Are ab workouts a waste of time?

If you've ever trained with me, you'll know that I don't like to give ab workouts to my clients. The simple reason for this is because I don't like to waste my client's time.

A question I get asked often is how to get nice abs. The truth is, we all have abs already. Most of us just have a healthy layer of fat covering them, which is totally normal. Some of our most vital organs reside in that area of our body, which is why our bodies will store fat around that area for protection.

In order to have your abs more visible, you need to reduce the amount of fat covering them. This can be done with a nutritional intervention, building muscle to speed up your metabolism and cardio to burn off extra energy. Doing exercises such as crunches and planks won't do much. That burning sensation you feel when doing these exercises is not fat burning off your stomach! It's from a build up of lactic acid pressing up against your nerves.

If you want abs, there's a place you can go to get them... it's called the kitchen!

Okay so you're probably wondering: "What about getting a strong core? Aren't ab workouts good for that?"

As you would already know, the role of your core muscles is to stabilise your body in the upright position. So it doesn't make sense to train them lying on the ground with your back supported by the floor.

Believe it or not, your core is working it's hardest when you are doing compound exercises such as squats, push ups and chin ups. Even boxing is a great way to get a strong core as your muscles would be working hard to stabilise you as you move around.

Wouldn't it be beneficial to target just our core alone to get a better result?
The role of your core muscles is to stabilise your entire body. Separating them and training them alone isn't as effective as working your whole body. It's like picking apart a cheeseburger and eating everything separately... you just miss the point!

If ab workouts are useless, why are so many people doing them?
Like many other things, just because everyone is doing it, doesn't mean it's right. Those people on Instagram and YouTube didn't get their abs from doing those workouts. I can guarantee you it came from their nutrition and from doing some REAL exercises (not silly ones on the floor).

I spent YEARS doing every ab exercise under the sun. I was emotionally attached to that burning sensation and felt like I was 'doing something.' It did take me a while to ditch the ab workouts after realising that I didn't need them... But I finally decided to trust the science, stop doing ab workouts and focus on my overall fitness and nutrition. And I haven't been happier with my results!