In a country where obesity rates continue to rise, the thought of a six-pack should conjure up images of shiny aluminum cans emblazoned with the names of Budweiser, Coors and Michelob. Yet many men strive for that other six-pack, an often-unattainable desire.
The infatuation with the perfect six-pack stomach has escalated in the past 30 years to such extreme levels that men are opting to go under the knife to attain some extra "bumps" on their torsos. And this behavior is not only reserved for "real" men.
Take the G.I. Joe doll, for example. Created in the mid 1960s, the doll measured 12-inches tall and had a life-like body with no visible abdominal muscles. The look of the doll did not change for about a decade until 1975, when an almost identical doll was introduced with one major change - abdominal definition.
In the 1980s, the 12-inch doll was first shrunk down to three and three-fourths inches and then periodically increased in size until the final development of a five inch doll in 1995. Each design change added more muscles and an especially ripped abdominal section. The newest G.I. Joe design would, in real life, have a 55-inch chest and 27-inch biceps, measurements beyond the reach of even the most enthusiastic weight lifter.
According to Wayne Westcott, Fitness Research Director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass., it matters neither how many hours nor how many thousands of sit-ups and crunches an abdominal enthusiast performs. "Perhaps only 20 percent of males and 10 percent of females have the genetic potential to develop really impressive six-pack abs," he said. The reason for this comes down to that despised three-letter word - fat - and not everyone can lose it in the right places to get visible results.
This suggests that the key to visible six-pack abs is to lose the fat that lies between your skin and the underlying abdominal muscle, a task that is easier said than done. One of the most common fat storage areas of the body is the midsection, particularly for men.
"Fat is stored in this area, and a relatively large number of fat cells results in a potbelly," Westcott said.
He explains further that abs cannot be "spot-trained" by performing thousands of sit-ups in hopes of losing that fat around the stomach. When fat is lost through exercise, genetics determines from which part of the body it is lost. Even getting down to a body fat of 10 percent (which is considered an "athlete's" body), an individual may not lose the fat around the abdominals if it isn't in his genetic cards.
Strengthening the abdominal muscles will improve core strength, however, a group of muscles that work together to provide balance and stability. These muscles lie deep within the torso and not only include abdominals, but also the muscles of the back.
"The entire midsection should be strong and provide a functional muscular girdle for the internal organs. I believe the oblique muscles are equally important with the rectus abdominis and erector spinae muscles [the back muscles that run along the spinal cord] for midsection integrity and proper posture, as well as physical performance," Westcott said.
What's more, Marion Brandon, a clinical psychologist and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, recommends core strength exercises to her patients with low sex drives. "[Exercise] in general promotes a healthy body image which will only reflect positively on one's sexual experience," she says. "Regular exercise also does wonders for people's moods. It can act like a natural
antidepressant."
No matter what the final goal is - better balance and stability or building a body worthy doing laundry on - exercise is a means to an end. When it comes to strength training there are certain muscle groups that shouldn't be ignored.
"I see core strength as anywhere from your hips to your shoulders, including your abdominals, the obliques, the ileus psoas [the muscle that works your hip flexors and your back] and the muscles in your mid and lower back," said Miriam Nelson, Director of the Center on Physical Activity and Nutrition at the Friedman School.
Nelson said the simplest way to train your core is by doing abdominal curls and back extensor exercises. Incorporating a Swiss-Ball - those oversized bouncy-balls lying around the gym - into an exercise routine is one way to keep training fun and challenging, she said.
"You need to be in good shape to use them, but they're really good for core strength and stability because they cause you to be unstable and force you to use a bunch of different core muscles," Nelson said.
As far as the intensity and the time that should be devoted to these muscles, Nelson agrees with the recommendations from The American College of Sports Medicine. For strength training, one to three sets of eight to 15 repetitions of each exercise performed two to three times a week.
Howard Goldstein is a graduate student in nutrition communications at the Friedman School. He has a BBA in international business from George Washington University.
