Six Pack Workout Plan

This workout can get you the body you want in four weeks

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Sculpting a decent four-pack requires tenacity, but it's carving out your lower abs to complete The Magnificent Six that really takes some dedication. And not just in the gym. “You can’t out-train a bad diet, ” says, personal trainer at gym in London. Forget what you think you need to do to pack muscle on your midriff and combine Learney’s simple nutritional rules alongside his precisely calibrated workout routine to get great definition in just four weeks.

Diet

Use Learney’s 10 simple nutritional tenets to supercharge your core musculature. “Employ these dietary changes and you’ll spark up your metabolic rate and get your mid-section functioning correctly, ” he says.

1. Avoid refined and processed foods wherever possible.

2. Try to eat six times a day – around every three hours.

3. With every meal, use a portion of protein as your base. Think eggs, fish, chicken, and other lean meats.

4. Between meals snack on nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, or small bags of snap peas.

5. For breakfast and your second meal, make sure you get some starchy carbs – oatmeal, rye, or sprouted bread – and a piece of fruit.

6. For lunch, sweet or regular potato, brown rice and quinoa are all excellent options.

7. For your evening meal, try to get some veg – but avoid root veg and any starchy carbs.

8. Drink lots of water.

9. Every 10 days give yourself one cheat meal. It can be anything you want. This might seem strict, but if you’re trying to reveal your abs in just four weeks such gastronomic sacrifices are necessary.

10. Consume one of these post-workout shakes as soon as possible after your workout. Aim for around 40-50g carbs and 20-30g protein. “This stabilises your hormonal system to enable tissue regeneration and keeps blood sugar stable, ” explains Learney.

The workout

Complete three circuits of the six exercises below four times a week (Learney suggests Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday or Saturday) for four weeks. On two of your non-workout days, complete 45 minutes of uphill treadmill walking (not running). Rest on Sunday.

Your total workout each day should last 45 minutes. Fill in any spare time you may have after completing the circuits with some uphill treadmill walking to complete a 45-minute slot. Keep your rest periods tight and focus on technique rather than speed.

1. Overhead bench squats

Why? “This exercise has a high metabolic output as multiple joints are used. It fires the midsection through stabilising the weight above the head while simultaneously lengthening the midsection.”

How? With a suitably weighted bar held above your head, position yourself in front of a bench. Keeping the bar in line with the midline of the body sit back onto the bench, keeping your chest high and head up. The bar will want to move forward – as you sit back onto the bench try to move it further back. Stand and repeat.

Sets 3-4

Reps 20-30

Rest 30 seconds

Crank it up for weeks three and four Increase sets to 5-6, decrease rest to 0-15 seconds and make the bench an inch lower.

2. Prone knee to opposite elbow

Why? “This statically stabilises the midsection much like but adds the element of internal hip rotation to work your obliques and mobilise your hip flexors.”