8 Weeks to Wash Board Abs

Posted on June 20, 2014

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To achieve a lean muscular stomach there are two main factors:

-    Relatively low body fat percentage
-    Strong well developed abdominals

The above two factors are critical when considering the type of training plan you are going to implement in order to achieve your goal. Research shows that a highly effective way of stripping fat quickly is using high intensity interval training (HIIT). This is achieved through utilising high intensity exercises combined with active recovery throughout the session to elevate heart rate and then recover while working targeted muscle groups in order to achieve the desired outcome.

Using this type of training whilst focusing on the abdominals, in conjunction with a high protein, low carbohydrate diet will allow you to achieve a flat stomach in a short period of time. Furthermore in order to start losing body fat your calorie intake must be lower than your energy output to allow your body to start utilising body-fat for energy.  By maintaining this high protein diet and incorporating resistance training throughout the process will allow you to hold on to as much active lean muscle as possible throughout your weight loss journey. This is important as the more active lean muscle the faster you will metabolise. Therefore achieving a six pack is not about doing 500 crunches a day it’s about a good high protein low carbohydrate diet combined with resistance training and cardio.

Sessions Per Week: Minimum of 3

Duration: 40 -50 minutes

Session one:

2 minute bike (Warm up)

Ab Cycles x 150

*be sure to extend your legs contracting during the movement, do not pull on your neck.

Full Sit-ups x 30

*Feet not locked in

2 minute bike (active recovery)

Jump Squats x 30

*Full depth squat jump, activating calves as you jump. Maintain bent knees and land softly.

Walking Lunges x 20 per leg

2 minute Rower (active recovery)

3 Minute High intensity Boxing Round

*Including the intermittent burpees, if you’re working alone on a bag look for speed and volume.

2 minute treadmill jog (active recovery)

Ab Scissor Kicks x 100

*Maintain straight legs and support your lower back using your hands if necessary.

1 minute Prone Plank  

2 minute treadmill jog (active recovery)

Step Ups x 20 per leg

Hip lifts x 15 per leg

2 minute bike (active recovery)

Russian Twists x 20

Swiss Ball Crunches x 20

2 minute bike (active recovery)

Jump Squats x 40

Lunges x 20

2 minute treadmill jog (active recovery)

Crunches x 100

Ab ankle taps x 100

2 minute treadmill jog (active recovery)

Session 2:

Run 2 minutes

Burpees x 15

Ab Cycles x 100

Jump Squats x 30

Russian Twists x 30

Run 2 minutes

Push Ups x 20

Tricep Dips x 20

Lat Pull downs x 20

Bicep Curls x 20

Run 2 minutes

Scissor Lunges x 30

Full Sit-ups x 30

Bounds x 30

Flutter Kicks x 100

Run 2 minutes

Push ups x 20

Tricep Dips x 20

Lat Pull downs x 20

Bicep Curls x 20

Run 2 minutes

Session 3:

Run 2 minutes

Burpees x 1 minute

Lat Pull downs x 1 minute

Full Sit-ups  x 1 minute

Run 2 minutes

Tricep Pull-downs x 1 minute

Bicep Curls (Dumbbell) x 1 minute

Ab Cycles x 1 minute

Run 2 minutes

Pushups x 1 minute

Lat Pulldown Narrow x 1 minute

Prone Plank x 1 minute

Run 2 minutes

Kettle Bell Sumo Squats x 1 minute

Squat Press (Dumbbell) x 1 minutes

Ankle Taps x 1 minutes

Run 2 minutes

Kettle Bell Swings x 1 minute

Lat Pull down Wide x 1 minute

Wall Ball Sit-ups x 1 minutes

There you have it...8 weeks to wash board abs combining diet and high intensity interval training (HIIT) from Sporty's Health.