Curtis Hoekstra asked:
I don’t care who you are…we all would love to look in the mirror and see flat, lean, sexy midsection. But truthfully, most people are going about the wrong way. Hundreds of crunches and endless hours of cardio…still they don’t get the results they want.
Sound familiar?
So here’s what I have for you…your very own “No Crunch Abs Blueprint” workout.
But before I reveal the fat attack, let me erase the top 4 misconceptions on getting 6-pack abs:
Myth #1- “I want to lose weight so I can see my abs.”
WRONG!
The key to seeing your abs is fat loss, not weight loss. Let me explain…your body consists of fat mass and lean body mass (water, muscle, bone, organs, etc.). You want to minimize your fat mass and maximize your lean body mass to skyrocket your metabolism, which in turn is what will eradicate fat cells and build muscle 24/7. By changing your body composition, you will be setting yourself to reveal the 6-pack everyone craves.
For example…let’s say you lose 15 pounds.
That’s good…but hold on a moment. What if losing those 15 pounds came at the expense of losing some precious, lean muscle tissue burned away by all that long slow cardio and caloric restriction (ie: useless diets)? Guess what…when your muscle goes bye bye, so does your metabolism. Your performance goes down and you lose muscle tone. Not sexy.
But if you lose 15 lbs on the scale and you manage to keep or even increase lean muscle tissue, you will increase performance, see more visible definition throughout your body, and lose body fat.
That’s why I do NOT encourage you to get on a scale. That little evil machine has far too many variables it doesn’t understand inside your body, such as hydration levels, sodium intake, and for women, your menstrual cycle. The last time I weighed myself was at the doctor’s office…and not because I wanted to. You really shouldn’t either.
Instead of getting caught up in those 3 little numbers on a scale, focus on fat loss – not weight loss. It can be so discouraging (and misleading), especially for you women.
Next, focus on clothing size reduction (how do your clothes fit), before and after pictures (take some right away), and of course the mirror for the most accurate progress tracking (go ahead, check yourself out when you finish your shower).
Myth #2- “Ab exercises burn tummy fat.”
WRONG!
Spot reduction doesn’t work. I’ve said this before. You can’t just work the muscles of a certain area of your body and expect to have the fat in that region go away…it does not work like that. Put down those stupid magazines that tell you otherwise.
Think about the last time you saw people working out at the gym. You see almost everyone doing some crunches or one of those useless crunch “ab machines”. If that really worked, everyone who jumped on the “crunch bandwagon” would have flat, sexy abs. Take look around, you know that isn’t the case.
So put down those silly fitness magazines that tell you to burn belly fat by doing this ab move or buy this ab gizmo…save your money and listen to what I’m telling you…spot reduction does NOT work!
The most surefire plan is to burn as many calories during your workouts as possible by engaging your whole body each and every training session (not just your abs). Also be sure to use compound, multi-joint movements like squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. (or better yet, total body exercises like squat to curl to presses). These movements burn a lot more calories than isolation movements like crunches and sit-ups.
Focus on these movements first and then if you have time (and desire), you can do some extra core work.
Myth #3- Crunches and sit-ups are the best exercises to trim fat and show off your abs.
WRONG!
Ok, so you want to show your “rectus abdominis” aka your “abs”. Since the dawn of fitness magazines, we have been brainwashed to believe the best way to work your rectus abdominis is by doing endless crunches and sit-ups since these exercises traditionally get you to feel “the burn”. However, the true function of the rectus abdominis is to prevent hyperextension, not to flex forward over and over again. Anytime you brace your abs (think slight crunch before you get punched in the gut) and pull your navel into your spine you effectively stabilize your spine into a safe, neutral position. And the moment you relax your abs and lose that braced abs position; your back will begin to hyperextend putting you at greater risk for injury.
So, an efficient workout would focus on “stabilization” exercises in all three planes of movement (saggital- front to back, frontal- side to side, and transverse- rotational) by using pillar exercise variations (some know these as planks). Besides training the true “anti-extension” function of your superficial ab muscles, these bridging/stabilization exercises also activate the key transverse abdominus muscles, or your deep abdominal stabilizers, that wrap around your spine and support your internal organs. Strengthening these “inner” ab muscles is the key to optimal posture, better performance and helping to prevent lower back pain or even injury.
Myth #4- Do lots of long, slow cardio in the “fat burning zone” will torch tummy blubber.
WRONG!
There is a ton recent research and real world examples that support the fact that aerobic training for fat loss alone simply does not work. Total body resistance training is the true foundation of any solid, long lasting fat loss plan. Period. If you hear or see anything to the contrary…hogwash!
In addition, interval training (which is what we focus our boot camp workouts on), will have you alternating between bouts of maximum effort and active recovery…which is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise.
Please note that you can perform both interval strength training and interval cardio training to combine the best of both worlds. I’ve got more on this later…
Now the myths are debunked, excuses are over…let’s snap into reality and layout your No Crunch Abs Solution Blueprint!
The No Crunch Abs Blueprint:
Zone 1: Lose the fat that is covering your abs so that you can actually see them.
How? Eat supportively to elevate your metabolism. Take a closer look:
- Drink at least 2-4 cups of water immediately upon waking and then drink at least 1-2 cups of water every 2 hours you are awake. Drink 1-2 cups of water for every 15 minutes of vigorous activity.
- Eat immediately upon waking and then every 2-4 hours after that for a total of 6-8 feedings per day (3 meals, 3 snacks- half the size of your meals, workout nutrition)
- Focus on a wide range of organic lean proteins, natural fats, and fruit and veggies
Here is a Sample One-Day Menu:
Breakfast- Scrambled Eggs, Greens, and Turkey Sausage or Bacon, 100% Whole Grain Toast
Mid-Morning Snack- Mixed Nuts and Fruit/Veggie of Choice (Raw Almond are my favorite)
Lunch- Chicken, Salmon, or Shrimp Caesar Salad (keep the dressing light)
Mid-Afternoon Snack- Cheese and Fruit/Veggie of Choice
Dinner- Turkey or Beef Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash (keep portion size appropriate)
Pre-Bed Snack- Protein and Flax Shake
- Take a daily multi-vitamin for your gender and an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement
Zone 2: Exercise to lose fat and elevate metabolism
How?
Perform 3 “total body interval strength training” routines a week.
Here’s a 20 minute sample (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down).
50-10 Interval Five Exercise Total Body Circuit- You will alternate between 50 seconds of maximum effort and 10 s of rest for each exercise in the following five-exercise circuit. Perform this 5-minute circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body workout:
Exercise # : Exercise Category : Exercise Variation
1 : Double-Leg: Bilateral Hip-Dominant : Hip Extensions
2 : Push: Horizontal Push : Push-up Variation
3 : Single-Leg: Unilateral Knee-Dominant : Single-Leg Wall Sit
4 : Pull: Horizontal Pull : Body Weight Rows
5 : Core: Linear Stabilization or Trunk-Dominant : Upper Body Twist Variation
Perform up to 3 (20 minute) cardio interval training workouts on your off-days.
Here’s a 20 minute sample (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down).
30-30’s Intervals : You will alternate between 30 seconds of maximum effort and 30 s of active recovery. You will perform this 1-minute round up to 20x for 20 total minutes. You can perform this workout on your cardio mode of choice (jump rope, spin bike, running, etc.) or by alternating between the following body weight cardio exercises:
Exercise # : Body Weight Cardio Variation : Body Weight Cardio Exercise
1 : Linear Locomotion Emphasis : Stationary Running
2 : Lateral/Rotational Locomotion Emphasis : Jumping Jack Variation
Zone 3: Train your abs based on their true function: STABILIZATION
Today our boot camp workout has been awarded the most loved and most hated core workout. No crunches, no sit-ups…simply using different planes of motion to full train every muscle fiber within your core. Give it a shot…there are variations for beginners to advanced, something for everyone.
The Power Pillar Workout – Interval Style
This 20-minute total body core workout focuses entirely on increasing your pillar stabilization. The “pillar” of your body collectively consists of your shoulders, hips, and core. It is your body’s powerhouse, foundational to all movement.
For each exercise below you will alternate between 20 s of work and 10 s of rest. You will repeat this 30-second sequence eight times for four total minutes followed by a one minute active rest and transition before moving on to the next exercise listed.
For maximum benefits, you must seek to maintain a tight pillar position during all movements by actively sucking your belly button to your spine, squeezing your glutes, and keep yourself in a nice smooth “plank” position, similar to that of a diving board.
Exercise#1- Front Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)
Exercise#2- Left Side Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)
Exercise#3- Right Side Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)
Exercise#4- Back Pillar Variation (static or dynamic)
The end has come for traditional sit-ups, outdated crunches, boring cardio and ineffective exercise routines. Follow what I have here and you’ll be revealing your lean, sexy 6-pack before you know it
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