How To Get Abs In A Week

Actor Akshay Khanna told PTI that he doesn’t understand why so many Bollwood actors are obsessed about having six-packs as having a good physical shape as having either or both doesn’t make you a better actor.

Khanna said:

“I don’t think to prove yourself as an actor you have to be a fitness freak or have six pack abs… Looks are important when on screen but they are not the priority. I have known people who might not look very good but are fantastic actors”.

He went on to say:

“Appearance does help to an extent but at the end it is only acting that matters. The audience today is smart, they know what they want and if an actor is not able to do justice to the character and portray it convincingly it won’t be appreciated by the audience.”

We appreciate his open remarks but have to wonder whether many actors are movie cast for their physical looks rather than by their acting ability….having a great physique and good acting abilities should go hand-in-hand, especially when you consider the amount of dollars they earn.

You don’t have to be a movie star or earn masses amount of money to get great abs if you choose the right work out regime and diet.

Crunches are not the only exercise type that work on your core however. The Plank is also a great way to work on your core as it targets almost all of the major muscles. While there is the straight plank, there are other variations that focus on particular muscles more than the others – such as the Side Plank. Finally there is always the good old sit-up that we all know and love, or loathe!

No matter what route you take, it is important to work out a schedule and to plan out your routine. Core exercises for men and women are very easy to get started on, and often require no equipment at all. Some may require an exercise ball, but these can also be picked up very reasonably and used in your own home which is great news for those who hate the thought of going to the gym or simply don’t have the time or spare cash to go to the gym. Concentrating on the core muscles will help tone your body as well as a great way to get fabulous abs!

Carrying on from our last post we pose the question ‘So why do you need to exercise these muscles at all?’ Well, firstly they are typically the muscles that matter most when it comes to movement of your whole body. When you twist or turn, bend or stretch, it is very common to actually be using the core muscles to do so. They are the ones that will help you with your posture too – not just in standing up straight, but also in maintaining a healthy and straight spine and help to reduce back pain.

For women, they serve other important functions too. Giving birth relies almost entirely on your transverse abdominal muscle, through both your labour and the delivery process. By having a much stronger transverse abdominis, you will be better prepared for pregnancy – and typically have an easier time in doing so.

Due to the large number of different areas you can work on, there are of course a very high amount of exercise available to work on your core. Some of the most commonly used and most effective, are actually crunches. These are however far more crunches available than the most standard one – from bicycle crunches (No bicycle required!) to reverse crunches and crossover crunches.

Training your core is one of the key fundamental things that most of us want to do. After all, your core comprises of the muscles that give you fantastic abs and a tighter stomach – something that all of us want! Yet it is also so many more things than simply your abs. So what exactly is your core, why do you need to exercise it, and most importantly what are the best core exercises for women?

In the most simple way possible, your core is your main body. That is to say, it is every part of you that is not your arms or your legs. Obviously this is a lot of different muscle groups, and quite a lot of different exercises and workouts are needed to work on all of these different areas of your body.

The actual muscles that make up your core are, the oblique’s, transverse abdominal muscle, rectus abdominis, pelvic floor muscles, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, gleteus maximus and the diaphragm. Now you might of heard of some of these, such as the obliques, transverse abdominal muscle – yet others may be unknown to you. This is okay! It is perfectly fine if you do not know what these muscles are.

The most important thing, is using exercises that target these muscles and help to develop your whole core. By narrowing your focus to just one of these muscles, you can actually cause a lot of aches and strains.

Upper body workouts are part of getting your whole body fit. It takes exercises designed for this area of the body for it to get and effective workout. What exercises should you do to build your arms, shoulders, chest and upper back? Some very effective ones are push-ups, pull ups and chin ups.

Push-ups:

Push-ups can be done in a variety of ways. Standard push-ups are done by you lying on your stomach on the floor. Have your hands palms down up by your shoulders. Push your body up until only your toes and hands are supporting your weight. Hold the position for a second or two and then gradually lower your body back down to the floor. These can be done in a modified way by leaving from your knees down on the floor and just pushing the rest of your body up with your back in a fairly straight position.

Pull Ups:

Pull ups are done with the help of a bar installed on a frame of some kind. The bar needs to be high enough that you when you grab a hold of it and pull up on it that your feet are not touching the floor. The right way to do a pull up is to grab the bar with palms facing away from you. These work your upper back more than your biceps, even though, they also get a workout.

Chin Ups:

Chin ups are performed similar to pull ups except the palms are facing you instead of away from you. This gives your biceps more of a workout and they are easier to do than the pull ups are.

Combine these exercises for an ideal workout for the upper body. You will work your chest muscles, biceps, upper-back muscles and more, just start slow and increase amounts as you get stronger.

If you’re finding it difficult to keep to your fitness routine then why not try one of the latest Smartphone Aps which can be tailored to suit your fitness regime. The aps sends you words of encouragement to help keep you focused and on track. There are a couple of different platforms offer this Aps, each having a slightly different set-up, so it’s up to you which you opt for.

We all know how hard it is to keep focused and dedication and a lot of work is needed if you’re going to stay the course and improve your fitness levels.

Then of course you have a wealth of games consoles which also offer fitness programmes, which all look a lot of fun but you have to wonder if they really do the job or whether they are simply a bit of fun. Harden fitness experts will no doubt say that these types of programmes aren’t for those who are serious about loosing weight and staying fit – we say take a look around at some of the other fitness programmes available before you part with your cash.