Six Pack abs are overrated
I've had them.
Here's a little secret.
No one cares!
I had this idea in my head that when I achieved this low body-fat and got “cut” and had chiseled abs that people would all notice and I would get compliments.
The opposite actually happened with my girlfriend at the time. She said ew, your hip bones are digging into me.
Also my grandma asked if I was ok. Like I was sick. She thought I looked much better when I was thirty pounds heavier.
Go figure.
All that work. Working out at the gym. Running outside. Cutting my fats and limiting my meals to only “clean foods”.
Reason number 1 that six-pack abs are overrated:
No one cares.
No one at the beach is impressed.
There's no trophy. No award. No big celebration.
I didn't learn my lesson though. A few years later I got the urge again.
Again, same result.
If you only learn one thing from this article, let it be this “six pack abs are overrated”.
How about the midsection? The “core” as people call it now- which I can't stand.
Reason number 2 that six-pack abs are overrated:
Having a six-pack does not mean you have a strong midsection.
If you weren't aware already, it's important to have a strong midsection.
It helps with picking up your laundry basket, lifting heavy bags of mulch, carrying a squirming kid, among many other regular daily activites.
If you are training with a barbell you likely don't need any extra “core” exercises.
Squats, deadlifts, presses, pullups (yes pullups work your middle if you do them right).
Also do some loaded carries, sled dragging and you will have a strong core.
Reason number 3 that six-pack abs are overrated:
Dieting to get six-pack abs is hard and takes time, consistency and patience.
Is it worthy of your time?
Only you can decide that, of course.
It depends how much bodyfat you have right now. How lean you want to be and why you want to be that lean.
If it's a goal with an arbitrary number like “ten percent bodyfat” then it will be difficult to stay motivated.
Sticking to a diet is hard enough as it is.
What will push you when it gets really hard and you want to quit and just eat like you used to?
When you are sick of counting your calories and tracking everything and putting a ton of energy into this goal of reaching a certain number..
It should have some meaning beyond just “kinda wanting it”.
Six pack abs aren't achieved with that mindset.
Unless you're a skinny guy, and then no one cares anyway, because a six pack on a skinny guy is not impressing anyone.
To summarize---
3 reasons why six pack abs are overrated -
1- They don't mean you have strong ab/midsection
2- Working on achieving a six pack can make you miserable
3- No one cares!