subject: 3 Tips To Build Sexy Six Pack Abs [print this page] 3 Tips To Build Sexy Six Pack Abs 3 Tips To Build Sexy Six Pack Abs
Owning a set of 6-pack abs is an incredible feeling for those who have them and the envy of every guy wanting a sexy body. Unfortunately with the misinformation out there it seems that getting a set of 6-pack abs is harder than ever before.
Fundamentals to building rock hard, 6-pack abs There are 3 fundamentals to building 6-pack abs. They include exercise, nutrition and recovery. When it comes to exercise, a combination of cardio and resistance training is required. Since most guys have done endless sets of situps and crunches on their quest to developing 6-pack abs this leaves cardio on the table.
With respect to cardio, many swear that slow and steady jogging is the way to go. While it may make sense to do slow and steady cardio since this is when fat is utilised for energy, it may come as a surprise that this may not be effective in fatloss since the calories are only burned during the cardio session and not the whole day. It's not how many calories from fat that matters, it's the total number of calories from carbs, protein and fat burned throughout the day that matter in the long run. So what would I recommend over medium intensity, steady paced cardio? HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).
HIIT has been shown to burn more calories throughout the day than steady paced cardio as a result of EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). How does one structure their HIIT? By using this example guide below:
1st set - 1 minute walking, 30 seconds sprinting
2nd set - 1 minute walking, 30 seconds sprinting
3rd set - 1 minute walking, 30 seconds sprinting
4th set - 1 minute walking, 30 seconds sprinting
5th set - 1 minute walking, 30 seconds sprinting
6th set - 2 minutes walking, 30 seconds sprinting
With respect to nutrition one should go on a cutting diet. A cutting diet is based primarily on high protein, low carb guidelines. Also take note that water loss may occur. When this happens it's best to measure your bodyfat percentage as weighing doesn't determine the total amount of fat lost. One could measure their bodyfat % with a pair of calipers or a bioelectrical impedance scale.
Lastly, recovery is vital for fat loss. When you sleep at night, hormones such as IGF-1 (Insulin Growth Factor-1), Melatonin and HGH (Human Growth Hormone) are secreted when you're sleeping and aid in fat loss and muscle building. As a rule of thumb 6-8 hours of sleep per night is optimum.
Once you take these 3 aspects of fitness into consideration, you'll be on your way to sexy six pack abs that will turn heads.
