health and wellness

We all strive for flatter and more defined abdomens. We know how hard we work for them, but do we really know how to get them? Let’s start by looking at the most common myths and facts about abs so that we can learn the truth about abs . Then we can understand how better to achieve them.

The Most Common Myths And Facts About Abs Dispelled

Myth: Fat always deposits in the abs.

Fact: The fat in your body will deposit where it is genetically programmed to.

Some people are apple shaped: they put on flab around the waist, chest and back first. Others are pear shaped: they put on flab first on the hips and thighs. Upper body fat is unhealthier as people with upper body fat have more chances of heart disease than people with lower body fat.

Myth: Spot reducing abs is easy.

Fact: You cannot spot reduce those abs!

Myth: Abdominal exercises will remove fat in my midsection.

Fact: You need to remove excess fat around your stomach in order to see your abs. The only way you are going to do this is with a low-calorie diet and a weight-resistance program while adding cardio exercise. Ab exercises will develop muscles, but they’ll still be hiding under a layer of fat until you lose the body fat.

Myth: You have to train your abs everyday.

Fact: The rules of weight training state that you should give your muscles at least a day of rest to recover, and this applies to your abs as well. Instead of working them everyday, do them every other day or even just three times per week. They need a break just like the rest of your body parts. The trick is to train them hard though.

Myth: Doing ab exercises gets rid of abdominal fat.

Fact: There is no such thing as spot reduction. People assume that if you have fat deposits on your abdomens, exercising the muscles underlying the fat will make it go away. But they assume wrong. You can’t get rid of the fat over a muscle by repeatedly exercising that body part. The only way to burn fat from your tummy is through prolonged exercise and a healthy, low calorie diet.

Myth: High repetitions are required to make gains.

Fact: As stated earlier, abs are just like every other muscle in your body. That means, you should train your abs the same way as the rest of your muscle groups. To make strength gains with your abs, you have to overload your muscles.

Myth: If you have a bad back, training the abs will worsen it.

Fact: Training your abs will strengthen your back. The opposing muscles in your body always assist each other. So if you have weak ab muscles, the load of the work fails on the back. So strengthen the abs, and your back will become stronger as well.

Myth: Men and women should train their abs differently.

Fact: Men and women all have the same muscles and should always be trained the same way. If a woman wants a firm midsection, then she’s going to have to eat correctly, follow a cardio program and train her abs the same way a man would.

Myth: If I stop training my abs they will turn to fat.

Fact: Muscles don’t turn to fat. If you stay active and watch what you eat you’ll keep your abs even if you stop training. But if you stop exercising and start eating junk food, your abs will disappear again under a layer of abdominal fat.

So don’t waste any more time by falling victim to common ab myths. Train intelligently in accordance with scientifically based training techniques and get the super abs you’ve always wanted! As we continue to move along, we will discuss some of the best ab exercises to help achieve our fitness goals.

        -written by Angela Doss

reference:
Mike Geary, the truth about abs