3 Simple Steps To A Flat Stomach And Rippling Abs

For centuries, the picture of the ideal man is one with a rippling six pack. Whether it was in ancient Greek times or the Coca Cola advert of the 1980s, whenever a man in his prime is wanted to be portrayed, it is always with a flat stomach and strong abs.

So it's no wonder that so many men aspire to having a six pack and if you're one of them, take a look through these three points to get you started.

1. Lose the excess weight - the very first step you need to do is to lose any extra weight that you're carrying around your midsection, as no matter how much exercise you do to develop your abdominal muscles, if there's weight around your midsection that's covering it, you're never going to see your toned abs.

Start with some cardiovascular exercises, such as running or swimming, as these are great general exercises that will help you lose weight all over your body.

Also, don't forget to change your diet slightly, taking care not to eat too many carbohydrates or foods that are high in fat.

2. Sit ups - the first type of exercise that most people go to when looking to define their abs, sit ups are the perfect exercise as they focus almost solely on the abdominal region.

Depending on how many standard sit ups you do depends both on your general level of fitness and how quickly you want to see results, although it's always recommended that both are taken in hand in hand.

For example, if you aren't a particularly fit person, not attending London gyms (or in fact any type of health club or fitness centre in the country) often, not only are your abdominal muscles going to be weak but your stamina levels are going to be low.

Therefore, in this instance, it would recommended to start with repetitions of ten sit ups, taking a few seconds break after each set before you decide to move onto the next and stopping whenever you feel it starting to hurt (NB - stretching and aching is OK and what should be expected, but if it starts to hurt, you should stop immediately).

For someone who is fitter and already has strong abdominal muscles, their stamina levels will be a lot higher and so it would advised to start with sets of at least twenty - or even thirty- sit ups.

3. Modified sit ups - after a few weeks of standard sit ups, they'll start to get easier and they may even feel like they're having no benefit.

Whilst you shouldn't stop doing them (they will be having a benefit, you just won't feel it as your body has become accustomed to exercise on this area), you could look at incorporating variations that are harder.

The elevated sit up, for example, starts off in the same position as a standard one but sees you raise your feet off the floor, brining your thighs up so they're at a ninety degree angle with your back. Carry out your sit up as normal, but be prepared to stop earlier, as there's a lot more strain on your abs and back.

For more information about joining a gym in London, visit the Fitness First website at http://www.fitnessfirst.co.uk/gyms-in-london.aspx.