musclephd Staff asked 5 years ago
Some people say abs are made in the kitchen and others say abs are built through compound movements like squats and deadlifts with the occasional isolation exercise. What do you suggest?
Dr. Jacob Wilson Staff answered 5 years ago
This one is a two-parter. First, clean up your diet. Avoid excess sugars and junk food and make sure you’re getting plenty of protein and vegetables. You’ll probably want to consume a diet consisting of around 15% fewer calories than your total daily energy expenditure. Second, get in the gym and focus on big compound movements which are your best bet for building muscle, burning calories, and training your core simultaneously.
Displaying a shredded set of abs can be a lot of work and can take a long time for some people. Stick to your diet and keep training heavy to slowly shed fat without losing too much muscle mass. Don’t start training for abs a month out from beach season and expect to be shredded – make your plans further out so your abs are on full display at the beach.
Further Reading
Gentil, P., Soares, S., & Bottaro, M. (2015). Single vs. multi-joint resistance exercises: effects on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 6(2).
Lambert, C. P., Frank, L. L., & Evans, W. J. (2004). Macronutrient considerations for the sport of bodybuilding. Sports Medicine, 34(5), 317-327.