The Truth.
Some of us were born with it, most of us have to work for it, but we all want a toned six pack. The biggest contributor to having visible abs is body fat percentage. The best way to shed fat is to do some cardio; jogging, elliptical, treadmill, bike, or sprints. Any high-repetition (10+) work out will contribute to toning your muscle, but it won't be enough if you weren't genetically gifted with a small percentage of body fat.
How to get there.
Although body fat is the biggest contributor to having toned abs, it is not the only one. Any experienced trainer will tell you that you not only have to tone your abs, you have to bulk them up. I have read plenty of articles on ab workouts, and the bulking part is always either hardly mentioned or completely overlooked. Bulking up your abs is the same as bulking up any other muscle, low reps with heavy weight. This will make your abs a lot more noticeable, even through a small layer of fat.
What worked for me.
After I had lost some body fat, I still didn't have the abs I wanted. I did plenty of research online and finally found the answer, I need to find a weighted ab workout. After browsing countless workouts, I found University of North Carolina's Strength and Conditioning Coach Jonas Sahration's "Med Ball 400". This workout toned and bulked my abs very quickly with only the use of a medicine ball (3-8 lb.). After finding this work out, I incorporated it into my "Ab day", where I hit 20 minutes of cardio (before every workout) and jump right into the Med Ball 400. After the first few times, I felt like I was able to do a little more with my core even after the workout. I began taking a heavier medicine ball (or even a lifting plate) and holding it straight above me with my elbows locked while laying on my back (like an extended bench press). From there, I would do a sit up with my chin reaching straight up, like I was trying to touch it to the ceiling.
Although this workout is extremely challenging, it is the best ab workout for those who are going for a trim, muscular core.
Tips.
The MedBall 400 is going to work your shoulders and some smaller muscle groups as well, it is designed to. Bigger shoulders and traps are big factors in having toned abs because as you bulk them up, the skin will stretch and become tighter around your stomach. Next time you do a shoulder workout, look for a difference in your stomach.
The greater your muscle mass, the more your body needs to sustain that muscle, increasing your metabolism. This (with a 20 min cardio session before every workout) will burn any fat on your body pretty quickly.
-AO
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