A big mistake some people make when trying to get ripped and six-pack abs is start utilising lighter weights and a higher rep range in the belief that it helps define and tone muscles better than heavy weights. I don’t know how this myth started, but it seems to be quite popular even among some so-called fitness experts and personal trainers. Let me help break this myth down.
To get your abs to show and define your muscles, you need to lose body fat covering the muscles. By dropping your body fat levels, the muscle you have underneath will start to show. We have learnt that the best way to build muscle is by utilising heavy weights, while your cardio and diet help melt away the fat. So the logic of utilising high repetitions with light weights just doesn’t make any sense.
There is no such thing as spot reduction, so doing 100 or 1,000 sit-ups are not going to make your abs appear. Similarly, doing 100 repetitions on a bench press is not going to make your chest more defined.
Your abdominal muscles are just like any other muscles. Train them hard and heavy, and yes, only once a week! I know how tempting it can be to throw in a few extra crunches at the end of each workout, but you truly will be doing more harm than good.
For your weight-training program use any of my sample workouts. They each contain an ideal abdominal training program which will not involve over-training your abs and will target all regions of your abdominal muscles including the upper, middle and lower.
So, there is no need to change your weight training around when trying to get ripped and a set of six-pack abs. I would recommend choosing one of the 4- or 5-day workout programs as this will keep you active throughout the week. Keep your weight sessions the same, utilising heavy weights to continually build muscle, and leave it down to your cardio and diet to get ultra-lean.
Free Six-Pack Workout Routine
