I’ m bringing back an old post of stories or myths that are told on how to get great abdominal muscles like those in the picture below.

Many people like to focus on their abs to help them get that coveted “six-pack” so much that they fail to see common myths that are often abundant in commercial abdominal workouts.

Myth #1: A simple ab routine will give you a “six pack”.

This is not true. Simply doing an abdominal workout will not burn belly fat and other fat throughout the body. To become toned you need to participate in a full body workout routine and with a low-body workout. Yes, the abdominal workout may build the strength and endurance of this muscle group, but you will not see the results until you’ve worked to reduce your overall body fat.

Myth #2: Abs can and should be exercised every day.

Abdominal muscles are just like any other muscle in the body – they need rest. Just as you do the rest of your body, abdominal workouts should be done with a minimum of one rest day in between workout sessions.

Myth #3: More reps equal faster success.

Again, abdominal muscles are just like any other muscle group in the body and the abdominal workout should reflect this concept. While you don’t do a hundred squats or a hundred curls, you’ll not want to do a hundred crunches either.

Myth #4: Simple crunches are all you need for strong abs.

There are many parts to the abdominal muscle group. Just like simply doing bicep curls won’t give you overall toned arms, your abdominal workout needs to include various exercises to reach all of the muscles within the muscle group.

Myth #5: I need to buy a special ab machine to work my abs.

While there are special machines out there to help you train your abdominal muscles, it is possible to get a better workout with no special equipment (or with minimal equipment to add variety). Abdominal workouts can be extremely successful with the simple use of your body and the floor (and maybe a mat for added padding). Some people prefer to add an exercise ball for more variety of exercises, but this is minimal in terms of cost (and space). Additionally, many of the so call abdominal miracle machines often limit the types of workouts you can do which make getting a full abdominal workout difficult.

So what can you do to break the myths? Simply treat your abdominal muscles like any other muscle group in your body and plan your abdominal workouts accordingly. Work all the muscles in the muscle groups and plan a variety of exercises to reduce boredom and to give your muscles a healthy workout. Finally, avoid the expectations that you can “spot treat” a problematic mid-section. The only way to truly get a fit tummy is to get your entire body into shape.