Hey everyone!
It's me of course!
Today I'm gonna share a little bit of a secret with you. I follow my favorite personal trainer, Mat Grover, and on his website he shared this awesome chunk of information that I KNOW you will all love to hear.
He shared several myths about ab work, including one that stood out to me most-
Q: "Does lots of abs work to preferentially burn off stomach fat?
Spot reduction doesn’t work. You can’t just work the muscles of a certain area of your body and expect to have the fat in that region go away. Think about it: millions of gym goers do crunches but proportionately very few people perform total body workouts. So, with all of these crunches, we’d expect to see nothing but people with flat tummies and fat everywhere else on their body (arms, legs, etc.). But think of how many people you see at the gym in the “ab section” doing crunches and sit ups but still have more than a few inches to lose in their midsection. See what I mean- spot reduction doesn’t work!
WHAT?!
So what you're telling me is that we are forever told that crunches and sit ups every day will give you flat abs? and it DOESNT? Crazy. Except that makes sense!
You see, our goal in the weight loss and toning department isn't just to get a flat tummy. We want to look good all over right? Total body workouts are the way to go! So for all you spending hours each weak just on crunches- STOP! And lets talk about how to get your tummy flat by using the rest of your body to do so.
The Anti-Crunch Six-Pack Abs Blueprint:
Step#1- Lose the fat that is covering your abs so that you can see them
A.) The 10 Habits of Highly Lean Eaters (also good for optimum performance and overall good health)
1. Eat every 2-4 hrs, that means 5-6 meals a day
2. Eat lean protein with every meal about 20-30gr per meal
3. Eat veggies with every meal, and have a couple of servings of fruit every day
4. Eat other carbs (breads, pasta, rice) only within 1-2 hours of intense exercise
5. Don’t drink your calories, the exception being a workout shake, or a meal replacement shake that follows rules 2,3 and 6
6. Eat healthy fats throughout the day (everyone should supplement with fish oil)
7. Focus on whole foods
8. Plan out your nutrition and prepare your food
9. Plan on not following the rules 10% of the time (cheat meals)
10. Don’t eat the same thing everyday, have variety in your diet
B.) Train to lose fat and elevate metabolism
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday- Perform Total Body Circuit Strength Training
Sample Total Body Circuit Strength Workout- 20 Minutes (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down)
50-10 Interval Five Exercise Total Body Circuit- You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 s of rest for each exercise in the following five-exercise circuit. Perform this 5-minute circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body workout:
| Exercise# | Exercise Category | Exercise Variation |
| 1 | Double-Leg: Bilateral Hip-Dominant | Hip Extensions |
| 2 | Push: Horizontal Push | Push-up Variation |
| 3 | Single-Leg: Unilateral Knee-Dominant | Single-Leg Wall Sit |
| 4 | Pull: Horizontal Pull | Body Weight Rows |
| 5 | Core: Linear Stabilization or Trunk-Dominant | Upper Body Twist Variation |
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday- Perform Cardio Interval Training
Sample Cardio Interval Training Workout- 20 Minutes (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down)
30-30’s- You will alternate between 30 seconds of maximum effort and 30 s of active recovery. You will perform this 1-minute round up to 20x for 20 total minutes. You can perform this workout on your cardio machine of choice (airdyne or spin bike, running, etc.) or by alternating between the following body weight cardio exercises for the ultimate in-home workout:
| Exercise# | Body Weight Cardio Variation | Body Weight Cardio Exercise |
| 1 | Linear Locomotion Emphasis | Stationary Running |
| 2 | Lateral/Rotational Locomotion Emphasis | Jumping Jacks Variation |
Step#2- Train your abs based on their true function: STABILIZATION
Below is one of my boot camp client’s favorite (and most hated) core workouts. It involves no crunches or sit-ups by using all pillar stabilization exercises. Once you master these killer moves and follow everything else I previously listed above, you will have a sweet pair of rock hard abs to show for it… I guarantee it!
The 4 Point Core Workout- Tabata Style
This 20-minute total body core workout focuses entirely on pillar stabilization. The pillar collectively consists of your shoulders, hips, and core. It is your body’s powerhouse and is foundational to all movement.
For each exercise below you will alternate between 20 s of work and 10 s of rest. You will repeat this 30-second sequence eight times for four total minutes followed by a one minute rest and transition before moving on to the next exercise listed.
For maximum benefits, you must seek to maintain a tall, tight spinal position (remember kneel & reach) during all movements by actively pulling your navel to your spine, engaging your glutes, and maintaining a straight line from the heels through the shoulders. The following coaching cues work really well for our clients:
“Suck in your gut – tilt your belt buckle – be flat like a diving board.”
Exercise#1- Plank Variation (static or dynamic)
Exercise#2- Left Side Plank Variation (static or dynamic)
Exercise#3- Right Side Plank Variation (static or dynamic)
Exercise#4- Reverse Plank Variation (static or dynamic)
DEMO OF ALL THE ABOVE WORKOUTS on link below!
Lets get our butts in gear and get looking hawt together! For help with ideas for a total body work out, email me at andreagomez605@msn.com and lets get together and WORK IT!
Contact Mat Grover if you're looking for the best personal trainer!
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