From
http://www.fitnesser.com/
7 Myths About Abs
by Justin Leonard, ISSA CFT
Most would agree that abs are the most wanted muscle on any physique. But what's realistic when it comes to abdominal training and nutrition? I decided to write about the myths I hear most often. Hopefully, this clears up any misleading information.
I must train abs for hours for them to be defined.
Absolutely not! Long workouts provide no additional benefit to your abs. It will only cause you to get weaker as a result of overtraining. It should take less than 20 minutes per abdominal training session. Less is better!
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Fat burners will help me burn fat around my abs.
Although they can be effective, fat burners do not target specific areas of the body. Fat is burned throughout the entire body. Plus, the "best" fat burner is the food you eat! It's mainly the diet that yields the "six pack!"
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I'll have to go on a strict diet to get good abs.
Nope! Through the use of simple of what I call "diet modification", anyone can turn their abs into a chiseled work of art. There are still ways to enjoy what you eat, using these modifications. You don't necessarily have to "diet." You just have to know when you can eat certain foods. Be creative. It works!
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If I use weights with abdominal exercises my abs will show up better.
Don't waste your time! Weights provide no additional benefit to your abs. Abdominals will never bulge like the leg or pectoral muscles will. Abs "barely" increase in size when you train them. To get your abs to show up better, you have to sculpt them. The sculpting of the abs is done through strip-away-fat dieting, not heavier weights!
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I can eat fattening meals because if I workout, I can burn if off.
Most people don't workout long enough to burn even half of the calories they ate. The unburned excess will more than likely become fat. You can combat this problem by routinely eating small meals and working out with very little in the stomach. It's okay to eat fattening foods, but try to do it in moderation.
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I should do leg lifts and leg raises to target the lower abs.
Don't waste your time! The abdominals are trained as one muscle. Lower abs and upper abs ARE NOT separate muscle muscle groups. Need proof?
Get in the crunch position and touch your lower abs. Now slowly lift your upper back off of the ground and contract your abs! Did you feel that? Always treat your abs as one muscle!
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If I do hundreds of sit-ups everyday, I'll have ripped abs.
You can do 200 sit-ups a minute and still wouldn't have abs. It's because exercise doesn't necessarily define the abs. It only makes them more prominent once the fat has been removed from around them. If you're truly serious about your abs and are willing to work hard to achieve your goal.
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