Six Pack Secrets

What about all these celebrities we see looking super trim?

The first thing you need to realise is, that for most of us, a toned body requires lots of hard work. Have you ever asked yourself why certain celebrities looks fantastic in a film or at their latest live tour and then a few months later you see a picture of them in a celebrity magazine looking three stone heavier and ten years older. Or why some celebrities who bring out fitness DVD’s seem to go the same way after just a few months.

Basically these people are not like your average member of the public, they may well have a team of trainers, dieticians, therapist and any other type of life coach deemed necessary. They will be going through an intense regime with a specific goal in mind (a film, live concerts, photo shoot or money from the DVD). Once they have reached that goal the impetus to maintain a ‘healthy lifestyle’ diminishes and they can easily go back to the old habits and hence the weight piles back on.

So what about all these super toned people I see on holiday showing off their
six-pack?

Well, lets be honest, there aren’t actually that many people out there with perfectly toned bodies in the ‘real world’. If someone does have the good fortune to have a well toned physique it is normally for one or more of the following reasons;

• They work out regularly at an intense level
• They have a good healthy diet
• They are genetically blessed
• They are young!!

If you tick at least two of the points above then a well toned physique is within your reach.

What is the secret and how do I get a six-pack?

Firstly lets say what it is not;

• It’s not by doing loads of boring repetitive sit-ups
• It’s not by buying the latest gimmick or stomach crunching item on the market
• It’s not by taking the latest pills or fat-busting potions
• It’s not by going along to a ‘abs toning class’ once a week
• It’s not by following the diet fad of the moment
• It’s not about wearing a fat burning suit that simply leaves you dehydrated
• It’s not by attaching electronic pads to your stomach while you down another cake

The list goes on and on, because unfortunately, most of the ‘get a six-pack quick’ ideas out there simply do not work. And that’s because there is no quick easy route. If a ‘six-pack’ is your ultimate goal, then it’s likely that you will have to work that body and work it hard!!
So what is the answer?

Well lets understand a little more about the abdominals. No mater how big or small we are, we all have the same group of ‘core muscles’ around the middle of our bodies. For very good reasons (this is a whole discussion in itself), our body stores surplus energy in the form of fat around our midriff. In order to expose the contours of our abs we need to burn off some of the excess fat. This is the first clue, to burn fat we need to do cardiovascular exercise. To get rid of surplus fat we need to burn more calories than we eat.

Now doesn’t that sound easy, if only it was that straightforward!!

Here are some practical steps towards reaching that six-pack goal:

• Eat a healthy balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. The energy in unprocessed food is readily absorbed into the body and contains natural vitamins and roughage. Try to reduce the amount of fat in your diet i.e cut down on cheese, butter, fatty meat and junk food. If you eat meat then go for high protein and low fat meats such as fish and chicken (without the skin). Avoid snacking in between meals, and if you must snack then eat fruit or something healthy.
• Do regular cardiovascular exercise and work hard enough to work up a sustained sweat for at least thirty minutes each time. For many people this will involve working outside of your comfort zone. If you have been working out for some time, but with limited results then you may have reached a plateau and need to push through it. This is where most people need additional motivation to take their training to the next level. You need to burn more calories than you are eating. The importance of a good cardiovascular routine is often overlooked when concentrating on the abs.
• Your body does not mind what kind of cardiovascular exercise you do. So long as you are moving your muscles and working at a good pace, you will be burning calories. Therefore, find a form of exercise that you will enjoy doing. It does not have to be a formal exercise like jogging or attending classes, even putting on your favourite music and having a good dance is a workout. Whatever your current fitness level, there is a form of exercise out there that will suit you.
• Learn how to improve your ‘core body’ strength. The abs do not work independently of the other muscles in the middle of your body. They are an amazingly strong group of muscles and need to be challenged in a safe and structured way. This can be achieved by using resistance, Swiss balls, body weight and variety of specific exercises. A good quality health professional should be able to help you improve your ‘core body’ strength in a number of ways.
• My abs exercise tip is, if you can do more than twenty reps of any abdominal exercise then it’s too easy. You need to increase the difficulty, for example you could add resistance (weights or a band), you could slow down the exercise or you could change the range/angle of movement. When some people tell me they do hundreds of sit-ups a day, my answer is "you have too much time on your hands". It is just not an effective way to build muscle.
• Do resistance work. Sometimes people worry that if they workout with weights or machines then they will ‘bulk up’. The fact is that you have to work at a fairly intense level before you start to get a muscle bulk effect. By getting you muscles more involved in your workout, you will increase your metabolism and burn more calories even when your body is resting.
• You will have to make sacrifices. For me it’s chocolate, because I don’t have a lot of willpower once the wrapper has been opened. For others it might be alcohol, takeaways or even finding the time to devote to your regular workout sessions. Whatever your ‘personal weakness’, there is always some sacrifice to be made.
• Be realistic, it is not going to happen overnight. The first thing I always ask people to do is to think how long it has taken them to put on weight. For most of us it has been a slow gradual process and the weight has crept on over a number of years. Your body adapts to that weight gain and does not want to give it up easily. If it has taken years to put on, then it is going to take time to get rid of it. Remember that age does play a role in weight gain. As we get older, our body naturally wants to store more fat each year, unless we take positive action and do something about it.

And a note for the ladies

Due to the wonderful miracle of childbirth, women are designed in such a way that their bodies have three layers more fat around the abdomen area than men. This means that in order to have a well defined six-pack it is normally going to take a lot more work for a woman than it is for a man. That does not make it impossible but is just a fact of life worth mentioning.

My own views on the subject

Is that a fit and healthy body is much more important than striving after the aesthetic image of a ‘perfect body’ which we are constantly bombarded with. If you invest the time and effort to look after your body, it will reward you now and in later years. Being fit and healthy should always be the first goal. If as a consequence of that, you manage to develop a body shape that you are happy with. Then that is a welcome bonus.

I truly believe that having a body that is fit and healthy, is far more important than having one that simply looks the part. There is a world of difference between the two. By way of an example consider a competing body builder. At the time of competition a body builder will normally have a body fat content of between 2-4% and would have taken in very limited amounts of fluids. This is so that when they pose, those well-honed muscle groups are given maximum exposure, and look their ‘best’. However, because of the reduced food intake and dehydration, their body will actually be at its weakest point just when they are showing it off. This is not meant as a jibe against body builders, I have worked with some in the past, but it is simply an example that ‘looking fit’ is not the same as ‘being fit’.

On the other side of the coin, consider male ballet dancers. Although they are very athletic, these dancers will usually be somewhat smaller than the typical 'muscle bound, alpha-male' look that some guys strive for. However, if you have ever observed some of the lifts, holds and moves that these dancers perform, then it is apparent that they posses a great deal of strength, power and flexibility. This has usually been developed through years of training those 'core muscles' without the use of weights and gym machines.
They tend to have well developed abs but dont spend hours each day doing pointless repetitions of sit-ups. This demonstrates the fact that there are more effective ways towards attaing that elusive goal.

So in summary, I try to practise what I preach and advise people to;

• "Aim for being fit instead of looking fit"
• "Try to eat good natural foods and avoid junk"
• "Work those core muscles, even the ones you can't see are really important"
• "Do plenty of cardio and keep it varied so you don't get bored"
• "Have fun. If your fitness becomes a chore then your doing something wrong"

I hope that you found this information useful. It is my own personal opinion based on my fitness education, many years of training and working with thousands of individuals over that period of time. If you think any of your friends would be interested in learning about the ‘six-pack secrets’ then please feel free to pass on a link to this page.