Some people crave six-pack abs. In addition to indicating fitness, six-pack abs in men and women make a more attractive appearance. So, how to make a six-pack stomach that you need to do?
Various tips to make a six-pack stomach
Most people who want to form a six-pack stomach are so focused on exercising excessively. In fact, six-pack abs are not only obtained with hard physical exercise.
Weight loss and burning body fat are the two main things you need to do if you want to have a six-pack stomach.
Not only exercising regularly, you also have to regulate your food intake, and body fluids and get enough rest to form abdominal abs.
In more detail, here are a number of powerful ways to make a six-pack stomach that you need to pay attention to.
1. Increase your protein intake
Protein is an essential nutrient for building muscle and burning fat in your body.
This benefit of protein for muscles can occur because protein helps repair muscle damage after exercise. That way, the abdominal muscles are getting bigger and stronger.
In addition, protein has the highest thermogenic effect of all macronutrients that can produce heat and reduce fatigue in the body.
Thanks to this effect, professional athletes and bodybuilders eat more high-protein foods, such as eggs, chicken breast, and protein milk.
2. Eat carbohydrates after exercise
Most people are still mistaken and believe that carbohydrates are bad and can cause weight gain after exercise.
In fact, complex carbohydrates, such as wheat bread, oatmeal, potatoes, and brown rice, are quite beneficial for forming a six-pack stomach.
After exercise, you need to restore energy with carbohydrate intake. Try to eat carbs in moderation and add 1–2 bowls of vegetables.
This also ensures that your body gets enough of the vitamins, minerals and fiber it needs to stay healthy and function normally.
3. Only consume healthy fats
Also, add fat in your daily intake. However, make sure to include only healthy fats, especially polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats.
You can get these two types of healthy fats by adding nuts, fish oil, and olive oil.
Food sources of healthy fats will keep insulin levels stable which is important for losing belly fat and making a six-pack stomach.
By combining protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and vegetables and fruits, you can increase your metabolism and burn fat more effectively each day.
4. Keep the body hydrated
Exercise makes your body sweat which can lead to dehydration. If you don’t keep your body hydrated, your physical and mental performance will be affected.
Decreased exercise performance occurs when the body loses fluid 2 percent of body mass, for example, a loss of 1.4 kg in a person weighing 70 kg.
To prevent this condition, you must meet the body’s fluid needs by drinking water before, during, and after exercise.
In addition, you need to drink more water when exercising in moderate and heavy intensity, the best exercise is to form a six-pack stomach.
5. Balance cardio and weight lifting
Apart from the nutritional factors and body fluids that you need to fulfill, regular exercise can help reduce your body fat.
Generally, health experts recommend exercising 150 minutes of moderate intensity and 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity per week.
Instead of targeting your abs, you need to balance cardio and weight training to get the most out of it.
If you have about 30 minutes per day for exercise, you can fill it with 20 minutes of running on the treadmill and 10 minutes of core muscle training.
6. Do enough core exercises
While core strength training is very important to get six-pack abs, you probably don’t need to overexert or overdo it.
The reason is, training the core muscles when the muscles are still fresh can get more benefits, one of which is in increasing body stamina.
If you focus on strengthening your core, you can lift heavier weights without increasing the duration of your workout.
This will still make your body burn more calories because the muscles that work will also be more.
7. Get enough rest and sleep
Sleep deprivation has been linked to weight gain and obesity.
Therefore, it is important to meet the need for 7-8 hours of sleep every night as one of the steps to help lose body fat.
A good night’s sleep can also help you exercise more optimally the next day. That way, exercises to make a six-pack stomach are even more effective.
Types of exercises to form a six-pack belly
Mike Wunsch, a certified trainer quoted from Men’s Health said that classic abdominal muscle movements, such as sit-ups and crunches, are less effective at training the core muscles.
In fact, core muscle training to make a six-pack stomach should involve more twisting and holding your body.
You can do routine exercises like the following to form a six-pack stomach.
1. Plank
Here is a plank method that can train muscle endurance.
1. Position yourself on your stomach facing the floor and use your palms to support your weight.
2. Straighten your body from the shoulders to the ankles, then bend your toes as well as support.
3. Hold and tighten your abdominal muscles while continuing to breathe normally.
4. Do it for a few seconds or according to your ability.
2. Ab wheel
Here’s how to do the ab wheel that helps create a six-pack ab.
1. Position the body in a half plank with support on the knees, lift the soles of your feet so they don’t touch the ground.
2. When you hold the ab wheel, make sure your back and arms are straight.
3. Push and pull the ab wheel slowly with core strength.
4. Do it slowly for one set or 10 repetitions.
3. Mountain climber
Mountain climbers can train core muscle strength, including those around the stomach. Here’s the right way to do it.
1. Position the body like the initial position of the push-up movement by forming a straight line, starting from the shoulders to the ankles.
2. Bend and direct the knees alternately left and right towards the chest, as if running up a steep hill.
3. Make sure your hips are in line with your body and move your knees as high as you can.
4. Do it slowly and increase the intensity gradually.
4. Bicycle crunch
Here’s a guide to doing bicycle crunches to help build a six-pack stomach.
1. Position yourself lying on your back with your hands behind your head.
2. Lift both legs and lift your body up about 90 degrees so that you are resting on your buttocks.
3. Alternately bring your right elbow toward your left knee, then your left elbow toward your right knee.
4. Try to do it slowly by holding the crunch for a count of two on each side so that the core muscles feel tighter.
5. Cross crunch
Try these guidelines for the correct cross crunch.
1. Lie on your back with your arms and legs open diagonally out so that your body forms an “X” shape.
2. Keep your arms and legs straight, then bring your right hand and left leg up until they touch each other.
3. After that, return to the original position and do it on the opposite side, namely with your left hand and right foot.
4. When your hands and feet touch, lift your head, neck and shoulders off the ground.
5. Do one set or 10 repetitions on both sides.
Those are a number of ways to make a six-pack stomach, starting from meeting food intake, fluid needs, and rest, to the types of exercises you can do.
Of course, getting a six-pack stomach is not an easy matter. You need to be more persistent and active in exercising for maximum results.
Even if necessary, consult with a personal trainer at the gym to find out the right exercise technique for your goals.