5 Common Ab Myths

Is it possible to get abs post-pregnancy? It's hard enough to get 6-pack abs, let alone after you've had six children. Craig Ballantyne, recently spoke with fitness competitor Fran Dennis for her tips and secrets on how to help you lose fat and define your abs.

Most women would expect that with six kids to take care of, Francisca would have no time to train. But she makes time through careful scheduling - splitting her lifting and cardio between morning and evening if she has to. When she added lifting into her program, that is when her physique changes started to show the most.

You have to work hard on your diet as well, sticking to a fat-burning, muscle-building diet all year round. That helps out in the training department as well, because it doesn't require drastic increases in the amount of training to get competition fit. Diet is the key to your success.

Stick to lean meats, complex carbohydrates and lots of green veggies and water.

Just training abs won't give you the very sought after "six pack". It's a lifestyle change that involves training your whole body, being consistent and clean with your diet, as well as driven and motivated to be your best. Work hard, and be happy with what you see in the mirror. Don't cut yourself down. Revel in your accomplishments and believe in yourself.

Here's a list of 5 common myths about abs.

Myth 1) You don't need to watch what you eat

Diet is first and foremost the key factor when trying to get 6-pack abs. "No matter how much you exercise, you can't just eat what you want and expect to get optimal results," Fran says. So be like Fran and plan your nutrition in advance, to avoid dietary downfalls.

Myth 2) As long as you do a lot of ab exercises and repetitions, it doesn't matter how well you do them

It is important to do all repetitions with good form. Focus on quality, not quantity. Bad form will give you less results, and you could hurt your back if you are not careful.

Myth 3) You can "Spot reduce" the fat on your abs with crunches

No matter how many crunches you do, you won't be able to get rid of your ab fat with crunches alone. You need a good diet and an increase in your calorie burning from total body exercises.

Myth 4) Infomercial products work!

Belt-saunas, and electrical stimulators are not magic bullets. You can't expect anything you order from TV to help you get a 6-pack.

Myth 5) You must do abs every day

You don't need to do abs every day. Instead, train them hard three times per week.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Mens Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com.