Sexy Abs

Let's face it - abs can be sexy. And they should. But, most of us can only dream of having the kind of sexy abs we might see on TV or the magazines. The fact, though, that ordinary people can do it (and, being in a magazine does not make them less ordinary than the rest of us) means that it can be done. And it can. With persistence, patience - and having the right knowledge - we can all benefit from having a pair of trim, well-defined, sculpted, sexy abs.

Really? Tell me more

Firstly, you've got to focus on diet. Yes, 'diet' may be an evil word in most of our vocabulary, but diet (according to professionals) can account for 80% of our physique. This means that by focusing on diet, you're 80% there in getting the abs you want.

Abs are not the same as the rest of the body, in the sense that you don't 'build' them or 'work' them as far as size is concerned. Rather, you work at getting rid of body fat, which in turn exposes your sexy abs that you actually already have underneath the fat and water which covers them. You need to work your body fat ratio down to just below 13% for women, or 10% for men. This can be done easily with the proper diet of carbs, proteins and good fats. Plus, cardio training is essential. You will not get rid of body fat through doing exercises that focus on strengthening or firming your stomach muscles. You will only get rid of fat through cardio training and dieting correctly.

Cardio training has many other benefits as well, and is essential to your overall health. For losing fat, you need to spend about 20-30 minutes doing cardio training about three times a week. People with a slower metabolism should consider cardio training for 45 minutes, six to seven times a week. Cardio training can be done through running (using treadmills) or using elliptical machines, as well as swimming and many other exercises. Combining cardio training with a proper diet, and you will be well on your way to losing fat and seeing your abs.

The Exercising You Can Do

The above doesn't rule out exercising altogether, but it's important to focus on the right kind of exercises to do. Mostly, crunches, sit-ups or leg lifts will do very well. The secret of exercising your abs is to keep your exercises varied and 'natural.' What this means is that you should work with your abs in your exercises, understand how they work, and train them functionally. They are responsible for bending your body forwards, backwards and to the sides. Exercises that do this are very effective. Your abs also strengthen very easily, becoming quite resistant to a particular exercise that you may be doing. By varying your exercises, you train your lower, middle and upper abs, rather than just a specific part - and this leads to the firm, sexy abs you're looking for.

Mark Bennet is a fitness enthusiast always looking for the easier and quicker ways to get fit and look your best. Mark has some of the best strategies for real people to get and keep great abs at http://www.RealEasyAbs.com

Positive Attitude For Achieving Six Pack Abs

When you are negative it affects your body in so many different ways. You become stressed and tense and may find that you can’t concentrate and focus. You may quit during your exercise program because you don’t see any results yet. This may take you longer to achieve your six pack abs that you wanted to have. Without a positive attitude your dream to be toned, healthy and in shape may be replaced by sadness because you were unable to achieve your goal. You need to tell yourself that you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

You have probably heard the old saying “Its mind over matter”. This means that you can convince yourself of anything if you want to. Exercising and losing weight is no exception to this rule. If you want to get six pack abs you can do that just by convincing yourself that you are worth it and you can do anything you want to do. A positive attitude on any situation is a lot easier to deal with than if your had a negative outlook on everything. The first thing you need to realize is that you are worth every effort you put forth in order to take care of your body. Anytime you can improve your health and make yourself look and feel better you know you will have positive results.

You will also have greater success if you have a positive attitude. Negativity can prevent a positive result. If you are planning on losing weight, toning muscles or achieving six pack abs, think positive and know that you can do it.

Download your free report today and discover the SHOCKINGLY simple abdominal workouts, exercises and nutritional advice that will shed pounds from your stomach & transform your flabby belly into firm & flat six pack abs. Visit http://www.firmupyourabs.com to download your free copy

Perfects Abs - Three Ab Routines To Show Your Six Pack

Crazy, ripped, hard abs. That's the key to showing an awesome body. If you think that all training is about is making sure your chest is big enough to make your shirt hang out past your stomach then you’re missing the boat. Chiseled abs is awesome abs.

How do you get ripped abs?

It's about diet, cardio and hard ab routines. I'll give you the low down on how to burn in some washboard abs with this killer ab routine and save the diet ramble for another time.

First of all if your not training abs, start. That would be beginner ab routine phase one! Three sets of crunches for 20 reps a set. If that's not a problem then superset each set of crunches with a set of hip roles, followed by a brief 30 second rest to let the burn fizzle a bit.

For hip roles you lie on the ground pushing down with your hands and raise your pelvis off the floor so the tail bone comes right up and squeeze the abs!

Last step in the beginner ab routine is to add in some bridges or "planks" as some "guru's" of fitness have coined them. This is basically a pushup position but you don't rest on your hands, you rest on your forearms and just hold it for 30-60 seconds. Don't let your lower back sag! Keep a slightly inverted c posture like your trying to pull your hips toward your chin.

So here is the ab routine once you are working all exercises together.

Beginner ab routine phase 1:
Crunch x20
Hip roll x20
Bridge for 30-60 seconds
Rest and repeat for 3 circuits or just keep rotating through!

Alright enough of the easy stuff, we're here for some serious abs, killer abs.

Onto Ab Routine 2: The ab killer! I love pet names.

This ab routine will all be done on the decline bench.

The first ab exercise? Decline hip roll/leg raise. Beauty!

Step 1: Put your head where your feet should be

Step 2: grab the bench or the footholds; whichever is more comfortable (not that it will matter in a few minutes)!

Step 3: Stretch out and do a straight-legged leg raises.

Step 4: once at the top of the leg raise turn it into a hip roll so that you point your feet at the ceiling. Hold for a three count and go back down!

Second ab routine exercise:
Incline sit-ups:
Step 1: put your feet in the foot holds (you've turned around!)
Step 2: Lower yourself until you're about a foot short of lying fully back
Step 3: Come back up if you’re still with me!

Third ab routine exercise:
Incline Russian twists (even sounds evil doesn't it?)

Step 1: don't move out of the sit up position. Just grab a medicine ball or a 10- pound weight.

Step 2: straighten fully your arms right to your front and lower yourself to the bottom position of the incline sit up and hold it.

Step 3: Rotate to the right 90 degrees with your arms straight and then back to the left at 90 degrees. That's one rep. You don't come out of the bottom at all! Fun huh?

Here it is ab routine layout:
Leg raise/hip roll x20
Incline sit-ups x20
Russian twists x20 or 40 if you count both sides!

No rest between ab exercises, and only 30-60 seconds rest after completing the tri-set.

Third Ab Routine:
And the grand daddy hardest ab routine ever? For mortals anyway? Because I remember something about homer Simpson and a cannon ball, but I think you need to have access to the applesauce bar for that ab routine to work!

Well let’s call it the "commando cardio ab annihilation" workout. I have to have a fancy name on it or you wouldn't be interested! It involves a pre-stretch, a contraction and a dynamic stabilization (I just made that up, but you get the idea) exercise. Here are the ab routine exercises.

1. Smith machine, Swiss ball hip rolls
2. Partner resisted Swiss ball crunches
3. Swiss ball rollouts
4. Profuse sweating and clutching of the stomach.

Ab routine exercise 1: Smith machine, Swiss ball hip rolls:

1.Set the bar low in the smith machine, just below the top of the Swiss ball.

2. Sit on the ball and roll out so that you have to reach back and grab the bar as you lie on the ball. You should be about 2-3 feet away, stabilizing your self by holding the bar and flexing everything!

3. Using only your abs, stretch your pelvis down as low as it will go and then do a hip roll. Legs straight is the hardest.

Ab routine exercise 2: Partner resisted Swiss ball crunches.

1. It’s a normal Swiss ball ab crunch but your arms are crossed across your chest and your "friend" pushes down on your shoulders to apply resistance. That's it,..ahem.

Ab routine exercise 3: Swiss ball rollouts.

1. Kneel on a pad with legs crossed ball in front of you not on the pad.

2. Your hands are on the ball so it now looks like your praying?

3. Roll the ball out until your straight as a board with your head between your arms and pull it back in.

4. Profuse sweating and clutching of the stomach. This should come naturally.

In an ab routine all together?

Smith machine/Swiss ball hip rolls x20

Partner resisted Swiss ball crunches x20

Swiss ball rolloutsx20

Rest 30-60 seconds after each tri-set circuit or continue right through if you're a freak of nature or slightly "touched". I've never gotten 20 on all ab exercises on all three sets in a continuous circuit, let me know if you do!

I'll have to buckle down!

Ray Burton is a motivational speaker, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, philanthropist, and author of the best selling weight loss book, "Fat To Fit - The Journey” Ray has written hundreds of articles and been featured in Rising Women, The Calgary Sun, and www.Crosstrainer.ca

For info on Ray's book, visit the home page at: http://www.FatToFitBook.com. To get Ray’s FREE weight loss tips newsletter visit his weight loss website.