How to train for the steel-hard stomach of an eight-pack

How to train for the steel-hard stomach of an eight-pack. We’re adding another two to the six-pack. This way you can make even more of your core – and finally achieve the eight-pack.

You’re actually quite happy with your swimsuit figure. But you’re not the type to settle for “actually”? After all, there are theoretically still the lower two parts of the abdominal muscles. And you want to tease them out too because you love challenges? Here you go: We’ll show you what you can do to get a real eight-pack!

How is an eight-pack different from a six-pack?

You’ve probably already noticed: not all washboard abs are created equal. If the front abdominal muscles are exposed, they can theoretically show up to eight packs, thus forming the next level of the six-pack. For this to happen, the body fat percentage must be low enough , under 15 percent, and the abdominal muscles well developed. Despite this, most men “only” have the structure of a four- or six-pack visible. The bulges do not actually represent six muscles, but are only visually separated by tendons: the rectus abdominis is visually divided by horizontal tendons and a vertical tendon strand called the linea alba. In fact, there are more abdominal muscles, some of which are invisible: in addition to the rectus abdominis six- or eight-pack muscles, there are also the inner and outer, the oblique and the transverse deep abdominal muscles.

For many men, the two chambers at the bottom are simply not that well developed by nature. However, it could also just be the last bit of body fat that is still standing in the way of you and your big goal. Or it could be due to your training itself: if this is unbalanced, your abdominal muscles will also appear asymmetrical. Sometimes the lower transverse cord is simply so poorly developed that it is barely visible. But you can change that with targeted training!

The key to your eight-pack experiment is a combination of a low-carb diet plus holistic core training that works your core in all directions.

What are the benefits of having six-pack abs?

Some people find an eight-pack extremely attractive and give it a lot of credit because it’s clear that it’s hard work! But there are also serious health benefits. A trained core makes you better at any sport: you’re faster, more agile and more stable. You also stand better because strong abdominal muscles prevent the pelvis from tipping forward and a hollow back from developing. Your intervertebral discs also benefit from this. The most common herniated discs occur in the lumbar spine area. Preventive measures that also look good are therefore sensible. This is what you need to eat in the definition phase to reveal your muscles

Can every man get an eight-pack?

Three factors play a role: First, you have to train your abdominal muscles properly. Not just the straight ones in the front, but also the internal and external obliques and the transverse abdominal muscles in the depths. Together they ensure a flat, firm core.

In addition, you must regularly challenge your opponent, the back muscles, to avoid imbalances. No matter how trained your muscles are, they will only become visible when there is no longer a layer of fat on top of them – no matter how small.

This means that you must secondly ensure that you reduce your body fat percentage. In men, hard muscle mass is usually visible at less than 15 percent body fat. The lower the value, the more clearly the loaded pack of muscles is visible. So you can work on both requirements.

Now you have to be very strong: Unfortunately, this does not apply to the third factor, genetics. Whether you actually manage to expose all parts of the abdominal muscles depends above all on your physical conditions. For some people, it can be 2, for others 3 or even 4 visible packages. Don’t be sad if you simply cannot fulfill the last point, which you unfortunately have no influence over, because: Even Arnold Schwarzenegger only scored with a four-pack.

Which diet creates an eight-pack?

You should be aware that the path to an eight-pack is not a journey of indulgence. Since you need to reduce your body fat percentage, you should eat slightly fewer calories and keep the carbohydrate content in your food as low as possible. Make sure you have enough protein – at least one gram per kilo of body weight. Protein fills you up, nourishes the muscle fibers and supports their regeneration.

When it comes to fats, you only eat healthy ones. It’s best to drink plenty of water or unsweetened tea to keep your metabolism going. Alcohol has the exact opposite effect: it slows down your metabolism and stubbornly keeps the fat where it is (and no longer should be). On top of that, beer and other beverages increase your hunger, and the calorie deficit you’re aiming for quickly becomes a distant dream – especially since most alcohol-containing drinks are high in calories. How to finally make your six-pack visible

What is the best way to train my abdominal muscles?

Intensive. Plan at least 3, preferably 4 units per week that target the core. In addition to the straight abdominal muscles, don’t forget to properly challenge the oblique and transverse abdominal muscles. Make sure you use a clean technique! If you work with momentum, you take a lot of work off the muscles, which minimizes success. Play with the tempo every now and then to regularly set new stimuli. If you have completed all possible repetitions, hold the last one for an agonizing 3 seconds to really squeeze the muscles. The muscles need at least a day’s rest between abdominal workouts. Unfortunately, that’s still not enough: As a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows , targeted abdominal muscle training is not enough to reduce body fat. A change in diet plus fat-burning training is required for this: 2 to 3 high intensity interval training sessions (HIIT) per week will help you reduce your body fat percentage.

The Top 8 Exercises for Eight-Pack Abs

Whether you want to shape your 8 packs on the go, in the gym or at home, you can get more out of your core with these moves! The two units are intended as a supplement to your usual training routine. If you only rely on bodyweight movements or only on machine moves, do the exercises one after the other in 4 rounds. In each round, the aim is to do as many repetitions as possible in 15 seconds.

Make sure you use clean technique! You are allowed to take a 30-second break between each exercise. If you combine both quartets, which is highly recommended in terms of new training stimuli, you will do a total of 2 rounds. Of course, you can increase the amount as you wish. How to perfect the bench press

The best abdominal exercises for an eight-pack without equipment

Do you train primarily at home and don’t have a large selection of equipment? No problem, stick to these exercises:

1. Leg raises

Target the lower part of the rectus abdominis! If you are more advanced, feel free to add a weight:

Exercise	Lying Leg Raise with Medicine Ball
Level	Advanced
Target Areas	Abdomen, Legs
Equipment Required	Medicine Ball

exercise steps

1. Lie on your back on the floor. Legs are stretched out. Clamp the medicine ball between your feet. Place your arms on the floor next to your body for stability.
2. Raise your straight legs with the medicine ball between your feet until your legs are perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower them again.

2. Bicycle crunches with outstretched arms

The trigger for your lateral abdominal muscles:

Bicycle crunches with outstretched arms

level	main region
Advanced	Belly

exercise steps

1. Lie on your back. Stretch your arms behind your head and keep them close to the ground. The legs are also stretched out and floating in the air so that only the back and buttocks are in contact with the ground.
2. Bend the left leg and pull it towards your chest. At the same time, stretch the right arm towards your left heel. Bring the right arm and left leg back to the starting position. At the same time, pull the right knee towards your chest and stretch the left arm towards your right heel. Repeat dynamically.

3. V-seat with oars

The classic shapes the entire stomach:

V-seat with oars

level	main region
Advanced	Belly

exercise steps

1. Sit on the floor. Stretch your legs out and lift them off the floor. Lean your upper body back. Bend your arms and hold them at your sides.
2. Pull your knees to your chest and straighten your upper body. At the same time, stretch your arms forward. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

4. Side plank with knee to elbow

The exercise puts tension on the abdominal muscles and thus ensures deeper notches:

Forearm support, sideways – with elbow to knee

level	main region
Advanced	Belly

exercise steps

1. Get into a forearm plank position on your left side. Place your elbow under your shoulder. Chest faces to the side. Tighten your core so that your body forms a straight line. Stretch your right arm over your head. Lift your right leg into the air.
2. Bring your right arm and right leg together in the air so that your knee and elbow touch. Return to the starting position. After completing the specified repetitions, go into a side forearm plank on your right side and bring your left knee and left elbow together.

The best abdominal exercises for eight-pack abs with equipment

There’s always more to it: With weights and small equipment you can ensure more variety and greater stimulation.

1. Forearm support on Swiss ball with rollouts

The tough test of the rectus abdominis muscles:

rollouts on Swiss Ball

level	main region	aids
beginners	Belly	Swiss Ball

exercise steps

1. Get into a forearm plank position on the Swiss ball. Tighten your buttocks and core so that your body forms a straight line.
2. Maintain body tension. Push your forearms forward and roll the Swiss Ball forward. The feet remain in their position. Hold briefly at the front and slowly push your forearms back to the starting position.

2. Toes to Bar with straight legs

Even more abdominal muscle work does not fit into one exercise:

Toes to Bar with straight legs

level	main region	aids
Athletic	Belly	pull-up bar

exercise steps

1. Grasp the pull-up bar with an overhand grip about shoulder-width apart. Let your body hang in a straight line.
2. Move your straight legs upwards until your feet touch the pull-up bar. Then slowly return to the starting position. Avoid swinging so that your abdominal muscles are activated as much as possible.

3. Russian Twist with Dumbbell

This goes deep and ensures direct hits from the side:

Russian Twists with Dumbbell

level	main region	aids
Advanced	Belly	dumbbells

exercise steps

1. Sit on the floor and lean back slightly. Bend your knees slightly and lift your feet. Only touch the floor with your buttocks. Hold a dumbbell in front of your chest with both hands.
2. Maintain body tension. Now turn your upper body first to the right, then dynamically to the left, to move the weight from the right to the left side. Repeat alternately. Your feet remain in the air the whole time.

4. Lateral forearm support with rotation in the sling trainer

Skin clean, especially in the deep abdominal muscles:

Forearm support, lateral – with rotation on the sling trainer

level	main region	aids
Advanced	Belly	sling trainer

exercise steps

1. Step into the sling trainer with your feet and get into a forearm support position with your arms. Lift your left forearm off the floor and turn your upper body upwards to the left. Your chest faces forwards. Tighten your torso so that your body forms a straight line.
2. Rotate your upper body as far to the right as possible until your chest is pointing towards the floor. While doing this, bring your left arm under your body and bring your left hand to your right side. After completing the specified repetitions, support your left forearm and release your right forearm to repeat the process with your right arm.

Conclusion: Low-carb plus high-performance is the formula for an eight-pack

In order to have 8 neat abs on your midsection, you need to work your abdominal muscles hard. Nothing works without intensive strength training. And all this effort is in vain if your abdominal muscles are covered by a layer of fat. In other words, you have to reduce your body fat to less than 15 percent so that the muscles are even visible. And unfortunately, not every man can have an eight-pack. The waffle structure is characterized by horizontal muscle strands and a vertical tendon strand. In order to show 8 abs, you need 3 horizontal strands. Some guys even have 4 due to genetic factors, which, with the right diet and appropriate training, creates a ten-pack.