How to Get Six Pack Abs Fast

Getting well-defined abs, especially the elusive lower abs for a high-definition six-pack, requires dedication. The good news is you can target this area without a gym – this workout plan can be done at home, in your garden, or at the park.

But revealing those abs isn’t just about doing exercises. The advice that “six-packs are made in the kitchen” is true. No amount of crunches, mountain climbers, or leg raises will help if you’re not also addressing body fat.

So, it’s essential to shift focus from just exercising your midriff to incorporating simple nutritional principles. In this article, we’ll provide you with some guidelines alongside a well-calibrated workout routine to help you achieve that coveted six-pack.

The Ideal Diet for a Six-Pack

To get those coveted six-pack abs, focus on reducing your body fat percentage. This involves maintaining a caloric deficit – consuming fewer calories than you burn. The saying “abs are made in the kitchen” is true for most people.

Keep in mind that body fat distribution varies, making it hard to pinpoint a specific percentage for visible abs. But generally, a range of 14% to 24% for women and 6% to 13% for men is associated with some ab definition.

While a caloric deficit is crucial, a healthy diet is equally important. Yasi Ansari, a certified specialist in sports dietetics and national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, offers the following tips:

1. Prioritize Lean Protein: Choose sources like pork, lamb, chicken, fish, dairy, nuts, seeds, and legumes for satiety and muscle repair.

2. Opt for Whole Grains: Pick whole grains over refined carbs for more fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

3. Load Up on Fruits and Veggies: Include plenty for fiber and nutrients.

4. Snack Smartly: Carry healthy snacks to avoid junk food. Opt for snacks combining multiple food groups.

5. Mind Your Portions: Watch sizes to prevent overeating.

6. Stay Hydrated: Aim for about three to four liters of water per day.

Timing matters too. Ansari recommends:

• Eating high-carb, moderate-protein, low-fat meals 3-4 hours before a workout.
• Snacking on simple carbs (like applesauce) 1-2 hours before training.
• Having a combo of protein and carbs as snacks within 1 hour and a full meal within 2 hours after training.

How to Build Your Six-pack: Abs Workout for Core Strength

It’s entirely possible to get a six-pack fast in a month. However, you must follow a strict abs workout routine. Now, for the next four weeks, aim to complete three circuits of the six exercises listed below four times a week.

Ideal workout days are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and either Friday or Saturday, as recommended by Learney. On the two days you’re not hitting the circuit, dedicate 45 minutes to walking uphill on the treadmill (no running, please!). Give yourself a well-deserved rest on Sundays.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Frequency: 4 times a week (e.g., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday/Saturday)
• Exercise Circuits: 3 circuits each day
• Additional Cardio: 45 minutes of uphill treadmill walking on two non-workout days
• Rest Day: Sunday

Make sure your daily workout clocks in at around 45 minutes. If you find any spare time after finishing the circuits, use it for some extra uphill treadmill walking to complete that 45-minute slot. Keep your rest periods short, and focus more on nailing the technique rather than rushing through the exercises. 

1. Overhead Squats

This move boosts your metabolism and targets your midsection by engaging multiple joints. It also enhances stability and lengthens ab muscles, making it effective for sculpting six-pack abs.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Grab a barbell with palms facing down, hands near the ends.
2. Lift the bar to chest height, then overhead, locking your arms and retracting your shoulders.
3. Keep straight arms and avoid arching your back.
4. Push hips back, bend knees, lowering until thighs are parallel to the floor.
5. Drive through heels, explosively return to start position.
6. Repeat and lower the bar under control after completing all reps.

Sets: 3-4

Reps: 20-30

Rest: 30 seconds

Bonus Intensity for Weeks Three and Four:

• Increase sets to 5-6.
• Cut rest time to 0-15 seconds.
• Lower the bench by an inch for an extra challenge.

2. Prone Knee to Opposite Elbow

This exercise brings a static stability challenge to your midsection, similar to the plank but with an added twist. By incorporating internal hip rotation, it engages your obliques and gives your hip flexors a good stretch.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Start in a push-up position.
2. Rotate your right knee underneath your body, aiming to touch the opposite elbow.
3. Keep hips down and foot off the floor throughout.
4. Repeat the movement with your other leg. That’s one rep.

Sets: 3-4

Reps: 10-15

Rest: 30 seconds

Bonus Intensity for Weeks Three and Four:

• Increase sets to 5-6.
• Cut rest time to 0-15 seconds.
• Amp it up by adding an extra push-up every fifth rep.

3. Prone Knee to Outside Same Elbow

This exercise produces a similar effect as the one above for building six-pack abs.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Start in a push-up position.
2. Lift your right knee towards your right elbow, aiming to land it on the top of the elbow.
3. Keep hips down and foot off the floor throughout the movement.
4. Repeat the sequence with your other leg. That completes one rep.

Sets: 3-4

Reps: 10-15

Rest: 30 seconds

Bonus Intensity for Weeks Three and Four:

• Increase sets to 5-6.
• Trim rest time to 0-15 seconds.
• Add an extra push-up every fifth rep for that extra challenge.

4. Press-ups

This exercise keeps the burn going in your midsection while also giving your pecs, deltoids, and triceps a good workout.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Perform as many standard push-ups as you can.
2. If fatigue sets in, drop your knees and switch to box push-ups, aiming for a set of 15.

Sets: 3-4

Reps: 15

Rest: 30 seconds

Bonus Intensity for Weeks Three and Four:

• Increase the number of full push-ups.
• Minimize the use of box push-ups.

5. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls

This exercise is effective for strengthening your glutes, core muscles, and hamstrings. The Swiss ball leg curl move uses the stability ball to create instability, forcing you to tighten your core and stabilize your body.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Lie on your back with a Swiss ball beneath the heels of your straight legs.
2. Lift those hips off the floor, engage your glutes, and curl your heels towards your bum.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.

Sets: 3-4

Reps: 10-15

Rest: 30 seconds

Bonus Intensity for Weeks Three and Four:

• Increase sets to 5-6.
• Trim rest time to 0-15 seconds.
• Challenge yourself by returning the ball to its starting position using only one leg.

6. Split Lunge/Overhead Press

This combo not only targets your midsection but also cranks up the metabolic burn with the added challenge of stabilizing weights above your head and engaging multiple joints.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Hold a dumbbell on each shoulder and set up a lunge position.
2. Move your back knee to the floor in a forward lunge.
3. At the end of the movement, press both dumbbells above your head.

Sets: 3-4

Reps: 10-15

Rest: 30 seconds

Bonus Intensity for Weeks Three and Four:

• Press the dumbbells above your head before starting the exercise.
• Perform the entire lunge with the weights held high above your head.

7. Uphill Treadmill – Walking

After completing three circuits of the previous six exercises, it’s time to hit the treadmill until you reach a total session time of 45 minutes. It helps burn extra fuel once your glycogen levels drop, all while safeguarding your muscle tissue from being used as fuel.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Set the incline for a challenging level.
2. Start walking; no running allowed. Emphasize preserving your lower limbs from additional impact stress when fatigued.

Bonus Intensity for Weeks Three and Four:

• Increase your pace while walking on a steeper incline, even if you’ve got just a few minutes remaining in your 45-minute session.

The Bottom Line

To sculpt those coveted six-pack abs, you should blend strength exercises with cardio in your workout routine. Apart from that, it’s important to pair this routine with a wholesome diet featuring lean protein, whole grains, and plenty of veggies.

However, we won’t recommend fixating solely on appearance, as this might lead you towards unhealthy habits. A healthier approach should focus on how training enhances your daily well-being and makes you feel your absolute best.