Personal training clients often come to me with the goal of getting a washboard stomach. Let me clarify first off, what this goal means.
What are Washboard Abs?
Typically, when people talk about washboard or 6-pack abs, they’re referring to being able to see the individual bumps and groves on their rectus abdominis muscle. When this set of abdominal muscles is tight and defined, with next to zero body fat on it, it resembles an old-fashioned laundry washboard.
Strengthening your abdominals is a good objective because ab muscles play a key role in every activity you do. Ab and core muscles keep your spine safe and body aligned when you’re sitting at your desk, completing chores and working out. Abs work when we stand up, sit down, walk, bend over or lift anything. Strong and healthy core muscles improve posture, prevent injury and help us complete everyday movements. Essentially, all body actions require engaging the abs and core.
However, getting washboard abs requires more than core strength. Following a strictly disciplined lifestyle is required to obtain this goal.
Here’s How to Get a Washboard Stomach
If you want washboard abs you need to focus on a solid core training program and a healthy diet. Men usually need a body fat percentage of between 10 to 14 percent to see definition in their abs, and women need between 15 to 19 percent.
Here are 3 tips I use with my personal training clients to get them washboard abs.
TIP 1: Consistently Work Your Core with a Variety of Exercises.
You must add variety to your core routines in order to experience continuous progress. I switch up the routines for my personal training clients every three to four weeks to ensure they continue to see changes and avoid plateauing.
Here are my favourite core exercises I often add into my clients’ workouts:
1. Planks
The best exercise format to strengthen your total core are plank type moves. Not only does the plank target the abdominal muscles, it also strengthens your back, glutes and chest. Even your legs have to do some work. There are so many different ways to perform the plank, here are three of my favourite plank type exercises:
Tapping High Plank.
This plank exercise will work your entire core. Keep your ab muscles engaged the whole time and don’t rotate your hips when you lift an arm. Try raising each arm ten times.
Side Plank High 5s
This is a great exercise for your obliques, the side abs. Start in a side plank position and reach your free arm through and under your body, giving your partner a high 5. The deeper you twist, the more effective this exercise is. If this exercise is too difficult to perform on your hand, try it on your elbow.
Stomach Screamers
This advanced abdominal exercise works every muscle you’ve got, so I complete it regularly. Be sure to keep your abs squeezed tightly the entire time to protect your back. If the push-ups are too hard to complete on your toes, get on your knees for this portion of the move.
2. Abs Under Pressure
This a terrific exercise for your TVA muscles; those really deep ab muscles that can be hard to target. Lye face-up and push your low back firmly into the ground. Tightly contract your abs so your back stays pressed into the matt the whole time. Work to hold this position for 1 minute.
3. Slow Dead Bug
This intense core exercise is tougher the slower you go. Lye face-up and lift your limbs in the air. Slowly drop 1 leg and the opposite arm down to the ground. I take at least 5 seconds on the way up and down for a real challenge. After 5 repetitions per side, your body should start shaking a little from the intense work.
4. Clamshell Crunches
This crunch is such a great exercise for your upper abs. Lye on the ground with your legs up and the soles of your feet touching. Keep your shoulders off the ground as you crunch up, trying to touch your feet with your hands. I like performing a couple of rounds of this exercise in a row to really feel the ab burn!
5. Pilates Ball Twist.
I love using the Pilates ball because it helps isolate your abs more. In this obliques exercise, place the Pilates ball behind your low back and lean into the ball, feeling your abs really kick in. Lift your arms into goal post position and slowly drop one elbow towards the ground on one side and then the next.
If you feel your low back muscles kick in, contract your abs more. If that doesn’t help, stop and give yourself a rest.
In addition to a few of hours of total body strength training, be sure to get in at least one hour of cardio each week. In my experience, to lose weight and keep that washboard stomach, weight training is more crucial than cardio.
You can see from the exercises I’ve listed, there are a ton of fitness moves you can do for your mid-section. You should never get bored or have to perform the same exercise week over week. If you are concerned about your form when you try any of these exercises, contact me to book a free 15 minute virtual consultation. I can watch and correct what you’re doing if necessary.
TIP 2: Watch and Restrict What You Eat.
It’s important to realize you can have really strong abs without a visible 6-pack. How flat and toned your stomach is, has a lot to do with nutrition, in addition to the strength of your abdominals.
To get washboard abs, you must limit alcohol, sugar and highly processed foods. A diet rich in vegetables and healthy fats helps keep your abdominals defined. When it comes to building a washboard stomach, consuming protein is especially critical.
Not only is protein needed to build and maintain muscle mass, it also aids in weight loss. When you have more muscles, your metabolism increases. Protein keeps you feeling full for longer and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. So you want to make sure you’re eating enough of it.
Without a restrictive diet made up of almost exclusively vegetables and lean protein, you won’t achieve washboard abs. Clean eating has to become an all-encompassing part of your lifestyle. There isn’t much leeway here, which can make socializing, especially during the more social summer months, challenging.
This is why, although I know how to get my clients an abs six-pack, I’m not willing to limit my food intake to the degree that’s required, to get myself one.
TIP 3: Give Your Mind and Body a Break.
Too many of us step on the gas all of the time, which puts us into a chronic fight or flight response. This stressful state can increase stress hormones (adrenaline, cortisol) which can drive up blood sugar levels and cause weight gain.
When building muscle, it’s important to give yourself physical and mental breaks especially when you’re training hard. Sleeping enough and practicing meditation are important components to build up your physical and mental health.
Sleeping 7-8 hours each night is the best way to rest and renew your body. It’s only when we’re in a deep sleep that our body is truly able to strengthen and repair itself. Getting adequate sleep is a requirement for muscle growth.
Good sleep also helps support your body’s hormone levels, which can affect weight loss. When you are well rested, you are more likely to stick with the habits and commitment needed to achieve a washboard stomach.
If you have trouble falling asleep, emptying your mind, building a sleep routine and avoiding overstimulation right before bed can help. Try getting to bed and waking up at the same time each day. Keep your bedroom cool and dark, and limit technology the last hour you’re up.
There are so many ways to meditate. I love both mantra and active meditation best. Just taking a few minutes each day to breathe deeply, can improve your workouts a shocking amount.
To sum it up…3 Strategies to Getting a Washboard Stomach
Regardless of the size of your waistline, having a strong, well exercised core is extremely important for your posture, balance, and overall body strength. Getting washboard abs takes hard work and commitment. Three strategies are critical to keeping your body fat percentage low enough to obtain these results:
- Consistently perform a variety of core strength training exercises and cardio fitness each week.
- Restrict what you eat and be sure to get enough protein daily.
- Take time to rest your body and mind through adequate sleep and meditation.
I know there is a lot of information above, and things may be confusing. Contact me to book a free 15 minute virtual consultation to discuss any questions or challenges you are having with your core training routine or progress.
Frequently Asked Questions to Getting a Washboard Stomach
- Do I have to perform crunches to get a washboard stomach?
I get asked this question a lot from people and the quick answer is…NO! Crunches, when performed in isolation, won’t give you a washboard stomach. The key to progressing in fitness and changing your body, is variety.
There are so many fitness moves you can do for your mid-section, that you really don’t ever have to complete another crunch to get your ab muscles burning. I’ve listed my favourite abdominal exercises above. Here are even more core exercises.
- How Long Does it Take to Get Washboard Abs?
Because it’s a combination of strength training and restricted nutrition, it can take six to twelve months to get a washboard stomach, even if you are very disciplined. Every individual is different. Some people, like mesomorphs, put muscle on much faster than ectomorphs and endomorphs.
The more frequently you perform a good variety of core and abdominal exercises and the cleaner you eat, the faster they will come.
- Can females get a washboard abs?
Females can definitely get washboard stomachs. It requires a strictly disciplined lifestyle by anyone looking to obtain this goal. As noted above, a combination of intense strength training, restricting what you eat and mindful recovery are all necessary to achieve this challenging goal.
- What are all of the muscles that make up the core?
The core is more than your abdominal muscles. It’s everything from your pelvic muscles all the way up to your diaphragm.
In the front, it’s the rectus abdominis (the ‘6-pack’), obliques (side abs) and transversus abdominis (deep core). In the back, it’s your spinal extensors (cord-like muscles running along the spine), quadratus lumborum (deepest abdominal muscles connecting the ribs to the hips) and the glutes (butt).
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