The Secret to Abs

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
   

All you need to know about Creatine.

What it is.

   Creatine is the most popular sports supplement used by athletes today. There are countless studies backing up the effectiveness and safety involved in taking it. Personally, I believe Creatine is a great, must-have supplement for any athlete. I have seen gains in myself and in others taking it that we would not have achieved without the help of the supplement. The most important thing with Creatine is to stay hydrated. 

How it works.

   Your body naturally makes Creatine in your kidneys, liver, and pancreas. It is used to rebuild ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which your muscles use as an energy source while contracting. This process turns the ATP into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) by splitting the bonds in the ATP molecule (producing the energy the cell uses to contract). However, the cell can not contract after the ATP is depleted. After the cell has burned it's "energy", it has to find a way to turn that ADP  back into ATP so it can continue using it as energy. Your body can regenerate the "fuel source" (ATP) using oxygen or Creatine.    

Why it's important.

   You can only go as far as your body can go. However, with Creatine, your body can go further. With each rep, the cells in your muscle are rapidly splitting the bonds in the ATP molecules in order to give off the energy you need to complete your set. Creatine will greatly increase the rate your body will be able to recycle the ADP molecules back into burnable ATP energy, thus giving you more/stronger reps.


Where to go from here.

   There are plenty of different Creatine supplements to choose from. Personally, I have always found the best results in BSN's CellMass.
This product gives the the highest quality Creatine at a highly recommended dosage. Although I haven't tried many other similar supplements, others I talk to and have tried CellMass have stuck with it. The Creatine CellMass provides is exactly what every athlete needs in their supplement if they want to increase pump size during your lift, muscle gains, and recovery time.





                                                                                                 -AO