You exercise extra hard for “six-pack” abs, but no matter how much sweat you produce, you are not seeing the outcome that you are after. It’s hard to lose abdominal fat, if you are not exercising correctly.
Men store most of their fat around the waist. Unfortunately, this is the type of fat that is linked to chronic disorders, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer.
Exercise is a great way to improve your mid-section, but it must be performed properly. The following includes 7 common abdominal training mistakes most men make.
1. Only Performing Crunches and Sit-ups
These exercises are probably the most commonly performed for abdominal training. And for good reason - they work! However, your muscles quickly adapt to certain exercises. If this happens, they may stop responding. Changing your workout every few weeks will ensure the results keep coming.
Also, your midsection is actually composed of more muscle groups than just the “six-pack” -- or, better stated, the rectus abdominus. Other muscles include the external and internal obliques, which are located on the side of the trunk. It is important to perform a variety of movements to fully target all of the muscles within the trunk region.
Side bridges, prone planks, hip-ups, bicycles, and Pilates are other great exercises that should be included in your abdominal workout. Incorporating stability devices can also add variation. Try performing crunches on a Swiss ball for an advanced alternative to a traditional exercise.
2. Exercising Abs Every Day
If you’re working your midsection on a daily basis, you are probably overdoing it. The muscles in the abdominal wall are like all other muscles in the body, they need rest to fully recover and repair from a strenuous workout. A good abdominal workout should only be performed on two to three nonconsecutive days per week.
When it comes to training your abs, the more you do does not mean the more results you will get. As a matter of fact, doing too much can actually increase the risk of injury to the lower back.
3. Avoiding Cardio
Avoiding cardiovascular exercise is the biggest mistake men make when attempting to lose belly fat. No matter how hard you try, you can’t spot-reduce. You must expend stored calories. If a layer of fat is covering your abs, then there isn’t any abdominal-specific workout that will show results, without the assistance of cardio training.
Twenty to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise at a moderately strenuous intensity performed three to six days per week will expend stored calories. This will trim fat from the midsection to reveal your hidden six-pack abs. What’s more, these are the same research-supported guidelines for improving your cardiovascular fitness.
4. Avoiding Resistance Training
You need to train your midsection, but other muscle groups are just as important, for a couple of reasons.
First, your midsection actually contains parts of muscles from other areas of the body. Tendons from other muscle groups (such as the latissimus dorsi and trapezius in the back, and the hamstrings in legs) extend into and across the trunk area. Actually, the rectus abdominus is one long muscle rather than six individual muscles. What gives it the “six-pack” appearance are tendons that extend from other muscle groups and intertwine in this area. Training other muscles is important for strengthening your abs.Second, the muscles that reside around your waist help to stabilize the body. Anytime you exercise with weights, your abdomen must activate to stabilize the body. Research studies have shown that trunk muscles are highly stimulated during traditional strength-training exercises.
Third, total body resistance training workouts will burn more calories compared to just abdominal-only exercise. Weight training can expend about 6 to 10 calories for every minute you exercise. A 30-minute strength workout can burn fat that is stored around the waist.
5. Not Eating Properly
Let’s face it: It is almost impossible to expend the amount of calories in a triple cheeseburger and fries (more than 1,000 calories). Exercise will greatly improve your overall health, but you also have to pay attention to the food you eat if you really want to lose a significant amount of belly fat.
One pound of fat contains about 3,500 calories. That means that if you want to lose 1 pound of fat per week, then you must burn or negate 500 calories each day. For example, if you replace a 20-ounce bottle of regular soda with water (saving 250 calories) and walk 2 to 3 miles (burning about 250 calories) everyday, then you could lose 1 pound of fat per week.
For great information on how to eat properly, visit www.choosemyplate.gov, or ask your doctor to refer you to a registered dietitian, especially if you have a special need, such as having diabetes. Also, here is a link to a WebMD article that also offers dietary advice to men for losing belly fat.
6. Only Dieting
Dieting without exercise is a recipe for disappointing results. When people only diet to lose body fat, they seldom succeed.
One reason they fail is because they rarely include an exercise component. Although one can lose a significant amount of weight by dieting alone, a large portion of the weight that is lost may be lean muscle and not fat.
Exercise enhances healthy eating by expending additional stored calories. It will also ensure that most of the weight you lose will be primarily from fat. Precious lean muscle mass will be preserved or even enhanced. Exercise in addition to healthy eating is the best combination for optimal body fat loss.
7. Not Seeking Help
If you feel that you’ve tried everything but still don’t see the results you are after, then you may want to seek advice from a qualified personal trainer. A personal trainer is skilled in helping people achieve their fitness goals.
But make sure you choose one who has a degree in exercise science or kinesiology and is certified by a respectable organization such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
And before you participate in any exercise program, it is important that you seek medical assessment and clearance, especially if you have a special need or are recovering from an injury. Not all exercise programs are suitable for everyone, and some could even cause harm. If you experience pain or discomfort while performing an exercise, you should discontinue participation and seek medical advice.
Michael R. Esco, PhD, CSCS, HFS is an Assistant Professor in The Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science and Co-Director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Auburn University Montgomery, in Montgomery, Ala. His opinions and conclusions are his own.
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