The lovely thing about abs is that they can be worked while doing compound movements for other body parts. By compound I mean exercises that involve more than one joint movement and thus forces other muscles to engage to complete the rep (using the squat as an example; the knee, hip, and ankle joint all must move for one full rep).
This method is more effective in your quest for a six pack as it engages your entire core, works other muscles, and burns more calories. The squat for instance, is typically used to work the legs and glutes but doing a squat correctly engages your core as well. You can have the strongest, most defined core ever without training your abs separately.
Some effective compound exercises that engage your core are:
- Push up
- Squat
- Deadlifts
- Burpee
- Kettlebell swings
- Olympic lifts (consult a professional before attempting these)
Incorporating these into your routine will give you a good head start on your beach body midsection, but the real secret to abs is in the body fat. More body fat will show less definition and less body fat will reveal more. It’s like having the perfect beach body and looking in the mirror at layers of baggy clothing and coats. Training will develop the muscle you want, but you will never see it unless you lower your body fat. For women, this is especially challenging because our genetic code naturally carries and holds on to more fat. All is not lost, with proper nutrition and cardio, it can still be done.
The perfect diet varies person to person but start by reducing your carb intake and increasing your protein intake. Cut out ALL junk food (no cheats) and keep sugar to a minimum. When doing cardio, stay in the fat burning zone. This is typically 130-150bpm for the average person but you can use the talk test to measure how intense your cardio is also. If you can hold a conversation comfortably, you will need to work harder. If you cannot complete one sentence without taking a breath, slow it down. Find a place somewhere in the middle for about 45mins, 5-6 times per week.
RELATED: THE Cardio Workout for Your Core! How to Finally Get Abs You Can See