Abs: The Holy Grail

Ask anybody what their top training goal is, and more likely than not they will say abs – a great 6 (or 8) pack, a toned stomach and something to show off on the beach. Those that have them will certainly show them off and be proud, and quite rightly so, they will also be the envy of every other person in the gym.

But how to attain this goal? Is it simply having the flexible gym day and monthly pass, of course not! Rather it is the one sign that you have followed both a thorough and full-on training regime and that your diet is spot-on too. You might have to blessed with good genetics to make it all the way on your journey, and those experts at Pay As U Gym would surely be able to offer a beneficial intervention, but here we look at the top tips and tricks into getting a great set of abs…

Rules

It is clear that there are no shortcuts. You need body fat of around 10% or less to have any chance of seeing them and that by itself is difficult to achieve. Is it all about nutrition, training, and consistency, yes to all of these! Those that have attained the Holy Grail have worked harder and more efficiently than everyone else. There are however a few steps that we can all take…So where to start?

Full Body

You need to undertake full body strength training, to increase your metabolic rate by increasing your muscle mass and to reduce your overall body fat percentage, so that your abs have nowhere to hide.

Count Calories

You need to be calorie deficient, i.e. eat less than you use. Whilst this may mean that your gains elsewhere are less than you might hope for, it does mean that your abs will become more visible. Watch your booze intake too (they’re called beer bellies for a reason!)

Cardio

You won’t burn fat without it, so don’t miss it out. It also helps with the calorie deficit target. So dust off that flexible gym day and monthly pass get on the treadmill, hit the roads, or jump in the pool.

Train The Abs

They are muscles just like your biceps and so need targeting with core strength exercises, crunches, plank, leg raises etc. There are many exercises, but train to failure as you would with other muscle groups.

Food

Not only for calories but you need to limit the fat intake and watch any intolerances that you might have as these are known to cause inflammation or water retention around the stomach area, masking the abs.

Hard Graft

You might down a six-pack in a night, but you won’t get one so quick. It takes a lot more time and dedication than you might ever have imagined – why do you think people are so quick to show them off, they truly are the Holy Grail of training.

So, now you know a little more, and moreover realise that you’ll need to do a lot more before you too can show off that badge of honour…but at least for now, you know exactly where to start.