The Truth About Abs

[bm5er]

Sharing with fellow bikers, as suggested by my good friend Mike.

In today's world, we're seeing the internet, magazines, books, and tv shows/commercials flooded with tons of varied fitness/health advice. So how do you know who to actually trust and who may be giving you misinformation and leading you down the wrong path?

Well, first of all, there ARE some sleezebags out there that all they want to do is sell you some crappy gimmick and make off with their quick buck.

In fact, more and more marketers with no fitness background or experience are getting involved in selling fitness and health products these days. Unfortunately, many of these pure marketers don't know the first thing about fitness and are just putting out total junk just to make sales (hmm, can anybody say hoodia or the parasite scare-tactic scam artists).

On the other hand, the good thing is that most fitness and health professionals are well intentioned and do actually want to help you legitimately. Although being well-intentioned, many times these professionals have been misinformed over the years and led to believe certain myths (that they think are factual) that are not always accurate.

I think the subject heading with the term "clueless" is a little harsh and I want to clearly state that even if a fitness professional or trainer is misinformed on a couple of topics here or there, it's still likely that 90% or more of their information is actually very helpful.

As a matter of fact, you'll almost never find 2 fitness professionals that completely agree with one another. However, usually most fitness pros will agree on about 80 or 90% of topics. There are probably even a couple topics that I may be misinformed about (after all, nobody is perfect), but I'll always do my best to provide you with the most up-to-date and legitimate information I can find.

With that said, whenever I'm reading fitness publications, there are 4 key things I look for to see if the author/expert really understands true nutrition and training principles. This can help you in your readings and dealings with trainers to decipher good info from bad info.

Here are 4 of the main aspects I look for to determine is a fitness pro or trainer is "in the know" or not:


1. If the resistance training portions of their workout routines are mostly comprised of machines and single-joint exercises such as leg extensions, leg curls, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, pec decks, leg press machines, shoulder raises, etc... then they probably have some misconceptions about training and you should beware.

I'll admit that there's a time and a place for just about any type of exercise (including the occasional use of machines and single joint exercises), but if these are what makes up the majority of their routines, then you should reconsider taking advice from them.

The fitness pros and trainers "in the know" will give you routines that are comprised of a balanced approach using free weight multi-joint exercises (and bodyweight exercises) for the majority of the exercises with only very limited machine or single-joint exercise use.

Here's another article I did on this topic:

www.truthaboutabs.com/body-part-isolation-truth.html


2. The 2nd thing I look for in a knowledgeable or mislead fitness pro is whether they think that cardio is the "only way" to lose body fat. For anybody that understands human physiology, the assertion that cardio is the only way to lose body fat is ludicrous.

After all, you can lose body fat without any exercise at all for that matter if you have a caloric deficit (although I don't recommend that route, because a non-exerciser is still flabby and unhealthy even with low body fat %).

In addition, you can lose plenty of body fat with resistance-only training routines without any cardio at all... it simply depends on the intensity of your workouts as a whole (whether they contain cardio, resistance training only, or a mixture of both), your resting metabolic rate, and the overall balance of your calorie intake vs calorie expenditure over time.

Here's another article that I wrote about this topic:

www.truthaboutabs.com/cardio-alternatives.html


3. The 3rd thing I look for in a knowledgeable or mislead fitness pro is whether they falsely believe that saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are bad for us.

I've beaten this issue into the ground, but I'll say it again... If there's one fact you must understand about nutrition, it's that saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are essential parts of the natural human diet (and have been for thousands of years) and are not unhealthy for us depending on the source of the food (organic, etc).

The most unhealthy foods in our food supply are actually processed foods such as processed refined vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), deep fried foods, refined grains, refined sugars, and other boxed packaged "mutilated" foods.

Here's an article that explains the myth about saturated fat more clearly for you:

www.truthaboutabs.com/saturated-fat-is-not-evil.html

and if you're a scientific type that wants to understand the biochemistry of why saturated fat is not bad for you, this is a must read article by a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry:

www.truthaboutabs.com/truth-about-saturated-fat.html


4. The 4th thing I look for in a knowledgeable or mislead fitness pro is whether they falsely think that artificial sweeteners are healthy. I see so many fitness pros promoting the use of artificial sweeteners just so that they can save on sugar intake. Well, the truth is that even though refined sugar is horrible for us, artificial sweeteners are "franken-foods" that are even worse for us!

Here's an article that explains more details about the dangers of artificial sweeteners and other "diet" foods/drinks:

www.truthaboutabs.com/artificial-sweeteners-natural-stevia.html


One thing I'd like to ask you is that if you found these articles beneficial, please fwd this email on to your friends, family, and co-workers that you think can benefit from these topics.

Also, if you think these articles can help your friends, feel free to copy any of these article links in this email onto your myspace, facebook, blog pages (or any other networks) that you keep to help your friends be healthier and more fit as well.

Til next ezine issue,
Don't be lazy... be lean.

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Founder - TruthAboutAbs.com & BusyManFitness.com

============================================================
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Yep, your email provider most likely false filters some or all of these emails and you won't get them all, even though you asked to receive them. Makes you mad right? Well, there's an easy solution. Go to this page for the easy instructions to make sure you keep getting these newsletters that you asked to receive...

truthaboutabs.com/avoid-missing-the-newsletters.html

[dayuhan]

Seen some of this guy's articles, he knows stuff and mostly I agree with him. I totally agree that muscle isolation as an exercise target is a non-productive approach. I totally agree on artificial sweeteners. Mostly agree on saturated fat and cholesterol: not the demon some hold them up to be, but if you overdo them it ain't good.

On cardio... not so sure. Yes, resistance training does give you a cardio workout, and yes, you CAN lose weight without any dedicated cardio workout at all. But I do think you'll do it a lot more efficiently with a good strong cardio component in your fitness program.

There's also a distinction here that you find in a lot of these fitness pros who are essentially selling their programs. What they are selling is overwhelmingly appearance-based: it's all about being "ripped". That makes sense: their main target market is people whose fitness goal is looking good in front of the mirror, and people who think that getting ripped will get them laid.

If your fitness goals are performance based rather than appearance based, things change... and I don't think you'll find many athletes or other performance-targeted people who don't put a high priority on cardio workouts.

Luckily for us, it's easy... just ride.

[allegra]

So getting ripped will not get me laid?? ....Darn it!!
Now that should have been the biggest misconception

[mountguitars]

hehe, this is it. i read this before care of bm5er's post din. people who wants to be fit should read this. its very informative. check out the site.

[dayuhan]

May 21, 2008 22:31:45 GMT 8 allegra said:

So getting ripped will not get me laid??

Might work for you. Only thing that does any good at my age is spending lots and lots of money. I'd rather buy bike parts.

I confess to the occasional fantasy of meeting someone who places X.0 higher on the ideal gift list than Prada, but that's a rare breed... ;D

[allegra]

May 22, 2008 6:51:29 GMT 8 dayuhan said:

May 21, 2008 22:31:45 GMT 8 allegra said:

So getting ripped will not get me laid??

Might work for you. Only thing that does any good at my age is spending lots and lots of money. I'd rather buy bike parts.

I confess to the occasional fantasy of meeting someone who places X.0 higher on the ideal gift list than Prada, but that's a rare breed... ;D

haha If I tried to do the mileage that you guys ride , I dont think I'd have much energy left for anything else


Back to the topic
I say the best and cheapest multi joint exercise that develops functional strength is still digging ditches , and pushing wheelbarrows up grades

[gadgets88]

May 21, 2008 22:31:45 GMT 8 allegra said:

So getting ripped will not get me laid?? ....Darn it!!
Now that should have been the biggest misconception

Allegra, it might be a matter of being with the right company.

Let's see, is it true that in the company of fitness conscious and drop dead gorgeous women, only 2 kinds of men qualify for their taste:
1. Those who know how to take care of their bodies
2. those with know how to spend lots of money



Let me share this story:
I once was in a party with a ramp model (my date),
and this really good looking guy (Sam Milby look-a-like, nakakabakla yung kagwapuhan)
was smooth talking (probably scripted) my girl and making all the moves.
I was observing nearby, as if watching a movie.
I was worried of losing my date though, so it sure wasn't a fun movie.

The guy took off his glasses, stared at the girl, put in back on,
stared at the girl (the guy's a PRO I tell you), I was mesmerized. ;D


I can't remember what he said but it's something like
he owns a sports car or something...
So, I was telling myself: "God, what would I do to be this guy, he's the perfect...(actor)"



After the party, I asked my date if she found the guy attractive,
she laughed and said: "The guys probably gay!"
I laughed and said: "I was the one hypnotized, noh? Gwapo sobra! Grabe!"



During that time all I had with me was a little money, no car, no nothing.



What happened after the party,
is a long story, with lots of suspense and action.
I cannot divulge since this is not that kind of forum and audience. ;D ;D



So it's NOT a misconception.
Sometimes, you don't need good looks, smooth talking abilities or a sports car.
A 6-pack-abs is just the teaser. It's the lambing (a caring attitude) that's the killer.

Maybe I was just lucky once...
over and over and over again.

[isteb]

PAPA Gadgets> can you pm me the details heeheehee... ermm... looks like you had second thoughts about your sexuality harharhar joke lang!!!

[dayuhan]

We got a wee bit off topic here... but anyway.

Whether or not it helps you get laid, it is good to be fit.

Being fit may not get you laid all by yourself, but it doesn't hurt. Just don't be a mirror-obsessed narcissist and do not sit there for hours talking to a woman about your deltoids and your obliques. She won't like it, and she'll probably think you're gay. She'll probably be right .

[allegra]

Let's see ...ripped abs , lambing ,galante sa money , hot car......patay. now I know why I dont have a social life

Back to topic, I'll try to take a pic at a new exercise machine I'm using
It works out your upper body , core and legs plus it's also be used to errr...flatten macadam roads
It's like a huge very heavy ( 300lbs + ) roller
An hour of push and pull your wasted
Not only is it a free workout , you can be paid 220bucks a day using it
I'm not kidding

[arcireyes]

i dunno if i still remember this right..........(read it from somewhere yata):

gay men (most often) love to build and sculpt their bodies.........real men just ride their bicycles ;D

[Dragunov]

May 22, 2008 10:37:24 GMT 8 isteb said:

PAPA Gadgets> can you pm me the details heeheehee... ermm... looks like you had second thoughts about your sexuality harharhar joke lang!!!

i agree ;D! peace gadgets! hehehe

just dont stop pedalling!

[Ben Dover]

May 22, 2008 13:05:45 GMT 8 arcireyes said:

i dunno if i still remember this right..........(read it from somewhere yata):

gay men (most often) love to build and sculpt their bodies.........real men just ride their bicycles ;D

i guess there's some truth to it...gyms are littered with them...may balbas sarado pa hehe! actually, the guy who convinced my wife to try it out, a former classmate of mine is gay. dehins lahat ha ;D

[gadgets88]

The truth about Abs is that if you keep them in shape,
your attractive factor goes up.
Same with cleanliness, taking a shower everyday and brushing your teeth, flossing, filing your nails.

Forget to take care of yourself (under the false assumption that dirty is macho),
and then wonder why other guys have all the luck?

May 22, 2008 13:05:45 GMT 8 arcireyes said:

i dunno if i still remember this right..........(read it from somewhere yata):

gay men (most often) love to build and sculpt their bodies.........real men just ride their bicycles ;D

There is a truth to that saying Tito Arci.
I'm a changed man!

May 22, 2008 10:37:24 GMT 8 isteb said:

PAPA Gadgets> can you pm me the details heeheehee... ermm... looks like you had second thoughts about your sexuality harharhar joke lang!!!

Fafa isteb, I'll PM you the details... pero kiss muna

[isteb]

since biking regularly.. i noticed my veins are popping out quite nicely... although that belly is still there am taking precious time and drugs hehehe to burn it off... heehee...

supplements that works...
-creatine...
-arginine or nitric oxide..
-whey protein (not the weight gainer!!!)
haven't been taking these.. but they work... to the lucky few who can afford go! go ! go!

[dayuhan]

What works, at the end of the day, is pretty simple:

Eat less, eat smarter.

Exercise more, exercise smarter.

Supplements... go for it if you like 'em, but I think the hype outweighs the results by a big margin, and the cost is pretty high. There are other issues too. Some years back there was a big craze for melatonin, which was supposed to be this magical all natural sleeping pill derived from the pineal glands of sheep. Turned out that to get the melatonin in one bottle you'd have to kill about a thousand sheep, and the stuff was actually being synthesized in a chemical plant in mainland China.

Not saying its like that for all supplements, but I'd want to be very sure about what
's in there and where it comes from.

[glockbiker]

What all those glossy men's health/ exercise magazines do not say is that NOT EVERYONE CAN HAVE SIX-PACK ABS.

You can do all the situps you like, but if you do not have it in your genes, you won't have those ripped abs they always feature on their covers. In fact, I suspect some of those models got them through steroid use.

For the most of us, situps will firm/strengthen up the muscles in our abdomen and probably give a faint outline of a six pack. But that would be just about it.

Also, some of those magazines give the impression that situps alone will melt away your beer belly. No such thing as localized fat reduction. And besides, how much calories can you burn by just doing situps alone?

[allegra]

May 22, 2008 17:04:54 GMT 8 isteb said:

since biking regularly.. i noticed my veins are popping out quite nicely... although that belly is still there am taking precious time and drugs hehehe to burn it off... heehee...

supplements that works...
-creatine...
-arginine or nitric oxide..
-whey protein (not the weight gainer!!!)
haven't been taking these.. but they work... to the lucky few who can afford go! go ! go!

I havent heard of nitric oxide but I used to take creatine and whey
They'll guve you bigger biceps and delts maybe, but not a 6pack

[jr]

May 22, 2008 13:05:45 GMT 8 arcireyes said:

i dunno if i still remember this right..........(read it from somewhere yata):

gay men (most often) love to build and sculpt their bodies.........real men just ride their bicycles ;D

. hey not all of them ;D ;D. My take, having a sculpt body is one of the best way to show your are a confident person. Not only yourself but most of the people around you .

Abs and love handles are one of the hardest to work on. The workout seems easy and simple. But actually hard and the results takes longer .

[jr]

May 22, 2008 17:28:12 GMT 8 dayuhan said:

What works, at the end of the day, is pretty simple:

Eat less, eat smarter.

Exercise more, exercise smarter.

Supplements... go for it if you like 'em, but I think the hype outweighs the results by a big margin, and the cost is pretty high. There are other issues too. Some years back there was a big craze for melatonin, which was supposed to be this magical all natural sleeping pill derived from the pineal glands of sheep. Turned out that to get the melatonin in one bottle you'd have to kill about a thousand sheep, and the stuff was actually being synthesized in a chemical plant in mainland China.

Not saying its like that for all supplements, but I'd want to be very sure about what
's in there and where it comes from.

Dayuhan hit the point and totally agree...

[marvs]

Supplements as the name states are there to supplement the current nutrition that you have.
If your basics is screwed, supplements would just be an extra expense.
A balanced and sensible diet, exercise/resistance training and a lot of ride time will help bring out those abs.

Btw, having abdominis rectus show is also genetic. Muscle shape varies from person to person. One can have very low body fat and still have a relatively flat tummy with very little muscle definition.

[dayuhan]

May 22, 2008 22:19:28 GMT 8 jr said:

My take, having a sculpt body is one of the best way to show your are a confident person. Not only yourself but most of the people around you .

To some extent, yes... a fit, athletic body is a sign that a person has self-respect and confidence. It's also just a matter of responsibility. If you saw a person let their house or car fall apart for lack of basic maintenance, you'd call that irresponsible, no? How much more for the body?

But these over-sculptured bodies... well, that's different, and I see that as a sign of massive insecurity. The pictures you see in magazines and websites... the only way to get a body like that and keep it like that is to totally obsess over it, and build your life around it. I'm sorry, but that's just freakin' weird.

For supplements... well, sure, some people do need to supplement their diet, especially people who are too busy to cook carefully or don't have access to some foods. My issue there is that the business is SO hype-driven, and so much of the hype is based on purely anecdotal evidence, with very little actual study on what this stuff is and what it does. That's especially true when you're talking about hormones, and other stuff that messes with your basic body chemistry. Also there is very little regulation or oversight to assure that what goes into the bottle is actually what's supposed to be there.

I'd rather just eat right, ride a lot, and work out a bit. Maybe I could be a little bigger or a little faster or look a little better if I was using supplements, but in all honesty, I don't give a $#!T.

[bm5er]

This discussion has become very interesting. Carry on guys, everyone benefits in the end.

As for me, I bike, run & swim as often as can be accommodated by my time. Last night, in between coming home from work and before we went out to watch the Indy Jones movie, I was able to log 10 miles of fast spinning. It felt good.

The past week, I have found that a glass of red wine at supper, helps keep my blood sugar in control. Life is good !

[king]

you may not need six pack or pandesal abs, but you do need a strong core group of muscles (the ones around your lower torso. perhaps someone else can name the specific muscle groups you'll get more power in your pedal stroke from there for climbing and sprinting, as well as better balance. as you get fitter on the bike you'll get them anyway but i guess some strengthening from weights, yoga etc will help. potentially we can all have 'em if we're willing to put in the work. as edmund and i like to kid, "may pandesal naman ako. di pa lang na babake" ;D

[32by18]

May 22, 2008 18:38:35 GMT 8 glockbiker said:

What all those glossy men's health/ exercise magazines do not say is that NOT EVERYONE CAN HAVE SIX-PACK ABS.

You can do all the situps you like, but if you do not have it in your genes, you won't have those ripped abs they always feature on their covers. In fact, I suspect some of those models got them through steroid use.

For the most of us, situps will firm/strengthen up the muscles in our abdomen and probably give a faint outline of a six pack. But that would be just about it.

Also, some of those magazines give the impression that situps alone will melt away your beer belly. No such thing as localized fat reduction. And besides, how much calories can you burn by just doing situps alone?

Interesting thread, comments and observations.

Not everyone is predisposed to having well-defined abs, or muscles for that matter. In fact, some people may even be 'hard gainers' - that due to their body composition/metabolism, they find it a challenge to add muscle.

If you want to build up your abs, sit-ups/crunches will not work for you. There are a lot of other multi-joint and compound exercises that will not only target your abs, but your core muscles as well. Just as King said, a strong core is more important than a six-pack.

Similar to what Dayuhan said, what you eat (INPUT) is just as important as exercising (OUTPUT). If you want to lose weight, simply tilt this balance towards more exercise, and eating smarter.

Who wouldn't want to have six-pack abs? However, it isn't the be-all and end-all. There's a lot more to life than working out. There are trails to explore, films to watch, family to care for, friends to hang out with (all the better with a six-pack...of ice cold beer, that is).

See you guys on the trails!

Agu Paiso
Men's Health Magazine, Philippines

[kulot_salot]

what?! you want to look like dorian yates or ronnie coleman?



most gurls gets turned-off with muscle-builders...

they're saying in their mind: vain-man



just tell your gurlfriend this:

"hey! i got 6-packs too!"

"....'lika kapain mo...."

[jr]

May 23, 2008 7:13:31 GMT 8 dayuhan said:

May 22, 2008 22:19:28 GMT 8 jr said:

My take, having a sculpt body is one of the best way to show your are a confident person. Not only yourself but most of the people around you .

To some extent, yes... a fit, athletic body is a sign that a person has self-respect and confidence. It's also just a matter of responsibility. If you saw a person let their house or car fall apart for lack of basic maintenance, you'd call that irresponsible, no? How much more for the body?

But these over-sculptured bodies... well, that's different, and I see that as a sign of massive insecurity. The pictures you see in magazines and websites... the only way to get a body like that and keep it like that is to totally obsess over it, and build your life around it. I'm sorry, but that's just freakin' weird.

For supplements... well, sure, some people do need to supplement their diet, especially people who are too busy to cook carefully or don't have access to some foods. My issue there is that the business is SO hype-driven, and so much of the hype is based on purely anecdotal evidence, with very little actual study on what this stuff is and what it does. That's especially true when you're talking about hormones, and other stuff that messes with your basic body chemistry. Also there is very little regulation or oversight to assure that what goes into the bottle is actually what's supposed to be there.

I'd rather just eat right, ride a lot, and work out a bit. Maybe I could be a little bigger or a little faster or look a little better if I was using supplements, but in all honesty, I don't give a $#!T.

Thats very true..lots of famous stars and athletes they have these issues or some of them dead. It was related to illigal subtance use when they were still developing.

[allegra]

If your going to give advice on abs
Let's see 'em muna
Post pics muna...slurp

[isteb]

true it gives you bigger pumps when all is said and done it's how much intensity and rest you do working out.. of course the high intensity work outs will benefit you more... esp. strength trainings which involves higher reps... when one is doing the lower reps theres a tendency of gaining weight e.g. mass... and a little fat as a result... there's one truth that many people don't know.. you must choose programs between gaining or losing weight.. both can never go hand in hand.
-nitric oxide will help you have pumps longer... it opens veins promoting the blood flow therefore more blood going to the muscle groups the more effective it is.. blood brings oxygen nutrients and etc. and you will have a longer periods of hard ons heeheehee...

May 22, 2008 21:09:25 GMT 8 allegra said:

May 22, 2008 17:04:54 GMT 8 isteb said:

since biking regularly.. i noticed my veins are popping out quite nicely... although that belly is still there am taking precious time and drugs hehehe to burn it off... heehee...

supplements that works...
-creatine...
-arginine or nitric oxide..
-whey protein (not the weight gainer!!!)
haven't been taking these.. but they work... to the lucky few who can afford go! go ! go!

I havent heard of nitric oxide but I used to take creatine and whey
They'll guve you bigger biceps and delts maybe, but not a 6pack

[isteb]

don't get me wrong but i do believe everyone can have the '6 pack'
it's just a case of clean healthy living and the amount of exercise you are investing in..
*myths-situps will eat away the beer belly
*a gazillion of situps is needed to have a 6 pack, sit ups only firms and tones the muscle group but does not lessen the fat above it...

using a heart rate monitor is a good way to start and healthy eating as in no fried foods.. less carbs in the evenings... we need carbs to fuel the muscles, limit or burn the calories

May 22, 2008 18:38:35 GMT 8 glockbiker said:

What all those glossy men's health/ exercise magazines do not say is that NOT EVERYONE CAN HAVE SIX-PACK ABS.

You can do all the situps you like, but if you do not have it in your genes, you won't have those ripped abs they always feature on their covers. In fact, I suspect some of those models got them through steroid use.

For the most of us, situps will firm/strengthen up the muscles in our abdomen and probably give a faint outline of a six pack. But that would be just about it.

Also, some of those magazines give the impression that situps alone will melt away your beer belly. No such thing as localized fat reduction. And besides, how much calories can you burn by just doing situps alone?