abs, there are ways of doing it that prove to be much more productive. Further, there are also a number of methods that just simply don't work, so knowing which these are and avoiding them will be important.
Here are the truths and myths about six-pack abs to make yourself aware of.
Truth 1 Six Pack Abs Don't Come Overnight
The very first truth you must come to accept if you do want to get results with your six-pack ab training is the fact that abs are not going to come overnight. Unless you're starting at a very low body fat level already, you must be patient with the process as it will take some time.
Especially as you get leaner and leaner and near the very low levels you can expect that progress will become less and less dramatic. If you keep pushing it though, you will eventually arrive at the end goal.
Myth 1 The Best Way To A Six Pack Is Through Crunches
Another very common ab myth is that the best way to obtain them is through hundreds of crunches a day. This is incorrect because of the fact that crunches actually burn very few calories per minute. When you do them, they will work to strengthen the abdominals but they won't do a lot to help shed the layer of fat covering the abs.
It is this layer of fat that's going to be what prevents them from looking defined and what you will need to focus on removing if you are to get the aesthetic results you're looking for.
Truth 2 You May Never Have A Six Pack Exactly Like That In The Magazine
There are many people who spot a model in a magazine looking exactly how they want to look and that becomes their new mental image of their goal. While this is fine - it's great to use pictures as motivation like that - it's also important to bear in mind that the way your abs are structurally built will provide some limitation.
For example, some people have a very large split down their abs, while others don't. Some have larger top ab muscles, while others are smaller. Your individual genetics will determine exactly how your abs look when you get lean enough for them to become visible.
Myth 2 You Must Do A Low Carb Diet
Low carbohydrate diets are extremely popular right now and what many people think they need to follow in order to strip the fat from their midsection. These types of diets do tend to offer a number of benefits including hunger control and reduced water retention, but if you feel horrible without carbs, don't fight it.
Some people just do not react well to low carb diets and when this is the case, they're actually much better off opting for a mixed approach instead.
Truth 3 Males Tend To Have An Easier Time Getting A Six Pack
Much to every female's disappointment, if it seems like your male counterpart is getting results faster than you, it isn't an illusion. While there will always be some very determined females who will outdo a male who isn't as dedicated, for the most part, males will have an easier time obtaining six-pack abs simply because they have a lower absolute necessity for body fat levels.
A woman needs a higher level of body fat just to function properly, so her body will fight her harder as she aims to get down to the lower levels required to see six-pack abs.
She can certainly still obtain great abdominals, but they may never look quite as cut up as the very lean males' abs do.
Myth 3 Cardio Needs To Be High To Get Results
Another classic myth that surrounds cardio training is the thought that you need to be doing hours and hours of cardio in order to get clearly defined abdominal muscles.
Cardio training will help you burn calories over time and if you're doing interval training, can help speed the metabolic rate so you experience a faster rate of fat loss throughout the entire course of the day, but cardio training isn't the only way to go about losing abdominal fat.
You can just as successfully if not more successfully lose abdominal fat with an intense weight training program and a good diet plan. So if you're someone who hates doing cardio, don't by any means think that you're never going to be able to obtain a six pack because of this fact.
You may need to tighten up with your diet since you aren't burning the calories you would be with cardio, but if you take steps to do so, there is no reason you can't see fantastic results.
Truth 4 You Can Have A Six Pack Without Having Strong Abdominal Muscles
Many individuals are under the impression that in order to get a six pack, they will need to develop strong ab muscles. Working on building strength in the abdominal core is always a smart move because it will help prevent injuries and help you perform other weight lifting activities better, but it's not a requirement.
For example, if you look at younger boys around 7-9 years old, many actually have six pack abs. Yet, if you were to test their abdominal strength, it likely wouldn't be all that high.
The reason this is possible is because these boys haven't accumulated the amount of body fat over the abdominals, making it easy to see the muscles clearly. All of us have abs, so it's just a matter of reducing body fat levels low enough to see them.
Myth 4 Once You Get A Six Pack, Your Work Is Done
Finally, the last six-pack ab myth is that once you get your six pack, you're now home free. It will feel incredibly great when you can clearly see your abs after all that hard work, but that doesn't mean they can't disappear once again.
Unless you are watching your diet on a continual basis and taking steps immediately if the abs start to become covered again, you can't expect to maintain them. Getting them is the hardest battle since with maintaining you don't have to eat at quite the same hypocaloric level, but if you think you can just go back to your old ways and your abs will stay, you're strongly mistaken.
Conclusion
So be sure you're keeping these truths and myths in mind. Being realistic about the timeline to get a six pack and the best ways to go about arriving at that goal will help ensure you don't end up disappointed.