If you’re just going through the motions and making mistakes with your ab exercises it’s time to fix the mistakes and your chiseled six pack will come.  We asked personal trainer Robert Hammond how to get abs and for the Top 6 Ab Exercise Mistakes that he sees in the gym.  Make sure you’re not guilty of one (or more) of these 6 common ab workout mistakes.

Best Ab Workout Mistakes To Avoid

Ab Workout Mistake #1: Too many ab crunches!

Crunches are definitely not the most effective ab exercise. Crunches focus on the rectus abdominis and only work your core in the sagittal plane. If you think you are crunching your way to awesome abs, guess again – it’s time to mix up the exercises in your ab workout routine.

Ab Workout Mistake #2: Incorrect Ab exercise technique.

Positioning your feet under a bar or having a mate stand on them whist performing sit-ups focuses the workload on your hip flexors (Iliopsoas, Sartorius and Rectus Femoris) and this is not effective, nor is using momentum to perform the sit-up. Abdominals should be trained in slow, focused movements, feeling the ab muscles contract, and holding that contraction.

If you are unable to complete an ab sit-up without assistance, start off on a swiss ball as this will reduce the load and help you learn the correct ab exercise technique. Do not allow the ball to move underneath you and complete slow, controlled movements focusing on contracting your abs

Ab Workout Mistake #3: Not utilising different planes of motion during ab training

Rectus abdominis are NOT the only ab muscles present in the body, therefore training in one plane is not going to work the entire abdominal muscle group. Include frontal and transverse planes as well as sagittal.

Rectus abdominis is trained in spinal flexion. Offset this movement with a combination of spinal extension, isometric/stabilization, lateral spinal flexion and spinal rotation exercises. Do not forget your back! The erector spinae muscles run along the spine and provide a primary movement function in back extension and are often overlooked in ab workouts.

Ab Workout Mistake #4: Training abs prior to your workout

Never train abs prior to your workout. Your core is critical for stability during exercise and for protection against injury. By training abdominals prior to a workout, you are fatiguing them and therefore putting yourself at greater risk of injury.

Ab Workout Mistake #5: Ab muscle over training

Abdominals do not require daily training. Treat your abs as you would any other muscle, training them hard for 8-15 reps, focusing on the ab muscle contraction, and holding it. 15 minutes is sufficient time for training abs, and allow your ab muscles a few days of recovery before training them again. 2 non-consecutive ab workout days per week is enough.

Ab Workout Mistake #6: Forgetting about your ripped diet

Training your abs is NOT the critical element for getting “ripped abs”- Diet IS.  Remember abs are made in the kitchen! Gym-goers often ask why they have not seen a difference to their waist line after training abs for an extended period. Training abs will not give you the flat stomach or ripped 6-pack you’re looking for if you have a layer of fat covering them. A high protein clean diet, no alcohol and increasing your HITT cardio will fast-track you to seeing your abs. If you need convenient source of protein try this recommendation for the best tasting protein powder or if it help with your workout intensity check out our review on the best pre workout powder.

The post HOW TO GET ABS? TOP 6 AB EXERCISES MISTAKES appeared first on Protein Powder Reviews & Bodybuilding Supplements Buyers Guide.

If you want to build muscle mass, nutrient timing is just as important as what you eat. Timing your meals correctly will help you build lean muscle faster while also burning excess body fat for the ultimate ripped physique.

There are many benefits of nutrient timing that include maximizing your body’s response to an intense workout, giving you energy to push harder in the gym and optimising your bodies use of key nutrients.

We’ve put together this nutrient timing guide to help you time your muscle meals for better muscle results.

Nutrient Timing to increase Muscle: Early Morning

Overnight is the longest period your body goes without food and your muscles will be screaming for nutrients. Start the day with a protein shake mixed with milk for fast absorption of muscle building protein and energy to fuel your body for the day ahead.

Nutrient Timing to increase Muscle: 1-2 hours before your workout

Correct nutrition and nutrient timing pre-workout can make a big difference to the effectiveness of your body’s ability to build muscle. A combination of quality carbohydrates, protein and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) can help fuel muscle energy, inhibit muscle breakdown and improve your body’s ability to burn excess calories and stored fat.

Try this quick and easy pre-workout shake

• 300ml water / skim milk if preferred
• 1/2 banana
• Handful of oats
• 2 scoops protein powder

Simply add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrient Timing to increase Muscle: 30 mins before your workout

To boost your muscle results in the gym, load up on a quality pre-workout 30 minutes prior to your workout. This nutrient timing window will give you focus and energy while priming your bloodstream with muscle building amino acids before your workout.

Nutrient Timing to increase Muscle: Post – workout

After an intense workout protein synthesis is highest and the body’s cells are most sensitive to nutrient uptake making this the most important nutrient timing zone for lean and ripped muscle growth and repair. Within this nutrient timing zone of 30-45 minutes post-workout you should consume a high protein shake while your body is primed for fast absorption.

Nutrient Timing to increase Ripped Muscle: Before bed

Consuming a prolonged release protein before you go to bed allows your body to absorb muscle building nutrients throughout the night helping to prevent protein breakdown that naturally occurs while sleeping.

A great option during the ‘before bed nutrient timing period’ is a bowl of cottage which is high in casein protein mixed with a scoop of protein powder and a small amount of fruit to pack in the ripped muscle building nutrients before you go to sleep.

Nutrient timing strategies are based around how the body absorbs and uses nutrients at different times of the day. Eating the right foods and taking advantage of these ideal nutrient timing zones will help you get muscle mass results faster!

The post CAN NUTRIENT TIMING INCREASE MUSCLE MASS? appeared first on Protein Powder Reviews & Bodybuilding Supplements Buyers Guide.