What It Really Takes To Get 6/8/12 Pack Abs:
By Chef K.T. Murphy
It can be tough to know how to get your body where it needs to be to show your abs. But, the way the media makes it look, everyone should have them right. Every magazine has some reference to the secret to getting rock hard abs or a flat belly, before summer, your wedding, or your dream vacation.
Aside from America’s obsession with abs, are there any real benefits to having abdominal muscles that pop out at the world? This article will guide you through what it takes to get and maintain those abs everyone wants, and whether or not it’s possible for the average person.
Body Fat Percentage
You likely know that you will have to cut your body fat percentage down to reveal abdominal muscles. If you want magazine quality abs, you may be surprised how much is required for you to achieve the goal.
Men
For men, the average healthy body fat percent is 15-20%. Keep in mind this recommendation is for healthy adult males, so if you have a medical condition, your body fat recommendations from your physician may be slightly different.
To maintain visible abdominal muscles, it’s typically recommended, on bodybuilding forums like bodybuilding.com and livestrong.com, that you achieve a body fat percentage of less than 10% to 12%. This body fat percent will allow you to begin to see your abdominal muscles.
However, to get highly visible abs the average male will have to reduce their body fat percentage between 6-9%.
Women
The body fat percentages that are deemed healthy for women are higher than their male counterparts. Typically a woman is considered healthy when she has a body fat percentage of 20 to 25%. Remember that women’s bodies are designed to support the nutritional needs of a fetus and baby, which makes up the higher percentage.
Women need to reach a body fat percentage of 16% to 19 % to start to see their abdominal muscles. But for really amazing abs you will want to have that number between 12-15%.
How Do You Reduce Your Body Fat For Abs?
Reducing your body fat requires a strict exercise and eating protocol. The two things you have to realize is that you are not only going to need to cut your body fat percentage, but you will also need to increase or maintain your current muscle mass. This means your diet will include lots of protein so that you are going to have the necessary amino acids to repair your damaged muscle tissue from each workout.
Bodybuilding.com recommends that you follow a program that looks something like this:
- Eat high amounts of protein
- Keep carbohydrate consumption to post workout
- Not all carbs are bad, they will help you out post workout
- Eat HEALTHY Fats
- Focus on your diet
- You may have to play with your macronutrient ratios for a while until you get your body to do what you want. Keep in mind many of the things you eat will have a direct effect on the hormones that control hunger and allow you to metabolize body fat
- Don’t do 1000 crunches
- Multi-joint and long body chain exercises are far better at building core strength. Actually, crunches and sit-ups are some of the least productive work you can do to strengthen abdominal muscles
- Be smart with your cardio
- Since you have to do cardio to get the fat off, make it interval training that focuses on abdominal muscle training. You can get shredded pretty quickly this way.
Some Precautions
Not everyone is meant to have abdominal muscles that glisten in the sun. Many body types will not function well at the lower body fat percentages. Women have warnings like amenorrhea when their body fat has gone too low. Make sure that you are being monitored by a physician when cutting into the ultra-low body fat percentages.
All the best, Good Food makes For Better Decisions.
Chef Murph
