6 Powerhouse Exercises to get 6 Pack Abs

Do you have a decent body except for that middle roll of flab that just doesn’t seem to go away no matter how much you exercise or attempt to spot reduce that area? The truth is that the spare tire around your middle is fat – and you’re not going to see the 6-pack abs buried beneath until you get rid of it.

The trick to reducing fat around your middle is to reduce your caloric intake and eat foods that are proven “fat burners” such as lean protein, salads and vegetables. Reduce your carbohydrate intake, especially in the evening hours when your body is slowing down. Adopt a low fat diet for your lifestyle to burn the unwanted fat and eventually reach the show-off abs you desire.

There is a difference between toning your abs and reducing the fat around your middle. Toning abdominal muscles can be achieved by exercising, but removing the fat must take place from the inside out. It won’t do you any good to try spot reduction exercises if you don’t get rid of the fat first.

There’s no such thing as an immediate “fix” for a flabby tummy.  You can spend hundreds of dollars on pills and creams, but you’ll soon realize that the only way to 6-pack abs is to work at it!

While you’re concentrating on a low fat diet, you’ll want to tone and firm the abdominal muscles that lie beneath the fat with exercise. The key to exercising your abs is to do the exercises correctly. If you’re concentrating on tummy crunches to firm your abs and performing them incorrectly you’ll never see success.

Concentrate on resistance training when firming and toning your abs. Use a “fit ball” (sometimes called “exercise ball”) for support if you have problems with your lower back. And don’t overdo it. Three sessions a week is plenty when you’re exercising muscles that have lain dormant for awhile.

Here are 6 flab busting exercise moves that will shift the fat around your stomach and give you the rock hard 6 pack abs you have been dreaming about:

1. Planks 

   Get into a push-up position. Then rest your weight on your forearms instead of your hands. Hold this position for about 45 seconds to a minute. Stop for 30 seconds and then repeat 3 times.

• Sit-ups
  Use your core strength to bring your upper body towards your knees. Use ab muscles to pull the upper body towards the knees. Lower your upper body back down.

• Side Plank
  As above, start in a plank position and then rotate to the left, using your entire bodyweight at just two points of contact, your elbow and feet will be supporting your weight. Your abs will need to do more work to keep you stabilized. Hold for half a minute and try your best not to fall over. Then repeat on the other side.

• Leg Lifts
  Lie on your back with your hands tucked under your butt. Lift your legs in front of you at about a 45-degree angle. Hold for about a minute and then lower your legs.

• Bicycle
  Lay on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees pulled towards your chest. Fully extend one leg while keeping the other bent in towards your chest. Then imagine you are riding a bike, ‘pedaling’ in the air. 

• Superman
  Lie face down on the floor, with your arms and legs extended, so your body forms a straight line. Keeping your head and neck in a neutral position, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form a gentle curve with your body.

To maximize your results, add Cardio exercises (aerobic) to your workout schedule.  They are designed to rev up your heart rate and help burn fat, so be sure to include them in your exercise regimen – and include the ones that work both your upper and lower body. It’s best to do cardio exercises in the morning – and always on an empty stomach.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results as fast as you’d like. Remember, those 6-pack abs are buried somewhere beneath that fat roll. It’s your job to find them.