The Best Exercise for Abs

People always ask me, "what is the best exercise for my abs?"

There is only one exercise for your abs that will make a difference - eat smart.  Most people have so much fat covering their abs that no amount of crunches will make any difference for your abs at all. 

You can't spot reduce fat.  You reduce the fat all over your body  by eating right, or you don't lose any fat at all.  Crunches do not do anything about the fat around your midsection.  You want proof?  Look at all the people on the crunch machines at your gym. 

Losing fat is 70% eating smart, and 30% working out smart.  Do the math on that.  If you want abs, 70% of it is going to be eating right.  I don't care if you can do hanging leg raises with an elephant strapped to your ankles - If your food plan sucks, you'll never see your superhuman abs underneath that layer of fat.

Eat smart - This is the best exercise for your abs.

By Josh Hillis

author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds: Take Your Body from Good to Rockstar.

National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) and Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES)

Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certified Instructor (RKC) and Combat Applications Specialist (RKC/CAS)

Comments

[Weightloss Tips]

Abdominal exercise. Get strong, firm, toned abs in just four to eight weeks...Guaranteed!

[gain muscle mass]

This is just so needed to be aware off.Thanks for this post and all. Fitness in general and muscle building and weight loss issues are so often presented in non complete and just unprofessionally so THIS is WHY we need to have more places Like yours here. Respects , Sasha http://www.advice-masters.com/

[Abs Workout Secrets]

The best way get flat abs is to have proper abs diet plans to burn fat and gain muscle.
Here are 3 tips lose belly fat and accelerate your road to flat abs:

1. Avoid hunger pangs during fat loss diet -this will cause you to lose muscle mass and water instead of losing love handles.

2. Eat the right food combinations to burn fat - with carbohydrates, protein and fibre to provide your body with all the nutrients it to renew your body.

3. Plan your fat loss diet - planning what you need to eat, and pre-cooking it will ensure that you keep to your abs diet plan and minimize your temptation for snacking on unhealthy food. It's also good to keep records of your progress.

[Stephanie]

Hi, I don't eat very healthy, and I've already gotten the top portion of my abs very defined by doing a random six minute workout I found via a Google search. I do eat breakfast, drink plenty of water, and have at least one apple every day, but I still eat sweets and carbs (spagetti as a main dish, eggrolls, etcetera). I've actually heard of girls at my school who got six packs just from jogging every day.

[Rusty - Fitness Tips]

You hit it spot on! I remember reading that Tom Ventuo (Burn the Fat) experimented with just doing cardio and diet and not working his abs directly. His abs still looked outstanding. He did say they looked slightly better with ab exercises, but not a huge difference. Good call!

[Marc White]

100% correct, great article, great advice. I don't care how many crunches you do a day, if you don't eat properly you will never see your "abs". They will always be covered by that layer of fat that comes from eating the wrong foods.Nutrition is the single most determining factor in our appearance.

[Frank]

Yes I agree with this post. It is right on target. I have found that the more I eat natural unprocessed foods the easier it is to find your ideal weight. Skip the sausage biscuit sandwich and instead have a slice of melon or pineapple for breakfast. Lose the potato chips and bring some raw cashews or brazil nuts to work with you to snack on.

[Frank]

I have a friend that did an experiment where he ate a "caveman" diet, That is, he tried to recreate a diet that mimicked what we probably ate 500,000 years ago before the invention of white bread and fast food. He would eat mono meals like berries and fruit, raw nuts and seeds, dark greens etc. Pure natural unprocessed food almost all of it raw. (after all the invention of fire is rather recent in our history) He droppped 22 pounds and said he had more energy than he ever had in his life. Now he said he is disgusted when he looks at fast food. The only bad thing about the diet is at first it is a bit daunting because your body goes thru an uncomfortable period of detoxification.

[ripped abs]

Like mentioned above no shortcuts for top fitness. If you really want to look amazing you need to put in the long effort.