Saturday, April 9, 2016

What is the Best Six Pack Workout Possible?

So-called six packs are a much coveted fitness goal. This is a beauty ideal, especially for men, that is especially popular thanks to modern media. The truth is that you don’t need to have six pack abs to be in incredible shape – but that’s the thing with beauty ideals; sometimes, we don’t really care! Muscles are attractive, and six packs are one of the most prominent displays of muscle you can build. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s leave crunches behind and take a look at the best way to get 6 pack abs.

Fat Burners

Knowing how to get a 6 pack abs look is only half the battle; you have to be able to see them, too! If you want a quick six pack, you need to clear out the fat – which is bad news for men especially, since we tend to store more fat around our abdomen. The only way to get rid of those love handles is by losing fat holistically. Men’s Health Magazine published an article on their website in 2015 that explains how two simple workouts – the squat thrust and the kettlebell swing – can slim you down in no time.

Muscle Builders

Just to be clear, I want you to realize that the best 6 pack ab workout routine incorporates fat burners and muscle builders, at least until you’ve burned off enough fat. Building muscle will help naturally keep it off, so once you have your six pack, you can safely focus on the best workout for adominals alone.

Cable Crunches

These are much different from regular crunches, which are useful to some extent, but by no means efficient. To perform a cable crunch, you’ll need an overhead pulley – a tall tower won’t work. Kneel down gripping the handle in front of your face; then, keeping your legs stationary, bend your entire upper body down to the floor. Hold this position for 3 seconds and straighten up.

Planks

best six pack workout

This is a favorite of mine; I firmly believe that the top six pack workout requires planking. To plank, get into a pushup position, but place your forearms on the ground. Keep your arms parallel with your body, and keep your back straight (not bent or arched). Hold this position for as long as you can – at least 60 seconds.

V-ins

Sit on a bench and grab onto the back for support. Lean back about 45 degrees and extend your legs straight out; hold this position for a moment, then bring your chest and knees together. Your torso should be nearly straight, but not bent forward. Hold this position briefly and repeat.

Dumbbell Sit-ups

These sit-ups are slightly different than normal sit-ups. Lay on your back with your knees slightly raised, holding a dumbbell with both hands. Your arms should be straight and at a 45 degree angle. Perform a sit-up as normal, being careful not to raise or lower your arms.

Ab Roller

The best exercise for 6 pack abs would be meaningless if it ended up damaging your body, right? Ab rollers are great because they provide a low-impact workout without sacrificing the intensity of similar workouts. I actually recommend this over the army crawl if you have access to a roller. To perform a roll:

  • Kneel down and grab the roller, positioning it so that your arms are almost straight.
  • Slowly roll out as far as possible without touching the ground; be careful not to move your knees.
  • Hold this position for one second.
  • Slowly return to the starting position.

It’s best not to rest between reps, since holding the starting position offers little to no benefit. Remember: the key is to extend and return slowly in order to properly engage your abdominal muscles.

Aerial Knee Raise

If you don’t already have a pull-up bar, get one. Pull-ups work out your abdominal muscles, but the best six pack workout should be more precisely targeted – that’s where the aerial knee raise comes in. Enter a resting position for a pull-up, but instead of your torso, draw your knees up until your thighs are perpendicular to your body. Hold position briefly, then return.

Conclusion

One more thing I’d like to clarify: I know I labeled six packs as a beauty ideal, but toning your rectus abdominis (what we all know as “abs,” though there are several abdominal muscles) actually does have a functional benefit, most notably keeping your spine safe and healthy. Even if you just want an attractive beach-body (who doesn’t?), that’s a nice bonus.

The best six pack workout also ends up training other abdominal muscles too, keeping you safer from injury, improving your posture, and of course making abdominal movements easier. Last but not least, your abdominal muscles are involved in a lot of other workouts; feel good knowing that all that effort will ultimately help you tone your body elsewhere as well.

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