| Abs are not only about the washboard stomachs we | | | | to add any unwanted mass to your abs. |
| have grown accustom to seeing on the professional | | | | Cardiovascular conditioning is easily the most important |
| bodybuilding stage. There's a lot more to it then meets | | | | aspect used to help a bodybuilder achieve defined |
| the eye. The actual anatomical make up includes the | | | | abdominals. Bodybuilders use cardio as a tool to help |
| Rectus abdonomis, the external abdominal oblique | | | | shed unwanted fat. The key to effectively using cardio |
| muscles, serratus anterior and the internal abdominal | | | | is to know exactly when to implement it into your |
| oblique. Most of us tend to train our abs as a finishing | | | | routine. If you start doing it to early you will curtail all the |
| touch on our overall appearance but we forget the | | | | gains you're desperately trying to make, but if done to |
| main function of the abdominals. The abdominals are | | | | late you won't have enough time to get your |
| responsible for permitting our bodies to bend forward | | | | abdominals in the shape needed for competition. A |
| and back as well as to the side. Their main function is | | | | good starting point is about 11 weeks out from your |
| keeping our posture but they also aid in keeping our | | | | competition. This will give you enough time to cut your |
| body stable when partaking in different activities and | | | | body fat and water retention. |
| of course in both upper body and lower body lifts while | | | | The most misunderstood and under utilized tool for |
| bodybuilding. | | | | bodybuilders looking to obtain shredded abs is definitely |
| By fully understanding the functions of our abdominals | | | | dieting. I would go as far as saying that dieting alone is |
| we can then implement effective ways of training | | | | responsible for over 80% of a bodybuilders overall |
| them. As you read earlier our abdominals allow us to | | | | physique. If you look at it as, what you put in your body |
| "flex our trunks" or in other words bend forward. The | | | | will either dictate whether your body gets bigger or |
| best way to effectively train them is to replicate this | | | | smaller you'll certainly understand what I mean. The |
| movement while in the gym. The reason most | | | | general rule of thumb is that your body needs to have |
| bodybuilders train their abs is definitely to increase the | | | | 4-6 small meals that are high in protein, spaced out |
| overall definition of the abs. There are a number of | | | | over a 2-3 hour span to keep your metabolism high |
| ways to go about obtaining this. One theory is to | | | | and prevent fat storage. |
| eliminate the fat that covers the abdominals. This can | | | | As you can see, nothing I've written here could be |
| be achieved through both dieting and cardiovascular | | | | considered rocket science but many bodybuilders don't |
| activity. Another way to help define your abdominals is | | | | take full advantage of this information. If you follow |
| to do abdominal exercises intensely with very high | | | | these simple guidelines you will achieve the washboard |
| repetitions. The reason for this is that you don't want | | | | abs you've always dreamt of. |