The No-BS (And Only) Way to Get “Six Pack Abs”

Six pack abs are on the top of people’s wish lists for their physiques. What does it take to actually get them though?

Everyone wants it…the elusive “six pack.” The hallmark of the fitness elite, the proof that you know the inside “secrets” of getting ripped. With the amount of people wanting six pack abs, the amount of bad advice out there on how to actually get them is overwhelming.

• Some people say you just have to do special types of ab exercises…and they’re wrong.
• Some people say you just have to get lean…and they’re wrong.
• Some people say you just have to do a lot of heavy squats and deadlifts…and they’re wrong.
• Some people say you have to avoid certain types of foods and take weird supplements…and they’re really wrong.

Like most things related to fitness, the real way to get six pack abs–for both guys and gals–is pretty straightforward. In this article, I’m going to break it all down for you, and we’re going to start with a little physiology (you’ll see why).

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The Anatomy of the Perfect “Six Pack”

When people talk about “abs,” what they’re actually referring to is the pair of muscles that make up the rectus abdominis: Rectus abdominis 

These muscles aren’t the whole story of the full “six pack” look that people want, however. There are other “core” muscles that must be properly developed as well. Namely the obliques (external mainly), the transversus abdominis (or “TVA” as it’s commonly referred to), and the serratus:

Now, anatomy diagrams are great, but let’s see what this looks like on a real body. First, let’s look at someone whose rectus abdominis is fairly developed, but who lacks the rest of the package:

Yeah, he’s not very lean, but as you can see, he has no v-taper at the waist, no serratus development, and no sight of a TVA line. I think you’d agree that this isn’t a look to aspire to. Here’s another example:

A little better than the last, but with different problems: way over-developed obliques, under-developed rectus abdominis, and no TVA or serratus.  The result is that odd look of abs “floating” in a sea of flat, formless flesh. Now, let’s look at what a properly developed core can do to change the visuals:

Yes, Plitt has far better genetics than the other two examples, but note that he’s not much leaner than the second. He just has a far better developed core to frame his terrifically developed rectus abdominis and give it that tight, “integrated” look. My own body is a great example of how core development can change your overall look. Check out the following picture of me, taken about 2 years ago:

Not a bad look. I was lean (around 6-7% body fat), and had decent rectus abdominis development along with some oblique, serratus, and transversus abdominis showing. (Oh and in case you’re wondering why I don’t have a proper “six pack” but only a “four pack” instead, that’s purely genetic, and can’t be changed. Some people’s rectus abdominis is formed better than others’.) Here’s another shot from the same period:

Now, compare those shots to the following pictures taken a few months ago:

Quite a difference, no? This came from not only building my “abs,” but actually more so from building the rest of my core–my obliques, TVA (which is what forms the “frame” around the abs), and serratus anterior (the finger-like muscles that cover the ribs).

So, with the goal now clearly in mind–a fully developed core, not just “abs”–let’s look at what it takes to get there.

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