After viewing a blog about getting superhero abs, I bet you expected to see a list of 100 different ab movements all for working different areas and dropping fat from certain places. Although the exercises are featured, the focus is on shedding away the fat to present your full blown six-pack.
In order to get superhuman abs, all facets of your training and nutrition should be geared towards fat loss.
The two key principles for ab definition are both based on nutrition. Defined abs come as a result of these first and foremost. The training comes into play once you have these two aspects nailed!
Let’s get started!
The Weight Loss Principles
Create An Energy Deficit
The first principle you’re going to have to learn in getting superhuman abs is to create an energy deficit. When I talk about an energy deficit, I’m talking about when the energy intake from your food and drink is LESS than the energy you expend, also known as your metabolic rate.Throughout your day, you’ll be constantly ‘burning’ energy. Even the slightest movement will burn some energy. At our base levels, we’re all just a collection of biological chemicals. Your metabolic rate basically refers to the energy your body uses for all the chemical reactions that occur within the cells of your body. It’s these reactions that keep you alive and moving around.
Our energy comes from the food and drink that we take onboard throughout the day, or via the energy our body has stored for times when food and drink is less forthcoming.
The human body is in a constant state of either using energy or storing energy. On those days when your intake is less what you use, you’ll have an overall loss in your stored energy. Stored energy is held in our body fat or glycogen. How and where the stores are depleted depends on factors such as food intake or the levels of exercise intensity.
The fact is, if you fail to create a calorie or energy deficit, then you’re always going to struggle to lose stored body fat. That means that your superhuman six-pack will forever be a pipe-dream.
Make Sure It’s Maintainable
The second principle I’m going to tell you about when it comes to superhuman abs is one that is all too often disregarded, especially when a new diet regime comes to town.
Figures show that people very quickly get fed up with the restrictive nature of whatever particular diet they’re trying. Whether it’s after a couple of weeks, or even a few months, too many throw in the towel and go back to their usual eating habits. That’s never going to work if you want superhuman abs for the long-term.However good my plans are (and they are very good), they wouldn’t be worth the paper they’re written on if my clients couldn’t stick to them.
Faddy diets are never going to deliver optimal results and they are rarely maintainable. They’re a fad after all. I’m not interested in those and I doubt you are either.
I want to give you a diet (if we can even call it that) that provides a more ‘lifestyle-centic’ approach, something you can stick to 100% that delivers the results you need. So what does that look like? What are the characteristics of a maintainable diet? I’m glad you asked.
The first thing to say is that there isn’t a definitive answer. Sorry. That’s not a cop-out, it’s just that everyone is different. We all have our own likes and dislikes and what might work for you, won’t work for someone else. That said, there are some connective tissues that have been proven to work with the vast majority of people.
One of the main key components of a lifestyle diet is flexibility. Asking people to stick to a very strict regime is counter-productive. I believe that a big part of what makes my plans work is their flexible nature. If you want to have a cheat day or a cheat meal, that’s ok. Everything in moderation, including moderation. Sometimes it’s even necessary, but more on that later.
I make sure that my plans, especially those focussed on getting you those superhuman abs, is composed of nutritious whole foods. These foods will keep you feeling fuller for longer and are crucial to maintaining your overall health.
Another benefit of a successful plan is the inclusion of protein, lots of protein. Protein is also filling, which means that you’re less likely to snack on those foods you’re not supposed to, which will reduce the chances of affecting your calorie deficit.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to nutrition, the fact is there simply isn’t a ‘perfect diet’ or a 100% successful meal plan that will shed fat. It doesn’t exist so don’t look for it.
What I can give you is a plan that works for you in tandem with an exercise regime geared around you. When you’re looking for a plan, look at the two factors I’ve just talked about and apply those principles accordingly. Avoid any sort of faddy diet, no matter how incredible their claims.
Weight Training for Fat Loss
Weight sessions should be focused and intense. The purpose of these sessions are to maintain muscle, not destroy it. As you are in a calorie deficit, building muscle is not the concern here, you are looking to stimulate the muscles enough so you don’t lose them.
Sessions should be frequent. Higher frequency training here will work well for muscle maintenance due to ensure a consistently elevated metabolic rate; a high and constant surge of EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) and the resultant boost in the rate of energy expenditure that accompanies those things.
Cardio Training for Fat Loss
Use both HIIT and LISS (high intensity interval training and low intensity steady state)
There are both effective tools so dont neglect one for the other. Do both.
Sample HIIT session
Tabata Rower – 20sec flat out, 10 second rest. Repeat 8 times.
Sample LISS
Walk fast for an hour.
Ab training for ABS
You might have expected this as topic one but this is just about the least important factor for getting better abs.
There is reason to train them however – improved circulation to the area, better strength on the big lifts, better endurance for your high rep lifts and intervals etc.
These are three of my favourite ab moves. Add this ab blast to 2-3 sessions per week.
- Ab wheel roll outs 4 x 8
- 60 second rest between sets
- Hanging leg raises 4 x 12
- 60 second rest between sets
- Barbell Russian twists 4 x 12
- 60 second rest between sets
I have been getting myself and other people lean for a very long time now. So I can talk the talk and walk the walk. Unlike a lot of other social media trainers I have been involved with this business as a professional trainer for over a decade. I have also proved my ability to stay lean and fit at every stage of my own training.
Me in 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2016.
I may be best known for my work with actors but my online members have proven you don’t need a $200million budget to get seriously lean.
Take a look at some of the serious results of people following my online plan. These people I have never met
If you want to get your six pack looking like you could be a superhero then you know where to find me.
