How to get a perfect six-pack: 10 Top tips + Best exercises

How to get a perfect six-pack may not be easy but it’s certainly possible!

Do you dream of a six-pack? Then you will really need to train for this. In addition, you may have to give up several things.

As a general rule, the quest for the perfect six-pack is a common one. For this, it is essential to reduce the body fat ratio as much as possible, train constantly, and specifically target the abdominal area. Hydration and the right nutrition are key for the perfect six-pack.

Many men and women who exercise dream of a tight belly and a washboard. Still, it’s not that easy to get a perfect six-pack. After all, you won’t achieve your goal just by doing abdominal exercises.

The following 10 tips will make it easier to reach your goal and grow a perfect six-pack.

How to get a perfect six-pack: Introduction

You will only get a flat belly if you have burned enough fat. You can do this in the following ways:

• Adjusting your diet so that you increase fat burning
• Lots of sports and exercise
• Do specific abdominal exercises

So not only sports and exercises play a significant role. Your diet is also a determining factor in getting a six-pack, as your fat content must be low enough.

10 Best tips for growing a six-pack

Drink lots of water

To grow that coveted six-pack, you must drink enough water.

By drinking enough water, you burn more calories, hydrate your body, and suppress hunger pangs.

Fanatical athletes drink more than 0.8 gallons of water per day (but you may drink less water, of course).

For example, on days when you don’t exercise, 0.4 or 0.5 gallons of water will be enough.

Eat enough fats

Ensure you get enough healthy fats during your breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Tip: Choose “healthy” fats as much as possible, such as a handful of almonds, a dash of olive oil, or a few spoonfuls of peanut butter.

Take the time for a good breakfast

Start the day with a good breakfast that will leave you feeling full and satiated.

After a night without nutrition, your body needs food to get going.

Choose a breakfast that contains enough protein and carbohydrates.

For example, start your day with an oatmeal breakfast consisting of oatmeal and milk and/or an omelet.

Prepare a batch of meals in your free time

Of course, a white sandwich with chocolate or jam is full of sugars and fast carbohydrates. Something with which you absolutely do not stimulate fat burning.

Choose slow, healthy carbohydrates such as whole grain rice, whole grain bread, quinoa, or sweet potatoes and combine with vegetables, lean meats, and poultry such as chicken or fish.

Prepare some meals in advance, so you always have a healthy lunch or dinner in your refrigerator.

During the weekend, it is often possible to find a convenient time for this.

Make sure you eat enough protein

Eat a high-protein meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours.

Examples include dairy products, fish, chicken, lean steak, eggs, or a protein shake.

Eat something regularly (every few hours)

Eating every 3 or 4 hours will keep your metabolism and fat burning.

Once your body gets used to getting some nutrition every few hours, it will increase fat burning and decrease fat storage.

Related post: Not all body fat is the same, check out why visceral fat in particular should be avoided in our other post Visceral fat: Dangers and tips to lose and burn it

Choose a simple dinner

Choose a simple evening meal that is lighter than your lunch.

Also, make sure that dinner has fewer or no carbohydrates.

Cook especially vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and spinach.

And don’t forget the following guideline:

Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a beggar.

Alternate the number of carbohydrates

Alternating with the number of carbohydrates is an excellent way to grow your six-pack.

This concept is also known as “carb cycling” and consists of days when you consume low, medium, and high carbohydrates.

By doing this, your body can’t predict how many carbs you’ll take in that day, and you’ll keep your metabolism running smoothly.

Allow yourself a cheat day once in a while

Did you know that you can maintain your diet much better by sinning once in a while?

Schedule a cheat day and eat something unhealthy once. Occasionally eat things you don’t normally eat, such as a piece of cake, ice cream, or a double whopper, and double your carbohydrate intake for a day.

By cheating and deviating from your strict rules once in a while, you can better maintain a strict diet mentally and boost your metabolism. And that, in turn, is good for fat burning.

Avoid processed foods and refined sugars

Ready-to-eat meals and canned and packaged products are processed and often full of sugar, fragrances, colors, and preservatives.

Therefore, these are products that do little good for your body. Try to avoid them and choose fresh, pure foods as much as possible.

Natural, fresh food products are unprocessed and contain no sugars.

Exercise combinations to train the abdominal muscles

How to get a perfect six-pack is impossible by merely sticking to a varied and healthy diet. You also have to train for it, and one way you do this is by doing exercise combinations.

In doing so, you train multiple muscle groups and tighten your abdominal muscles.

Three good examples of compound exercises are the bench press, squats, and shoulder press.

Bench press

To bench press, you need a dumbbell and proceed as follows:

• Lie with your back on the sofa. On each side of the bench, place one foot on the ground.
• Make sure your buttocks and lower back keep in contact with the bench. Grasp the barbell with both hands at shoulder width.
• Push the barbell out of the rack and lower it to the midline of your chest. Then push the barbell back up.
• As a beginner, it is best to do this exercise under the guidance of a coach to avoid accidents and injuries.

Squats

Squats often look easier than they are, and many people perform them incorrectly.

Below is a good explanation of how to perform squats correctly:

• Place your feet apart at shoulder width.
• Sink through your knees until you reach an angle of 90 degrees or lower.
• Make sure your knees keep pointing forward.
• Your feet must remain flat on the ground.
• You can put a bar or extra weights on your neck to make it a little heavier.

Shoulder press

You can perform a shoulder press with dumbells as follows:

• Grab 2 dumbells and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Slowly raise the dumbells to shoulder height.
• Then push your arms up until they are extended, and lower your arms back down in a controlled manner.

Specific abdominal exercises

In addition to compound exercises, it is also necessary to perform specific abdominal exercises.

This will make your abdominal muscles bigger and stronger. And when your fat percentage is low enough with the help of the right diet, you will soon see a six-pack.

Examples of specific abdominal exercises include planking, leg raises, and the bicycle crunch.

Planking

Your back muscles play an essential role in training your abdominal muscles. By performing the plank, you are targeting your abdominal muscles and your back muscles simultaneously.

Correct planking is done as follows:

• Lie with your forearms on the floor and support your toes on the floor. Lift your hips off the floor and form a dead straight plank with your entire body.
• Make sure your elbows are in one straight line with your shoulders.
• Keep your buttocks and abdominal muscles tight to perform the exercise correctly for maximum effect on your abs and torso.

Leg raises

Leg raises are a very effective way to train your lower abs. Performing leg raises correctly is done as follows:

• Lie on your back on the floor or on a mat.
• Lay your legs outstretched, straight, and against each other.
• Lay your arms outstretched next to you and place your hands flat on the floor.
• Keep your head straight.
• Raise your legs extended, slow, and controlled off the ground until they are perpendicularly raised and form a 90-degree angle with the ground. Exhale during this movement.
• Now lower your legs again in a slow and controlled manner, letting them hang about 2 inches above the ground. Hold this for 4 to 5 seconds. Breathe in during this movement.
• Repeat this exercise 8 to 12 times. When you find it easier for you, you can increase the number to 12 to 16 times.

Bicycle crunch

The bicycle crunch is also called the bicycle exercise.

During this exercise, you’ll target your upper and lower abdominal muscles. A correct bicycle crunch goes as follows:

• Lie down on a soft surface, such as a mat.
• Make a cycling motion in the air.
• Make sure you train both sides in a balanced way.

How to get a perfect six-pack: Conclusion

While it may seem daunting, a perfect six-pack is possible.

A good amount of dedication together with the right exercise and nutrition is needed.

Don’t lose heart and remember that consistency goes a long way, much more than perfection!

Related post: If you’re specifically looking to strengthen your abs after giving birth via C-section, read our other article What ab exercises are safe after a C-section? 7 Safe exercises