When it comes to our bodies, we all have one place or another that we are somewhat unsatisfied with. You always hear people say things like “I hate my thighs” or “my butt is too big”. Of course, some of these things are said in jest, but there is still discontent hidden in there.
Despite it all though, the one thing that has become almost an obsession today is the way our abs look. It seems that everyone is looking for those ever elusive “six-pack abs”. But much like Ponce De Leon’s search for the fountain of youth, it seems like it is impossible to find.
Now, while there is no “magical formula” for attaining a flat, firm, and toned stomach, there is something you can do. If you do them regularly, it will get you the results that you are looking for.
To get these results, you need to do stomach crunches daily but keep in mind that stomach exercises alone will not burn the fat off of your midsection.
Here the ways you can follow to own a six-pack ab:
- Count your calories
Keeping your calories in check along with doing your crunches every day will be the way for you to see that flat, chiseled, sexy stomach. You must learn how to shop healthy in order to choose the products that include fewer calories and are more healthy.
Read the article about Metabolism to Find a list of foods which boost your metabolism quickly.
- Abdominal Exercises
Crunches are easy to do, and if done properly, are very effective for toning those abs. Here is a step by step breakdown of the proper way to get the most out of your crunches.
Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs bent to about a 90-degree angle with both your rear and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head making sure not to interlock your fingers. You can make your hands into fists so you do not pull up on the back of your neck.
The next thing to do is to pick a spot on the ceiling directly above you. This should be done in order to ensure that you do not bend your neck during the duration of the movement.
Do not take your eyes off this spot! The most common mistake while performing a crunch is too much stress on the neck as a result of pulling on it with the hands.
The next step is to stabilize the low back. This can be done by tightening the muscles in the abdomen. Slowly curl forward and up using your abdominal muscles only. There should be no bending at the waist. Keep your abdominal muscles firm for the entire duration to ensure low back stabilization.
Keep your focus on that spot on the ceiling to prevent neck pain as a result of stress.
At the top position, your shoulder blades should only be between 4-8 inches off the ground. There is no need to go any further. Pause at this top position. Do this movement slowly, it should take about 2 seconds to perform. Pause at the top position for 1-2 seconds to ensure full contraction of the abdominal muscles.
Slowly return to the starting position keeping your abs contracted.
That is all there is to it. The crunch is not a very big movement because you are working your abs only. A full sit-up does not work your abs better than the crunch because once you are past the crunch position, your abs are fully contracted and it is your hip muscles that are straining to lift you up, not your abs.
Doing a hundred of these a day is not the key here. Doing two to three sets of 15 to 20 of these at a slow and deliberate pace with good form is what I recommend for maximum benefits and minimum risk of injury.
You can find other effective stomach exercises on Stomach Exercises For A Flatter Tummy article.
