- Rick White, 52, Seal
Beach
As we approach spring and summer we all dream of having those flat, washboard abs. Abs should look good but more importantly they must function and support the body. Your abdominals are an integral part of your core. Developing great abs is not as simple as doing crunches and sit-ups; it is a progressive process of building a foundation of strength for your body. There are many things to consider when developing “great abs”, such as exercise, diet, and good genes. Unfortunately, genes play a role in having those perfect abdominal muscles! But don’t give up, if having great abs is your passion there are 2 major things that you need to focus on, proper diet and proper exercise. First, let’s get a better understanding of what our core and abs do so that we can better understand how to develop them.
The “core” refers to your entire torso, including your neck, internal organs and hip flexors. It is very complex and serves many vital functions that contribute to your overall health. To appreciate the importance of your abs and core here are some key ‘core’ functions to consider; protection of your central nervous system and internal organs, circulatory support for major arteries and veins, as well as support for spine and ribs. But lets get down to it, how do I get GREAT ABS?
The Diet: they are not for the short term; it is a choice you make for your lifestyle in order to live and eat healthier. If you want your abdominals to show you have to burn fat and build muscle, especially in the mid region. For any of us that store fat around our stomachs and bellies really need to look at your diet. Many of us are consuming foods or drinks that we’re allergic or intolerant to which affects abdominal function and shape. When your body processes foods that it doesn’t agree with it stores extra fat around internal organs and muscular tissues that makes a protruding belly (beer gut). Simply, eat whole foods and make healthy choices at every meal. Stay away from processed foods, drink plenty of water, and control your calorie intake. To find out more about food allergies consult your doctor or nutritional therapist. Most importantly if you want great abs you have to eat healthy.
The Philosophy. Once you get yourself into a healthy diet you need to concentrate on building a progressive abdominal and core workout program. The most important part about developing great abs is training your core from all directions. Bring variety to your workouts; simple crunches and sit-ups are not going to get it done. There are many discussions on the proper way to train abdominal muscles, such as “Can I train my abs everyday?” or “Should I train them on separate days?” Doing extensive research on core conditioning and spinal stabilization it is my philosophy to always stay functional. Functional exercise replicates everyday body movement. Further, your abdominals are just like any other muscle tissue you have in your body. They need recovery time to rebuild and develop. So, what do you do?
The Workout. Incorporating core training everyday in your normal workouts will increase your development and get you more efficient results. When training your abs you should always train them as separate parts. You should concentrate on 3 major regions: upper/middle abs, lower abs, and oblique’s. Here are some simple rules to follow when training your abs to get the most out of your workouts:
1. Progress your abdominal workouts by starting with the part of your abs that takes the most coordination: lower abs, external oblique’s, and finish with upper/middle abs. This will reduce chance of unneeded strain on your core and spine.
2. Incorporate stability work into your workouts. Concentrate on using your abs to stabilize the body while replicating functional movement.
3. Train your abs like you would any other part of your, give them time to rest and recover. Over working these muscles can potentially have reverse effects, damage tissues or leave your spine with out stability increasing your chance of injury.
4. Maintain a consistent exercise by incorporating strength training and cardiovascular work.
5. Vary your exercise. Here are some abdominal exercises that you will help you strengthen and sculpt your abs from all directions: bicycle crunches, Russian twist, reverse crunches, stability ball crunches, and side bends. These are all great abdominal exercises that are will get those abs burning and working to there full potential.
For more information on how you can get the abs you have always wanted and how to properly train your core to become stronger and more functional email me at bryce@beachfitness.com.
