Getting abs is a dream for all fitness enthusiasts. These well-defined abdominal muscles, visible through the skin, not only enhance a man's aesthetic appeal but also are an indicator of their fitness and health. Achieving these washboard abs typically requires reducing overall body fat, which can be done majorly by being conscious of one's diet and following a proper exercise regime.

Abs Are Made In Kitchen

'Abs are made in the kitchen,' the cliché saying is a cliché because it holds truth. To get perfectly visible abs, one must focus on their diet. Here are top tips for men trying to achieve those 6-pack abs.

• Avoid refined and processed foods wherever possible.
• Try to eat six times a day – around every three hours.
• With every meal, use a portion of protein as your base. Think eggs, fish, chicken, and other lean meats.
• Between meals snack on nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, or small bags of snap peas.
• For breakfast and your second meal, make sure you get some starchy carbs – oatmeal, rye, or sprouted bread – and a piece of fruit.
• For lunch, sweet or regular potato, brown rice and quinoa are all excellent options.
• For your evening meal, try to get some veg – but avoid root veg and any starchy carbs.
• Drink lots of water.
• Every 10 days give yourself one cheat meal. It can be anything you want. This might seem strict, but if you’re trying to reveal your abs as quickly as possible such gastronomic sacrifices are necessary.
• Consume one of these post-workout shakes as soon as possible after your workout. Aim for around 40-50g carbs and 20-30g protein. This helps to kickstart the recovery process.

Workout Guide To Get Six Pack Abs

Besides following a well-balanced diet, it is important to focus on the exercises you are doing.

1. Overhead Squats

This exercise engages multiple joints, creating a high metabolic output. It strengthens the midsection as you stabilize the weight overhead while lengthening the core.

How To Do:

Start by grabbing a barbell with palms facing down, positioning your hands near the ends of the bar. Lift it to your chest, then press it overhead, locking your arms while retracting your shoulders. Keep your arms straight, push your hips back, and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Drive through your heels to return explosively to the starting position.

2. Prone Knee to Opposite ElbowThis move stabilizes the midsection similarly to a plank, adding internal hip rotation to target obliques and mobilize hip flexors.

How To Do:

Begin in a push-up position and rotate your right knee towards your left elbow, keeping your hips down and foot off the floor. Alternate legs to complete one rep.

3. Prone Knee to Outside Same Elbow

Similar benefits as the previous exercise, focusing on oblique engagement.

How To Do: From a push-up position, lift your right knee towards your right elbow, aiming to touch it. Alternate legs for each rep.

4. Push-Ups

Push-ups enhance midsection stability while targeting the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

How To Do: Perform as many standard push-ups as possible. If you tire, switch to knee push-ups to complete 15 reps.

5. Swiss Ball Hamstring CurlsThis exercise targets the posterior chain, strengthening the hamstrings and glutes.

How To Do: Lie on your back with a Swiss ball under your heels. Keep your hips elevated and curl your heels towards your glutes, then return to the starting position.

6. Split Lunge with Overhead Press

This movement activates the midsection while incorporating a high metabolic output through multiple joint use.

How To Do: Hold a dumbbell on each shoulder in a lunge position. Lower your back knee to the floor and press the dumbbells overhead as you lunge.

7. Cardio Finish: Uphill Treadmill Walking

After completing three circuits of the previous six exercises, hit the treadmill for additional cardio.

Walking on an incline burns extra calories after depleting glycogen stores, helping to preserve muscle tissue.

How To Do: Set a challenging incline and walk briskly. Avoid running to reduce stress on fatigued muscles.

Walking is the simplest form of exercise. While it is something that we are genetically designed to do, there has been debate on its efficiency as a full-fledged form of exercise. In the latest development, scientists in Japan have taken this activity and supercharged it into a research-backed, age-defying fitness routine that's going viral across the world. Called Interval Walking Training (IWT), its health benefits have not stunned even the most dedicated gym goers.

So What Exactly IS Interval Walking Training?

Developed by exercise physiologist Dr. Hiroshi Nose, this method alternates between three minutes of brisk walking and three minutes of easy pacing, repeated five times in a 30-minute session. As per its creators, it is all about small bursts of energy. The results? A fitter heart, stronger legs, and even a shot at turning back the biological clock.

How Is It Different From Regular Walking?

Most people associate High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with gruelling sprints or gasping for air on a spin bike. But IWT flips the idea by using something as accessible as walking. And yet, this deceptively gentle routine does more for your metabolism, cardiovascular health, and fat burn than hours of slow-paced activity.

The technique has a empirical backing too. Scientific trials in Japan have shown that those who practised this method four times a week for three months saw measurable improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and even muscle strength. One 68-year-old participant had his heart rate shoot up to 130 bpm during the fast intervals — a pace comparable to moderate cycling.

Can It Reverse Ageing?

The creator of this walking method, Dr. Nose, even claims that consistent IWT participants improved their aerobic power and thigh muscle strength by 20% — enough to make you feel ten years younger. For many, symptoms of lifestyle diseases like hypertension and obesity dropped significantly, and depression scores were halved.

Why Does Japanese Walking Work So Well?

It is all in the timing and intensity. During fast-paced intervals, your body taps into glycogen stores and increases oxygen demand, triggering a cascade of metabolic benefits. The alternation between effort and recovery mimics the rhythm of elite athlete training, just with lower impact, making it ideal for seniors, beginners, or anyone recovering from a sedentary slump.

This burst-and-breathe pattern revs up your heart rate, challenges muscle coordination, and improves balance, especially in older adults. The circulation boost helps detoxify organs, enhance nutrient absorption, and sharpen mental clarity, making it not just a physical workout but a rejuvenating full-body experience.

Variations For Every Lifestyle

Want to take it up a notch? Add light weights to your walk to tone muscles and increase calorie burn. Want to spice things up indoors? Try zig-zag paths, backwards walks, or figure-8 routes to engage underused muscles and keep your mind focused. These patterns not only improve neuromuscular coordination but also keep boredom at bay. So the next time you’re thinking of skipping your workout, remember: A smarter walk could be your shortcut to a longer, stronger, and more balanced life.

Yoga plays a very important role for our health- It not only helps us strengthen our body, but it also increases our endurance and mental tenacity. It is an ancient practice that involves asanas, breathing exercises as well as meditation. It has become very popular in recent years as people learn about its accessibility as well as the benefits of doing it. Other aspects of yoga include increasing organ capacity like strengthening your lungs.

How Yoga Increases Lung Capacity

A 2015 study published in the International Journal of Yoga people with heart conditions like coronary artery disease (CAD) often have weaker lungs. We did a study to see if yoga, including breathing exercises (Pranayama), could help. We split 80 heart patients into two groups: one did yoga for three months along with their usual medicine, and the other just took medicine.

The results showed that the yoga group had better lung function and even improved heart health, like lower blood pressure. This means yoga can be a helpful extra treatment for people with heart disease.

According to the American Lung Association, Yoga is a great gentle exercise that combines physical poses (called asana) with breathing exercises (called pranayama). Both parts help keep your body and mind healthy.

Doing basic yoga poses can boost your energy and strengthen muscles, but don't push yourself if it feels uncomfortable. If you're new to yoga, especially if you have lung disease, take it easy and avoid any poses that make it hard to breathe. Always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise, including yoga. If you join a yoga class, make sure the teacher is qualified and understands your specific needs. Many classes are designed for people with health conditions.

Yoga Poses That Strengthen Our Lungs

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

This gentle pose involves arching your back like a cobra. It helps to open up your chest and makes your spine stronger. By expanding your rib cage, it allows you to take deeper breaths, which is great for your lungs.

Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

In this pose, you lift both your chest and legs like a bow. It deeply stretches the front of your body, including your chest and belly. This helps your lungs become more flexible and can make breathing easier if you have issues.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

This pose involves arching your back and reaching for your heels. It strongly opens your chest and throat area, which gets your breathing system going. It encourages full, big breaths and can help clear out your air passages.

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose

This is a seated twisting pose. It gently squeezes and then releases your insides, which helps blood flow around your lungs. This pose can improve how well you control your breath and helps to clean out your breathing system.

Pranayama

This isn't just one pose, but a group of special breathing exercises. Techniques like breathing through one nostril at a time or taking deep belly breaths directly improve how your lungs work, helping you take in more oxygen and feel calmer.

Revolved Side Angle Pose

This standing twist stretches the muscles between your ribs. This makes your chest more flexible, allowing for deeper breaths when you inhale. It's a great way to improve your lung capacity and make breathing more efficient.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

In this pose, you lift your hips off the ground, forming a bridge shape. It gently opens your chest and stretches the front of your body. This pose can help ease chest stuffiness and make it simpler to breathe.

Yoga is a great way to wind down and relax. While exercising after a long day may seem counterproductive, there are many other reasons why one should do yoga if they are tired and overwhelmed. There are certain poses and movements that help you find your rhythm, revitalizing you and helping your body calm down and relax. Practicing this before ending your day can help you get a restful sleep, instead of the hurried and uncomfortable sleep you get when you crash out.

These grounding practices can be incredibly soothing for the nervous system, helping to shift you from that 'fight or flight' mode into a state of calm and rest. They are comforting for your mind and body, preparing you for a peaceful evening and a restful night. So, if you're feeling wired but tired, these grounding yoga poses are your invitation to unwind, find your center, and let go of the day's stresses.

Child's Pose (Bālāsana)

Gently rest your forehead on the mat with your knees wide or together, and arms stretched forward or alongside your body. This pose calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue. It's like a gentle hug for your insides.

Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

Simply lie on your back and prop your legs up against a wall or chair. This inversion helps to drain stagnant energy from your legs and feet, promoting relaxation and easing tired legs. It can also soothe the nervous system.

Supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhāsana Variation)

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips and slide a block underneath your lower back for gentle support. This opens the chest and front body while remaining passive and calming. It's a gentle way to release tension.

Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrāsana)

Lying on your back, draw one knee towards your chest and gently guide it across your body, keeping your shoulders grounded. Look in the opposite direction of your knee. This gentle twist releases tension in the spine and hips, promoting relaxation. It feels like a gentle wringing out of stress.

Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konāsana)

Reclined Variation: Lie on your back and bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to fall open gently. You can place pillows or blocks under your knees for support. This pose gently opens the hips and groin, areas where we often hold tension. It's a soft and releasing stretch.

Corpse Pose (Śavāsana)

The ultimate relaxation pose! Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs slightly apart, palms facing up. Close your eyes and consciously release any tension in your body, allowing yourself to sink into the support of the floor. This pose allows your body and mind to fully rest and integrate the benefits of your practice. It's like hitting the reset button.

Supported Savasana Variation

Place a bolster or rolled-up blanket under your knees or thighs in Savasana. This can provide extra comfort and support, allowing for deeper relaxation. Sometimes a little extra cushioning makes all the difference in letting go.