How To Get Six Pack Abs Fast

Everywhere you turn, someone's promising the next secret to getting 6 pack abs. While there's no way to get a 6 pack overnight, regular exercise and a healthy diet can help put you on the fast track. Develop an ab workout routine with a variety of exercises, such as crunches and planks. Your muscles need fuel, and you might need to burn fat in order to see results, so be sure to stick to a healthy, balanced diet.

• Doing Crunch Variations

Do 4 sets of 12 basic crunches. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your fingertips behind your head, inhale, then exhale as you raise your upper back off of the floor. Raise your torso for about 2 seconds, then gently inhale as you lower yourself back to the floor.[1]

Be sure not to tug your head upward with your hands. Keep your head, neck, and back aligned, and avoid arching your lower back as you lift your torso. Repeat the steps to complete a set of 12 crunches.

Raise your torso just enough to lift your shoulder blades off of the ground. A crunch can safely engage your abs, but a full sit-up (or raising yourself all the way to your knees) can strain the lower back.[2]

To increase difficulty, try holding a weight over your torso as you do crunches. Start out light, such as with a 5 to 10 lb (2.3 to 4.5 kg) plate weight, to avoid injury.[3]

• Lift your knees and hips to do reverse crunches. 

 To start, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms by your sides with your palms facing down. Exhale and engage your abs as you raise your knees over your hips.[4]

Keep your knees bent at a 90-degree angle as you hold them directly over your hips. Inhale, then exhale as you lift your hips and lower back off the floor with a smooth, controlled motion.

Inhale again as you lower your hips back to the floor, but keep your knees above your hips. Repeat the steps to complete a set of 12 reverse crunches. After the last repetition, lower your feet back to the floor.

• Add bicycle crunches to your routine.

 Lie on your back with your knees bent and fingertips touching the back of your head. Inhale, then exhale as you raise your feet off of the floor. Make a pedaling motion by driving your left knee toward your torso and extending the other straight.[5]

As you pedal, raise your shoulder blades off of the floor and rotate your torso to bring your right elbow toward your bent left knee.

Then, straighten your left leg as you raise your right knee toward your torso. Simultaneously, rotate your torso to bring your left elbow toward your right knee.

Continue to pedal and rotate your torso to complete 12 repetitions per side.

• Extend your arms to do overhead crunches.

 Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Straighten your arms above your head with your palms facing up. Your arms should still touch the floor, and your biceps (upper arms) should be near your ears.[6]

Keeping your arms extended above your head, lift your torso as if you were doing a conventional crunch. Remember to keep your head, neck, and spine aligned, and don't arch your lower back.

As with standard crunches, you can hold a lightweight plate in your hands to add resistance.