Weight lifters frequently seek to improve the abdominal muscles, as this particular area helps produce a powerful looking physique. In hopes of achieving the most impressive abdominal appearance, bodybuilders regularly pursue body weight exercises such as crunches or sit-ups, and may even boost resistance by adding weight to encourage failure within a lower rep range, taxing the abdominal muscles with considerable overload to theoretically enhance appearance.
But is the commonly held belief that crunches are the most potent abdominal exercise yet another in the plethora of bodybuilding myths? Not exactly, but the idea that direct abdominal training is the key to enhancing stomach appearance is a very misleading suggestion, as exercise is actually the least important technique in producing impressive abdominal definition, since a proper diet is the foundation behind the success of any correctly structured abdominal muscle routine.
For abdominal muscles to achieve the impressive appearance all bodybuilders seek, muscle size need not necessarily increase by any significant margin, but body fat, which covers abdominal muscles and hides their shape, must decline dramatically to improve definition, which is the very goal that all weight lifters seeking to enhance the stomach musculature are striving for. Although in other muscle groups, weight training is normally the method used to improve muscle appearance, abdominal definition is more dependant upon body fat level than mid-section muscle mass improvements, therefore a properly designed fat loss diet routine is the secret to producing a streamlined, muscular abdominal section.
What many bodybuilders fail to realize is that performing a large number of sit-ups or abdominal crunches will cause very little if any stomach appearance improvements unless accompanied by significant body fat reduction, and the latter goal does not depend in any way upon focused abdominal training, but rather is contingent on whether meals are correctly constructed for continuous fat loss, and this not only involves the correct caloric intake for a bodybuilder's personal metabolism, but also effective protein, carbohydrate, and fat levels so that sufficient macronutrients are present to create an ideal fat loss environment for abdominal definition improvement. The number of bodybuilders who constantly perform sit-ups or abdominal crunches without any apparent mid-section appearance improvement is staggering, and due to poor results, they then seek alternative abdominal sculpting exercises, when in fact, direct stomach training is not linked with mid-section definition, and any bodybuilder in such a situation is in desperate need of a structured, efficient fat loss diet plan.
In addition to a correctly designed diet, a bodybuilder should integrate aerobic activity five days per week when attempting to enhance definition in any muscle group, as although aerobic exercise does not substantially improve abdominal appearance when following a poorly structured diet routine (which is why many mistakenly assume aerobics is ineffective), cardio will greatly improve the rate of fat loss when used in conjunction with a potent diet philosophy. Take note that I have yet to emphasize abdominal crunches or sit-ups, the two most often sought after solutions by bodybuilders wishing to greatly enhance abdominal appearance, as despite their appeal, such exercises actually place last in terms of priority when aiming for abdominal improvement, behind aerobic activity, and the most critical tactic which numerous bodybuilders fail to address, a intelligently designed fat loss bodybuilding diet routine which will enhance definition in all areas.
The advantages of pursuing a fat loss phase do not only relate to abdominal enhancement, but will actually cause the biceps, chest, arms, and all other muscle groups to appear bigger, specifically because they become more defined after stripping layers of fat. So, when you are wishing to enhance abdominal appearance, remember that sit-ups and crunches are far less important than integrating effective fat loss diet techniques, despite the hype you've read surrounding crunches. When you decide to focus upon fat reduction, you need not fear muscle loss if you continue to employ correct weight training workout principles, and make certain to never drastically reduce caloric intake, and avoid low carbohydrate diet plans, as both can drastically burn muscle tissue, which will harm, as opposed to improve, overall appearance. Lastly, I urge you to continue performing sit-ups or abdominal crunches, but know that the layer of fat must vanish before the fruits of your labor become evident, and this is directly related to how you eat, not abdominal training.
Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a diet and weight training program teaching the exact techniques for muscle gain without bodybuilding supplements or drugs. He also owns IncrediBody.com, an online fitness superstore selling protein powder at guaranteed lowest prices.
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