6 Pack Abs: The Definitive Abs Interview
Good Morning,
Today we have part 2 of the Talkin abs interview with Mike Geary of The Truth About Six Pack Abs program. If you missed part 1 click here Talkin Abs.
So, now switching gears into the topic of exercise, how much time do people need to spend exercising their abs on a weekly basis?
MG: For direct abs exercises, I generally never include more than 5-7 minutes of abs work 3x per week in the routines that I design. Most of the full body fat burning exercises will indirectly work the abs and core to a fairly good extent. A small amount of direct abs exercises is all that’s needed.
Q: Mike, I am happy that you mention that! I keep saying over and over again that there is no need to exercise for hours every day to achieve results. If you workout in the right manner, you can get a lot done in a few minutes!
Sticking with the topic of fat burning exercises, should people do cardio exercises to get abs? If so, which ones work best?
MG: In general, my philosophy minimizes long duration steady state cardio. I feel that most people can achieve better results with less overall training time by focusing more on high intensity training routines such as interval training, sprint work, and weight training done in high intensity fashion.
However, I also realize that some people simply enjoy long duration steady state cardio more than intense workouts. I also know that these people will never be consistent with their exercise if they don’t enjoy weight training and high intensity interval training. Therefore, steady-pace cardio may be the only exercise that they are truly consistent with because that’s what they like. For these people, cardio may be the best option. Also, many beginners can’t work at high intensity levels just yet and may need to focus more on low intensity cardio in their beginning stages.
But for people that are already advanced in training, and don’t particularly enjoy low intensity cardio, I tell them not to bother with it. I think you can get better results in shorter workout time with higher intensity training anyway.
My personal routine involves only focusing on weight training in the gym and I supplement that with wind sprints and outdoor kettlebell training during warm weather. I personally don’t do ANY low intensity cardio at all at the gym. In fact, I haven’t stepped on a treadmill or elliptical for at least 5-6 years. I get plenty of cardio work though from my lifestyle, which includes lots of hiking, mountain biking, racquet sports, and skiing.
Q: The following question is one that you and I readily know the answer to, but for the benefit of any woman who is reading this, could you please share how importnat weight training is as a fat burning exercises for getting abs?
MG: Absolutely! I think weight training is the single most important fat burning exercise in order to reduce body fat levels to the point of seeing visible abdominals. Weight training increases and maintains lean body mass which maximizes metabolic rate. Also, your body burns more calories post-exercise (for 24-48 hours after a workout) from a hard weight training routine compared to just low intensity cardio exercise. This is due to the fact that your body has to do much more muscle recovery from a weight training workout compared to low intensity cardio.
Q: Amen to that Mike! Changing topics slightly, what sort of philosophy do people need to embrace to achieve their goals of getting abs?
MG: The most important philosophy is to adopt a true fat burning fitness lifestyle. This means that your own fitness is one of your most important priorities in your life. If fitness is not a priority, your attempts to get in shape will always fail and will always be put on the backburner compared to other things in your life that you prioritize.
Q: Once again, I completely agree. The only way to be successful at being in shape is to adopt bodybuilding as a lifestyle. If it is just something that you pick up for a few weeks and then you drop, you will never get into shape. Also, it is important to know that life will never ever give you ideal conditions to get in shape. You need to make getting in shape a top priority and then schedule your workouts and your meals accordingly. You need to make the time to be in shape as life will not give it to you.
MG: I completely agree with that statement.
JAG: Great advice Mike! Thank you so much again for such a great interview! I really appreciate it.
MG: Thank you and keep up the good work.
About Mike Geary
Mike Geary is the best-selling author of The Truth About Six Pack Abs, with over 350,000 readers in 160 countries to date. Mike also publishes an online fitness newsletter, Lean-Body Secrets Ezine, that is enjoyed by 710,000 subscribers worldwide. Mike currently resides in beautiful Vail, Colorado where he spends much of his free time skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and enjoying the mountains.
