13 Effective Tips To Get A Six Pack

So let’s review all of the important concepts to take into account in order to design a highly effective training program that will promote a lean ripped body. In no particular order, the most important factors that go into an effective routine are:

1. Focus the majority of your time on weight training to get lean instead of focusing on cardio training;
2. Replace traditional moderate intensity long duration cardio with high intensity shorter duration anaerobic training such as wind sprints and interval training;
3. Utilize multi-joint exercises instead of single joint exercises for the majority (if not all) of your training routines;
4. Focus on free weights instead of machines for the majority (if not all) of your training;
5. Increase the intensity of your workouts by focusing on exercises in which you complete more “work” by moving significant quantities of weight for larger distances .
6. Keep your workouts shorter but intense; 
7. A training frequency of 3-4 sessions per week works best for the majority of individuals;
8. Ab specific training should be completed at the end of your workout or on a separate day from your full body training;
9. Ab specific training never needs to comprise more than 5-7 minutes of your total 30-60 minute training session;
10. Ab specific exercises should provide significant resistance to challenge your strength level 
11. An arched back should be avoided during ab training while generally focusing on maintaining a hunched back during most ab exercises;
12. Perform a functional warm-up at the beginning of each workout utilizing core strengthening exercises to warm up your body along with a brief bicycling warm-up to lubricate the lower body joints;
13. Follow a specific type of training program consistently for 4-6 weeks before changing your training variables.

Frequency And Duration Of Training Sessions

Many people falsely believe that you must workout everyday or at least 5-6 days/week to build a lean ripped physique. In fact, for most people, training that frequently will lead to over-training. Your body needs a stimulus (exercise) in order to build muscle and lose body fat. However, your body also needs sufficient rest to recover from that exercise. Therefore, training everyday doesn’t give the body much time to rebuild and get ready for the next training session. On the other hand, if you only train one day per week, you’re doing little more than a sedentary individual.

So, what is an optimal training frequency for most people to obtain the best results? There’s not one single answer since everyone is different. It also depends on how you structure your sessions. However, most people respond best to training 3-4 days/week. That allows sufficient training stimuli to force your body to adapt, yet also allows sufficient rest to prevent you from getting “burned out” or overtraining.

 A good rule of thumb is to keep your workouts between 45-60 minutes. Studies have shown that training sessions exceeding one hour promote higher levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol which can lead to excessive muscle protein breakdown. It’s very hard for your body to fully recover once you’ve over-trained. Think of it as taking two steps back, but only one step forward.

In summary, the majority of people respond best to training 3-4 times/week for 45-60 minutes/session.