MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Motoring
  • Video
MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Motoring
  • Video
Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

Should You Do Ab Workouts Every Day If You Want to See Results?

Should You Do Ab Workouts Every Day If You Want to See Results?

Get Lean, Get Strong, Get Endurance: How To Train According To Your Goals

Get Lean, Get Strong, Get Endurance: How To Train According To Your Goals

Will Training Barefoot Make You Stronger?

Will Training Barefoot Make You Stronger?

Chase An Epic Arm Pump With This Reverse-Pyramid Workout

Chase An Epic Arm Pump With This Reverse-Pyramid Workout

{headline}

{headline}

How Often Should You Train Each Muscle Group

How Often Should You Train Each Muscle Group

How This Man Carved a Killer Six-Pack and Became an Adventure Athlete

How This Man Carved a Killer Six-Pack and Became an Adventure Athlete

This Circuit Will Absolutely Smoke Your Arms and Core

This Circuit Will Absolutely Smoke Your Arms and Core

{headline}

{headline}

Hugh Jackman Showed Off His Abs During a Shirtless New Years Polar Bear Plunge

Hugh Jackman Showed Off His Abs During a Shirtless New Years Polar Bear Plunge

7 Reasons Why You’ve Stopped Gaining Strength And Muscle

7 Reasons Why You’ve Stopped Gaining Strength And Muscle

Twist The Screw To Blow Up Your Abs

Twist The Screw To Blow Up Your Abs

7 Dumbbell Exercises For Shredding Your Abs

7 Dumbbell Exercises For Shredding Your Abs

How Chris Evans Trained For That 'Winter Soldier' Elevator Fight Scene

How Chris Evans Trained For That 'Winter Soldier' Elevator Fight Scene

5 Red Flags That You Have Weak Abs

5 Red Flags That You Have Weak Abs

The 26 Best Toys To Help You Get A Six-Pack

The 26 Best Toys To Help You Get A Six-Pack

  1. Home
  2. Fitness

5 Reasons Why Abs Are Overrated

Sure they're nice to look at, but they shouldn't be the focus of your training - by Scott Henderson
  • 19 Sep 2018
5 Reasons Why Abs Are Overrated
Instagram/prattprattpratt

Please don't get us wrong, core strength is a great asset to overall health and definitely worth aspiring to. But can you have good core strength, be a pillar of health, and above all be happy, without a 6-pack? Absolutely.

If a visible 6-pack emerges as a bi-product of consistent training and healthy eating, then happy days. But should a 6-pack really be the end goal of your training regime? We look at 5 reasons why having a 6-pack is overrated, so you can relax and enjoy your body, whatever shape it takes as a result of your training.

They're Hidden Most Of The Time

Let's start with the obvious. Unless you're an underwear model by trade, how often do you really have your shirt off for an audience? The chances are that your answer is; only on weekends or at night in front of your missus.

Sure, you may feel proud to have washboard abs, but if vanity is your motivator, surely your time is better spent working on muscle groups that are visible to others. Hit some dips, curl some dumbbells or whip out some calf raises ASAP, because these are the muscle groups that are going to be on display the majority of the time.

Matthew Mcconaughey Conan Obrien GIF by Team Coco - Find & Share on GIPHY

Abs Don't Equal Strength

Have you ever heard of Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, aka The Mountain, aka the official strongest man on Earth? That's right, the competitive strongman holds the title, without an ab in sight, and the man is doing very well for himself. At 29 years-old and weighing in at a staggering 200kg, the champion claimed his title earlier this year by winning the Overhead Press and Loading Race in the final event of The World's Strongest Man competition. Other events included a Giant Dumbbell Press, Keg Toss, and a casual Vehicle Pull... in this case, a bus. The moral of the story is that Thor is still an incredible athlete, strength doesn't require a visible six pack, and if you ever needed a poster boy to prove the point, Björnsson is your man.

Man Winning GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Women Probably Prefer You Without Them

A study conducted early last year asked over 2,000 men and women how they felt about the "dad bod." The survey found that 7 out of 10 women were more attracted to men that had up to an additional 20 pounds on their frame. Additionally, a small study conducted at UCLA surveyed 82 college-aged coeds and found that women were more likely to have short-term relationships with more "muscular" men, but conversely, classified their long-term partners as "more trustworthy and romantic than their one-nightstands or brief affairs."

Further more, besides your face, there are at least 8 other muscle groups women prefer to chiseled abs.

Jason Segel Dad Bod GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Do They Align With Your Goals?

Before making abs a priority, think about your fitness goals. Do you want to run a marathon? Do you want to climb a mountain? Do you want to sweep your woman off her feet? None of these movements require the sole movement of your stomach muscles. Aside from getting out of bed in the morning, there are very few functional movements that require a sit-up movement in isolation. 

Again, we're definitely not discounting the benefits of a strong core in these endeavours, but have you ever seen an athlete climb a rope using their stomach? Or rescue a cat from a tree by doing a crunch? No. Work on movements that get you closer to your functional goals, not vanity.

It'S Always Sunny Mac GIF by Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Find & Share on GIPHY

They'll Come As A Bi-Product Of Fitness Anyway

If you train hard, eat well and move often, the chances are your abs will reveal themselves in their own time, especially if you're in calorie deficit. Most compound moves in the gym (deadlifts, squats, olympic lifting) and endurance activities require core activation when performed correctly, so your abs will get a workout regardless of whether you're targeting them in isolation or not. Similarly, reducing your body fat percentage to under 12 per cent should produce visible abs, a bi-product of high intensity workouts and a calorie restricted diet.

Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson
Scott is the Editor of Men's Health Australia, where he oversees all editorial content of the country's largest men’s magazine. As a fitness addict, adventure sport lover, and passionate story-teller, Henderson is committed to living the Men’s Health brand.

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

Should You Do Ab Workouts Every Day If You Want to See Results?

Should You Do Ab Workouts Every Day If You Want to See Results?

Get Lean, Get Strong, Get Endurance: How To Train According To Your Goals

Get Lean, Get Strong, Get Endurance: How To Train According To Your Goals

Will Training Barefoot Make You Stronger?

Will Training Barefoot Make You Stronger?

Chase An Epic Arm Pump With This Reverse-Pyramid Workout

Chase An Epic Arm Pump With This Reverse-Pyramid Workout

{headline}

{headline}

How Often Should You Train Each Muscle Group

How Often Should You Train Each Muscle Group

How This Man Carved a Killer Six-Pack and Became an Adventure Athlete

How This Man Carved a Killer Six-Pack and Became an Adventure Athlete

This Circuit Will Absolutely Smoke Your Arms and Core

This Circuit Will Absolutely Smoke Your Arms and Core

{headline}

{headline}

Hugh Jackman Showed Off His Abs During a Shirtless New Years Polar Bear Plunge

Hugh Jackman Showed Off His Abs During a Shirtless New Years Polar Bear Plunge

7 Reasons Why You’ve Stopped Gaining Strength And Muscle

7 Reasons Why You’ve Stopped Gaining Strength And Muscle

Twist The Screw To Blow Up Your Abs

Twist The Screw To Blow Up Your Abs

7 Dumbbell Exercises For Shredding Your Abs

7 Dumbbell Exercises For Shredding Your Abs

How Chris Evans Trained For That 'Winter Soldier' Elevator Fight Scene

How Chris Evans Trained For That 'Winter Soldier' Elevator Fight Scene

5 Red Flags That You Have Weak Abs

5 Red Flags That You Have Weak Abs

The 26 Best Toys To Help You Get A Six-Pack

The 26 Best Toys To Help You Get A Six-Pack

MensHealth
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

  • Women's Health

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Men's Health

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now