You’ve seen and envied washboard abs on both lean and muscular guys as well as on toned, flatstomached women. A ripped six-pack set of abs is something most young people aim for. Perhaps you’re wondering what you might have to go through to get your abdominal muscles to ‘rock’ (pun intended)! It’s not so diffi cult to attain this rock-hard set of mid-section muscles; that is, only if you work wholeheartedly at it.
The secret to killer abs
To burn excess stomach fat, you will need to burn fat from your whole body through a series of cardiovascular exercises like using the treadmill or aerobics. Crunches would probably be the first thing that come to mind when one thinks of hot abs. It’s true; crunches are very effective if you are set on getting toned abs. However, there are five abdominal muscles that need attention, out of which some are not even affected by crunches. Yasmin Karachiwala, fitness professional and Pilates expert at Body Image Gym says, “In order to achieve a flat midriff , one has to be under a good food plan and exercise regime.” Basic crunches, planks, reverse curls and oblique crunches are very effective gym exercises that are needed to kick-start your ab muscle development. It is advisable to do 2-3 sets per exercise and 8-15 repetitions per set with extra resistance for a more challenging and effective workout. Weight training like dead lift s, squats, bench and bench/shoulder presses for three days a week is also vital to maintain the muscle that you have built.
Pilates is currently a hot form of exercise and many people swear by it. “The main focus of Pilates is your core, which comprises all the muscles in your abs and lower back. Pilates is one of the best forms of exercise for anyone who wants to work on their abs,” says Karachiwala.
Girish Patil, a personal trainer at Body Image Gym believes that besides proper nutrition and your exercise regime, rest and recovery are important factors when it comes to making your abs pop. “You need at least eight hours of sleep to unveil your six-pack since lack of sleep may disrupt the hormones responsible for burning fat. However, while three nights of poor sleep may cause your muscle cells to become resistant to the body’s insulin hormone, oversleeping leads to fat storage around the belly. Consume nutritious, protein-rich food like chicken, egg whites, fish and whey protein shakes to achieve good results. The mount of daily protein intake for males should be 1.5- 2gms/kg of your body weight, while for females it should preferably be 1-1.5gm/kg,” advises Patil.
Superstar Stomachs
Globally, most people in the entertainment industry strive for a great set of abs. In fact, the famed six-pack is all the rage in Bollywood. Shah Rukh Khan worked out daily so that he could flaunt his hard-earned, rippedabs in Om Shanti Om, while John Abraham fl aunted his chiselled 6-pack in Dostana. Akshay Kumar credits his toned torso and six-pack to shadow boxing, kick boxing and his strict cardio routine. Salman Khan, also known as the original six-pack man and one who enjoys his fitness regimes, has maintained his tough tummy for over 20 years! In fact, much hullabaloo was made when he was asked to lose his iconic six-pack for the movie Dabaang. Says Karachiwala, who has successfully trained many a star, “In my opinion Hrithik Roshan has the best looking abs in Bollywood.” Bollywood belles like Shilpa Shetty and Bipasha Basu are known for their flat abs. “I trained Katrina Kaif for her famous song Sheila ki Jawani where the focus was solely on her abs. To obtain that look I had put her on a very strict food plan, consisting of egg whites, fish, vegetables, fruits and cereal for breakfast. Her workout routine included functional training, Pilates and cardio,” explains Karachiwala.
“Losing belly flab is a boring process. It requires time, hard work and dedication. Take the right step every single day and you’ll ultimately carve your six-pack,” concludes Patil.
COMMON MYTH
If you do a million ab exercises, you will have fantastic abs in no time Why? Going overboard on ab exercises and vertaxing your muscles doesn’t achieve results any faster than if you maintain a balanced, but goodquality, exercise routine
CELEB HOT BODS
Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, Salman Khan, Lara Dutta, John Abraham, Emraan Hashmi, Megan Fox, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel
TIP SHEET
- Avoid working on your abs every day; your abs need rest too.
- Follow your exercise regime.
- Stick to a low-calorie diet. Avoid junk food.
- Be disciplined in your workout.
Volume 1 Issue 3
