Learn how to train for six-pack abs with these tips from Jeremy Ethier.
Jeremy Ethier is a kinesiologist and fitness trainer, co-founder of Built With Science. His YouTube channel has over 4 million subscribers and he delivers clear information with sound background research.
Before anything else, Ethier explains that in order to see the abs, a person needs to have a low body fat percentage. That number can vary depending on many factors, including gender, but it is generally assumed that for men a body fat of 15% and for women, 20% is good enough.
The best way to lower your body fat is to maintain a caloric deficit in your nutrition.
However, like any other muscle, you can train your abs in the right way and it will respond to growth. Find out how to train for six-pack abs.
How to Train For Six-Pack Abs – 3 Fixes
The first mistake you probably are making when doing ab exercises is letting your hip flexors take over the movement. Leg raises, sit-ups and crunches involve a great deal of hip flexion, but this takes away the objective of the exercise and will leave your abs weakened still.
You can change this by focusing on your pelvis. For bottom-up exercises focus on curling your pelvis towards your belly button. For top-down abs exercises, focus on bringing your rib cage forward and down towards the pelvis.
The second mistake, according to Ethier, is failing to initiate and maintain a posterior pelvic tilt during abs exercises. This is the movement of tilting the pelvis by contracting the glutes and abs and it boosts activation of the correct muscles and prevents the hip flexors’ involvement.
Contract your glutes and abs before you perform each rep.
Lastly, to know how to train for six-pack abs you need to stop the idea of treating your abs as a special muscle.
Don’t do high-reps sets multiple times a week or leave your abs sessions for the end of the workout when you are quite fatigued. You wouldn’t do that with your pecs, for example, so why do it with your abs?
Check out the full video from Ethier below if you still have any doubts about how to train for six-pack abs.
VIDEO – How to Train For Six-Pack Abs
Read More: 6 Pack Abs Workout that Burns Fat
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