How to Get Chiseled Abs

Tired of that flab around your stomach? Frustrated that after all this time in the gym you still can’t see your abs? In order to actually get a chiseled stomach you have to have both your diet and your exercise routine fine tuned. These steps will teach you everything you need to do to get the six-pack you’ve always wanted.

Things You'll Need

• dumbbells, weight plates, treadmill

Tips For You 

1. Perform a cardiovascular exercise a minimum of three times per week.
2. Run for 20-30 minutes. Sustain a heart rate of 60-75% of your maximum heart rate. To calculate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.
3. Slowly drop your calories. Drop your daily calorie intake incrementally by 100. Start the first week and decrease accordingly each week.
4. Keep your protein intake high. Start by slowly lowering your saturated fat intake. Don’t cut the fat out completely, as you could negatively change your hormone levels. Also, slowly lower your carbohydrate intake.
5. Now that you have a healthy diet and cardio regimen in place, you should start to see results for all your hard work. Because the abdomen recovers quickly, you can exercise the area more often than you would any other muscle group. Try to work your abs at least 3 times a week.
6. Weighted Sit-Ups: Lay on your back with your legs bent. Keep your knees pointed upwards and held together. Your feet should remain flat on the floor. If you can, pin them as well. (A weight plate should provide control and assist you as you complete the exercise.)
7. Place a sufficiently heavy weight plate on your chest and fold your arms across it. While focusing on contracting your abs, bring your upper body towards your knees. Wait a beat, then lower your back to its original starting position. This is one rep.
8. Perform eight to twelve repetitions for four sets. Rest one minute between each set.
9. Side-Bends: Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and firmly on the floor. Hold a sufficiently heavy dumbbell or weight plate in your right hand.
10. Lower the right side of your body. Bend at the hip so your shoulder dips toward the floor and the hand holding the weight drops straight down. Focus on contracting your abs. This is one rep.
11. Perform eight to twelve repetitions for four sets. Then repeat with the other hand.
12. Leg-Lifts: Lie on your back on a flat bench. Keep your shoulders and the small of your back pressed against the pad. Most of your lower body should hang off the bench. Hold onto the side of the bench for support.
13. Place a 5 or 10 pound dumbbell between your feet and slowly raise your legs up towards the ceiling until they’re almost perpendicular to the rest of your body. Then slowly lower them back down until your legs are level with your upper body and the bench. This is one rep.
14. Do four sets of eight to twelve repetitions. Break for one minute between each set.