Introduction: How to Get Six Pack Abs

Looking to impress some ladies this summer or just want to be able to open a can of beans with your gluts (buttocks)? Well... i can't promise anything (especially the can cracking) but I do have some earnest methods that can develop your abdomens, thighs, and of course, the gluteus maximus!

Step 1: Warmup

First and foremost, DO A WARMUP! I see people all the time walk into the gym and just start lifting... if you are one of these people, you deserve a slap. Cold muscles don't stretch, cold rubber doesn't stretch, cold rubber snaps, muscles can snap too...

Even a 7 minute slow jog is better than nothing, but if you've got time then get a good 15 minute jog in. Your muscles will thank you in the morning and your heart will be pumping blood faster which makes every body part sing in harmony!

As far as stretching goes, I'm sure theres plenty intructables already out there on the subject. personally, I prefer stretching after my workout, but it's not too necessary as long as you stretch once every 2 or 3 workouts.

Step 2: List of Drills

Now for the actual lesson...

It's called S(h)even and hell. No fancy contraptions, no balls, no weights. Just gravity and preserverance. Find a nice open area, lay on your back in classic crunch position, and set your watch for 7 minutes.

For every minute, switch to a different ab drill (below).

It's not about how many you can do. It's about being able to keep a steady speed and work through all 7 minutes.

In the next steps I will briefly explain each drill and rank them on difficulty/burn.

List of Drills (mix them up so that way you don't get too repetitive of any one list)

legs down (classic)
legs up (Don't cross legs)
plank upright
plank left
plank right
six inches
six inches to crunch
six to thirty six
swimmers
scissors
bicycles
penguins
toe toucher's
left to right
rockies


Are there more? Yes, many more, but this is more than enough for the average chimp.

Step 3: Classic Crunch

Burn Scale (5 being the highest) = 2, Anaheim pepper

Classic Crunch

Feet and back level with ground, knees bend upward and arms folded around Chest. Arms behind head cause the use of arm muscles so fold them at the chest. Starting slow and steady is best always, you want to be able to feel your abs actually pulling you through and up. To create a good burn usually you only have to go half way up to your knees, anything higher and you can assume your using other muscles, so keep it low.

Classic Crunch Feet up
Burn Scale = 2.5, Anaheim pepper

Same as Classic crunch but keep your feet level with your knee caps, perpendicular to the ground.

Step 4: Planks

Planks require you to concentrate on remaining still, and they may seem easy but a minute will seem a lot longer during this exercise. Try to include one or two of these in every seven minutes.

Plank Upright
Burn scale = 3, jalapeño pepper

Switch position so to have stomach facing ground. Lift yourself with your toes and forearm, keep body as straight as possible and KEEP YOUR BUTT DOWN. Within 30 seconds most people start involuntarily shacking and thats how you know its working!

Plank Right
Burn Scale = 2.5 Anaheim pepper

Switch position so to have right side on body facing ground. Lift your self with your right forearm and keep left arm perpendicular with body. Again your body should form a straight line, or plank.

Plank Left
Burn Scale = 2.6...... I'm not so symmetrical....

Same as Plank Right but on your left side.

Step 5: Six Inches

All these drills are heavy on the legs, doing all six would be the ultimate glut work out

Six Inches
Burn Scale = 4 Thai Pepper

Position yourself with back facing ground and hands underneath your butt. raise your legs so that way your heels hover roughly 6 inches from the ground. Similar to the planks, withen 30 seconds your legs with start involuntary spasms.

Six inches to crunch
Burn Scale = 5 Red Habanero!

Same position as six inches to crunch, but fold your arms around your chest, and simultaneously raise your kneecaps to your chest while you crunch and as you go back down push your legs back out so that they hover 6 inches to the ground. Correctly done your feet should never touch the ground.

Six to thirty six
Burn Scale = 4 Thai Pepper

Same position as six inches. throughout the minute slowly raise your legs so to have your feet hover from six inches to 36 inches above the ground, and then slowly lower them back to six and repeat.

Swimmers
Burn Scale = 4 Thai Pepper

Start off in six inch position and raise each leg at a time upwards and as one leg comes down the other should be going up. This exercise should be done faster than the other leg raises. ( more kicks per minute)

Scissors
Burn Scale = 4 Thai Pepper

Same as Swimmers but instead of going verticle, your legs should be going horizontal and criss-crossing each other in a fluid motion. Also a fast pace exercise.

Bicycles
Burn Scale = 4 Thai Pepper

Start off in classical crunch position with feet up. Start pumping each leg mimicking the rotation of pedaling a bicycle. With opposite elbow to kneecap, side crunch so that they just barley touch. again a fast paced exercise but start off slow to get the grasp of the motion.

Step 6: Last Four Exercises

Ok, heres the last three for now.

Penguins, these are good for a good break in the middle of the 7 minutes
Burn Scale = 1 Bell Pepper

Start off in classic position and keep heels just far enough away from finger tips so as to stretch a little to touch them. Move from left heel to right heel, feel the slight burn in your sides.

Rockies
Burn Scale = 4 Thai Pepper

Start in classic position except put your hand behind your head so your elbows extend forward. Thrust your body upright and touch each kneecap with adjacent elbow before going back down. This drill is pretty tough so not too many reps can be accomplished in one minute.

Touch touchers
Burn Scale = 4 Thai Pepper

Once again start in classic position, but lift legs completely up, 90 degrees to body. Try to reach and touch each toe with adjacent hand without bending knees. This should be a relatively fast drill.

Ok, Thats it! Theres plenty of drills here to pick and choose which ones to load your seven minutes with. Within a month of doing seven minutes every day I had defined abs... not to gloat or anything. Well, I hoped you liked this instructable, especially my awesome pictures, and yes it is my first, but I do have more information i can share with you in more instructables to come.

Please leave me any comments or suggestions, and if you want to improve my pictures I would totally welcome them with a big embrace! Thanks!