Top stomach toning tips for grooms

Which muscles make up a six-pack?

The traditional six-pack refers to the muscle groups across the front of the abdomen, namely the rectus abdominis. However, the obliques and transverse abdominis are also part of your abdominal muscles and specific core muscles including the multifidus should not be ignored in your training plan.

A healthy stomach

Before you start it’s important to comprehend that the pictures you see on magazine covers of models with enviably defined stomach muscles are due to a combination of exercise and weeks of strict dieting to achieve an extremely low level of body fat – this is neither healthy nor sustainable, so you should be realistic in your expectations of what you can achieve before your wedding.

Models after a photo shoot often revert to a ‘normal’ diet and whilst their ab strength remains the same, their abs become less visible due to a light and healthy covering of body fat. Just because you can’t see your abs doesn’t mean that they’re not there! Body fat is necessary for good health and simply focusing on lowering your body fat should not be your goal. Instead, focus on healthy nutrition and correct exercises to tone up your abs and the results will follow.

Six-pack training exercises for grooms

When training your abdominal muscles, it is important to integrate them into an all-over body plan so that your body remains in balance. If you simply focus on exercises to build a six-pack and nothing else, you unbalance the body which can lead to injury -which is the last thing you want before your wedding day. For example, it is important to balance-out stomach exercises with lower back exercises.

There are numerous exercises for the abdominals but here’s a few that you can try to work those abs:

Abs exercise plan for grooms

With this simple exercise plan, by targeting the correct muscles and exercising correctly, rapid results can be obtained. Start by building up to completing each session once a week, with an interval of two days between the different sessions, which will also give you time to help plan the wedding. As your fitness improves, build further to completing the entire sequence of exercises twice a week.

Session 1

Target = two sets of 20 repetitions of each exercise.

Standard sit-up

Lie on your back, on the floor, feet flat, knees bent and shoulder width apart. Position your fingertips just forward of your ears. Keeping the head and neck in line with the spine, lift the shoulders up from the floor, contracting the abdominals. Lower the body to the floor under control and repeat. Avoid hooking the feet under a stationary object, which will work the hip flexors rather than the abdominals.

Supported v-sit

Lie on your back, on the floor, knees tucked into the chest, feet and legs together. Slowly extend legs until they are straight out in front of you, keeping your feet off the floor. Return to tuck position and repeat.

Back extension

Lie face down on the floor, arms parallel with your sides, head and neck in line with the spine. Lift the shoulders from the floor by contracting the erector spinae (lower back muscles) and keeping the head and neck in line with the spine. Lower the shoulders to the floor under control and repeat.

Session 2

Target = one set of 20 repetitions for oblique crunches (per side) and 60 seconds duration for both the plank and side plank.

Oblique crunch

Sit on a stability ball and twist your body around so that one hip is positioned on top of the ball. Brace your feet against the bottom of a wall. Slowly lower your body towards the ball until you feel a stretch from the armpit to the hip on the upper side. Contract your obliques and lift your body up to a vertical position to complete one movement. Always return to a fully stretched position each time.

The plank

Lie face down on the floor, positioning your elbows directly underneath your shoulders. Tuck the arms into the sides, flat on the floor and pointing ahead. Bringing the legs and toes together; lift your body up from the floor, balancing upon toes and forearms. Fully contract core muscles in towards the spine. Maintain relaxed breathing throughout.

Side plank

Lie on your side on the floor in a straight line. Position one leg on top of the other and prop up your body on one elbow, keeping the elbow well tucked in. Lift the pelvis up from the floor as high as possible and hold the position, fully contracting the core muscles. Maintain relaxed breathing throughout.

Consistency with your training is the key and if you follow the abs exercise plan you will see and feel the difference in your whole body.