Washboard Stomach, A Six Pack...How can I get One FAST?

Factual Questions
1

I am trying to get the best body of my life before this summer starts. And I know a good looking stomach is imperative but…

I HATE Situps, Crunches ext etc!!! I mean I really don’t mind doing all the other muscles(well except for legs I hate doing those too) But crunches I really hate because they hurt…bad.

Last night while I was doing my crunches :eek: I started talking to this friend of mine in the gym. I asked him if he knew of anyway of getting a washboard stomach without exercise? I told him, “man if they can make that chic on that soap opera look good at I don’t how old she is probably 60 by now with face lifts and all that other stuff they do to her. They have bound to found a way of giving a guy a six pack without having to work for it.”

At the same time btw I was getting a few dirty looks by some big fellas in the gym that didn’t like the idea of me even thinking about getting a six pack without going through all the Hell they did. :wink:

Hey, I like modern medicine and progress. Anyway can they(doctors) give ya a washboard stomach without exercise also how much is it?

If not what about that shocking device that shocks your muscles while you watch TV does that work(you know the thing Bruce Lee used in the Bruce Lee movie)?

Or do you know some routines that definitely get you a six pack by June?

Thanks to anybody that knows the answer to these questions and believe me I bet alot of guys want to know this stuff besides me.

2

Ok, this is how it’s done. It does take discipline though. A few things are needed. The first is what you eat. you should cut down on carbohydrates. That is things like pasta, rice, potatoes, etc… You should eat protein foods like chicken, turkey, tuna and any other non oily fish. These protein foods kill your apetite and take more time to digest than carbohydrates, so you will find yourself eating less. This alone will get you some results. Another thing is excersise. you will need to do some running or swimming or cycling. Don’t bother with that walking nonsense, the results are too slow. Those machines that you talked about do work, I have tried them myself. They are safe and have passed health tests. You should be able to get them in a chemist shop (drug store for americans). You can sit on your couch and just let it run. The most common one is gym body 8 or something. The only problem with these is that you have to use it every day for 40 minutes and it takes about 3 weeks before the results kick in, but if you are watching TV that’s not a problem. The last thing is to cut down on Beer and coke. If like me the thought of not drinking is abhorent, you can switch to wine or vodka. This worked for me and I lost 20 pounds in 2 months before going on a drinking binge that put it all back on. Hope you last longer than i did and good luck

3

Low Fat Diet + Hard Work = Washboard Abs

For a doctor to do liposuction or whatever to uncover the abs you’re looking for, they have to be there in the first place; i.e. you’ve got to work at them. Plus, it’d be expensive.

Why do the crunches hurt? Do they hurt your back or do they hurt your stomach? If your stomach hurts, then keep doing them. It means you have weak muscles. If they hurt your back, check with your doctor on alternatives. Strong stomach muscles are a good way to help clear up some causes of back pain (those caused by the Dunlop Disease - as in, your stomach has Dunlopped over your belt).

Work, my friend. It takes work. Do 20 crunches every morning when you get up and 20 before you go to bed. Increase by 5 each week. You’ll be surprised.

People make getting fit so hard when it’s not.

4

Thanks steph and bunny.

Steph,

I thought potatoes were good source of carbohydrates for energy for running. Also what about red meat is it a no no to?

Bunny,

Yea it hurts my stomach not my back. I am up to 120 crunches now but I do them like this. 50 at first which kills my stomach at the end. Then I rest a couple minutes and do either 20 or 30 more until I get to 120. Will 120 crunches get my a washboard stomach by say April or May or what more will I have to do to abtain my goal? Also does doing crunches always going to hurt my stomach especially if I am doing more each time?

5

I remember reading something about implants that you can get to make it look like you have a six pack. Similar to breast implants. I think it was on this board even. If I find it I’ll put a link.

6

Nah, nah, nah, don’t listen to all these “eat less and exercise” radicals! Everyone knows that’s unrealistic. Jeez, can you imagine, “eat less and exercise”. What were they thinking?

No. The easy way to get a six pack is implants. Yes, just like breast implants you can get pec and ab implants. Six small silicone protheses surgically implanted on your abdomen.

Now, THERE’S are reasonable approach, without all that radical unsafe crap.

7

I think abs are really important in adding strength to your entire torso and back. So I have no complaints about ab work. Plus, it is one of the easiest to do at home. If the TV is on, be on the floor doing crunches (various styles to work all parts) leg lifts, or stretching.

If you are totally out of shape, by all means start low and build up gradually. But if you are in shape, it should be no big deal to work up quickly to several hundred. On an average night ina addition to whatever workouts I did that day, I generally do a minimum of 300 in about 12-15 minutes, or 600-1200 in 2-4X the time, depending on how I feel. Once you make up your mind to do them, it is no big deal. I don’t know why someone would go out and buy some electronic device, when all they have to do is slide off the couch onto the floor!

The strongest muscles in the world won’t look like anything if they are under a layer of fat. And if your gut is the first place you put on weight, it will likely be the last place you take it off. And spot reduction is a myth.

My stomach used to “look” better before I recently intentionally put on about 20 pounds. But, I am much stronger now. So, washboards might be good for show, but are not necessarily the best for a particular chosen activity.

8

Forget about sit-ups and crunches. The best way to get “flat abs” is to loose weight. This means eating less, eating better, and performing cardiovascular exercises.

9

Wildest Bill, I can’t see your tummy so I don’t know what you’d need to do.

You probably have a washboard stomach already, just feel around your tummy tum tum & you should be able to feel those abs.

You would have to get a trainer at the gym, it wouldn’t be right of us to tell you what to do cause you might colapse or something & then blame us.

10

The fastest method would be to swallow a washboard or six pack. While this might result in bloating, bleeding, pain and death, the results are guaranteed.

11

Spritle checkin’ in here.

I used to have the six-pack abs, but I’ve moved up. Now I’m sporting the whole damn keg. That’s right, I’ve won the “dickey-do” award. (My stomach sticks out farther than my dickey do.)

I’m trying to get some of the weight off to uncover what I once had, along with restrengthening the tumbly. My non-medical advice (IANAPT - personal trainer):

Go with the dieting thing. I’d add, however, don’t cut out all carbs and do a full protein diet. They are bad for the liver and, when you eventually have a carb, it’ll go straight to the love handles (or wherever).

Drink two quarts of water every day (that’s like 3,496 cubic liters or something). It’s amazing what that will do to help weight loss.

Aerobic exercise to aid weight loss. Start slowly. For me, I started with putting the remote out of reach. :slight_smile: Jogging is good, since you have to keep your abs tense while you run.

As for the abs, when you do them keep three points in mind:

  1. press your back into the floor. It keeps back problems at bay.

  2. suck your tummy in during the exertion part. This forces the abs to be tighter and works the inside of the muscle along with the outside of the muscle for better results.

  3. straight crunches will not give you washboard abs!! Crunches only work the upper abs. You have to vary the type of crunches or leg lifts or whatever to work upper and lower abs (and obliques).

Back when Spritle took Tang Su Do (third person 'cause it was another life) we had a wonderful exercise that worked all areas of abs. Lie on floor (on back). Get someone to stand facing your feet, with their feet on either side of your head. (Get a member of the opposite sex to do this; it’s more fun) Grab her ankles. Lift your legs up ~ 90 degrees and have her grab your ankles.

Now the fun part. Keep your knees stiff and your back pressed firmly into the floor. Have her throw your ankles down towards the floor as hard as she can. Your job is to keep your feet from hitting the floor. Have her change angles so she’s throwing them straight back, to one side, then the other, then more oblique angles (NPI).

This is MUCH harder than it sounds. If I tried this now, I’m sure my feet would dent the hardwood floor!!

12

Bill, I hate to say it, but no fast cure for you!

Sit ups & crunches create stronger stomach muscles, but DIET makes you look cut.

It was noted above that spot reducing doesn’t work. True. You can’t just get a good stomach. You have to do everything.

Eat better (less carbs, sugars & fats; more protien; more green veggies for variety), do aerobic stuff to burn fat, and weightlift to build muscle. There is no easy way, only the way that has always worked.

Also, sorry to hear that you hate to work your legs, because that’s exactly what you need to do. Your legs contain some of the largest muscles in your body, which in turn means they will burn more fat for you. Work 'em. If you hurt, work 'em some more! I mean muscle burn of course, not chest pain or joint pain. Get yourself checked out beofre you go nuts, it’s always the safest.

13

Wow, sounds like you’ve got the crunch thing down. Yeah, like what other posters have said, it sounds like you just need to focus on 1) losing the weight that is covering the muscles you do have and 2) working the other muscles in your stomach.

Here’s one that I don’t think anyone has mentioned. Lay on your back, with your hands to your side, flat on the ground. Raise your legs 6" off the floor. Hold them there. It’s harder than it sounds!

Running is a great exercise - I love it. Burns calories like there is no tomorrow. Plus, you don’t want to have a great tummy and chicken legs! :smiley: Good luck!

14

*Originally posted by BunnyGirl *

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I don’t know I have always liked “chicks’” legs. :smiley:

Also, I have tried those 6 inches off the floor leg lifts and they are hard.

Ej,

Your’re right the leg muscles are the biggest ones but man I already feel like I am wasting my TV time spending 1 and a half hours a night in the gym as it is. Besides what is the point most of the time a guy has got pants on. Or I am sitting in my car or in my boat(at the lake)so you can’t see my legs so why not blow them off. Besides I hate squats worse than I do crunches. Them suckers are HARD!!! And you look like you got a severe case constipation going on. :smiley:

Spritle,

Thanks for all the great advice too!

Dinsdale, I am having touble believing you. You really do 1200 crunches? Dang that is ridiculous. Really? Does your stomach make brad pitt’s stomach look chuncky? :smiley:

15

Bill, read the whole post. I don’t care how your legs look, that’s not the issue. You can save some TV time if you work the big muscle groups because they will continue to burn calories WHILE AT REST.

See? This is why weight training is best. Not only do you get results when you’re doing it, you continue to reap the benefits while at rest.

But again, without diet, you’ll never see that tummy you want.

16

Ej,

I know you’re right. I will try to put legs in one day a week. But man after I finish them I can hardly walk out of the gym.

Hey, I had another thought they don’t make a steroid that makes you skinny do they? I am only live 3 hours from Mexico.

17

My standard is 600 if I didn’t work out particularly hard that day. I generally do 6 different types of crunches, so it just depends on whether I do 50 or 100 of each, and then if I feel like repeating the whole set. 1200 is no big deal on a weekend if I start doing them and have nothing better to do. Takes well under an hour, and makes you feel less guilty for just hanging with the game on. And when you’re done, the beer tastes that much better!

Some people do many times that. Check out Herschel Walker’s routines, primarily situps and pushups, if you want to be humbled. It sounds like you lift, so you know how much of it is attitude. Just don’t question your ability to do it. (Of course, work up to it gradually). Pushups, I hate!

Most of us have one or two body parts that seem to naturally be in better shape than the others. I’m fortunate that I’ve always had good abs, even when I didn’t work out much. And strong legs since I ran track in HS.

With my current martial arts workouts, I get most of my power from my legs, and I have to be able to take body shots. What EJsGirl said is true. Do a tough weight workout on your legs, and afterward you can almost feel them continue to burn off the calories for some time afterward. It’s like a bigger engine needing more fuel. And you won’t believe the endurance stronger legs and ass will give you. Me, I wanted to increase the number of rounds I could go. And my ability to go hard for longer periods went through the roof after I stopped the bike/stairs aerobic emphasis, and concentrated on weights.

Now I’ve never been too impressive-appearing in the chest and biceps department. My bench is improving some, but not much improvement on curls. Big biceps are pretty over-rated other than for show, IMO. Lately I’m concentrating on deadlifts, bench, squats - trying to increase my core power. Not really concerned with how it looks. That’s just a side benefit.

You really don’t want to be one of those idiots with a huge chest and arms, and little teeny legs, do you?

18

Well like I said I normally wear pants so… :wink: No I don’t want to look like a rooster on a WB cartoon I’ll start trying to do my legs too.

19

It is my sad duty to report that after consuming six pack after six pack after six pack, the visible results are quite the opposite of what is intended.

20

This is fun, but they actually do it sometimes, draw the muscle lines on with some makeup.