http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/health/fitness/top-10-myths-of-6pack-abs.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/fitness/top-10-myths-of-6pack-abs.html Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600 Top 10 Myths about 6pack Abs

Do a search on the internet for six pack abs, 6pack, abdominals, 6 pack abs, abdominals, or washboard stomach and you will get millions and millions of results. You can immediately qualify 90% of these articles as myths by taking a scientific approach.
Here are the top 10 myths that are used against you in advertising for abdominal products and dietary supplements.

1. You need to do a lot of abdominal exercises to get 6pack abs.

If you have fat surrounding your mid section, you should spend most of your time doing high intensity cardio and full body weight training. Increased metabolism from high intensity exercise will help you uncover your abdominal muscles. Doing abdominal exercises does absolutely nothing for the fat. You must consume a low calorie diet and exercise regularly.

2. You just don't have any muscle in your abdominal region.

Everybody has an anatomy chart defined 6pack, but the problem is there is usually a layer of fat covering the muscle. Losing body fat cannot be accomplished by doing crunches.

3. If you take a diet pill you will get a 6pack.

Diet pills are a short term solution. If you take a fat burner it is most likely to be laced with caffeine which will cause you to develop a dependency and crash. Some pills cause your body to expel nutrients such as fat which cause unpleasant effects such as diarrhea and nutrient deficiencies.

4. You should NOT be eating carbohydrates in order to get 6pack abs.

Carbohydrates are your body's primary source of fuel for the intense exercise you need to increase your metabolism to burn fat efficiently. Sticking to complex carbohydrates with fiber such as vegetables, sweet potatoes, oatmeal and brown rice will satisfy your hunger as well as give you long lasting energy with comparatively small amounts of food compared to processed foods.

5. Exercising long and slow is the best method of getting 6pack abs.

Long cardio sessions cause your body to produce excess cortisol which is a hormone which causes excess muscle tissue breakdown. Short duration (20-30 minutes) high intensity cardio could burn almost twice as many calories during the time you are exercising. It continues to accelerate your calorie burning for hours after exercise as well as preserves your muscle mass.

6. Getting 6pack abs requires hours of exercise every single day.

If you eat a fast food or "see food" diet, this may be the case. If you use self discipline with your diet, short bouts of intense exercise in the gym or doing the activities you like will help you burn fat without becoming a gym rat. One of the best ways to get better results in any fitness program is doing something you enjoy for exercise, which will keep you motivated to exercise longer and more intense.

7. Taking steroids you will get a 6pack.

Steroids are an anabolic hormone. Anabolic means building. Steroids are used for building muscle, not burning fat. People that take steroids and have 6pack abs are following a strict training and diet regimen which does not require steroids to get the same results.

8. Using products on TV are the best way to get a 6pack.

These products are most likely gimmicks that will be there a few months, make a few hundred million dollars and disappear only to reappear at garage sales across the country. They are largely ineffective and usually copying an existing exercise and repackaging it to make it look better.

9. You will never be able to have a 6pack, because of poor genetics.

6pack abdominals requires a low percentage of body fat. The 6pack is always there, but unfortunately so is the fat.

10. Having a personal trainer will guarantee you a 6pack.

Having a personal trainer is great, but unless you are training 5-7 times per week with them, you won't get a 6pack. You have to put in the time and effort, get good instruction and use self discipline and your effort will pay off with 6pack abs. When working with a trainer, ALWAYS perform extra cardio so your trainer can focus on intense resistance training during the training sessions.

--
San Francisco Personal Trainer Michael Behnken, MS, NASM-CPT-PES, CSCS AskTheTrainer.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/fitness/hard-core-science-of-six-pack-abs.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/fitness/hard-core-science-of-six-pack-abs.html Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600 Trying to Get a Flat Stomach or 6pack Abs?

The good news is we all have one. The rectus abdominis commonly known as abdominals or abs is the muscle that flexes our trunk at the hip. The only problem is the human body, especially in men, likes to deposit the majority of its fat stores there. So instead of sporting the 6pack look, most men sport a beer keg.

Your skin is only about 1mm thick, so if you pinch the skin around your mid section and it is larger than 2mm the excess is fat. It is called subcutaneous (under skin) fat.

Don't panic! Nobody has Zero body fat where you will see the abs.

There is no number of crunches you could do to get 6pack abs if your body fat percentage is high. This is called spot reduction and it is one of the biggest fitness myths. Instead of using misinformation, it is best to take a simple scientific approach to determine the best way to get a flat stomach or 6pack abs. What some people may consider as the great mystery of the flat stomach or 6pack abs is easily understood if broken down into a few scientific steps.

The First thing you Must Know is a Basic Scientific Law!

The 1st law of thermodynamics or more generally the law of conservation of energy is simply analogized for your sake as calories in versus calories out. If you consume more calories than you burn you will gain weight. If you burn more calories than you consume you will lose weight. There is no way to get around this.

What does this mean? You have to either eat less or exercise more. A combination of both is optimal. Your diet can be changed in numerous ways if you are trying to get 6pack abs. "Eating less by eating more," is a tip that most Americans will find useful.

Eating 5-6 small meals per day will keep your body's digestive system running smoothly and metabolism high. Drinking water is also crucially important. Your body functions better when properly hydrated so make sure to drink the recommended 8 cups per day.

Carbohydrates (carbs) have been demonized in the last 10 years but this is another fitness myth. Carbs are your body's main source of energy for intense exercise. Intense exercise is needed to get 6pack abs. Fat is what you should avoid!

Each gram of fat has over twice the calories of a gram of carbohydrates or protein. Eating less fat usually means you will eat less calories. Also fat is most easily converted to body fat whereas protein and carbohydrate take more energy to digest. You do need some fat in your diet, called essential fatty acids, but you can get enough from an Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) pill.

For 6pack abs, it is best to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables because they are satiating (fill you up) and contain water and nutrients which help you control your appetite. And lean (low fat) protein that will help you maintain your muscle mass and keep you satiated.

The Second Most Important Step for Getting a 6pack is NOT Abdominal Exercises!

It is increasing your metabolism. You metabolism is how many calories your body burns per day. The best way to increase your metabolism is to exercise, specifically weight training.

Weight training is the most effective way to elevate your metabolism. I'm not talking about abdominal machines at the gym or crunches. When you perform full body weight training using large muscle groups you will not only burn some calories during your training but continue to burn calories after your training session.
Large muscle groups include you legs, chest and back. It is best to focus on multi-joint movements such as squats, bench presses, and rows which use the most muscle mass. Make the most out of your time.Weight Training Maintains & Builds Your Muscle Mass, Cardiovascular Training Burns Excess Calories!

After you have a solid weight training program, the next step is to begin an intense cardio program. The higher your heart rate gets during cardio, the better. The mode of activity is up to you. You can run, bike, jump, wrestle, box, or use the elliptical trainer at your gym. Just make sure you can perform at least 20 minutes and preferably no longer than 45 or 60 minutes of cardio up to 6 times per week to achieve 6pack abs.
Performing cardio for too long (over 60 min) can cause you to use your own muscle mass as energy. Having a carbohydrate and protein mixture after your training sessions can also eliminate the possibility of using your own muscle for fuel. A regular Powerbar is a perfect example.

Last but Not Least, to achieve 6pack Abs You Need to Properly Perform Core and Abdominal Exercises!

You need to know the difference between core and abdominal exercises in order to achieve your 6pack abs. Core exercises involve stabilization while abdominal exercises involve flexing forward at the hip. Your obliques also come into play. The obliques are the muscles on your sides which rotate your body from side to side as well as stabilize your core.

Use multiple exercises; vary the angles, reps, sets and resistance to get the most out of your abdominal workouts. Always perform the exercises with proper form and don't overdo it. Spend no longer than 15 minutes a day working on abdominal and core exercises, follow the previous recommendations and soon you will have a flat stomach or 6pack abs you have always wanted.

--
6packQuest.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>