With the amount of information available on the internet, it’s no wonder that it’s incredibly easy to stumble on misleading information.  This is especially true when it comes to exercising.  There are several ab workout myths that are continually circulated.  You can avoid these myths just by knowing what they are, so here are some of the most common ab workout myths and the truth of what actually works.  

• You have to work your abs everyday.  Some people think that the only way to get six pack abs is to do an intense ab workout every day.  Fortunately, this is just a myth.  You don’t have to work your abs everyday to see results.  In fact, it’s actually much more effective to take a day or two off in between workouts.  In order to build muscle, you have to give the muscles plenty of time to rest.  If you’re worried that you won’t see results unless you do something everyday, find other exercises you can do on your off days that don’t work your abs like cardio or upper/lower body exercises.  This way you’re still working out, but you’re giving your abs a rest.

• Hundreds of crunches will give you the best results.  This is another widespread myth.  Getting great abs is not about the number of crunches you can do.  It’s about the quality of those crunches.  If you’re not doing your ab exercises correctly, then you won’t see the best results.  It’s extremely hard to do them correctly when you’re trying to do too many.  So try to focus on doing 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps instead.  This way you can make sure each rep is done properly, and you’ll see better results from your effort.

• Sit ups are a great ab workout.  While sit ups do somewhat work your abs, they’re not the most effective exercise if you want to get ripped.  Sit ups focus more on the strength of your abdominals than making them more defined.  This exercise also doesn’t focus strictly on your abs.  It actually requires the work of other muscle groups as well. This is not what you want when you’re trying to get a six pack.  So choose exercises that will focus solely on you abdominal muscles. 

• You can still eat whatever you want.  This is completely not true.  You may get away with it for a while, but sooner or later the food you eat will catch up with you.  Usually it shows up as a layer of fat that covers your once chiseled abs.  If you want great abs, you have to eat foods that won’t turn into fat around your stomach.  This means you should eat a balanced diet with lean protein, high fiber carbs, plenty of vegetables and fruits, low fat dairy, and the right amount of good fats.  You should limit high fat and high sugar foods to a minimum.

These are not the only misleading myths about six pack abs.  However, these are some of the most popular ones.  Now you know that you’re abs do need rest in between workouts, quantity is not as substitute for quality, sit ups are not the best exercise, and you do have to watch what you eat.  Knowing this information will put you ahead of the curve to make sure that you do everything correctly, so you can see great results.

Everyone wants sexy ripped abs.  For some, however, this seems like only a dream.  Some people assume that to get ripped abs you have to workout for hours every day and spend every waking moment doing crunches.  Fortunately, this is not the case at all.  Getting amazing abs is actually easier than you might think.  In fact, it can be done by following the 3 easy steps below.  

Step One: Diet

 Eating a healthy diet is very important if you want to get ripped abs.  No matter how many crunches you do, you won’t see results if you’re still eating a lot of fattening foods.  Your abs may be ripped, but they’ll be hidden under a layer of fat.  To get rid of this layer of fat, you have to eat well.  This doesn’t mean that you have to starve yourself, or follow some strict diet.  In fact, it’s much more beneficial to you abs if you eat several times a day instead of the normal 3 square meal routine.  Eating several small meals will boost your metabolism and put your body into fat burning mode.  Of course, you also want to be aware of what you eat, not just when you eat.  You can find plenty of guides online that will show you which foods you should eat and what you should avoid. 

Step Two: Cardio/Strength Training 

Adding some cardio and strength training into your workout routine is another important step to get the abs you want.  No matter what anyone tells you, it’s not possible to spot reduce any part of your body.  This means that if you want to lose fat on your abs, you’re going to have to lose it everywhere.  Cardio exercises are a great way to burn fat.  You don’t have to do them everyday either.  Just a few days a week should be enough to see results.  You might want to alternate with strength training exercises.  You may not think that you need strength training if you’re only focusing on your abs, but you do.  The more muscle you build, the more calories you burn.  When you burn calories, you burn extra fat.   A combination of cardio and strength training is a great way to uncover those abs. 

 Step Three: Ab Exercises

 This is probably a no brainer, but just in case you don’t already know, you have to work your abs to see results.  There is no limit to the number of exercises that work your abs.  There are standing exercises, exercises on the floor, exercises on a ball, or even on a machine.  You can pick the exercises that you like to do.  The important thing is to make sure you work every area of your abs.  This usually means that you’ll need to pick a few different exercises to do this.  Make sure that you take the time to learn how to do the exercises properly.  It’s much better to do 10 quality crunches than 100 of them the wrong way.  You’ll see results much faster if you do the exercises correctly.  

Getting ripped abs is not as difficult as some people think.  All you have to do is eat six meals a day that are comprised of healthy low fat foods, follow a good workout routine that includes cardio and strength training exercises, and focus on quality ab exercises.  If you follow these 3 easy steps, you’ll have ripped abs in no time.

Most people are already aware of the many cosmetic benefits of great looking abs.  However there are other benefits of great looking abs as well.  When your abs are in shape, they not only look good, but they’re strong as well.  It’s actually very important to have strong abs.  Here are 5 of the great benefits that will show you why it’s important.

1. Improved posture- There are a number of benefits of having good posture.  It’s better for your spine to be in the correct position.  Also, you’ll look taller and more confident.  Your ab muscles can really help to improve your posture.  When you strengthen your abs, your stomach is actually pulled in.  This makes it much easier to stand straight instead of hunching over.  

 

2. Less risk of lower back injury- Many people walk around every day with back pain.  A lot of times this pain is in the lower to middle part of the back.  While there could be several reasons for this pain, a large reason is weak abdominals and extra weight around the stomach.  When you lose the fat around your midsection and tighten your abs, your body will naturally be in a better position, taking the pressure off of your back.  So you’ll have les risk of injury and less pain. 

 

3. Less pressure on your joints- Strong abs can help stabilize your body.  When your abs are strong and your body is stabilized, there is less pressure on your joints.  This obviously means that you will have fewer problems with injuries due to joint problems and even less pain in your joints. 

 

4. Improved endurance and power- When you have strong abs, you will have more endurance and power for everything from sports to daily activities.  The abs make up a good portion of the core of your body.  When your core is strong, you are able to perform longer than you would if your core is weak.    

 

5. Less risk of hernias- A weak abdominal wall is one of the biggest reasons for hernias.  By strengthening your abs, you’ll reduce your risk of developing a painful hernia. 

These are just 5 of the great benefits of having strong abs.  You’ll have less risk of injuries to your joints and back, as well as other parts of your body.  You’ll also perform better and have better posture.  Of course you still have the added benefit that your abs will look great as well.  It doesn’t take much to get strong abs.  Performing a few different exercises 2-3 times a week should be sufficient.