Do Abs Naturally Come in With Other Exercises?

Washboard abs are a common goal in fitness that encompass different aspects of training. On one hand, there is weight loss, which contributes to the physical appearance of abs. On the other hand, there is core training which contributes to the existence of abs. Both of these forms of fitness lead to the common desire of appealing abdominals. Any exercise can naturally contribute to the appearance of abs, but few are designed to strengthen them.

  1. The Abdominals

    • The muscles which people refer to as abs are called the rectus abdominis. When you do core exercises, these are the muscles you train. However, fat collects in this area just like other parts of the body. Fat around the abs reduces their appearance, even if you have done work to train them. In order to bring your abs out, you need to do core training but also exercise for weight loss.

    Exercise in General

    • Any exercise will contribute to fat loss around the abs. As you increase your exercise and weight training, your body increases energy expenditure during activity and with lean muscle mass, thus burning more calories and fat. While some people are advocates of weight training or cardio exclusively to lose weight, they are both valuable. They both contribute to different physical and metabolic changes in your body. Your abs are part of these changes -- anything that contributes to fat loss will contribute to abs.

    Strong Core

    • While full-body workouts that don't target your abs contribute to their appearance, core exercises strengthen the muscles and change the aesthetics of your abs. Men's Health recommends three basic exercises to strengthen your core and tone your abs -- do each set twice. First is the plank on elbows, in which you raise your body onto your forearms, aligned from head to toe, and hold for 30 seconds, rest, then hold again. Second is the mountain climber with bench support. With toes on the ground and hands extended from a bench, raise one knee at a time to your chest, each for 30 seconds, with rest in between. The last exercise is the side plank. Raise yourself on your forearm with your body aligned, as though you want to fit between two panes of glass. Hold this position for 30 seconds, rest, then repeat with your other side.

    Beware: Target Training

    • Many people believe that doing situps and other core exercises will reduce fat around your abs. Such a perception is known as a myth -- target training does not yield site-specific results. Instead of training your core to reduce fat around your abs, go for a total body workout. Not only will this contribute to weight loss at multiple sites, thus revealing your abs, it will contribute to your health.