5 Tips on How To Get Great Abs

5 Tips on How To Get Great Abs

Are you in pursuit of a much sought after six pack? Do you want to know how to get great abs? Regardless of your sex or age, a six pack is something that many of us aspire to, but few ever achieve.

One of the major problems we all face lies with our modern diet filled with foods that are high in saturated fats and sugars - which tends to cover our perfectly sculpted bodies in a layer of fat. You might not know that, but underneath all the excess weight lies your perfect body - and great abs. So, what do you need to do then to get in shape and have those great abs that you desire? Here are five essential tips for how to get great abs.

1. Diet

What are you putting into your body on a daily basis? Are the foods you eat helping you loose weight or is it adding weight to your body? Excess food tends to accumulate around the abdominal area, which of course, makes your six pack even harder to obtain. By cutting out these fatty foods you will at least stop adding more to it and this will allow your body to use the excess stored fat. Remember that to have great abs you have to get rid of the fat first.

2. Metabolism

Metabolism is nothing but the process through which your body burns calories and turns food into energy. The higher your metabolism the more calories you burn. Exercise is probably the most effective way to increase metabolism, but there are some simple dietary changes that can greatly increase your metabolism and help you burn fat even when you are not exercising. To raise your metabolism, eat more often, but eat smaller amounts at a time and eat only high energy 'natural' foods like fruits and vegetables.

3. Cardio Exercise

If there is one thing that is an extremely important step in how to get great abs, then it the need for cardiovascular exercise. Exercise like swimming, running and cycling will help you shed the extra pounds and since your abdominal muscles are very active during these exercises it will help tone your abdominal muscles. A 45 minute cardio training routine at least 5 days a week will do the trick and in as little as 4 weeks you will start seeing visible results in your abs.

4. Target Exercise

A common misconception amongst most people is that to develop great abs you have to do sit-ups. It's true, but not entirely since cardio training is a vital part of overall weight loss. What targeted exercises like sit-up and crunches do, it to specifically target the abdominal muscles. When you build and work these muscles it increases the muscle activity which raises metabolism and increases weight loss in that target area. The best way to do these target exercises is to combine it with your cardio workout as your muscles will be more active and supple.

5. Posture

It's vitally important to stretch regularly, especially after exercise. By stretching your abdominal area for at least 15 minutes after exercise you improve blood circulation in the muscles and the flexibility of the abdominal muscles. Great abs are not just about having a six pack, but it's about having a well toned upper body. Apart from stretching you have to pay attention to your body posture. Your abs play an important part in keeping your body upright. Most people tend to slouch over when walking which actually relaxes the abdominal muscles. An upright body posture where your abs are extended, will keep your abs active even while walking or sitting.

These five tips for how to get great abs is not about picking one or two. What will do the trick however is a combination of all of them. There are no quick fixes and the sense of pride in doing the hard work is what will give you the real 'feel good' factor. You can have great abs. Just do the hard work and you WILL reap the rewards.