Veteran lifters avoid hammering their quads, hamstrings, or pecs every day, because if all you do is break your muscles down, they\u2019ll never have time to recover.<\/p>\n
The same goes for doing a daily ab workout.<\/p>\n
Our abs help form the bridge between our upper and lower bodies, keeping us together and upright all day long.<\/p>\n
So there\u2019s a commonly held idea that they\u2019re \u201cendurance muscles\u201d unconstrained by the immutable laws of hypertrophy.<\/p>\n
But that notion isn\u2019t widely shared by members of the fitness establishment, several of whom we surveyed for their opinions on the value of doing a daily ab workout.<\/p>\n
The most neutral opinion comes from Alex Koch, professor of health, exercise and sports science at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can exercise abs daily, but I personally don\u2019t recommend it,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
In his opinion, abdominals are essentially just like any other muscles, so to make them bigger and stronger he recommends targeting them about twice a week.<\/p>\n
Rob Sulaver, CEO and Founder of\u00a0Bandana Training, adds that the muscle fiber makeup of our abs tells us that they shouldn\u2019t be trained every day.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur rectus abdominis is roughly equal parts fast- and slow-twitch muscle fiber, just like our arms and thighs,\u201d he says. \u201cWith proper training, they\u2019ll need time to recover.\u201d<\/p>\n
Overtraining involves overloading your muscles, joints, and\/or nervous system excessively, a condition to which your abs aren\u2019t immune.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you work your abs hard enough, you\u2019ll feel the work you did the day before, and you\u2019ll agree you need to rest them,\u201d says New York City trainer Dominique Hall.<\/p>\n
Hall recommends targeting your abs every other day at most to allow them adequate time to recover.<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t tell whether you\u2019ve worked your abs sufficiently, she has a suggestion: \u201cTracking your workouts and being consistent about your routine motivates you to do better each time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more you improve on those numbers, the more muscle you build and\u00a0bam,\u00a0you\u2019ll see a six-pack!\u201d (Provided you\u2019ve shed enough body fat, of course.)<\/p>\n
Building visible abs is a two-front war, with eating and activity demanding equal attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople think you can outwork a bad diet, but they\u2019re fooling themselves,\u201d says Hall. \u201cYou do need to work your abs, but don\u2019t forget your food intake has to [complement] your goals,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n
In short, dial in your diet or your six-pack will never reveal itself.<\/p>\n
Emphasize fiber and protein, avoid refined and processed carbs, don\u2019t skip meals, and do drink copious amounts of water.<\/p>\n
It also won\u2019t hurt to cut down on liquor, which can interfere with your body\u2019s metabolization of nutrients from food.<\/p>\n
When you do target your abs, work in a few of these moves from Beachbody\u00a0programs to diversify your routine.<\/p>\n