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Six Pack Abs: Debunking The Infomercial Myth

How challenging is it to build a six pack? It may seem very simple from the infomercials. This article examines the assertions made in television advertisements and demonstrates what it actually takes to achieve amazing abs.

By Fitness_Port99Published about a year ago 5 min read
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I can't even begin to describe how hilarious the different TV ads for abs-building equipment are. The list of goods that promise to offer you a flawless set of abs in a certain number of daily minutes just keeps going and going: toners, chairs, bands, balls, belts, etc.

To put it bluntly, these items take advantage of society's lack of fitness knowledge and influence it. They convey the idea that getting in shape is simple, especially if you want washboard abs. They also imply that purchasing particular consumer goods is necessary to achieve desired results, as in "you must buy this product to acquire six-pack abs."

The opposite is true, as you can see. It is quite difficult and requires a tremendous amount of devotion and discipline to get a six-pack. Building six-pack abs does not in any way, shape, or form call for any unique product.

How then do you obtain a six pack? Here is the fundamental breakdown, assuming you are overweight to begin with:

• Through a planned diet and cardiovascular exercise, you can reduce your body fat percentage to a manageable level.

• By combining anaerobic and core stabilizing movements, you may increase the size, strength, and shape of your abs.

Now let's take a closer look at each of them:

1. By combining an aerobic workout program with an organized eating plan, you can reduce your body fat percentage to a manageable level.

The most common misunderstanding about getting six-pack abs is that all you need to do is abs exercises. Dead wrong, I tell you. What the "as seen on TV advertising" don't tell you is that eating right and exercising are equally important in developing six pack abs.

In actuality, a layer of fat covers the abs just like it does any other muscle area. Even if you have the strongest, most defined abs ever, if your body fat percentage is high, no one will ever be able to see them.

Exercises for your abs alone won't help you lose the fat above them. In actuality, there is nothing that you can do to particularly get rid of the fat that is covering your abs. Instead, you must lower your body's overall fat levels (attempting to reduce fat in a single location is known as "spot training," and it is

ineffective).

Your overall body fat percentage is supposed to be less than 8% in order to actually be able to see your abs. If you're not already there, you'll need to develop a diet that includes balanced servings of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that are distributed over a variety of short, frequent meals and those results in a slight calorie deficit. A few hundred calories below your ideal daily "caloric maintenance level" (look it up on Google if you're unsure of yours) is considered a minor caloric deficit.

Then, for best results, you'll need to add challenging 30- to 45-minute aerobic activities a few times a week. (My favorite sports include rowing, swimming, biking, and running.)

2. Strengthen, size, and define your abs by combining aerobic and core stabilizing activities.

Many people find that losing fat alone is sufficient to give them a great six-pack. Others are less lucky since their abs is less formed, and even if they lose body fat below 8%, all they will achieve is a flatter stomach.

In any scenario, it's a good idea to "keep" whatever you have by working your abs in some capacity during your cutting phase.

Once your body fat is at a lower level, you can truly start concentrating on developing your abs with either specialized ab anaerobic activities or "core stabilizing" exercises.

However, I favor concentrating on core stabilizing exercises. Your core muscles (your abs and lower back) must work hard throughout these exercises to stabilize the motion (For example pull-ups, power clean, push-ups, running, rowing etc).

This is effective for me since I regularly engage in a variety of activities that severely and specifically test my core. I also get the extra benefit of exercising other muscle groups while targeting my abs with this.

You can use abs-specific exercises like crunches, sit-ups, and leg raises if your program isn't intense enough or varied enough to work your core out in that way. If you're struggling to come up with an abs workout, try searching online; there are zillions of free ones available.

But keep in mind that your abs needs rest just like any other muscular group does. I advise exercising your abs two to three times a week.

Another important element is that you must eat more calories than you burn in order to strengthen ab muscles as opposed to reducing the fat that covers them.

In this instance, you need change your diet to eat more calories (I recommend a few hundred more to start) than your ideal calorie maintenance level and boost your protein intake each day to really encourage the muscular growth. This is because following the fat-cutting phase from step 1, if you really want to strengthen and define your abs, you should eat more calories than your optimum calorie maintenance level.

As a result, it's not as simple as the infomercials have you believe. Never forget that life is not an easy ride. Try something new every day. Make a plan to achieve six-pack abs. You will succeed if you put in the effort and are disciplined.

A long-term solution to stubborn belly fat -- https://cutt.ly/sN7DLWd

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About the Creator

Fitness_Port99

Born on 20-08-83 in Uttar Pradesh, India.

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