When people think about what they’d look like being in shape, one of the most commonly sought after features is having six pack abs. Everyone wants abs because it’s seen as a pinnacle in fitness, meaning that not only do you have a flat stomach, but you’ve also toned and worked it out to where the abs can shine through.
There are a lot of steps to get to that point, one of which is using cardio to tone up your midsection.For many people, their lack of abs is from a combination of excess fat hiding them as well very little (if any) definition from a lack of exercise.
This is why cardio is a great starting point to work towards them. Cardio helps you burn fat, but it also engages your core along with your legs, helping you develop muscles there so that you can see your abs a bit faster to begin with.
There are some forms of cardio that just happen to work better than others for this purpose. For example, rowing machines and jumping rope force you to engage your abs more, making them more defined.
Things like swimming are mostly for burning belly fat. It’s not a really massive difference, so as long as you’re doing a form of cardio you enjoy, that’s what matters. As far as scheduling goes, you should be doing cardio around 3 times a week.
Whether you combine it with your weightlifting days or keep them separate is up to you, though many people prefer to keep them separate so they’re not too tired to do either the weightlifting or the cardio.
At that rate, you’ll be in a pretty good spot to start developing some abs. It’s also helpful to mix up the cardio you’re doing not only so that you don’t get bored, but also to hit slightly different parts of the body.
Not every form of cardio attacks belly fat in the exact same way, so by mixing things up, you’re more likely to see results instead of letting things get stagnant. Do a different form of cardio each time you go throughout the week, or alternate each week if you like settling in a bit longer.
If there’s one thing to remember, though, it’s that no matter how much cardio you do, diet is still going to be important. Your intense cardio session can be undone in a single meal, so plan your diet carefully if you really want those abs.
