Ripped Abs and Cardio

Lets not kid ourselves here, weight training is absolutely vital in your quest for ripped abs as is a structured cardio programme, but you just simply can not expect to just do thousands of crunches and lift tons and tons of weight and then be able to sit back and admire your new found ripped abs. You absolutely must have a fat loss regimen in place to get you back on track in your fat loss mission. Cardio is a must to reduce excessive body fat and the most effective form of cardio in achieving ripped abs and muscular definition is Interval training

Cardio fat burning exercises are essential in helping you to reduce that unsightly belly fat and will also help in losing fat when training and not muscle mass and water -this can happen all too regularly without a well designed training programme in place. Cardio will prove vital in ramping up your metabolic rate, an absolute essential in your quest for ripped abs and all round muscular definition. Do remember though at all times to avoid overdoing the cardio as all this will do is prevent your body from recovering effectively and will destroy your plans. Recovery is the name of the game.

Many health and fitness professionals will recommend that you perform your cardio workouts, whether that be running, swimming or indeed some intense interval training, first thing in the morning as this tends to give your metabolism a huge boost allowing you to burn off that excess fat, exposing those ripped abs, throughout the day as well as supplying you with energy boosts on a regular basis. There have been a number of debates on the subject recently and opinion is divided amongst some, but the perceived wisdom is that training in the morning is still the best way forward. I know it works for me personally and I always start the day with a gentle 20 minute jog.

If you can combine a good weight training regimen with a low fat diet then it should not take more than a few months to notice great results. A good weight training programme will compliment your cardio work and help to really build muscle tone whilst working the cardiovascular system as well. Although we are advocating a good solid cardio workout here it should be stressed that you will never achieve great ripped abs and fantastic muscularity without a great weights workout. Don't forget the added benefits of helping to strengthen the joints and building great core strength and increasing good body posture, vital in keeping injuries at bay.

One important aspect that is often overlooked is the fact that working out should be fun! The quest for ripped abs and a perfect body is a serious business and you should be disciplined but for goodness sake, it's not the be all and end all, so make it fun. If you go to the gym with a bad attitude you will simply not get the results you want. Give yourself a break, if things don't go as well as you had hoped then try not to give yourself a hard time. Try to learn from others and familiarise yourself with some great motivational techniques. If you notice that your energy levels are low then take a step back, check your food intake for the day, or maybe you just didn't get enough sleep the night before. There is always an explanation, perhaps you may be slightly de-hydrated. So remember:

Make It Fun, It Needn't Be Hell!!
Drink Plenty Of Water & Protein Shakes
Seek Professional Advice - A great personal trainer is worth their weight in gold
Get Enough Sleep - You just can't work without it!
Combine Cardio & Weights - They will not work without each other.
Low Fat - High Fibre - Protein Rich Diet. Eat crap and you will look like crap, simple as that!

And most importantly, all it takes is dedication, dedication and just a little more dedication and the ripped abs you always dreamt of will be yours. Good luck.

By Jim P Ryan