If you are looking for an ab workout that can help create the abdominal “v-shape” you’ve always wanted — we have an 8 minute follow along you need to add to your ab workout routine!

Essentially, you are trying to develop your “v-lines” – which are the part of your stomach where your lower abs and obliques come together.

If you want these lines to pop, it takes some strategic ab work! You can’t just get on the floor and do some crunches and sit-ups.

You need to do several things, including target training a very specific part of your core — which is exactly what we are doing in this workout!

You don’t need any weights or equipment and if you are using our FOLLOW ALONG VIDEO BELOW, you won’t even need a timer!

Before we give you the workout …. if your goal is to build VISIBLE abs, we need to quickly talk about something important.

If you only care about developing core strength and don’t care if you see the abs you are building, then feel free to scroll down and skip straight to the ab workout.

But if you care about SEEING your abs, listen up!

Ab workouts ALONE will not give you VISIBLE AB DEFINITION

Ab workouts help build your ab muscles, but to see them, you have to get rid of the fat covering them, and the only way to do that is to focus on OVERALL body fat reduction!

This can ONLY be achieved in two ways …

Full Body Training — The more lean muscle you have all over your body, the faster your metabolism will be, which means you will burn more calories even while at rest!

Proper Nutrition — You can’t crunch, or even squat and run, your way to a flat stomach or shredded six-pack. You have to focus on your diet if you want to have visible abs! Your diet is just as important as exercise (probably more) to reduce overall body fat.

THE CATCH WITH BOTH EXERCISE & DIET
IS THAT THEY BOTH NEED AN INDIVIDUAL APPROACH.

This is especially true with diet!

The program that works for your friend or favorite fitness influencer probably isn’t the right one for you. You have to hit your personal macros and split them up in the right protein, carb, and fat ratios that are best for your goals and body type.

If you need help with any of this, we have a free fitness quiz that will tell you your body type, the exact amount of calories (broken down into macros) that you need for your genetics and goals, and the three most important things to do to reach those goals.

It’s really quick to take, your results are instant, and it’s free!

CLICK HERE to check it out!

Alright .. let’s hit the floor … and build some v cut abs

We will specifically be targeting the obliques the most since that is the part of your abs that really helps create the v taper of your waist!

Since this workout is heavily focused on that part of your core, you will need to use this workout in addition to other ab workouts that hit the rest of your core just as hard!

We have hundreds of free ab workouts to choose from on our YouTube Channel if you need some ideas.

AT HOME V CUT ABS WORKOUT

Here is the breakdown, so you know what to expect when following along with us, or in case you want to print out the workout and do the workout on your own!

Equipment: NONE!! You don’t even need a timer if you follow along to THIS VIDEO.

Structure: 20 seconds on – 10 seconds rest – for each exercise.

Rounds: Two

Total Workout Time: 8 minutes (if you do not rest between rounds.)

Workout Breakdown
20 seconds – Side to side crunches
10 rest

20 seconds – Side to side crunches
10 rest

20 seconds – Side Plank Hip Dips (Left Side)
10 rest

20 seconds – Side Plank Hip Dip (Right Side)
10 seconds rest

20 seconds – Floor Wipers
10 rest

20 seconds – Floor Wipers
10 rest

20 seconds – Mountain Climbers
10 rest

20 seconds – Mountain Climbers
10 rest

Repeat for one additional round!

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS AT HOME V CUT ABS WORKOUT
AND BEFORE YOU GO …
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to take our free fitness quiz!

Then send the quiz, or this article, to a friend that you see doing endless crunches in hopes of melting body fat or sculpting a shredded six-pack.

We’ve gotta get the word out that even the best ab workouts will never be enough if it’s visible abs you are seeking — because you can’t pick and choose where your body stores or loses fat!

We know it sucks.

It’s not fair that some people genetically lose fat in their stomachs easier than others. But instead of complaining about it and doing things that aren’t effective, why not accept it and shift your mindset to what will work!

If you want to get started on that CLICK HERE to learn more about what full-body strength training program and a diet is best for you!

The post Quick, Simple, and Effective 8 Minute V Cut Abs Home Workout appeared first on V Shred.

Planks …  you are either on board (no pun intended) and do them frequently or avoid them at all costs! 

Love them or hate them, most people do them from time to time, the question we hope to answer today is ….

Are basic plank holds effective at sculpting your mid-section?! 

A while back, we filmed a youtube video where we mentioned that planking is a pretty bad ab exercise. 

We think that was a little confusing for some people and would like to clarify what we meant.

Basic plank holds CAN be a great exercise. When done correctly, a plank activates way more muscles than a standard crunch.

But whether or not doing them is beneficial at improving YOUR core depends on a few key factors:

• If you are planking correctly. 
• What style of plank you are doing. 
• Your fitness level (how long can you hold without breaking form.)

If you plank with bad form, it will do NOTHING. No matter your fitness level or the plank variation — you are wasting your time and could actually hurt your back. 

Even if your form is perfect, there are still some cases where plank holds may not be a great ab exercise. 

One of those being —  if you can easily hold a plank for more than 1-minute.

If you can do that, you probably need to consider doing a different ab workout or perform advanced plank variations that are more challenging.

To help you out, we have a 5 Minute Plank Ab Workout for you to try! You will still perform a basic plank hold in this workout, but it will be for your rest periods!

If you can hold a plank for 60-seconds, then you have advanced to the point that a basic plank now becomes your “active” rest! 

These movements are advanced but still don’t require any equipment. You only need a small space on the floor and a timer. 

You don’t even need a timer if you choose to follow along with us!  Just find a small space on the floor and hit play on the video below! 

NOTE: If you are new to working out or have a weak core, this workout isn’t for you. We have plenty of beginner ab workouts on our YouTube channel that you should attempt and perfect before you try this one. But if you can hold a plank for one minute … swap out your basic planks for this workout instead! 

5 MINUTE ADVANCED PLANK AB WORKOUT
(No Equipment Needed)

WORKOUT DESCRIPTION

This workout is challenging! After all, it is 5 minutes of planking without any rest!

But it’s not as bad as it sounds because you will be changing plank variations every 30 seconds .. which keeps things moving! 

Start a timer for 5 minutes (or just follow along with us HERE.) ⬇️

You will hold each plank exercise listed below for 30 seconds, immediately followed by a basic plank for 30 seconds.

Technically you will NOT be resting. Your “rest” is a basic plank performed between each advanced plank. 

This means you will be planking a total of 5 minutes, with no rest. So if at any time you need to take a breather, go ahead! Just try to minimize it to a few seconds! 

STRUCTURE
30 seconds of the advanced plank listed below.
30 seconds of a basic plank hold ( “active rest”) between each advanced plank.
Perform one round with no rest – and you are done!
Set a timer and do it alone or follow along with us HERE!

EXERCISES
Plank Variation 1: Spiderman Planks
Active Rest – Basic Plank Hold

Plank Variation 2: Pike Raise Planks
Active Rest – Basic Plank Hold

Plank Variation 3: Plank Hip Dips
Active Rest – Basic Plank Hold

Plank Variation 4: Plank Jacks
Active Rest – Basic Plank Hold

Plank Variation 5: Plank Shoulder Taps
Active Rest – Basic Plank Hold

Give this a go in place of basic planking!

JUST DON’T FORGET….
If you want to SEE your abs, doing ab workouts like this is only part of what you need to do. 

Ab training is important for building core stability and strength, but if you want your abs to actually show —  you have to get rid of any excess fat covering them!

You can only do that by lowering your overall body fat!  Yes, overall, because you cannot spot reduce belly fat!!

If you want help getting rid of that layer of fat, you should check out our FREE BODY TYPE QUIZ. 

Anyone can take it, and it’s only 6 short questions! You will instantly be told your body type (based on your answers) — and be given some tips on the best way to eat and exercise so you can get rid of body fat faster and easier!

CLICK HERE to take it! Again, it’s totally FREE, and your results are INSTANT! 

The post 5 Minute Plank Ab Workout (advanced with no equipment) appeared first on V Shred.

Ahhhh, summertime!

Temps are rising, the sun is shining, the bbq is fired up, and days at the pool, beach, or lake are likely on your agenda. 

Pretty exciting stuff, right?

Until you realize that likely means … wearing a swimsuit … and you glance in the mirror to see the not-so-flat stomach that has been hiding under jackets and baggy sweatshirts all winter!

Today we have an AB WORKOUT CHALLENGE that will help you get your abs ready for swimsuit season! 

But before we tell you about the challenge… 

It’s important to point out that if you are healthy and happy — the perfect “beach body” is the one you have right now! We support you in being confident no matter your shape or waist size. 

You do NOT need shredded abs to wear a swimsuit
Swimsuit ready can be at ANY SIZE….

Being healthy should be your priority and for most people, that won’t be having year-round rock hard abs. Getting a shredded six-pack requires having very low body fat.

There is nothing wrong with wanting abs or a totally flat stomach. Just know it takes lots of work (inside and outside of the gym.) 

If that is really your goal, or even if you just want to tone and tighten up a little bit, we have a great AB WORKOUT CHALLENGE that will help you achieve a flatter, stronger and more sculpted stomach —  in just minutes a day!

We aren’t saying that this ab workout challenge is all you will have to do to get summer-ready abs!! 

 Doing ab exercises is only part of the equation…..

Having great-looking abs requires consistently performing the right ab exercises with precise form, as well as full-body training, cardio, and eating for your goals and body type! 

You can no doubt strengthen your abs with our  AB WORKOUT CHALLENGE, but you won’t be able to see your abs until the fat covering them is gone.

You can not spot reduce fat. 

You can do 100 rounds of this ab workout challenge and you still won’t be able to see your abs —  if that is where your body holds on to fat. 

If you want help getting rid of that layer of fat you should check out our FREE BODY TYPE QUIZ .

After you answer 6 short questions, you will know your body type and the best way to eat and exercise so you can have your best shot at losing body fat and gaining lean calorie-burning muscle!

CLICK HERE to take it whenever you have a couple of minutes!

Now that you understand that ab exercises are just ONE thing you will need to do to get the mid-section of your dreams … let’s dive into our ab workout challenge!

This ab challenge is perfect for every fitness level. From advanced lifters to those that have never done a single sit-up!

It consists of FOUR EXERCISES. None of them are advanced movements. These are what we call the basic staples.

Don’t let the world ‘basic” fool you.

These exercises are staples because they work and hit all areas of the abs that you need to challenge to get six-pack abs! 

What makes this ab challenge .. challenging … is the number of rounds. 

You’ll start where you can. Even if that is only one round. But then the next day, you attempt to do another round, then the next time another round, and so on.

The idea is to keep adding rounds (as you can) so that you progressively overload your abs!

Because remember ..
Your abs are just like any other muscle in your body
and need progressive overload for growth.

Here is the thing with ab training though… it’s probably the muscle group where people use the crappiest form. 

And …  Crappy form = Crappy results! 

You might still manage to still get sore, but you will not see ideal results if you aren’t using proper form. 

If you are carving out the time …  make every rep count!?

Don’t just print out this AB WORKOUT CHALLENGE and assume  you know how to do each exercise– be sure to check out THIS VIDEO ⬇️!

We quickly show you how to do each of the exercises below with correct form. Take a couple minutes and watch it before you start the challenge! 

POOL PARTY AB WORKOUT CHALLENGE

STRUCTURE
10 reps of each exercise.
No rest in-between exercises.
After all 4 exercises, you will rest for 1 minute.
Repeat for as many rounds as you can. 

EXERCISES
Exercise One: Straight Arm Crunch

• Lay flat on your back.
• Stick your arms straight up over your chest.
• Crunch up ONLY using your abs.
• Raise arms toward the ceiling, but keep them straight. Do not rock or use your arms to gain momentum!!  If you do that, you won’t be working your abs very much at all! Keep those arms locked!!
• Repeat for 10 total reps.

Exercise Two: Russian Twist 

• Sit up on your tailbone.
• Lean torso “back” until your feet come up off the ground.
• Clasp your hands together and turn/rotate your shoulders to one side as much as you can until your elbow comes as close to the ground as possible.
• Do the same thing on the other side. 
• Once you have gone to each side, that is one rep.
• Repeat for 10 total reps. 

Exercise Three: Reverse Crunch (Vince’s favorite bodyweight ab exercise) 

• Lay flat on your back. 
• Put your hands on the floor next to you or under your butt.
• Put your knees up at a 90-degree angle.  This is your starting position. It is where you will start every single rep. 
• Drive your knees into your chest until your lower back comes up off the floor.
• Bring your knees back to the starting position.
• Repeat for 10 total reps.

Exercise Four: Heel Taps

• Stay on your back. Put your feet on the floor with knees bent. 
• Your arms stay down by your sides.
• Crunch up (shoulder blades off the mat) and then reach out as far as possible with your hands.
• Twist to the left, tap your left heel, and then twist to the right and tap your right heel. Keep your shoulder blades off the floor the entire time!  
• One rep is once you have tapped each heel.
• Repeat for 10 total reps.

You may be thinking that this sounds pretty “easy” —  but remember that you are going for as many rounds as possible and there is no rest between exercises. You only get to rest after all 4 exercises are complete! 

Your first attempt will be setting your personal “base-line.”  You are determining how many rounds you can do as of right now. Then in a day or two, you will do the workout again and try to get in at least one more round.

If  you can’t do another round yet, no problem! Try adding another next time!!

You will keep attempting more rounds every time you do the workout (which we suggest doing at least a few times a week.) 

Don’t get frustrated if you can’t advance right away, or get stuck on a certain number of rounds, just make sure you aren’t doing fewer rounds than the time before.  Aim to do the same number of rounds as the previous day — or more!

Even if it takes you a couple weeks to add another round — as long as you are progressing, consistent with doing the challenge at least a few days a week, focusing on full-body exercise, and eating for your body type and goals — you will lose fat and get those abs poppin!

And don’t forget….  if you aren’t sure how to eat and exercise for your body type or aren’t even sure what your body type is, we have that FREE QUIZ you can take! 

It’s already helped tens of thousands of people reach their goals faster and easier!
CLICK HERE to check it out!

The post Let’s Get Your Abs Ready For Summer — 4 Exercise Ab Workout Challenge appeared first on V Shred.

Being a father is no doubt a blessing, but not always for your body. The demands of family life often mean a dad’s personal health becomes less of a priority.

Family duties aside, just being a man, in general, has a mound of pressures.

From the need to be successful, to the “act tough and hide weakness” mentality that guys are often taught.

Society places a lot of responsibilities on men and data shows
you agree that it’s not good for you.

A recent survey revealed that most men believe the pressures society places on them are unhealthy … with 54% citing WEIGHT GAIN as their number one DAILY concern.

Once you add “dad” to the list .. these pressures add up even more .. which usually results in putting health and fitness on the back burner.

Going to the gym and eating healthy falls to the bottom of the priority list.

So you shrug it off and embrace the “dad bod” look.

When the words dad bod went viral a few years ago (implying this was a physique women preferred) – guys worldwide celebrated!

But is this body type what women really prefer? Probably not.

Even more, is it a physique that makes YOU feel good? Also, not likely.

If you are confident with your expanding waistline .. that is great! You should love the skin you’re in ….

But you can’t ignore the health issues that come with having a dad bod physique.

The primary feature of a “dad bod” is an overall soft physique with very little muscle and a midsection that carries quite a bit of excess fat.

This type of belly fat is called Visceral Fat and can be very dangerous to your health.

Maybe your significant other tells you they like the extra cushion .. and perhaps you are totally fine with rocking a beer belly .. but it is important to keep in mind that storing a bit of extra fat around the midsection isn’t great for long term health.

To be a good spouse and father .. you must take care of yourself.

After all, you want to have the energy needed to respond to these pressures, right? Even more, I’m sure you want to enjoy life with your family!

Not to mention .. kids often mimic their parent’s behaviors. When a father figure is health-focused, it’s more likely the entire family will follow in his footsteps! By making your health a priority, you can be a fantastic role model in your home!

There is no better time than Father’s Day ..
to remind yourself that YOU (and YOUR health) matters!

To get rid of the fat that is a defining feature of dad bod .. you need to build muscle and drop body fat.

The best way to lose overall body fat is to focus on weight-training and throw in some high-intensity interval training cardio. It would help if you also established a lifestyle centered around proper nutrition.

Then you will want to focus on ab training at least a few days a week.

While you can’t “spot reduce” belly fat .. you must tone the muscles underneath so that once you start shedding pounds .. you will have a six-pack to reveal!

One of the best ways to train abs is through circuit training. It’s fast-paced .. which means your heart rate is more elevated. So, in addition to strengthening your core, circuits get you into a fat-burning zone.

I put together an 8 MINUTE KILL YOUR DAD BOD AT HOME AB WORKOUT for all the busy dads out there. It only requires body weight and can be done from anywhere.

We aren’t suggesting you workout ON Father’s Day .. unless you want to. Relax! It’s your day!
Hit the golf course, get outside and play with your kids, enjoy a big steak dinner, and save this killer 8 Minute Ab Workout for later!

40 Seconds On / 20 Seconds Off / 2 rounds
Straight Arm Russian Twists
Heel Taps
Opposite Toe Touches
Bicycle Crunches

I’m sure you often preach to the mom of your household that she needs to take care of herself.

You probably tell your kids that they need to eat their veggies, and you likely encourage them to participate in sports that keep them active and healthy .. but what about you?

Spend a little time this Father’s Day, reflecting on the ways you can take better care of yourself!

We want to help you with that by giving you 30% off all Sculpt Nation supplements.
Just use the code LOVEDAD at checkout!

If you have any questions about which supplements may be best for you, our team is always available to help you.

Our clients LOVE Sculpt Nation supplements, check out what they have been saying below.

You can try ALL Sculpt Nation supplements for 30% off today and go from “dad bod” to “fit bod” FAST.

Use coupon code: LOVEDAD at checkout to redeem your discount. Click here to shop.

SOURCES
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-do-men-think-it-means-to-be-a-man/
www.sculptnation.com
https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-visceral-fat

The post Ditch The Dad Bod This Father’s Day With This FREE 8 Minute Ab Workout appeared first on V Shred.

Summa .. summa .. summa time .. is HERE!
Well .. unofficially.

The sun is out and it’s beginning to feel like bbq and swimsuit season.

The season of LESS clothing is here and the body part most people want to have shredded for swimsuit season is .. abs!

Today we are giving you a 5 Exercise Home Ab Workout to help flatten your stomach!

In honor of swimsuit season, we want to help you achieve your summer body FAST. That’s why we are offering a special discount code for our blog readers!

Get 20% off on all Sculpt Nation supplements when you use coupon code:  SUMMER20  at checkout. Click here to shop!

This code works for any Sculpt Nation product, but since summer is upon us, make sure you check out our FAT LOSS SUPPLEMENT STACK. V Shred members are raving about how incredible this fat melting supplement stack is.

It consists of 3 powerful supplements that can help you get your body in a state so that it has the ability to support burning more fat – faster! In fact, we guarantee it or your money back!

If you have a lot of weight to lose, or if you are just trying to lose that last layer of fat covering your mid-section, THIS FAT LOSS STACK could help!

Now, of course, you can’t just take some supplements and do this short ab workout we are about to show you, and expect to be shredded.

You have to exercise and follow a nutrition plan that is best for your body type. If you aren’t sure what yours is .. check out this FREE QUIZ! It will tell you what your body type is and give you 3 most important things you need to do to get in shape based on the way YOU are built!

If you have put off getting in shape for summer, you may be tempted to set unrealistic goals or turn to some silly quick-fix detox diet… don’t do that!

First of all, there is no such thing. Second, no matter what your short-term goals are, your focus should always be on long-term success.

Training and eating for your body type will always be the best way to achieve that!

Now that we’ve covered the most important bases to help you reveal that summer six-pack… let’s get to BUILDING your abs … with this killer core workout!

Since the sun is finally shining brighter and temperatures are rising a bit, we want to encourage you to take some of your workouts OUTDOORS!

Lack of motivation is one of the biggest reasons people skip training. There’s nothing quite like surrounding yourself with nature and breathing in some fresh air. It is the perfect motivator to get you moving!

Being outdoors helps lower stress, clears your mind, improves happiness, and according to some studies, can even up your calorie burn a little bit!

Put on some SPF, pound some pre-workout to help you push through,
head outside to a nice even spot in the grass, and follow along for this
5 Exercise Ab Workout .. that will leave your core on fire!

5 Tummy Toning Exercises:

1) Triple Leg Hops
2) Crunch Claps
3) Cross-Legged Leg Lifts
4) Mountain Climbers
5) Advanced Planks

You can do these ab movements for REPS or TIME .. it’s up to you!
I suggest doing at least 3 rounds!

I hope you enjoyed this workout!
We have hundreds of home training options that you can take outdoors this spring/summer! Check them out on our YouTube channel and make sure and leave a comment on any of the videos if there is something you want to see more of!

The post How To Flatten Your Stomach For Summer (5 Tummy Toning Exercises) appeared first on V Shred.