Lifestyle -- 11 days ago
Words: Gentleman's Journal
It doesn’t need to be stressed, fitness starts in the kitchen. Eating the right foods, and cutting out the most detrimental, is crucial in kickstarting the fat loss needed to get a chiselled stomach. Once the diet is on the right track, a workout plan that incorporates effective exercises will ensure that fitness, strength and definition follow – it won’t take as long to get a six-pack as you initially thought.
Decline sit-up
A simple variation of the ubiquitous and oft-wrongly practiced sit-up, the decline will provide a more targeted and engaging workout for your midriff. Just ensure if you put your hands behind your head that you’re not putting pressure on your neck, if it helps keep them to the side or across your shoulders. Ramp it up by resting a weight or two on your stomach.
Side plank
, Another alternative to the gym goer favourite, do both sides of the exercise to work the obliques (side of the stomach) and help stabilise your spine. Ensure your hips are kept pointing upwards and your chest hight, not leaning forward.
Standing cable lift
, Every gym worth its salt should have a cable machine, this is a great full body exercise but to really work the stomach, maximise your torso movement, tense your core and keep your back straight.
Air bike
, Often seen being done overzealously and with poor form, once mastered however, the air bike is a strong all-round core exercise that will work particularly hard on shaping the side ridges of a six-pack. Concrete on nailing the form and execution, drop the speed down and hold the positions when it starts to get a little easier as you can’t really ramp up the resistance.
Barbell rollout
, Working the entirety of your stomach as well as, to a much lesser extent, lower back and shoulders, this is an incredibly effective exercise if you’ve got access to a barbell, although you could get hold an ab roller without too much expense. Up the effort levels by holding the positions for longer, or adding some weight to a backpack.
(Main & featured image: M&S)
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