5 Tips To A Flat Stomach And Rock Hard Abs

I want to give you 5 weird tips you might not know when it comes to getting a flat stomach and firm abs.



#1 - The best interval training work-to-rest ratio for losing belly fat might be 1-to-1.5.

In an Australian study, researchers found that doing intervals for 8 seconds followed by 12 seconds of rest resulted in significantly more belly fat burning than long slow cardio.

Now I know that 8 seconds on and 12 seconds off sounds a little annoying (just try doing that on a machine), but the good news is that these researchers found that going for 24 seconds followed by a 36 second rest works just as well for boosting fat burning hormones.

#2 - Dr. Chris Mohr's #1 weird diet tip is...

I just finished up a 2-part fat loss nutrition interview with Dr. Mohr and he told me that his simple, yet slightly weird #1 diet tip for fat loss is...

"Get almost all of your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables."

I really liked that tip because I've been telling people this for years, and it's part of the Fat Loss Foundation you'll discover as part of the Simple Nutrition manual in the TT Abs package here:

====> Turbulence Training For Abs

Oh, and here's my weird blender drink recipe I mentioned earlier...

The Supercharged Strawberry-Banana blender drink:

1 ripe banana, frozen strawberries, spinach, flax oil (trust me, you can't taste the spinach OR the flax seed oil), cashew butter, chocolate vegetarian protein powder, and almond milk.

It was one of the best recipes I've made in a while.

#3 - You need to be able to do a Plank exercise for 2 minutes.

Dr. Stuart McGill, the world's leading expert on low back health, says in his book that a person with fit abs should be able to do a plank exercise for 2 minutes straight.

If you can't do the plank for 2 minutes, then you need to lose belly fat and you need to get a program that works your abs properly.

The best program for you is the follow-along Turbulence Training for Abs DVDs here:

=====> Turbulence Training For Abs

(You'll also get the Simple Nutrition Manual & DVD as a bonus and you'll save big bucks on the DVDs until Wednesday night.)

#4 - New research shows that supersets training burns more calories than traditional straight set resistance training.

And that's exactly what you'll get in every Turbulence Training workout, including the TT for Abs DVDS.

The TT programs save you time (getting you done in half the time of a traditional resistance workout) while helping you burn more fat.

#5 - To see your abs, a man will need to be close to 10% fat and a woman will need to be at about 16% fat.

Of course, the more muscle you have, the easier it will be too see your abs, so you'll still be able to see a 4-pack on muscular guys when they have 12-13% fat.

But the bottom line is that you need to use the Simple Nutrition plan combined with the Turbulence Training for Abs workouts to burn belly fat to see your sexy abs.

BONUS Tip - A great way to work your abs harder than normal planks  is the Stability Ball Plank.

Research reported in Men's Health magazine reported this exercise to be 30% harder on your abs than a regular plank.

And last Friday I used an interesting technique with this exercise that caused my abs to be sore for days. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Dieting Rules For That Six Pack Abs Look

The Healthy Eating Rules toget that six pack abs look. You know what I mean that lean, strong, energetic, fit and healthy body you have always wanted. This is where it all starts(and sometimes ends) with your nutrition.


"There is no better time than now. The time to live is now. The time to dream is now. The time to imagine and forget the past is now. The time to shine is now. The time to bleed, sweat, and determine yourself for the things you want most is now."

What are your main Fat loss objectives?

1) Thunder thighs

2) Stomach Fat

3) Love Handles

4) Man Boobs

5) Flabby Arm Fat

6) All of the above

More than likely your problem is how to burn body fat. Yes most people have particular areas (as in the above list) but it comes down to a total body fat loss, weight loss and building lean muscle.

If you know anything about losing weight it is this you can't spot reduce. That is if stomach fat is your main problem doing hundreds of Ab crunches will not reduce your stomach fat. Focusing on specific Ab exercises is only helpful after you lose that layer of fat covering your Ab's.

Here's the deal!! It is only by losing overall body fat that you will then be able to see your Ab's and the overall musculature that you've been hiding.

So What are the keys to Fat Burning?

1) Diet and when I say Diet (actually diet is a poor choice of a word for this ) what I really want you to think of is eating clean and healthy.

First Let me let you in on a little secret

You don't have to have the absolute perfect diet. Yes you need to kick the junk food habit (my weakness is peanut M&M's) but you know what? I still allow myself to indulge in them from time to time.

Stay away from the fast food joints they are killers. It is a matter of developing a clean eating plan, planning out your meals a few days ahead of time helps a lot.

Portion control is usually the biggie. I am sure you have heard the best meal plan for losing fat is eating 5-6 meals a day. The key to this is your eating smaller portions spread out through the day.

You can essentially eat breakfast ( eat the bulk of your carbs early in the day) lunch and dinner but inbetween have 2-3 snacks a day. Snacks consisting of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grain products, non fat milk products.

Some benefits of snacking:

1) Healthy snacks provide fiber and nutrients your body needs.

2) You can curb the feeling of hunger or starvation right before a meal, which prevents overeating. Snacking may help you eat smaller portions and reduce your calorie intake.

Here is some calorie numbers for some healthy snacks:

Banana 1 medium banana - 118g Calories: 105

Apple 6.5oz Calories: 96

Raw Almonds 20 almonds Calories: 139

3) Though individual calorie needs vary, your body needs fewer calories as you age.

4) Eating smaller meals more often may help you stay on track.

Eating clean is a matter of determination and motivation if you want that thinner body there are certain sacrifices you must make. I can tell you that once you get into the habit and seeing that lean athletic body in the mirror everyday you will wonder why you didn't do this sooner.

5) Stick to your nutrition plan 90% of the time using the 90% Compliance guidelines.

How does this work?

Well, let's say you are on a 2000 calorie per day diet. To hit 90% compliance, that means 1800 calories must come from fruits, veggies, nuts, and protein, leaving you 200 calories "to play with".

You can either have a 200 calorie treat each day, or save up 200 calories for 3-4 days straight and have a 600-800 calorie reward meal every 3-4 days.

There is no time like the present

Right Now Set The Date Lose the Weight

Just picture this for a moment: In 30 short days from now you look in the mirror and there it is - Or actually there it isn't. It's You with 8-10 lbs less body fat. Close your eyes right now see it and focus on it. Imagine how you will feel with what you have accomplished.

Go to my new website for more articles and tips How To Get That Six Pack Abs Look
Oh and save your money for those new and smaller clothes you are going to need to buy.

The Secret To Permanent Weight Loss? Knowledge

Knowledge Is Power! Learning Permanent Weight Loss! part 1 By Will Brink

I have a great article for you today. It is a very in depth look at how you can learn for yourself about fat loss and diet plans and whether they will work for you. Not for the short term but to get you permanent results.

This article is by Will Brink a respected author, consultant and trainer. I have had to split this article in half it is a long read. But it is very important for anyone looking for permanent weight loss. So here is part 1 Jag252

Most people who read my articles and e-books know me as a science guy who likes to quote studies and apply research to everyday problems such as weight loss, bodybuilding, and other health/fitness related topics. However, sometimes you have to step back from the science and look at the big picture to help bring people back into focus, so they can see the forest for the trees, so to speak.

For most people reading this article, finding an effective diet that works most of the time must seem as complicated as nuclear physics. It’s not, but there are a bewildering number of choices for diets out there. High fat or no fat? High carbohydrate or no carbohydrate? Low protein or high protein?

To make matters worse, there are a million variations and combinations to the above diet scenarios to add to the confusion. It seems endless and causes many people to throw up their hands in frustration and give up. In this article I will attempt to change all that.

There are some general guidelines, rules of thumb, and ways of viewing a diet program that will allow you to decide, once and for all, if it’s the right diet for you. You may not always like what I have to say, and you should be under no illusions this is another quick fix, “lose 100 lbs. in 20 days,” guide of some sort.

However, if you are sick and tired of being confused, tired of taking the weight off only to put it back on, and tired of wondering how to take the first steps to deciding the right diet for you that will result in permanent weight loss, then this is the article that could change your life…

Do you need to be a scientist to apply what you will learn here? No. A mind reader or clairvoyant? No.

A nutritionist or medical doctor? Not at all. What you need to be is open-minded and willing to learn a few key concepts that will allow you to sort through the confusion.You will be able to apply what you learn here to any diet you are considering and decide if it makes sense, once and for all!

The process, however, is neither easy nor quick per se, but I never promise you either of those things…This article does not look at specific diets but will teach you to take a logical approach and apply some common sense to choosing a nutritional plan for life long weight loss.

If you are willing and able to make a paradigm shift, then let’s proceed.

Does your diet pass “The Test”?

What is the number one reason diets fail long term; above all else?

The number one reason is…drum roll…a lack of long term compliance. The numbers don’t lie; the vast majority of people who lose weight will regain it - and often exceed what they lost. You knew that already didn’t you?

Yet, what are you doing to avoid it? Here’s another reality check: virtually any diet you pick which follows the basic concept of “burning” more calories then you consume – the well accepted “calories in calories out” mantra – will cause you to lose weight. To some degree, they all work: Atkins-style, no carb diets, low fat high carb diets, all manner of fad diets - it simply does not matter in the short term.

If your goal is to lose some weight quickly, then pick one and follow it. I guarantee you will lose some weight. Studies generally find any of the commercial weight loss diets will get approximately the same amount of weight off after 6 months to a year.

For example, a recent study found the Atkins’ Diet, Slim-Fast plan, Weight Watchers Pure Points program, and Rosemary Conley’s Eat Yourself Slim diet, were all equally effective.

Other studies comparing other popular diets have come to essentially the same conclusions. For example, a study that compared the Atkins diet, the Ornish diet, Weight Watchers, and The Zone Diet, found them to be essentially the same in their ability to take weight off after one year.

Recall what I said about the number one reason diets fail, which is a lack of compliance. The lead researcher of this recent study stated: “Our trial found that adherence level rather than diet type was the primary predictor of weight loss”

Translated, it’s not which diet they chose per se, but their ability to actually stick to a diet that predicted their weight loss success. I can just see the hands going up now, “but Will, some diets must be better than others, right?”

Are some diets better then others? Absolutely. Some diets are healthier then others, some diets are better at preserving lean body mass, some diets are better at suppressing appetite – there are many differences between diets. However, while most of the popular diets will work for taking weight off, what is abundantly clear is that adhering to the diet is the most important aspect for keeping the weight off long term.

What is a diet?

A diet is a short term strategy to lose weight. Long term weight loss is the result of an alteration in lifestyle. We are concerned with life long weight management, not quick fix weight loss here. I don’t like the term diet, as it represents a short term attempt to lose weight vs. a change in lifestyle.

Want to lose a bunch of weight quickly? Heck, I will give you the information on how to do that here and now for no charge.

For the next 90 to 120 days eat 12 scrambled egg whites, one whole grapefruit, and a gallon of water twice a a day. You will lose plenty of weight. Will it be healthy? Nope. Will the weight stay off once you are done with this diet and are then forced to go back to your “normal” way of eating? Not a chance. Will the weight you lose come from fat or will it be muscle, water, bone, and (hopefully!) some fat? The point being, there are many diets out there that are perfectly capable of getting weight off you, but when considering any eating plan designed to lose weight, you must ask yourself:

“Is this a way of eating I can follow long term?”

Which brings me to my test: I call it the “Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?” Test. I know, it does not exactly roll off your tongue, but it gets the point across.The lesson here is: any nutritional plan you pick to lose weight must be part of a lifestyle change you will be able to follow - in one form or another - forever.

That is, if it’s not a way of eating you can comply with indefinitely, even after you get to your target weight, then it’s worthless.

Thus, many fad diets you see out there are immediately eliminated, and you don’t have to worry about them. The question is not whether the diet is effective in the short term, but if the diet can be followed indefinitely as a lifelong way of eating.

Going from “their” way of eating back to “your” way of eating after you reach your target weight is a recipe for disaster and the cause of the well established yo-yo dieting syndrome. Bottom line: there are no short cuts, there is no free lunch, and
only a commitment to a lifestyle change is going to keep the fat off long term.

I realize that’s not what most people want to hear, but it’s the truth, like it or not. The statistics don’t lie: getting the weight off is not the hardest part, keeping the weight off is!

If you take a close look at the many well known fad/commercial diets out there, and you are honest with yourself, and apply my test above, you will find most of them no longer appeal to you as they once did.

It also brings me to an example that adds additional clarity: If you have diet A that will cause the most weight loss in the shortest amount of time but is unbalanced and essentially impossible to follow long term vs. diet B, which will take the weight off at a slower pace, but is easier to follow, balanced, healthy, and something you can comply with year after year, which is superior?

If diet A gets 30 lbs off you in 30 days, but by next year you have gained back all 30 lbs, but diet B gets 20 lbs off you in the next 3 months with another 20 lbs 3 months after that and the weight stays off by the end of that year, which is the better diet?

If you don’t know the answer to those questions, you have totally missed the point of this article and the lesson it’s trying to teach you, and are set up for failure. Go back and read this section again…

By default, diet B is superior. Teach a man to Fish…

A well known Chinese Proverb is;Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

This expression fits perfectly with the next essential step in how to decide what eating plan you should follow to lose weight permanently. Will the diet plan you are considering teach you how to eat long term, or does it spoon-feed you information? Will the diet rely on special bars, shakes, supplements or pre-made foods they supply?

Let’s do another diet A vs. diet B comparison. Diet A is going to supply you with their foods, as well as their special drink or bars to eat, and tell you exactly when to eat them. You will lose – say – 30 lbs in two months.

Diet B is going to attempt to help you learn which foods you should eat, how many
calories you need to eat, why you need to eat them, and generally attempt to help teach you how to eat as part of a total lifestyle change that will allow you to make informed decisions about your nutrition.

Diet B causes a slow steady weight loss of 8 -10 lbs per month for the next 6 months and the weight stays off because you now know how to eat properly.

Recall the Chinese proverb. Both diets will assist you to lose weight. Only one diet, however, will teach you how to be self-reliant after your experience is over. Diet A is easier, to be sure, and causes faster weight loss than diet B, and diet B takes longer and requires some thinking and learning on your part.

However, when diet A is over, you are right back where you started and have been given no skills to fish. Diet companies don’t make their profits by teaching you to fish, they make their money by handing you a fish so you must rely on them indefinitely or come back to them after you gain all the weight back.

Learning Permanent Weight Loss! part 1 check back soon for part 2

Will Brink has over 15 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published. Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies. His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors. Will is the author of the popular e-books, both acommpanied by private members forum access , Bodybuilding Revealed & Fat Loss Revealed.

Free 7-day Fat Loss Certification Course

Subject: "Free Fatloss Course and Book!"

Wow. Jon Benson has lost his mind. And you have nothing to lose but your excess bodyfat

This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time.

Fitness pro Jon Benson released a bombshell last week on the fat-burning world.

He is giving away a book's worth of material in his freee 7-Day Personal Fat Loss Certification Course.

Freee... and get this: Anyone who completes the course gets his book "The Radical Fatloss Blueprint" freee as well.

So there's nothing to buy at all... in fact you get tons of freee stuff AND you can even earn bucks in the program.

It's just too cool for words.

So go see it for yourself:

Free Fat Loss 7-Day Certification Course
After the course, you get his "Radical Fatloss Blueprint" freee too. This is all about how he and a group of "guinea pigs" experimented with natural techniques and got up to 21 lbs of unwanted bodyfat off in just 21 days.

The average was 17.5, but some people got as much as 30 lbs off.

All with little to no muscle lost.

It then outlines the 'exact' workout and supplement "feeding" schedule Jon still uses to get into top shape in 21 days.

This is down to the 'hour'... and it includes home workouts or gym workouts. Your choice.

This is his gift to my readers, and I am thrilled to share it with you.

Here you go:

Your Free 7-Day Certification Course

6 Pack Abs In 2009: Excess Stomach Fat Is More Dangerous Than You Think

Stomach Fat even more dangerous than you thought.

Did you know that the vast majority of people in this day and age have excess abdominal fat? The first thing that most people think of is that their extra abdominal fat is simply ugly, is covering up their abs from being visible, and makes them self conscious about showing off their body.

However, what most people don't realize is that excess abdominal fat in particular, is not only ugly, but is also a dangerous risk factor to your health. Scientific research has clearly determined that although it is unhealthy in general to have excess body fat throughout your body, it is also particularly dangerous to have excess abdominal fat.

There are two types of fat that you have in your abdominal area. The first type that covers up your abs from being visible is called subcutaneous fat and lies directly beneath the skin and on top of the abdominal muscles.

The second type of fat that you have in your abdominal area is called visceral fat, and that lies deeper in the abdomen beneath your muscle and surrounding your organs. Visceral fat also plays a role in giving certain men that "beer belly" appearance where their abdomen protrudes excessively but at the same time, also feels sort of hard if you push on it.

Both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat in the abdominal area are serious health risk factors, but science has shown that having excessive visceral fat is even more dangerous than subcutaneous fat. Both of them greatly increase your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, various forms of cancer, and other degenerative diseases.

Part of the reason visceral fat is particularly dangerous is that it apparently releases more inflammatory molecules into your body on a consistent basis.

If you care about the quality of your life and your loved ones, reducing your abdominal fat should be one of your TOP priorities! There's just no way around it. Besides, a side effect of finally getting rid of all of that excessive ugly abdominal fat is that your stomach will flatten out, and if you lose enough stomach fat, you will be able to visibly see those sexy six pack abs that everyone wants.

So what gets rid of extra abdominal fat? The first thing you must understand is that there is absolutely NO quick fix solution. There are no pills or supplements of any sort that will help you lose your abdominal fat faster. Also, none of the gimmicky ab rockers, rollers, or ab belts will help get rid of abdominal fat either. You can't spot reduce your stomach fat by using any of these worthless contraptions. It simply doesn't work that way.

The only solution to consistently lose your abdominal fat and keep it off for good is to combine a sound strategic nutritious diet full of unprocessed natural foods with a properly designed exercise program that stimulates the necessary hormonal and metabolic response within your body. Both your food intake as well as your training program are important if you are to get this right.

I've actually even seen a particular study that divided thousands of participants into a diet-only group and an exercise/diet group. While both groups in this study made good progress, the diet-only group lost significantly LESS abdominal fat than the diet & exercise combined group.

Now the important thing to realize is that just any old exercise program will not necessarily do the trick. The majority of people that attempt getting into a good exercise routine are NOT working out effectively enough to really stimulate the loss of stubborn abdominal fat. I see this everyday at the gym.

Most people will do your typical boring cardio routines, throw in a little outdated body-part style weight training, and pump away with some crunches and side bends, and think that they are doing something useful for reducing their abdominal fat. Then they become frustrated after weeks or months of no results and wonder where they went wrong.

Well, the good news is that I've spent over a decade researching this topic, analyzing the science, and applying it "in the trenches" with myself as well as thousands of my clients from all over the world to see what works to really stimulate abdominal fat loss.

The entire solution... all of the nutritional strategies, as well and training sequences, exercise combinations, and more have all been compiled in my Truth About Six Pack Abs Program.

Keep in mind that the point of this whole program is NOT abdominal exercises (that is only a very small portion of it). The main point of this program is showing you the absolute most effective strategies for losing your stubborn abdominal fat, so you can get rid of that dangerous health risk, as well as get a flatter more defined midsection.

If you follow the guidelines, you WILL lose your belly fat that has been plaguing you for years. This is not guesswork... it is a proven system that works time and time again for all of my clients on every corner of the globe that actually apply the information I teach. If you apply it, the results will come. It's really that simple.

The only reason most people fail in their fitness goals is that they have good intentions at first to adopt a new lifestyle, yet after a few weeks or months, they abandon their good intentions and slip right back into their old bad habits that gave them the excess body fat in the first place.

I want to help you succeed in finally getting rid of that extra abdominal fat that is not only UGLY, but also DANGEROUS. A lot of people have emailed me with questions about whether they need any special equipment, if they're too old or too young for this program, etc. I've made a page that should answer all of your questions...

I would like to thank Mike Geary How To Get That Six Pack Abs Look for this article

Get More Sleep To Lose More Body Fat

Better Sleep Equals Less Body Fat!



I hope you're doing well and enjoying your good health, energy, and lean body!

Let's take a step away today from the normal discussions about various training techniques or nutrition ideas, and look at another vitally important aspect in your life that plays an important role in your success with your fitness goals. And that aspect is...

How well do you sleep?

I've noticed that one of the challenges for many people in their fitness endeavors is getting enough quality sleep each night. In case you didn't already know, the quality and quantity of your sleep each night is VERY important to maintaining an optimal hormonal balance within your body and keeping your metabolism as high as possible. Obviously, this all translates into a leaner you, if you are sleeping well regularly.

On the other hand, if you never seem to get enough sleep, or don't sleep well enough to give your body the rest and recuperation it needs, you can count on the fact that this lack of sleep is making you fatter! That's right, the lack of quality sleep creates a fat-storing hormonal mess inside your body. The fact is, the stats show that most people don't get enough sleep regularly, and also don't sleep as soundly as they should.

Aside from sleeping disorders, most people simply don't get enough sleep because they have a hard time shutting down their minds at night, which leaves them lying there in bed tossing and turning with thoughts about the stresses of their daily lives shooting through their heads. Does this happen to you?

This has actually been a problem for me personally, but I've started to gain control of this with a few secrets I've learned, and now I can usually fall asleep pretty fast each night. Here are some of the tricks I've used to fall asleep easier each night. Some of these you've probably heard before, but others may be new ideas for you.

1. Try not to exercise intensely within about 2 hours or so of your normal bedtime. However, getting regular daily exercise at any other time of the day will help tire you out so that you can fall asleep easier once bed time comes.

2. Don't try to go to sleep hungry. Contrary to popular belief, just because you eat after 6 or 7 pm does not mean it's going to be instantly deposited as blubbery body fat. As a matter of fact, a lot of very lean people that I know eat small meals right before they go to bed each night. A light healthy snack 30-90 minutes before you hit the pillows will help satisfy your hunger and help you fall asleep easier.

3. Avoid stimulants like caffeine any time after late-afternoon.

4. Try chamomile tea and/or mint tea an hour or two before bed time. These generally have a relaxing effect and can help you calm down at night. I recently found a tea product called "bed time tea", which combines chamomile and mint in the tea bags. I add in just a little touch of raw honey too and this combo really seems to relax me.

5. Try ground nutmeg in capsules an hour or two before bed. Nutmeg is supposed to also have a calming effect on the body. What I've done is buy a couple rounds of whole nutmeg and use a strong coffee grinder to grind them into powder. Then I fill empty capsules with the nutmeg and take a couple each night. Two whole nutmeg rounds will fill a couple dozen capsules, so I store them in a ziplock in the fridge. I'm not totally sure if this helps or not, but it certainly can't hurt, and nutmeg is at least a good source of antioxidants too!

6. Try to clear your mind of daily stresses and things you need to do. This has been my biggest obstacle to overcome in order to fall asleep at night. One thing that helps is to use a note pad to write down what I need to do the next day. That helps me clear my mind and reassure that I won't forget anything, so that I can relax. Instead of thinking about my day, or what I need to do tomorrow, I simply wipe my mind clean, and think about a relaxing place that I enjoy, like a tropical beach, or lying on a hammock in the breeze somewhere. If I can keep my mind on something relaxing like this, and not my daily worries, I fall asleep like a champ!

I know there are many other strategies that people use to help fall asleep, but I figured I'd just give you a few of the tricks that have helped me out with conquering this. Whatever you do, please try to keep it natural... taking sleep aid drugs will almost always have adverse side effects.

So do yourself a favor and pull the plug on the late-night talk shows or late-night Seinfeld re-runs (although that Kramer does crack me up!), and try to get to sleep a little earlier from now on. Clear your mind, relax, and enjoy some good quality sleep that will keep your body leaner and have you feeling more energy filled during each day. Good luck!

This ezine issue was sponsored by Natural Sleep Secrets - an innovative program to help you fall asleep fast and get deep restful sleep every night, without sleeping pills.

I hope this discussion has given you some ideas on how to fall asleep easier at night. Remember, more quality sleep equals a healthier, happier, and leaner you!

Get That Six Pack Abs Look

How to build some muscle to get that six pack abs look.

Even if your goal isn't to get six pack abs you more than likely are going for the flat, fat free toned abs. For too many of us it's a dream that seems to be a never ending quest.

Keeping with our total body conditioning workouts here are 3 exercises you can easily do at home to help with that six pack abs look.

1) Mountain Climbers

Mountain Climbers should be performed in 30 seconds. How you can go about this is to lie on the floor with top push-up position. In this way, only your hands and feet are touching the floor. Then, brace your abs by flexing one of your knees and bringing it towards your chest. Return the knee to the starting position and repeat the same routine for the other knee. Do this in a swift tempo as though you are running or as though you are climbing a mountain for about 30 seconds.

2) Burpees

Stand up in a normal position as straight possible. Then slowly progress into a normal bodyweight squat. Once you reach the bottom, put your hans on the floor and throw your feet back so you are in the push-up position. Do a push-up( if your conditioning allows) return to starting position. Yeah you got it the old squat thrust from high school.

3) Kettlebell Swing

Stand up straight with your feet just slightly wider than your shoulders while holding one kettlebell(we are doing a two handed kettlebell swing). Flex at the hips as you swing the kettlebell between your legs. Then quickly and explosively flex your gluteus maximus (your largest muscles on your bottom) and swing the kettlebell up to chest level. Perform the kettlebell swing for about 10 reps.

For a more detailed explanation and video of how to do the kettlebell swing check out Kbells The kettlebell Training Page

After you have finished with the kettlebell Swing exercise, rest for about 20 to 30 seconds. Then start with the routine of Mountain Climbers again and perform the whole circuit as many times as you can in 4 minutes.

You can perform this circuit of these 3 exercises 2-3 times a week on top of your regular workout. Make this a regular workout and in a short amount of time(along with a healthy eating plan) and soon that six pack abs look will be yours.

Remember total body tconditioning workouts like I have just showed you are the fast track to that six pack abs look.

6 Pack Abs: Are You Wasting Your Time With Cardio Workouts

Are Cardio Workouts Wasting Your Time?

A look into why typical long-duration steady-state cardio exercise routines are not the most effective way to lose body fat.

article by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist


Are you wasting your time with hours and hours of boring cardio workouts each and every week? Well, you should be warned that steady-state cardio exercise is not the best way to get lean and lose fat.

Many people (including many fitness trainers and health professionals) just assume that it's a "fact" that you need cardio exercise for fat loss. The truth is that although cardio can help some people to lose fat simply from burning extra calories and living a healthier lifestyle in general, cardio is not the end-all be-all of fat loss.

In fact, there are types of workouts that can be more effective for losing fat if they are done with the right intensity and with the right types of exercises. Resistance training workouts (weights, bands, bodyweight, etc) as well as certain types of interval training workouts can produce better results if done correctly.

The joints

One problem to be aware of is that excessive cardio exercise such as long distance running can have tremendous impacts on the joints. On the other hand, shorter, but more intense styles of interval training, as well as resistance training can actually strengthen the joints when done properly (instead of wearing down the joints).

The After-burn effect

Also, same-pace cardio does not have the same metabolism-boosting effect and "afterburn" effect that resistance training workouts or interval training workouts have on your body. In studies, it has been shown that a high intensity weight training workout or interval training workout such as sprints or hill sprints can increase the metabolic rate for up to 1-2 days following the workout. This means you burn more calories AFTER the workout compared to a typical cardio routine.

This occurs because these higher intensity forms of training (such as weight training done at high intensity and interval cardio) stimulate muscle tissue to a greater degree and subsequently, the body must do more work to repair and rebuild the muscles throughout the body. This requires more energy and thus the "afterburn effect" of a raised metabolism and higher calorie burn in the 24-48 hours after the workout.

Compare this to a slower, steady-state cardio workout and the studies have shown that this afterburn effect only lasts 1-2 hours instead of 1-2 days as with the higher intensity workouts.

The Fat-Burning Hormonal Effect

Another aspect we must explore is the hormonal effect that certain types of exercise have on your body. With long duration excessive cardio exercise, you can actually go into a catabolic mode and the body starts to produce excess amounts of cortisol. This is not good and can lead to muscle loss and a reduced metabolic rate.

On the other hand, resistance training and high intensity interval training can stimulate muscle building and fat burning hormones in your body due to the stronger effort required by your full body musculature. This is yet another reason that weight training and interval workouts can create a leaner, more toned look in the body compared to focusing mostly on cardio routines.

The Skinny-Fat Appearance

Have you ever noticed someone that does a lot of cardio seemingly almost every day, yet still has that "skinny fat" appearance?

I see it all the time... basically this is where someone appears skinny in their legs, arms, chest, and back, yet has a visible gut in their belly, with excess stomach fat.

This is one of the typical results of someone that spends way too much time with cardio exercise routines instead of focusing more on resistance training and intervals


Ab Truth Are you at last ready to make a change or is it just going to be same old you next year?

How Busy Women Are Getting 6 Pack Abs

The Busy Womans Guide For Six Pack Abs

The trend of getting six-pack abs among women

Getting six-pack abs has become one of the popular choices to keep the body fit and healthy among women. This is because it does not only guarantee a fast way of improving muscle but also the body's endurance and strength as well.

Experts say that for a woman to develop six-pack abs, she must undergo workout training where the exercises are designed for total body conditioning.

Here, the woman's muscles exert force against different forms of resistance like free weights, kettlebell training and interval fat loss training which greatly aids to the development of wonderful six-pack abs as well as total body fat loss.

Strength training as the key to six-pack abs

Women who are looking forward to having six-pack abs must undergo strength training so she can endure all the physical requirements of her goal. To start with, it is ideal to do strength training exercises at least 3 times a week for at least 20 minutes or so to prepare the muscles for more rigorous physical movements.

weight training is still the best course to up your metabolism which will keep your body burning fat off long after your workout is over.

Aside from preparing your body's muscle for more extreme physical exercises, strength training can also give a woman firm muscles for a great looking physique in the future. Studies show that strength training is very important for women who are gearing towards having six-pack abs because it can increase the endurance and strength of the developed muscles that can allow women perform tasks daily with lesser exertion and effort.

This can also improve the working capacity of the muscles but also aids the body's coordination, balance, and blood circulation as well as the strength of the joint, ligaments, and bones.

Experts say that to be able to develop muscle and achieve six-pack abs through strength training, women should always make it a practice to warm up properly before she starts strength training and after she has performed some weight exercises to prepare the joints for the pending motion during the weight lifting.

Stretching is very important for beginners because it can reduce soreness after the exercises and can help prevent cramped muscles while increasing the range of your motion.

Women who are doing workouts to get six-pack abs can do common stretching exercises such as warm-ups that include flexibility and stretching exercises to keep the muscles supple, increase the joints' range of motion, heart rate and body temperature, and blood flow to muscles, enhance flexibility, and improve coordination. Cool-downs are also important to return the heart rate as well as the blood pressure to resting mode gradually. Since they are composed of slow walking and stretching, it can relax the sore muscles during and after the exercise.

After stretching, the strength-training exercises using compound exercises can help women who are into the trend of getting six-pack abs:

Squats

Deadlifts

Presses

Bench Presses

By concentrating on compound exercises you use more muscles in the body at the same time. You might also be surprised to learn how much work your ab muscles get by using compound exercises.


Getting Six Pack Abs and losing body fat is not about doing endless reps of crunches and ab specific exercises. Total body conditioning compound exercises, kettlebell training and interval fat loss training plus healthy eating is the fastest path to six pack abs.

See Also

Ab Truth for workouts, exercises and healthy eating guiges.

Six Pack Abs Total Body Workouts Use Compound Exercises

Body Part Isolation vs. Complex Movements in Strength Training


Working as a fitness professional, there is one type of question I get all the time that shows that many people are missing the big picture regarding the benefits of strength training. This popular question usually goes something like this:

“What exercise can I do to isolate my _______ (insert your muscle of choice – abs, quads, biceps, triceps, etc)?”

It doesn’t matter which muscle someone is asking about, they always seem to be asking how to ‘isolate’ it. My first response to this question is always – “Why in the world would you want to isolate it?”

The first thing I try to teach my clients is that the body does not work well in muscle isolation. Rather, it works better in movements along a kinetic chain; that is, large portions of the body assist other portions of the body in completing a complex movement. In fact, there really is no such thing as true muscle isolation. There is almost always a nearby muscle group that will assist in some way with whatever movement you are doing. However, this article compares attempting to ‘isolate’ body parts via single-joint exercises to the much more effective strategy of performing multi-joint complex movements.

When you attempt to ‘isolate’ muscles by performing single-joint exercises, you are actually creating a body that is non-functional and will be more prone to injury. Essentially, you are creating a body that is a compilation of body parts, instead of a powerful, functional unit that works together.

Now if you really want to end up hobbling around in a body bandaged up with joint problems, tendonitis, and excess body fat, then by all means, continue trying to ‘isolate’ body parts. On the other hand, if you would rather have a lean, muscular, injury-free, functional body that works as a complete powerful unit to perform complex movements (in athletics or even everyday tasks), then you need to shift your focus away from muscle isolation.

Believe me, focusing on how well your body functions will give you the side effect of a body that looks even better than it would have if you focused on muscle isolation. For example, take a look at the physiques of any NFL running backs, wide receivers, or even world class sprinters. Trust me when I say that these guys pretty much NEVER train for muscle isolation (their strength coaches wouldn’t be crazy enough to let them), yet they are absolutely ripped to shreds! Just look at guys like Maurice Green or Terrell Owens and tell me who wouldn’t want a physique like those guys.

Another benefit to moving away from the ‘muscle isolation’ mindset to a more ‘complex movement’ mindset is that you will find it much easier to lose body fat. The reason is that by focusing more on multi-joint complex movements as opposed to single-joint muscle isolation, you not only burn a lot more calories during each workout, but you also increase your metabolic rate, and stimulate production of more fat burning and muscle building hormones like growth hormone and testosterone.

Let’s look at an example. The machine leg extension is a single joint exercise that works mainly the quadriceps, can potentially cause knee joint instability in the long run, and doesn’t even burn that many calories. On the other hand, exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts are all multi-joint complex movements that work hundreds of muscles in the body (including the quadriceps) as a functional unit, create more stable and strong joints in the long run (when done properly), and also burn massive quantities of calories compared to the single-joint exercises.

See Also:

Ab Truth stop wasting your time on countless reps of crunches and other ab isolation exercises. Only by total body conditioning will you get real results.

Losing Stomach Fat For Flat Six Pack Abs

An interview with Mike Geary of The Truth About Abs that will reveal some of the key secrets to losing stomach fat and getting six pack abs much faster...

CB: Mike, you have a site, The Truth About Six Pack Abs. So... what the heck is the truth?

MG: Well, from what I see on a daily basis, one of the most common fitness goals people have is to get a flatter stomach and if possible, achieve some sort of a "six pack abs" appearance to their stomach. Unfortunately, most people struggle for years without ever achieving this goal. Instead, I see so many people waste so much of their time on worthless abdominal exercises, and falling for every gimmick product that comes onto their TV screen promising them a 6-pack in only 2 minutes a day while sitting on their couch.

To be honest, seeing so many people over the years waste their hard earned money on all of these worthless ab gadgets, machines, ab belts, and bogus fat loss pills was really getting under my skin.

That's why I developed my Truth about Six Pack Abs Program. Over the last couple years, this program I developed has gained popularity worldwide, and has now recently become the most popular abs program on the internet with tens of thousands of people in over 100 countries using my system.

So what's the truth? The truth is that people are looking in the wrong direction to achieve this goal... abdominal exercises are NOT the answer to six pack abs! Sounds counterintuitive I know. In fact, ab-specific exercises are the LEAST important training aspect in getting a six pack.

Most people think there must be some magical "underground" abs exercise that is going to finally get them their six-pack after years of struggling.

The fact is, the real solution to seeing a visible six-pack is bringing your body fat percentage down to a low enough level to where the abs become visible. Most people already have them hiding under there and don't know it. This is generally about 10% body fat or lower for men, and about 16-18% for women from my experience.

Heck, even my 7-year old nephew has a six pack... do you think he got that by doing "abs exercises"? No way! He has a six pack because his body fat percentage is extremely low since he's so active running around playing all day at his age.

So the most important aspect to getting visible abs is actually a properly designed full body training program, combined with good nutrition that can be maintained for life (instead of a short-term gimmick diet).

CB: For a beginner, how much focus needs to be on abs? What other exercises would you give them for fat loss?

MG: For beginners, I generally start them off with the most basic bodyweight exercises such as bw squats, bw lunges, bw step-ups, pushups, inverted body rows, along with basic dumbbell exercises like overhead presses, rows, etc. We also work on body stabilizing exercises like planks and side planks and a few stability ball exercises to make sure they've learned to properly engage their entire "core" area in stablizing the body.

CB: What type of cardio/interval training do you use for fat loss?

MG: The programs I design are almost entirely based on high intensity resistance training instead of cardio. In fact, my resistance training workouts get people sweating and huffing and puffing much more than any boring cardio workout ever will.

The bottom line based on research as well as my personal experience... cardio is NOT necessary for fat loss! In fact, some of the leanest people I know NEVER do traditional cardio. Personally, I haven't stepped foot on a treadmill, elliptical machine, or stationary bike in about 8 years and I maintain single digit body fat year round.

Now don't get me wrong about the cardio thing... in reality, I actually work on exercises that are much tougher and more intense than traditional cardio... I prefer wind sprints, hill sprints, swimming sprints, speed rope jumping, etc to complement my resistance training... all of which are more anaerobic in nature than aerobic.

This type of training stimulates a vastly higher metabolic response in the body than steady pace cardio.

Of course, most people can't just jump right into doing wind sprints without injury until they've gotten themselves into pretty good shape first. I use various resistance training methods and interval training for most people before they are ever ready to even attempt any type of sprinting.

CB: Tell us about your favorite bodyweight exercises and how you use them in a fat loss program.

MG: I like to combine bodyweight exercises and free weight exercises into what I call "tri-sets" or "quad-sets" (aka - mini circuits). Basically, I pick 3 or 4 exercises that don't work the same body movements (non-competing) and combine them into high intensity mini-circuits for my clients.

A great example would be:

1. mountain climbers for 20-30 seconds
2. dumbbell squat & presses (combination squat then press overhead)
3. stability ball leg curl-ins
4. stability ball plank holds (a little harder than a floor plank)

This type of circuit can be done without much rest at all between exercises and we would repeat the circuit several times before moving to a new circuit. This creates a high intensity fat burning workout that works almost every muscle in the entire body.

The 2nd part of the abdominals interview will come shortly and we'll cover the most important aspect... nutrition for fat loss!

For More from Mike 6 Pack Abs In 2009

Six Pack Abs The Mistakes You Make Trying To Get That Six Pack

Stop Making It Harder on Your Body
and Start Working WITH Your Body


Think about this... if what you've been doing all these years hasn't been getting you the results you want, doing more of that same thing won't get you any further! If doing 4 hours of cardio a week hasn't worked for you, why do you believe that doing 7 hours of cardio will?

If doing 100 crunches a day hasn't gotten you the results you want, why do you think that doing 200 crunches a day will? Of course you remember that doing the same things over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity!

The truth is that all of these techniques are WRONG and ineffective ways to workout. In fact, doing excessive cardio is actually working against your results because you are stimulating excessive cortisol production in your body and breaking down lean muscle tissue... all of which leads to the slowing down of your metabolic rate over time and deposition of even more belly fat on top of what you already have.

Also, wasting most of your workout time with ineffective abs exercises such as crunches, situps, and torso twists actually goes directly against your fat loss efforts as well. You see, the time you waste with doing all of these fairly ineffective abs exercises, is really just keeping you from doing the truly effective full body exercise combinations that actually stimulate your fat burning hormones and increase your metabolic rate for as much as 24-48 hours after each workout. You don't get that with "ab workouts" or "cardio"!

When you get these types of full body metabolic-surge workouts right, the excess belly fat starts to melt off quicker than you ever could have imagined. Yes, it IS going to take a little work though. You're not going to be able to just be lazy and sit on the couch every day hoping for your dream body to come true. Don't worry though, it's a system that can be applied by anyone, regardless of your age or current conditioning.

95% of Women Make These Same Mistakes Over and Over
Over the last 10 years of training and consulting hundreds of women on nutrition, quite a few patterns started to emerge and I noticed most women were falling into many of the same traps. Some of them I mentioned above with the excess cardio, the time wasted doing crunches & situps, the bogus fat-burner pills, the worthless ab gadgets, the grocery store mistakes, and the failed diets time and time again.

Stephanie and Margo had also fallen into the same traps and struggled with their fitness for years due to these mistakes. But something changed immediately when they starting using the workout and dietary techniques that I revealed to them.

They finally started getting results and losing layer upon layer of ugly body fat after years of struggling to lose even a couple of pounds!

Stop making these mistakes in your drive to lose bodyfat and get those six pack abs. For the best in how to eat and the best workouts check out Your Six Pack Ab quest in 2009

Six Pack Abs How To Get Them

So what's the truth? The truth is that people are looking in the wrong direction to achieve this goal... abs exercises are NOT the answer to six pack abs! Sounds counterintuitive I know. In fact, ab-specific exercises are the LEAST important training aspect in getting a six pack.

Most people think there must be some magical "underground" abs exercise that is going to finally get them their six-pack after years of struggling.

The fact is, the real solution to seeing a visible six-pack is bringing your body fat % down to a low enough level to where the abs become visible. Most people already have them hiding under there and don't know it. This is generally about 10% body fat or lower for men, and about 16-18% for women from my experience.

Heck, even my 7-year old nephew has a six pack... do you think he got that by doing "abs exercises"? No way! He has a six pack because his body fat % is extremely low since he's so active running around playing all day at his age.

So the most important aspect to getting visible abs is actually a properly designed full body training program, combined with good nutrition that can be maintained for life (instead of a short-term gimmick diet).

Start off with the most basic bodyweight exercises such as bw squats, bw lunges, bw step-ups, pushups, inverted body rows, along with basic dumbbell exercises like overhead presses, rows, etc. We also work on body stabilizing exercises like planks and side planks and a few stability ball exercises to make sure they've learned to properly engage their entire "core" area in stablizing the body.

How to get six pack abs get more tips at Ab Truth

How To Get 6 Pack Abs In 2009

6 Pack Abs For You In 2009

Abdominal exercises are one of the hottest, and yet, most controversial topics in the fitness and exercise industry. Hundreds of ab gadgets, gimmicks, and exercise machines have flooded the market for people looking for sexier and flatter abdominals... that sexy six-pack abs appearance that everyone seeks.

The problem is that most of the abdominal exercises that are recommended all over the internet, and in magazines, etc, are not necessarily the best method to get that six-pack abs appearance. First and foremost, the most important aspect for great looking six pack abdominals is losing the extra belly fat that is covering them up. To be honest, most people already have decent abdominals underneath, yet the six-pack abs are simply covered up by all of that extra flabby stomach fat.

Instead of focusing so much on abdominal exercises to make your stomach flatter and more like a six-pack, you will lose much more body fat by focusing the majority of your training time with special combinations of high intensity full-body, multi-joint exercises. The best exercises for losing that abdominal fat and getting 6pack abs are the exercises that work the largest portions of the body at once.

Exercises that work the large muscle groups of the legs, upper and lower back, and chest give you the biggest metabolic bang for your buck in terms of abdominal fat loss. Combining these types of big multi-joint exercises in high intensity super-set, tri-set, or circuit fashion gives you the biggest fat-burning and metabolism boosting response from your workouts and the result being a set of 6 pack abs.

And that is one of the best kept secrets for flat sexy abdominals that are actually visible as a six-pack!

Now when it comes to abdominal-specific exercises, another mistake most people make is mindlessly pumping away with hundreds of crunches and other meaningless abs exercises that barely give your abdominals much resistance to work against. If you want to actually develop your abdominals to the best extent possible, don't waste your time with exercises that you can do more than 20 or 25 reps... that means you are definitely not doing an exercise that provides enough resistance to the abs. Exercises that give you enough resistance to get you down into the 6-15 rep range per set works great for the abs.

Generally, higher resistance abdominal exercises that provide a much larger stimulus to the abs come in the form of exercises that involve raising/curling the legs and pelvis either upward or inward closer to the trunk. A couple great examples of these higher resistance abdominal exercises are hanging leg raises or knee raises using a "pelvic curl up", or an exercise like lying hip thrusts. Many times, the same people that can do 50 or 100 crunches, can't even complete more than 2 or 3 properly executed hanging leg raises.

If you really want tighter flatter abdominals for that six-pack abs look, remember that losing that extra belly fat is the MOST important factor. Also, when it comes to abdominal-specific exercises, always remember higher resistance exercises that involve curling/raising the legs and pelvis upward or inward are what develops the abs to the best extent possible.

How To Get 6 Pack Abs In 2009