Flat stomach, tight abdominals, ripped six pack abs - we all dream about that. In fact "how to get great abs?" is the question fitness trainers hear most often.
Of course this question is phrased differently depending on the personal situation; men would like to know how to get a six pack while women are interested in how to get a tight sexy stomach. Nevertheless, the answer stays the same: strengthen your abdominal muscles and lose your belly fat.
True, it sounds simple. Then why do so many people have problems achieving the great abs they want? So often we hear men and women complaining that they do hundreds of sit-ups and crunches a day, have tried every diet out there and still can't get great abs. Obviously those men and women are doing something wrong. What they fail to understand is that the secret to a flat stomach and ripped six pack abs is NOT hundreds of reps of abs-specific exercises. Surely getting defined abs requires working out. You will have to train your abdominal muscles in order to build up their strength and endurance but in order to actually see them defined you will have to lose all the belly fat that is covering them, and that in fact is the harder part because counting solely on abs exercises will not get you there.
The formula for achieving great abs is simple: proper nutrition + a quality full body training program. I recommend my H.I.G.T ( high intensity group training program ). *Note: Not recommended for beginners.
It is very important to understand that you cannot have a flat stomach or a well-defined six pack without any of these two steps.
The first step you should take is to get control of your diet and clean it up. It is time to realize that no matter how hard you workout, you simply cannot out-train a lousy diet.
The second step is to stop wasting your time trying to "spot reduce" with abdominal exercises. Focus your workouts on the intensity of your exercises and work the body as a whole. This is the only way to get the best metabolic response and lose the body fat covering your muscles for good. Remember, train the body using multi-joint exercises, train with intensity, and make good practice of eating quality foods. A life time of crunches wont get you to the abs you want, however these simple training strategies will have you on your way.