Coach Daniel. Talk about walking the...talk.
The sixpack highway to a jaw-dropping midsection
Attaining a six-pack is, together with losing virginity, on the top of da list for many teenage boys. Hoping that a six pack will take care of the other. If things were that easy. I can't help with that unfortunately but here are some tips for how to make the abs more visible.
1. Take care of your diet.
You have to reach a bodyfat percentage between 6-10. Depends on your body fat distribution and the size of the individual segments of the rectus abdominis muscle (genetically determined).
-Aim for an energy deficit of 400-600 kcal/day
-Keep protein intake relatively high, 2-2.5 g/kg bodyweight.
-Fat intake should be in the range of 20-30% of you total calory intake.
-Fill up the rest with carbs.
-Focus mainly on high satiety whole foods such as fruits/berries, veggies, lean protein sources like fish/seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs and low fat dairy. Good carb sources are potatoes, sweet potatoes, white rice and oatmeal.
-Include 1-2 cheat meals per week. They will be of psychological benefit and help you stay on track.
And besides, what would life be without an occasional beer, a nice dessert or some Saturday candy (a Swedish thing).
2. Strength train 3-4 days per week
-When dieting you should lower the training volume slightly to ensure proper recovery, but maintain intensity. You want to keep your muscles, and the best way to go is with heavy strength training. Aim for no or a mimimal strengtgh loss during a diet. If you keep your strength, then you'll most likely keep your precious muscles.
3. Train abs 2-3 days per week with proper exercises
-Good exercises are the abs wheel, hanging leg raises and weighted crunches.
-Do 2 exercises per session in the 8-15 (-20) rep range and focus on maximal ab tension, and minimal low back discomfort.
4. Give it enough time – patience is your best friend and wingman
-Aim for losing 2-3 kg/month. It'll go faster at the beginning and then more slowly as you progress towards single digit body fat percentage.
How 'bout cardio?
Stick mainly with low intensity activities like walking and bicycling. If you have conditioning goals too, then it's a different topic. Anyhow, cardio is not a good way itself to lose fat, because it tends to increase the appetite making it more difficult to stay on the right diet track. As long as you keep it under check you'll be fine, but 3-4 days of low intensity cardio á 20-40 minutes may be just about right.
That simple?
It's simple but not easy – getting a six pack takes time, energy and effort. Like most things in life.
Written by Erik Lavesson
© Copyright Fit and Lean
