Don't Neglect Your Abs This Holiday Season

Every year around the holiday season, everyone seems to pack on a few extra pounds at parties and dinners. I am no exception to this. Remember that once the holiday festivities end, you'll need to log in some more time at the gym to burn off those extra pounds. This may prove a bit more difficult to accomplish during the cold winter months when getting around may be more difficult due to poor weather conditions which may translate into decreased physical activity. So keep this in mind before you overindulge yourself, and that midsection you worked so hard for in the warm summer months is covered by a layer of fat.

We've all witnessed the intense gym regular who sports well developed, showy body parts such as arms and chest, but has a sub-par and neglected midsection. When you look at them, it is almost impossible not to focus on their abs. They just seem to attract all the attention. Isn't it amazing how one area of the body can have such an overwhelming impact on a physique? I'll be the first to admit that ab work isn't always fun, but it is definitely a necessity. In addition to the obvious visual benefits, ab work is a integral part of the core training regiment, which is beneficial to your entire body.

Another example of how a poor midsection can ruin someone's look is evident in the massive, big-bellied bodybuilders of today. What does the audience notice when they walk out on stage? Their midsection of course. Their individual body parts may be extremely impressive and well-developed, but if their midsection is large and bloated it becomes a focal point. This ultimately draws all the attention away from the rest of their physique.

On the other hand, we've all seen the thin, lean type with minimal muscular development who has a well-defined or ripped 6-pack. People recognize that. Needless to say, this person looks like they are in tremendous shape. This is especially true in comparison to the aforementioned bodybuilder who is lacking in the stomach area. This way of thinking goes all the way back to ancient times where the stone statues from the Greek and Roman eras all had a well developed and an eye-catching midsection. The visual impact of great abs was definitely not lost to these sculptors from 20+ centuries ago!

It really doesn't take that much to give your abs a good, solid workout at the gym. 5 to 10 minutes a day, 6 to 8 total sets, and 200 to 300 repetitions should do the trick. Many regulars even work their abs first as a warm-up prior to their heavy lifting. Steady, consistent ab work coupled with a healthy diet high in protein, and a low to moderate intake of carbohydrates and fat will give you the six-pack you crave. You will then be able to enjoy those looks of envy from your peers at the gym.

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Are Barbell Squats The Right Exercise For You?

Ever since circus strongmen and the early superstar bodybuilders like John Grimek and Steve Reeves were winning the Mr. Universe contest the question to perform barbell squats has been a hotly debated topic. In the 1970's, top bodybuilders like Ken Waller and Arnold would swear by the squat, while fitness guru's like Vince Gironda would not even have squat racks in their gym! His argument was that the barbell squat would overdevelop the glutes and would be a detriment to the symmetrical bodybuilder. Others, like Arnold and France Columbu squatted religiously, and they attributed there overall muscular balance and strength to the squat. So which point of view is correct? I don't want to ride the fence but in my humble opinion both are!

There really isn't a better exercise you can do for overall body balance, mass and conditioning that the squat. When I perform squats as part of my leg routine I can almost feel my strength and conditioning increase as I am doing them. I also feel that I have endless energy and stamina for the rest of my workouts, and every exercise seems that much easier to do. Barbell squatting is that good for conditioning! However my body type tends to gravitate more towards the ectomorph side (thinner and a hard gainer), so putting on too much mass was never an issue for me.

If your body type is more of an endomorph (larger and heavier) you may not ever need to put on more mass on your body, especially in the glute area. Although lighter weight and high repetition squats would still be of benefit to you for shaping and conditioning, heavy squats probably would not be the first and best choice of leg exercise, unless you're a powerlifter.

In summary there is not a better over all exercise you can do than the barbell squat. It is an individual choice as to determine if the aesthetic results are to your liking.

In Addition to Exercise Eating Properly Helps Get That Six Pack of "Ripped" Abs

Eating properly is essential in order to obtain lean muscular abdominal muscles. You should drink plenty of water throughout the day with your protein intake equaling about one gram per pound of body weight. Eat plenty of chicken and turkey which are excellent sources of lean meat and are high in protein. Fish, eggs, protein bars and shakes are also solid sources of protein as well. Your carbohydrate intake should include carbs that are high in starch such as rice, oatmeal, and cereals. Always avoid eating junk foods and foods that have a high fat content. To keep your metabolism functioning at increased levels to burn fat eat 5-6 small meals per day and healthy snacks in between. Adhering to this basic dietary plan will help you gain muscularity, lose fat, and with proper exercise result in a six pack of "ripped" abs.

For more information on exercise, diet and fitness visit Unique Fitness Concepts.

Perform Your Abdominal Repetitions Slowly

Have you also seen people appear to be in some sort of crazy ab race to perform as many reps as quickly as possible on the ab machines or on the sit-up boards at the gym? Unfortunately, I've been witness to this way too many times. Granted, you can probably complete more repetitions per set for abs than any other exercise, but that is not the point of ab training. The point of ab training or any other exercise for that matter is to get the most out of the exercise. And for abdominals it is to work the muscles in the most effective way possible, which is SLOWLY. It is not the number of repetitions you complete but the quality of the repetitions. You will get a much deeper burn and work the muscles more completely by slowing down your reps, concentrating, and tightening your midsection as you perform each rep. You will not be able to complete as many reps per set but the ones you do complete will work and exhaust the midsection more thoroughly.

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September 14, 2009 First Back Workout

Your first back workout after a layoff is always a physical and psychological killer. I usually start off with pull-ups and this workout was no exception. Here's the psychological part I was referring to: If you're used to completing four sets of 12 - 15 reps and suddenly your rep count is drastically reduced it makes you realize very quickly how fast you've fallen in strength and endurance.

Well I gave it a shot and here are the results: Set #1 - 12 reps, set #2 - 10 reps, set #3 - 6 reps, and set #4 - 5 reps for a total of 36 repetitions for the four sets. Not bad, but you can see from the total there was a drop off of about 15 total reps over the four sets from my peak form. This exercise fatigues your arms and lats very quickly (especially so if you're not used to the exercise) and always has me reeling once completed. Next I did lat pulldowns in front with 120 lbs. for three sets followed by lat pulls, one arm rows, and hyper extensions. I did more than go through the motions, but I battled muscle fatigue and very short wind. The workout lasted 45 minutes and I kept reminding myself that it won't be that long until the day returns when I could fire out the reps and sets and feel like I am flying through the workout like a hot knife through butter. But right now that day seems far off...

Day 3 of Bodybuilding Comeback

Well if I keep this rate up the only stage I can be on is the hot dog eating one. Had a bad headache today and didn't train with weights for the second consecutive day. But I did do some more cardio when I went running around the local high school track doing some interval training with my 6th grade daughter who is on the school cross country team. So at least I did something. But if my goal at this stage is to train 4 - 5 days a week with weights I need to pick it up, of forget about it.

Assess Your Physique

Monitor your body's progress and overall development by looking at yourself in a full length mirror. This is the best way to assess your overall progress as well as your body's strengths and weaknesses. A mirror will be brutally honest with you and if you heed its advice you can determine which body parts need extra work and be on your way to better more eye pleasing proportioned physique.

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Get Those Ripped Abs

It doesn't take that much to give your abs a good, solid workout. 5 - 10 minutes a day, 6 - 8 total sets, and 200 - 300 repetitions should do the trick. Many people work their abs first as a warm-up prior to their heavy lifting. though this is not advisable prior to heavy lifting such as squats or deadlifts. Steady, consistent ab work coupled with a healthy diet high in protein, and a low to moderate intake of carbs and fat will give you the six-pack you crave.

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