Do a lot of crunches. http://www.5min.com/Video/10-min-Six-Pack-Abs-Workout-That-Actually-Works-24884614
It's more about diet than exercise. Sure, you need to have some muscle there, but you also need to have very low body fat. I used to do 600 sit ups/crunches etc a day. My top row showed, I had 'marble runs' on my abdomen, but the leanness didn't meet in the middle. That was largely down to to age and diet on my part, and while I'm a tad vain, I wasn't willing to cut out all the fun things I like eating and drinking to look totally ripped.
Is it something you can put a calorie count on, or is it more about the person's metabolism? Btw, how did you break up (if at all) the 600 reps? 10 straight minutes of crunches may put me in the ICU. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Metabolism plays a role, yeah. I'm 40, so not exactly in a calorie burning premium position like I was 20 years ago when I had a 28" waist. Cut down on bread (in case you are a mild Celiac, it can slow your metabolism) and don't mix carbs. Have bread, or rice, but don't mix in the same meal, as digesting both is inefficient and can cause fat build up. Three types of sit up, 50 reps each, four times a day. I work from home, and have a t-bar on my office door, so it's easy to just get down and do them when I get a few minutes, and that's all it takes. I don't do 600 now, seems little point, as I never got the six pack.
You have to really keep in shape to maintain the 6 pax as well, so once you ever get them, you'll be working very hard to keep them. :itold:
Nope. I'm 36. I do not go to the gym. I used to but it's been well over four years. I do no crunches or situps at home. I have been lucky to have a very fast metabolism. Aside from my work and working on my bike trail most every Saturday, I am pretty lethargic. Genetics also play a big part in it. If you come from a heavy set family, and you are thus heavy set yourself, you are going to have to work much, much harder than someone who has a fast metabolism and comes from a skinny family. In fact, genetics may prevent you from ever having a full blown six pack, short of dedicating your every free moment to having and keeping a toned physique. Phlo, I can eat nothing but Mickey D's, Sonic and Arbys for two weeks straight and my stomach/abs will not change. I have a 32 inch waist. When I was a senior in HS, I had a 32 inch waist. Like I said, I'm 36, and I don't see my physique changing much in the next 4 years. If my metabolism hasn't slowed down by now, it probably never will. Because sit-ups aren't as effective as crunches. Sit-ups also hit your hip flexors. And putting your hands behind your head; when you come up like that, your hands tend to push your head forward and that puts a LOT of strain on your neck and upper back. All you need to do is lay on your back, lift your knees up with your feet flat on the floor, fold your arms across your chest, then contract your abs. As soon as your shoulder blades come off the floor, that is one rep. Then lay back down and repeat. Crunches isolate your abs and remove the strain that sit-ups place on your neck. Also, if you are not dieting properly, you'll never lose the layer of fat that covers up your abs to begin with. Defined abs mean jack shit when you have a three inch layer of 'beer gut' fat covering them.
by drawing water from a 250 foot well with a bucket and rope when i was a kid. BTW i hated "wash day", the bucket only held 2.5 gallons. edit: the well was actually closer to 25 feet but hey i was a kid. it certainly felt like 250 feet after drawing about 15 or so buckets from the damn thing.
Thanks for the link , Enmos. Mike, Do you watch your fat intake generally speaking? My matabolism has slowed quite a bit in the past couple years. I can get by on about half the food I used to. But it's as if ,at the same time, I have a much easier time building muscle than I used to. I have always been thin but with that little roll beneath the belly button, or as the wife calls it "the chub". That would be a tough spot to whip into shape.
I had to put a mental picture with that statement. At first I was entertaining the thought of a little brown kid in a tribal desert village (it's a big board,ya know). But no, Kentucky is great. I remember a funeral for one of my relatives in a cow pasture on a beautiful hillside. I remember noting that many of the people there looked as if they hadn't had running water, either. All true, I swear it.
