OK, you've heard of 10 minute abs and 8 minute abs. How about zero minute abs?
Yes, you read that right. Zero minute abs. Don't spend any time working on your abs, and still look ripped and muscular.
How? Just two simple steps...
1. Lift Big
Real, big, multi-joint lifts. Deadlift, squat, pull up, chin up, clean and press - all those big, muscle and strength building lifts that aren't 'bodybuilding' lifts.
These lifts will do several things for you. First, they'll give you the most bang for your buck in the gym - you won't be there for 2 hours working your biceps from every angle (as if that even helps...).
Get in there, lift your heavy weights, and then about 45 minutes or an hour later get out. This will also give you the maximum testosterone and growth hormone release, with the least amount of cortisol (stress hormone) release. And because testosterone and growth hormone help build muscle, and cortisol destroys muscle, this is a great time frame to lift in!
Also, big lifts will work your abs without you needing to specifically work them. If you do lifts that put stress on your core for stabilization, like the overhead barbell press and the weighted chin up, your abs will naturally get stronger.
Without a ton of crunches!
Oh, and big lifts will also get you strong. No amount of special exercises or balancing on rubber balls with weird weights will get you that strong.
Strength is the ability to handle more weight, and only by constantly challenging yourself and lifting more weight can you really get strong. Leave the silly, small exercises for other people.
2. Eat Right
OK, this is THE most important part of getting your zero minute abs. Why? Seeing your abs is 100% related to your body fat percentage - and, therefore, what you eat.
If you're a guy and you diet down to six or eight percent body fat (or 12 to 17 percent for women), you will see your abdominal muscles. If you can't get your body fat percentage down that far, you won't.
What about crunches? And ab-blasters, and all those other marketing gimmicks?
Simply B.S. gimmicks.
First, while exercise is good for building muscle and losing weight, you cannot out exercise your appetite. Nope, not gonna happen.
As anyone who has ever dieted to drop fat will tell you, exercise isn't enough. Jogging for an hour is the equivalent of a few chocolate chip cookies - nobody can do that!
So, eating right is what it's all about. Eating so that you diet down and lose fat, and then build up your muscles and eat just a bit more so that you put on muscle without a lot of fat gain.
Yea, it's really that simple. Not easy of course - holding yourself at a consistent body fat percentage while you add muscle is difficult. But it's simple and doable, and that's what's important.
Of course, there are more specific tricks about how to drop fat fast. And how to stay at a low body fat percentage in a sustainable manner. Check out the links below to find out how to do that.
If you want to get more info about how to get ripped, check out the How To Get Abs E-Book. Or read more info at my site, Complete Strength Training. I'm an American College of Sports Medicine certified Personal Trainer and I've been lifting heavy things, trying different diets, and practicing Japanese martial arts for quite a while. There's a lot of info about all different kinds of strength and weight training, and how to get ripped. Check it out! - Copyright: You may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, active links, and this copyright notice remain intact.
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