Abs

Five Myths About Your Abs

We all want a nice, flat stomach and strong core. There are a lot of myths out there on how to achieve this, so let's take a look at the five biggest.

Working your core will get rid of "Love Handles" and the "Pooch"
When you do core exercises that work your abs, you're stretching and toning those muscles, but you're not doing much to reduce the fat in the stomach area. You also can't target specific areas of fat loss in the body through certain exercises alone. The only way to reduce fat is through diet, cardio, and strength training exercises.
It's all about crunches...the more the better
Crunches are great, but they only work one small part of your abs. Not to mention that crunches alone won't do much for your overall physique. Actually, the best ab exercises incorporate a whole range of motion and use several muscle groups. Think of the classic Pilates roll-ups that engage several muscle groups and accomplish a lot in just a few reps.
There are food and supplements that can burn abdominal fat
Nope. No magic food that goes into your stomach that flattens and tones it. Yes, there are some foods that can bloat you in the mid section like carbonated drinks, alcohol, sodium and dairy. But nothing beyond a healthy diet and exercise plan is going to reduce fat in your tunny area. You can reduce bloating and gas by increasing your water and vegetable intake, but that's about it.
You have to work your core every day to see results
While your abs are a muscle group that you can train everyday, it's not necessarily beneficial to do the same exercises day in and day out. Your muscles need time to heal and repair in order to get stronger. If you do a wide range of exercises that engage several different muscle groups within your core, that's fine to do every day. But the same crunch routine every single day will not do you any more good than taking a day off here and there.
It's all about the abs for a flat stomach
Not true! A flat stomach comes from a strong back, legs, and good posture. In order to get the best benefits from an ab workout, you have to work out the complimentary muscles in the back and the legs. Be sure to work your lower back and upper legs through exercise in order to support the muscles in the core.