WARNING: Don't pay $39.95 for abs workout information! I'll teach you how to get a six pack abs for FREE!

From the desk of Justin Leonard:

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get a well-defined midsection? Does it seem impossible to get that prized six-pack you've always wanted? How much do you want to improve the way your abs look, and what are you willing to do to get them?

My program, Abdominal Secrets Revealed, will teach you virtually everything you need to know in order to obtain great abs in the shortest amount of time possible. Best of all, it's completely FREE! If you're serious about your goals and you want to better the way your abs look, you've come to the right place. Be sure to sign up for the FREE Leonard Fitness Newsletter where you will find even more abdominal training secrets.

This website will teach you the following:

• How to train the abs effectively

• Useful tips for getting flat abs

• Diet modification tips that work

• Abdominal exercises that get results

• Abs workout myths

• Answers to commonly asked questions

Let's get started...

The proper way to train abs is widely debated by experts. In reality, what works for someone else may not work for you. Since everyone has a different body type, results will vary from person to person.

Abs Workout Tips

There are several exercises you can do for abs. Many of the people I work with do not realize that most abdominal exercises are either ineffective or not needed. With that said, there are several noteworthy abdominal exercises.

Here are two:

Crunches - Most of you already know how to perform this exercise. It is basic, yet highly effective. Abdominal crunches can be performed on various surfaces (mats, balls, etc.).

Instructions:

From the supine position (on your back), contract your abdomen, then return to the starting position. The neck should elevate only a few inches from the ground. Never crank the neck. It should literally remain in a relatively static position during the entire movement. Crunches should be performed in a slow and controlled fashion. You should exhale as you contract your abs.

Side Crunches - Side crunches are similar to regular crunches, except the main focus is on the oblique muscles, which reside on the sides of the abdomen.

Instructions:

From a supine position, crunch the abdomen. As you near the end of the movement, twist your torso as far as you can. Focus on "crunching" each side of your abs. When done correctly, you should feel the burn in the oblique muscles.

The following is a basic abs workout for beginners:

Be sure to hold each repetition (aka "rep") for at least three seconds. As you contract the abs, breathe out (simultaneously). It should take less than 20 minutes to complete a moderate to rigorous abs workout. As you progress in training, you can slowly begin to add exercises and/or repetitions.

Nutrition Modification

"You don't have to diet, you just have to use diet modification."

Diet modification involves eating the foods you love, but in a way that allows you to tighten up your midsection. "Dieting" requires too many inconvenient nutritional sacrifices.

Listed below are helpful diet modification techniques that seem to be effective for abs:

Caloric Reduction. What is the best way to diet for awesome abs? For many, a caloric reduction is ideal. When you eat and don't burn enough calories, you increase your chances of storing excess bodyfat. A caloric reduction is the first step in getting flat abs. A caloric reduction will help to minimize the amount of excess energy available for the body to store as fat.

Nutritional Supplementation. The use of protein shakes or meal replacement drinks can be a highly effective tool in caloric reduction and overall nutrient balance. These convenient, on-the-go meals may also help to curb the appetite. Visit supplementcritic.com for reviews of dietary supplements.

Monitor Sodium Levels. Another beneficial nutrition technique is to reduce the amount of sodium added to food. It is not necessary to eliminate sodium completely. But try to avoid adding it to foods. A sodium reduction may improve the appearance of your abdomen [due to water retention].

Listed below are three sample nutritional programs. They are provided as general guidelines and should never be tested without approval from a doctor or licensed/certified nutrition expert. Each plan is intended to accommodate individual needs. For example, if you only have time to eat four times per day, then start with program #1. Or you can start with system one, then progress to program two or three.

Next, with one example I'll explain how to apply the proper nutrients to each meal for best results. The indicated food choices are just a few of the possibilities. Tailor the foods to meet your individual needs. The following example applies to program #2:

My main points:

• Monitor caloric intake

• Consider protein or meal replacement supplements

• Eat high-calorie foods in moderation

• Eat smaller meal portions

• Watch sodium levels

Useful Abdominal Tips

Tip #1

Perform cardiovascular activity before your abs workout. When the body is warmed up as a result of cardiovascular activity, it allows for a better contraction on the abs when you work them. In essence, the warm up enables you to better feel the deep muscular burning sensation when your abs are worked. It also helps to prevent abdominal pulls or muscle strains.

Tip #2

Minimize rest time in between exercises. Limit rest time in between each exercise to about 1 minute or less. This technique makes your workout more "aerobic" and keeps the metabolism high, possibly allowing you to burn fat at a greater rate during exercise. The term aerobic means "using oxygen."

Abdominal Myths

I must train abs for several hours for them to be defined.

In reality, long workouts provide no additional benefit for your abs. It may even cause them to get weaker as a result of overtraining. As previously mentioned, it should take approximately 20 minutes to complete an abs workout.

Fat burners will help me burn fat around my abs.

Although they can be effective temporarily, fat burners do not target specific areas of the body. Fat is burned throughout the entire body. I mentioned earlier that most fat loss will come as a result of diet modification and exercise.

I have to go on a strict diet to get good abs.

In fact, with the diet modification technique, anyone can turn their abs into a decent work of art. You do not have to go on an extreme diet. Instead, simply aim to be more cognizant of the types and amounts of food you are eating.

My six pack abs will show up better if I use weighted abdominal training.

Don't waste your time. Unless you are looking to build strength, weights provide no additional benefit for your abs. Abs will never grow as the larger muscles of the body do (e.g. legs or chest). The increase in abdominal thickness is minimal with abdominal training. Why is this? Well, it's because the abs are predominately a type 1 muscle fiber, which means that they are highly resistant to fatigue. If they were meant to grow in size, they would have type 2 fibers like the larger muscles of the body.

Here's the truth...

To get your abs to show up better, you have to sculpt them. The sculpting of the abs is best done with a combination of sound nutrition and exercise, not weighted abdominal training.

I can eat fattening meals because if I workout, I can easily burn if off.

In some cases, this is true. There are many who have genes that can quickly metabolize food to usable energy. However, most people cannot eat fattening foods consistently and get away with it. It is okay to eat fattening or high-calorie foods, but try to do it in moderation.

I should do leg lifts and leg raises to target my lower abs.

This is a classic myth! The abdominal muscle, scientifically referred to as the rectus abdominis, functions as one group. Lower and upper abs ARE NOT separate muscle groups. Need proof?

Get into the crunch position and touch your "lower" abs. Now slowly lift your upper back off the ground to perform a crunch. Be sure to keep your neck straight.

Did you feel that?

The lower and upper portion of the abs contract in unison. Bottom line: You cannot single out the lower abs. It is true, however, that the fibers of the lower abdomen tend to contract more so than do the upper abs during leg lift exercises.

If I do hundreds of sit-ups everyday, I'll have toned abs.

Exercise alone does not define the abs. However, exercise may make the abs more prominent once the fat has been removed from around them as a result of nutrition modification.

Abdominal Questions & Answers

How can I get a six-pack?

Anyone can have defined abs with a few key concepts and techniques. Everyone actually has a good set of abs; it's just a matter of removing the fat and sculpting them through nutrition and exercise.

How many sit-ups should I do to tone my abs?

Remember, nutrition is what mainly "tones" the abs. Total body exercise should be your second choice in your quest for the prized six pack.

What is the best way to lose fat around my midsection?

The best way to burn fat over the "entire" body is through diet modification and exercise. The human body burns fat best when calories are reduced and you are consistent with a diet that doesn't exceed the demands of your daily physical activity level. In addition, supplementation with thermogenic formulas, meal replacements, and whey protein may be beneficial.

What is the best abdominal exercise?

There is no single best exercise. What works for someone else may or may not work for you. You must experiment with each to find which is best for your individual body type.

What is the best way to train the abs?

Consider performing all ab exercises using high reps. The abs have a high level of resistance to muscle fatigue. Rest time in between sets should be kept to a minimum.

How often should I train my abs?

Opinions vary from training abs just once a week to every single workout. The key thing to remember is that everyone has a different body type and different goals. Test different training intervals to find out which method works best for your body. For starters, train the abs as often as you would other muscles.

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