The Immortal Myth of Spot Reduction
The #1 cause of a soft midsection is a result of a myth that just won’t die: if you exercise a certain muscle group you will be able to tone that spot on your body. This is FALSE, FALSE, FALSE!
I repeat: just because you exercise a muscle, does not mean you will begin to show cuts or definition in that area.
Your muscles in the target area will get bigger, stronger, faster, and better conditioned, but fat loss will NOT occur in that area unless it is simultaneously occurring everywhere else on your body. The only way you can do crunches and wake up one day to six-pack abs, is if your bodyfat is already under 8%.
The truth you need to know, is that flat six pack abs are difficult to get. To succeed in this quest, you need the right combination of exercises, diet, and genetics. There, I said it.
I personally have had a 4 pack on several occasions throughout my life. A six pack is just not attainable for me unless I get under that 8% bodyfat mark, and even then I don’t have great lower abdominal genetics. The four pack is maintainable by me year round, although it’s slightly harder to stay that lean during the winter.
What does this mean for you?
It means that a flat belly is achievable for you, just as it is for anyone.
It means that your body might not physiologically be right for displaying six pack abs, but that you should be able to show off some abdominal definition if your bodyfat is low enough.
It means that you need to follow a strict diet in order to drop enough bodyfat from your whole body, that your abs become visible through a wall of various abdominal tissues.
It means that you might not be able to drop that much bodyfat if your lifestyle doesn’t allow it, or if your body just won’t function properly at a low body fat percentage.
It also means that you need a wide variety of effective exercises to shape your abdominals from all angles.
I repeat: just because you exercise a muscle, does not mean you will begin to show cuts or definition in that area.
Your muscles in the target area will get bigger, stronger, faster, and better conditioned, but fat loss will NOT occur in that area unless it is simultaneously occurring everywhere else on your body. The only way you can do crunches and wake up one day to six-pack abs, is if your bodyfat is already under 8%.
The truth you need to know, is that flat six pack abs are difficult to get. To succeed in this quest, you need the right combination of exercises, diet, and genetics. There, I said it.
I personally have had a 4 pack on several occasions throughout my life. A six pack is just not attainable for me unless I get under that 8% bodyfat mark, and even then I don’t have great lower abdominal genetics. The four pack is maintainable by me year round, although it’s slightly harder to stay that lean during the winter.
What does this mean for you?
It means that a flat belly is achievable for you, just as it is for anyone.
It means that your body might not physiologically be right for displaying six pack abs, but that you should be able to show off some abdominal definition if your bodyfat is low enough.
It means that you need to follow a strict diet in order to drop enough bodyfat from your whole body, that your abs become visible through a wall of various abdominal tissues.
It means that you might not be able to drop that much bodyfat if your lifestyle doesn’t allow it, or if your body just won’t function properly at a low body fat percentage.
It also means that you need a wide variety of effective exercises to shape your abdominals from all angles.
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