Fitness Tip of the Day: Tuesday Trunk & Core--6 pack abs

Everyone would love to have six pack abs, but some people are genetically and biologically able to achieve them more than others--it's all about tendons.  Although it looks like 6-8 different muscles, the rectus abdominus is a paired muscle running vertically on each side of the interior wall of the abdomen.  It is divided into sections by tendons that are running through the muscle, from Wikipedia:

"Three, and sometimes four, bands of connective tissue called the tendinous intersections traverse the rectus abdominus, which separate it into six or eight distinct muscle bellies, respectively. The appearance of these segments has led to the rectus abdominus also being called the "six-pack."

Depending on the thickness of these tendons, you may or may not be able to see the "six-pack"  as well.  The thicker the tendons, the more definition you will have.  That's not to say that you still can't have great abs.  You can still get definition and "cuts" in the muscle along the sides where your obliques attach and at near your hips (like Pink and Halle Berry).  Men are more predisposed to visible six packs than women, but I think the women pictured have some great abs.

The title of today's video is 6 Week Six-Pack Abs by Jillian Michaels.  Now, I'm not going to guarantee that you will get a six pack in 6 weeks, but I will guarantee a great core workout with minimal crunch-type work.  It is an intense workout.  You can do the workout with or without hand weights.  If it's too much to go through it twice like it's done in the video, do it once and skip to the stretch at the end.  Work up to it.  It moves continually, so you get a cardio workout as well.  Jillian is very pleasant and encouraging in this workout as well.  I would not recommend doing this daily.  Again, your abs need time to rest and recover just like any other muscle.  It is one of my favorites, I hope it becomes one of yours.

I couldn't show the celeb pictures above without showing one of Madonna.  I know she's controversial and not everybody's favorite, but at 54 years old, you have to admit, she looks good!  Yes, she might have trainers and such, but in order to have a body like hers, she has to do the work. She's always been an advocate for fitness and can be very inspirational for us baby boomers.  Who inspires you?