Body By P: Abs

I get hit up by my friends and family all the time to look at their workouts or make up a program for them. Some people are serious others just think it’s a good look. I suppose I come off as an awesome resource, but after I prescribe my medicine those ones never ask for more.



My number one request is “Can you help me with my abs?!”.

Sheesh Grandma, Isn’t it too late for you.

But I’ll oblige anyone, giving them what I know works for me. My peak season is the month of June, usually in the weeks before Caribana. “By bana time I’m wanna have a six-pack” they tell me.

I usually look them up and down and say: "Only Jesus can turn water into wine".

Kidding. But I suppose I have conjured up some grape juice.

Here's how you can turn your abs of tinfoil into ones of steel:

Watch What You Eat
If you desire a flatter or defined stomach, there are some things you have to do. Forget the crunches or gimmicks to get a smooth torso it starts with your diet. It is impossible to get the kind of belly you want if you eat a lot of processed foods. Foods that don’t grow in the ground or are picked off a tree when you eat them. The ones that are substituted with artificial nutrients and fillers.

Our days are full of them: Lattes, donuts, bagels, hot dogs, chips, white bread, sugar, soft-drinks, cookies...it's endless.

You can do as many ab focused exercise routines as you want, if you don’t lay the foundation with body composition you are wasting your time. All those packaged and low nutrient foods are not conducive to burning fat and toning your body. You get better and faster results if you can cut out most (if not all) of these food, while simultaneously working on your body.

This essential for females because excess fat in the body gets stored in our tummy and thigh regions!

Drink Up
I got to a point where I achieved decent body composition for my sport and genetic build. However I had a slight “Buddha belly”, a round little thing that I couldn’t get rid of and had no clue why. After reading and doing some research I discovered that I wasn’t hydrated enough.



And when you are dehydrated the body goes into a state where it stores water, and for me this showed up in my gut. So keeping hydrated lets your body know there is no drought and it doesn’t have to retain water. Doing this helps you lose weight and trim the waistline.



I also limit my liquid calories, juices, coffee, milkshakes, beer, soda, etc. I try to get a minimum of an ounce of water for every kilo I weigh. (8 ounces equal one glass). Be sure to get your electrolytes and drink water all throughout your day and not all in one sitting. I hate cold water but it burns more calories.

Total Body


The best approach to killer abs is to condition your entire body, spot treatment does not work! That is only doing crunches or ab routines and doing nothing for the rest of your body. A total body workout burns layers of fat and contributes to that definition and flat stomach you desire by helping you lose weight.

I Want Muscles
Cardio is key, but don’t forget the strength component, which is just as important to a balanced program.



I know some females are afraid of the buff look (I think it’s sexy). But toning and sculpting your body builds muscle. And people who have more musculature actually burn more calories when they exercise and do other activities.

My Other Guidelines
*Like any muscles group our abs shouldn’t be worked endlessly, they need rest. So I recommend 3-5 times per week.

*Change your routine up! Add a new exercise each week.

*As soon as an exercise does not challenge you, increase the repetitions or shorten the rest. As far as sets and repetitions here are my personal guidelines:

Easy: 3 Sets x 10 Reps

Medium: 3 Sets x 15 Reps

Chiseled Novice Pro: 3 Sets x 20 Reps

Civilian Solid: 5 Sets x 10 Reps

Olympic Ripped: 5 Sets x 25 Reps

*Instead of sets and reps do your exercises for 30 seconds on/30 seconds off, for 5 minutes or more.

*Get creative, add a medicine ball, a swiss ball, therabands, any weight or resistance.
I.e: Instead of plain crunches, hold on to a medicine ball as you do them, or use a swiss ball for improved balance.



*Don't forget to target all regions of your belly, when you select exercises. Your oblique, or side abs. Rectus abs which are your lower and upper tummy, that gives that six pack look. (The six pack is one entire muscle but connective tissue makes look like segments). Also your transverse abs, which run deep under the rectus and obliques and are not simply engaged by your basic abs exercises.

*I love my ab circuits: pick a select number of ab exercises (at least 4), then choose the number of sets and reps. Get a buddy and get started!

I'll try to post some exercises in the coming days.
Cheers,
P