Ever tried to get your abdomen looking great, and used every abdomen-based exercise under the sun to no significant effect? That’s what most people do at one time or another. Though it may seem mystifying, the problem blocking your progress is really quite simple. It doesn’t matter how good your abs look, if you have fat covering them up… and abs-based exercises don’t burn fat efficiently! The best way to get that sixpack you’ve always wanted is to enact an exercise program that takes care of your whole body as an interlinked organism. Stressing yourself out by focusing on unnaturally specific, indepent and narrow exercises will not only produce lesser results, but could also risk harming your body with repeated unusual strain. Studies have shown that the best bodies both in terms of health and overall good looks come from having fitness schedules that take into account the entire body rather than trying to aim for one specific body part over others.

This doesn’t mean you should abandon core training entirely, of course. But crunches, bicycle exercises, torso tracks, and other abdomen-based exercises should only be one part of your larger regimen. Fat also has to be burnt off, and the way to do that is through long-term cardio and simple, healthy eating. Find a challenging cardio training program and stick with it.

Then nail down your diet to something that is comprised mostly of natural foods. Don’t be lured into the trap of dietary supplements with unrealistic promises, like creatine! Any improvements these kinds of supplements give is mostly superficial or temporary at best. Just by eating right, with plain natural foods like whole wheat bread and vegetables alongside a reasonable source of protein, you can get your body looking the way you want it. It doesn’t require any ‘extra’ purchases, just a better lifestyle. But don’t skimp on your carbs as long as you’re working out as hard as you should be – an active lifestyle needs all those carbohydrates to keep on going.

Nor do you need fancy, expensive home workout machines. Besides weightlifting, there’s very little you can’t do on your own for free that a machine will enable you to do. And even weightlifting can be done without the official equipment, if you’re willing to endure the indignity of using book boxes or similar easy substitutes. The results are just as good either way, and all home workout machines do is get you to pay more for the same end result, assuming you’d exercise equally hard either way. Even abdomen-specific tools like exercise balls won’t do so much for you that it’s worth the price you’d have to pay for a new model fresh from the factory.

Yes, those are the only reasons why it’s hard to get great abs. Because it requires a balanced, long-term fitness program with self-discipline, consistency, and moderation. There’s no magical secret to looking like a superhero, it’s just plain hard work! And that’s why most people don’t have the abs they want. But the good news is, if you want to change, you can start today. It doesn’t take a lot of extra money, tools, or specialized knowledge. All it takes is the determination to set your goals and see things through from day to day.