Dear Mr. Self Development,

How do you develop a six-pack?

Michael

Michael, I have scanned the Internet in times pass looking for the secret to six-pack abs.  What I have concluded in my discovery is not the least bit surprising.  There is no secret; outside of hard work.  This is a brief article, based on my personal experience explaining the steps needed to develop the critical “six-pack.”

As a reminder, everyone already has a “six-pack,” some of the “packs” are just very well hidden under a layer of blubber .  

5 Steps to a Six-Pack:

Step 1. Perform High Intensity Cardio 5-6 days a week for 30 minutes (non-stop).  High-intensity exercise is defined as working out at approximately 75-85% (or more) of your maximum heart rate (which is equal to 220 – your age), so if you are 20 years old, (220 – 20) 200 is your maximum heart rate.  High-intensity cardio includes activities such as running, bicycling, swimming, step aerobics, basketball, etc.) 

I also advise that you get a heart rate monitor, this will make it easy for you to see if you’re getting a good cardio workout.

Step 2. Workout your abs intensely (as well as your other muscle groups) 3 days a week.  Experts suggest you workout your “abdominal muscles” no more than 3 days a week (essentially treating the abdominal muscles like any other muscle group, giving the muscles time to rest between workouts).  I suggest you do 3 “tough” ab workouts a week.   If you work them properly, they will need at least a day to recover.

Don’t just work your abs!  This will not work. You won’t lose your belly by just working your abs, anymore than you will lose “chubby” cheeks by just chewing gum.  I see guys in the gym all the time, spending half their workout doing crunches.  This is a poor use of their time.  What good is it to develop abs of “steel,” if the abs are hidden under a beer belly.  You will only get a six-pack by following all of the steps in this article.

Remember: You can’t work your abdominal muscles to lose your stomach, you will lose fat first, where you gained it last.

Important Note: In order to get a six-pack you must consistently burn more calories than you take-in.  Which is why I suggest cardio 5-6 days a week in addition to weight training 3 days a week.

Step 3. Drink 10-12 Glasses of water a day.  Simply put, drinking lots of water will assist your body in “not retaining water” because your body knows that its water supply will be promptly replenished.  And because we retain water in our stomach area, the reduction of the “retention of water” will make our stomachs flatter.

Step 4. Eat a Healthy, High-Protein, Low-Fat, Low-Calorie Diet.  Hopefully this one is not a surprise .  You want to choose a natural diet rich in vitamins and fibers; a diet which includes lots of lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and very little (if any) alcohol and sugary drinks.  Why?  Because muscles need the proper food in order to grow (e.g. proteins), they won’t be able to reach their maximum capacity on cake and ice cream.  In addition, a healthy, high protein, low fat, low calorie diet will support fat loss, which is our main objective here. 

Note:  You don’t want to take in too many “carbs,” when you don’t need them; carbs (especially complex carbs like pasta and potatoes) are great for energy and should be used when you need energy.   They’re perfect before a tough workout (they’ll give you the strength you need to accomplish your goals, however, they’re not such a great idea when you’re not being very active, and in this case they will probably just be stored as energy (i.e. fat)). 

Your most important meal is probably the one following your workout.  Try to take in lots of protein after your workout.  Mix this with some simple carbs to help your muscles better absorb the protein.  A 4:1 carb to protein ratio is preferred.  Your second most important meal is probably your breakfast, make sure it includes lots of protein to keep your muscles from cannibalizing.

Also, don’t forget to break your meals into segments.  You want to eat 5-6 small meals a day to get the best use of your metabolism; this allows your metabolism to constantly run, thus constantly burning calories.

Finally, try to avoid eating 2-3 hours before you go to bed (during the time when you are least active).  This helps ensure that you burn off the calories you’ve eaten for that particular day.

Step 5. Get 7-8 Hours of Sleep.  This is the easy step.  Get plenty of sleep to allow time for muscle development.  Muscles don’t develop while you’re working out; they’re too busy breaking down.  Muscles develop when you are resting, so be sure to rest up!

Thank you for reading mrselfdevelopment.com where every article expands your mind, increases your faith, and changes your life.

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Note: Remember to consult your physician prior to beginning a workout routine.