Core Training Mistake #1

Training for Hypertrophy (“big muscles”).

Somehow we all agree that if we do tons and tons of bicep curls we’ll get bigger biceps. But for some reason, many exercisers feel that if they do tons and tons of crunches, their abdomen will get smaller.

If that isn’t classic gym logic for you, nothing is…

All 1 million crunches are going to do for you is give you a larger rectus abdominus, and a bad back. Unless you’re a professional bodybuilder, this is a bad thing.

1st thing you need to do is lose the myth of spot reduction. You can’t make one area of your body smaller by using it more often. If this were true, all gum chewers would have a skinny face. All tennis players would have a skinnier playing arm than their non playing arm (when in
reality, the reverse is true…).

Secondly, you need to understand that visible stomach musculature is the result of extremely low body fat – NOT due to big muscles. Achieving this is the result of a) genetics, b) ridiculous levels of nutritional commitment, and c) tons of calorie expenditure. In most cases, you’ll need all three of the above to get a 6 pack.

Notice that crunches, sit ups, etc. have NOTHING to do with those three causes and therefore nothing to do with getting you a 6 pack.

I’ll paraphrase another trainer with this one, but truer words were never spoken:

The best way to get a 6 pack is pass on a 6 pack.