There aren’t many who wouldn’t like a set of ripped abs and a shredded core and many of us will put those hours in at the gym to achieve this. Getting a six-pack isn’t the easiest and it does require a lot of discipline and motivation. Of course diet is exceptionally important- no matter what you do in the gym, if you aren’t eating right you will never see those results. The problem comes when we are eating the right things and hitting the gym regularly, but we aren’t seeing the results we want. It’s a disheartening feeling to know that the work we are doing isn’t paying off. So what can you do if this is the case?
Make sure you’re doing the right exercises. Cardio is fantastic for fat loss and shedding troublesome pounds, however it’s not going to tone you enough to achieve those dream abs. To really shred the core, you need to be getting stuck into some serious resistance and bodyweight training. This type of exercise is what stimulates your muscle fibres and encourages the growth you need. Focus on exercises where you can incorporate weights into the workout.
Loaded Russian Twists are a brilliant way to work the mid-section. Start off as if you were doing a sit-up and lift the top half of your body- this is your starting position. Hold your weight, keeping your arms outstretched and turn your torso to the right until your arms are parallel to the floor. Repeat the move on the left side. Complete ten reps on each side.
Ramp up your Planks. Planks should be a core part of any workout regime as they are an extremely effective way of strengthening and stabilising the core. Side planks will hit your obliques in a big way. Start as if you’re doing a normal plank then turn your body upwards holding yourself up on your left elbow. Hold yourself in this position for as long as you possibly can before switching onto your right elbow.
Achieving a six-pack isn’t easy, however the results will always be worth all that hard work. If you feel that any ab exercise is becoming too easy, find a way to make yourself work harder. Most bodyweight exercises can be adapted to push you further. Give that extra 10 percent and you’ll soon start seeing the results you want!
