Can you get a six pack through running?

The all-elusive six pack is the holy grail of men’s physique. The lean look is in, personal trainers everywhere are being asked: “How can I look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club?” Not: “Make me Schwarzenegger big!” Although it may not seem it at first, the ripped, struggle to pinch some body fat, appearance is actually almost, if not more difficult to obtain than the muscular goliath bodies of yesteryear. The inclination when you want to lose weight or more appropriately body fat, is to break out the running shoes and do a few laps around the park, but does this actually work to achieve an adonis-like physique?

On it’s own, and in a word no, not without a host of other factors in play. The simple science is – If you eat less calories than your body uses each day you will lose weight, but this won’t necessarily be the right kind of weight to get you sculpted abdominals – the kind of running you do is crucial.

High-intensity sprints are the most explosive and the most effective for burning fat. Sprint for 50-100m at top speed and then walk back to the starting point before doing it again, or work in sprint periods during longer distance runs. Sprinting will increase the rate of your metabolism and keep it raised for a time after, i.e. it’s almost like a weight session as you’ll burn calories during and after the activity. This kind of workout will also engage your abdominals, as well as glutes and lower back, so you’ll be strengthening the muscles as well as encouraging fat loss. Mix it up by doing it up hills for a tougher excursion, introducing hurdles or other drills.

As mentioned, as well as doing regular sprinting intervals your diet will have to be spot on, full of the right stuff and moderated in calories as well. We’ve covered the topic extensively, check out our guidelines to effective fat loss, as well as the foods you should and shouldn’t be eating when it comes to stripping down that gut.

Running as we know is a great aerobic exercise that improves overall fitness but there’s a reason long distance runners such as Mo Farah are as skinny as they come, whilst Usain Bolt looks so physically imposing. Bolt will use strength training almost as much as track training to bolster his sprinting, something Farah isn’t quite in need of. Work in strength routines as well as running for a more well-rounded exercise regimen and a more effective route to that perfect stomach.