A common misconception is that the secret to great abs is doing thousands of crunches and working them out like crazy each day. Do that and, well, crazy pretty much sums it up.
Having "abs" means taking down your body-fat percentage down to a level that lets them show through! Fat is slathered on top of your abs? No number of sit-ups and crunches will result in definition. Lower your body fat--then your abs will pop when you raise your shirt in the mirror.
So how do you lower your body fat? Along with exercising, you need to start eating clean, or at least cleaner than you do now. I always tell people that my abs really come from what I eat. It wasn't until I started putting the right foods into my body that I began to see great results.
Take care of that part, and the abs come easy with the stimulus we're about to apply. What I'm about to ask you to do might even be less than your current abs load. No worries: If a chiseled, lean stomach is what you are looking for, endless ab work isn't the answer.
What I do now, and what I'm recommending, is training abs 2-to-3 times per week for roughly 15 minutes a pop. I like to keep 2 days between each abs workout, too.
That's it! I break it down like this:
Day 1 involves building abdominal muscle by adding weight to your moves. Don't be afraid to go a little heavy because your reps are low. This'll help you build more muscle.
Day 2 is for carving out definition with high reps and no (or little) weight. Taking these sets to failure will shock your abs and help carve out your midsection.
Day 3 involves incorporating light crunches into my active rests.
Ready to rock 'n' roll? Time to sculpt your 6-pack! Here are your workouts:
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Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
On day 3 I like to incorporate bicycle crunches, full-body crunches, and mountain climbers (flexing that core!) into my active rests for at least one other workout during the week.
I usually pick 2-to-3 exercises and do 25 at a time in between each set.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.