Getting Abs

When we speak of getting abs, we usually dream of growing a nice six pack of abdominal muscles like we admire in magazines and on TV. To get there you have to follow two major training guidelines: lose fat and build muscle. The methods used for these two purposes coincide up to a certain point, however, you cannot lose weight by performing abdominal exercises only, no matter how complex you make them. Full-body training helps you burn fat, while specialized exercises increase muscle mass and strength.

You need cardiovascular training to burn fat: run, jog, ride the bike, row the boat, go swimming, dance and so on! The important thing is to increase the heart rate and thus pump more blood in the veins, with more oxygen. The higher the oxygenation, the better the metabolic boost. Another advantage of full body cardio training is that more blood reaches the muscles, carrying the nutrients necessary for muscle mass enhancement. Any body building effort should be supported by cardio training.

Diet is another element that counts even if it doesn't seem too important for getting abs. The normal exercises used for increasing the abdominal muscles are classified in several categories: crunches, sit ups, core training, V-leg exercises, leg lifts and several others. There are higher health benefits in getting abs than you even suspect. The effects go deeper than the great looks of the six pack. The abdominal and core muscles are in fact responsible for the body posture, the health of the spine and the amount of effort you are able to cope with.

This should make you give up the idea that abdominals are just for show. You should actually come up with a training routine that aims at more than getting abs. Besides crunches and sit ups, you should perform deadlifts and squats to train the make the core muscles stronger and thus, enjoy a better shape from all points of view. At present there is lots of challenging equipment in gyms throughout the country that you can use to reach your goal.

Moreover, in an organized environment, getting abs is easier and safer, because there is a coach that guides you through all the training stages. The correct position on gym machines is essential out of safety concerns. With an incorrect body posture, you can cause serious injury to some body part different from the one you train. Keep this in mind the next time you go to the gym, so that you avoid the pitfalls of body building!