Ripped Abs: Popular Myths and Truths
Many people want to have a flat belly, and they do everything possible to get it. However, of all that’s said about ripped abs, you need to know what’s a myth and what’s truth. Find out in this article!
Ripped abs are very attractive. Beyond aesthetics, it’s also really healthy to have a strong abdomen without an excess of accumulated fat.
It’s very common to see different ways to reach the desired goal of having ripped abs. However, within everything, there are certain things that are just myths.
Myth or truth?
According to the Dictionary of the Spanish Language, a myth is a person or thing to which people attribute qualities that it doesn’t have. On the other hand, the ‘truth’ is the union between the affirmed idea and a real fact.
However, you’ve probably heard and read of the virtues of countless products, machines, tricks and tips to have ripped abs. But the thing is that there are many lies that became popular as if they were true.
So, in order to not waste your time or put your well-being at risk by trying something that doesn’t really work, we want to share with you the myths and truths about ripped abs.
You must do hundreds of sit-ups: myth
This is one of the most common myths. People often say that to have a flat and ripped abdomen, you must do lots of sit-ups daily. However, the truth is that these exercises aren’t as important as people believe.
We all have abdominal muscles; when they’re not ripped, it’s because there’s a layer of fat covering them. To get rid of that fat, you have to do cardio; this way, your muscles will start to show.
Just because sit-ups aren’t that essential, it doesn’t mean you have to take them out of your routine. It’s just that it’s much better to focus on doing more cardio and not waste your time doing just sit-ups.
Exercise is more important than diet: fake
Many people believe that working out counteracts a bad diet, which is a somewhat a serious myth. Even if you do all the exercise in the world, if your diet isn’t balanced and nutritious, you won’t get a flat belly.
It’s essential that you follow a diet according to the needs of your body. In other words, you must provide your body with all the nutrients it needs. In addition to that, you must avoid junk food and excess as much as possible.
Abs in five minutes: not enough
The famous five-minute abs workout doesn’t guarantee you’ll get ripped abs. While they work to tone and strengthen your abs, they don’t ensure that you’ll have a flat belly in a short time.
If your goal is to have ripped abs, you must lose fat, not do short abdominal routines that won’t make your muscles visible. Also, it’s much more effective to do rope jumping for ten minutes than to do a ten-minute abdominal workout.
Machines for ripped abs, also a myth
The band that vibrates around your belly, the machine to do crunches, the band that makes you burn fat…all of these types of equipment aren’t necessary at all to obtain the famous ripped abs.
On the contrary, advertisements for devices and machines to work your abs are a waste of money. They make you believe that you need those accessories to have a magazine body when in reality you don’t need anything more than working out and eating healthily.
The same crunch exercise every day
It takes time to define your muscles, so there’s some information that states you must do crunches every day to define your abs. This is a lie that can be dangerous, as doing the same type of abdominal exercise -crunches- can have a negative impact on your spine.
Your abs are like the rest of your muscles, so they should receive the same kind of training. For example, you don’t focus on working your legs with the same exercise all the time. If you were to do that, you could exhaust those muscles; the same thing happens with your abs.
The best recommendation is to do different exercises, so you don’t cause a negative impact on your abs as on other parts of your body. At the same time, you should also allow your abs to have their rest time.
In conclusion, it’s better to be informed, so you don’t risk your health and make physical or monetary efforts in vain. Pay close attention and don’t forget to discard from your routine these myths that can delay your path to achieve ripped abs.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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