of attention.
5 Reasons Why You May Not Have the Abs You'd Like
Active Lifestyle 
Consult your physician before starting any diet and/or exercise plan.
Sometimes in life people opt to settle for less than what they want because their goals are seemingly too far out of reach. Maybe they have goals that are too unrealistic, are influenced by forces beyond their control, or don't have adequate resources. That's why we have created this feature: to provide information related to the common goal of many men; to have a tighter midsection or perhaps even a sculpted set of abs as part of an impressive physique.
Obviously, you have chosen to read these pages for a reason: You are one of these individuals who would like to - or have already begun planning your strategy to - sharpen up your midsection. The difference is that you already have a leg up on reaching your goal because you've taken the initiative to find information. Don't settle for anything less than success - it's "crunch time" and we've provided you with some valuable information to help put you in control of reaching your goals.
We've narrowed down five of the most common reasons that can prevent you from getting better abs. Keep in mind that some of these factors apply not only to getting a better midsection, but also to getting a tighter, more muscular-looking body overall. Combine this information along with your diet and exercise plan, and add Hydroxycut® – you'll be rewarded for choosing to look great.
1) Poor diet: You've probably heard this before, but it cannot be emphasized enough: You should not rely on exercise alone to get lean. You can work your abdominals every day, but if you aren't watching your food intake, you may not get the results you would hope for. Create a well-thought-out eating strategy, then stick to it.
Not staying focused on your diet and exercise plan can result in a less than impressive midsection.
2) Lack of a regular cardio routine: In addition to eating well and supplementing with Hydroxycut®, an exercise plan that includes time set aside for cardio will help better your chances for a tight midsection by reducing your overall bodyfat stores. In order to reduce your weight, you should remember that you must use more calories than you are putting into your body. You do burn calories by weight training, but cardio will help you optimize your fat-burning efforts.
3) Using poor form while performing exercises: Fifteen minutes of ab work done with poor form can be considered less productive than five minutes done with perfect form.
With life's many responsibilities, finding time to work out is sometimes challenging, so you'll benefit from learning how to exercise efficiently to get the most results from the time you spend sculpting your body. To get more tips on performing ab exercises and get a detailed workout routine, visit the feature Three Key Exercises for Head-Turning Abs.
4) Using ineffective exercises or equipment: Much like using improper form, choosing ineffective movements or equipment is an exercise in futility. Seek out information, ask for other people's opinions, and even compare your current routines with ones you've done in the past to analyze which exercises you've gotten the best results from. The more time you put into choosing exercises that work for you, the more you'll get out of them.
5) Using the same routine or exercises for a long period of time: Just as your mind can become more efficient by doing repetitive tasks, so can your muscles. You should switch up your routine about every four to six weeks to keep things fresh so your body does not adapt to the workload you are doing. As a bonus, the following pages contain exercise demonstrations for three variations of the ab crunch that you may have never thought of. Add these into your ab routine when its time to switch things up.
Abs (upper and lower) or Rectus Abdominus
Position and Movement
Attach a handle or rope to a high cable. Hold the rope/handle with both hands just over the top of your head in a kneeling position. Slowly bring your head and shoulders down toward the floor on a bowing motion. Hold the muscle contraction at the bottom of the movement, then slowly raise yourself in a controlled manner back to the starting position.
Tip
Concentrate on using proper form to ensure your abdominals are doing the work, as your arms can become involved in bringing the rope down if your technique is off.
Abs (lower) or Rectus Abdominus
Position and Movement
Have a training partner stand with their legs slightly bent and spread a little more than shoulder-width apart. Lay down on your back, positioning your head on the mat between your partner's legs. Grab a hold of your partner's ankles for support and bring your legs up with a slight bend in your knees. Your partner then grabs the front of your ankles and proceeds to push your legs down towards the floor. Each time you bring your legs up, they are pushed back down towards the floor.
Tip
Have your partner randomly push your legs to the left, right, or center. And don't let your feet touch the floor during the set.
Abs (upper and lower) or Rectus Abdominus
Position and Movement
Lie on the floor as if you were going to perform a basic ab crunch, but place your lower legs over a bench (having your legs elevated will help keep your abs in a semi-contracted state during the entire exercise). Begin this exercise at a slightly higher point than you would a basic ab crunch. Raise your body slightly, then come back down to a starting position.
Tip
Even though this exercise looks easier because there is not as much movement, it is very effective. The key is to keep your abs at least partially contracted through the entire set using a shorter range
of motion.
