Technically everyone has a 6-pack. It’s called the rectus-abdominis muscle, and your
abdominals are very important for posture, walking, and they come into play in other areas
of your life that will be left unsaid. To reveal that set of musculature, you can do 2 things: 1)
abdominal exercises 2) lose your belly fat. Belly fat, or visceral fat, is the most dangerous fat
to have, because it overlies your internal organs unlike subcutaneous fat which is just under
your skin. Visceral fat has been linked to a higher risk of heart attack. (Google: “the dangers of
visceral fat.”) This fat can be lost via diet and exercise.
Exercise
○ Chest
- Do 50 pushups 3x/week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
- It may be difficult to do this many pushups in a row, so you can feel free to break this number up into smaller sets (e.g., 2 sets of 20 and 1 set of 10)
- For proper form, see: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/02/15/proper-push-up/
- Do 10 pullups 2x/week (e.g., Tuesday, Thursday)
- Pullups may be even more difficult than pushups, so also feel free to break this up into smaller sets (e.g., 2 sets of 5)
■ It may be difficult starting out, especially if you have not worked out in
a while. However, stick to the regimen, and you will find your strength
increases over time
○ Abdomen
- Do 50 crunches 3x/week
- For good form, see: http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/ht/Crunch.htm
- Make sure not to strain your neck by holding it in order to do the crunch
- As your strength increases, increase the number of crunches you do, and also include your more lateral abdominals by turning to the sides
○ Cardio
- Use an elliptical machine for 25 minutes or 2 miles (whichever comes first) at least 3x/week (e.g., MWF)
- OR
- Jog on a treadmill or outside for 2 miles 3x/week.
- It’s very important to burn existing fat in order for your muscles to really “pop”.
The Riverbank Ministries 