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Those six packs

As a fitness trainer the most common request I get from my clients is to reduce belly fat. Thanks to popular media, the idea of a washboard ab or six packs is so ingrained in our minds that people have started believing it to be synonymous with health and fitness. Yes, your six pack is a sign that your fat % is low enough but that doesn’t exactly mean that you are fit. Fitness has a very broad definition and just having a single chiseled body part isn’t all.

The biggest challenge is breaking the myth of spot reduction. People believe doing innumerable crunches will give them the desired results. SPOT TRAINING IS NOT POSSIBLE. While crunches do strengthen your abdominal muscles they do almost nothing to burn the fat around. You have a layer of fat between your abdominal muscles and the skin. Crunches and other spot exercises help your muscles get more definition, but that definition is invisible till you lose the fat on top of it. The best way to go about is continuing a total body workout increasing lean muscle and burning calories. Preferably a minimum of 30 mins of cardio and resistance training for atleast 5 times a week.

Most people shy away from resistance training and run on treadmills for their entire sessions. Resistance training increases lean muscle mass, and you burn more calories to maintain that lean muscle mass, so your body’s daily caloric expenditure increases. You have to also do compound exercises like squats, lunges which recruit multiple muscle groups and that will help you burn more calories.

Another myth is wanting to train your abs daily. Even though they are postural muscles they are like any other muscles and need rest. Train them on non consecutive days with enough rest periods. My favourite is the bicycle crunch and Dead bugs, which works both the abs and the obliques. Maintaining a good posture all day is definitely going to help you get a flat stomach. Imagine sucking your stomach in till your belly button touches your spine. And while you are at it, don’t forget to breathe! This is a great exercise as it activates your abdominal muscles and can be done throughout the day. I do it all day along, especially during my daily 3 hour long commute. Isometric holds like planks and side planks are great exercises which helps support your posture too.

Lastly don’t neglect your back muscles. If your back muscles aren’t strong, you cannot work on a strong abdomen. Focus on the right form and technique than on the number or reps. Finally, the only way you can reach your targets is with a combination of regular, dedicated workout and a balanced healthy diet.

Remember, quality is more important than quantity.

 
 
 

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