Clients come to FFA with a variety of goals from individual fitness goals, weight loss and toning through to training for a specific event. However, many clients also come with unique aesthetic goals – and most of those are centered on defined abs. By training smart and staying focused, here are my top 3 tips for the ultimate 6-pack.
Mix it up
If you are guilty of repeating the same 3-4 exercises over and over again, then you are definitely not alone. However, this could be the reason you are not seeing the results you want. Your muscles are probably as bored as you are during your workout. Give them (and you) some variety and spice up your routine. Try moving from leg raises to toe-to-bars, or how about swapping your sit-ups for gliders. Make sure you are always pushing yourself – add weights to your exercises, add time to your planks and alternate the number of reps to really hit the muscles you need to.
Abs are made in the kitchen
This saying could not be truer than when it comes to a defined core. Ignoring nutrition will mean that your results will be hampered right from the start. Without a balanced diet and the right training nutrition in place, that 6-pack is out of reach. Cutting out doesn’t mean cutting back and skipping meals though. When it comes to abdominals it is all about clean eating. It is important to eat whole foods that are free of refined sugars and are as close to their natural state as possible. You should also ensure that the foods have all the nutrients you require and in the right quantities.
A rest is as good as a change.
If you have been training hard, then ease up and relax – this allows your body to take the rest it needs for recovery. It is true that training is essential to make inroads into shifting body fat and achieving that visible result on your core training. In order to see results, (whilst sometimes easier said than done) you should be getting 7-8 hours of good quality sleep each night. During these periods of sleep, your body builds muscle fibre. Sleep also aids metabolism – as well as the added benefits of decreasing stress levels.
A Personal trainer can guide you through the right program for body shaping and toning to achieve your goals and have those abs fit for anything!