Why Are Six Pack Abs Unhealthy? All That You Should Know Before Aiming for A Chiseled Core

Who doesn't want washboard abs? We usually want one after watching celebrities like Varun Dhawan, Siddharth Malhotra and many others show off their well-defined abs. No matter how much we aspire to develop steel abs, the reality is that your fitness levels are defined by neither your six packs nor the folds on your stomach. If you are aiming to develop six pack or eight pack abs, make a note that it is not necessarily healthy.

This is not to say that abs are completely unhealthy, or one shouldn't exercise or train one's core abdominal muscles. The point is that washboard abs are not a sign of strength and in fact, and your efforts to get six packs may prove dangerous. WORST Exercises and Workout Mistakes That Will RUIN Your Fitness Goals.

Let's have a brief overview of why you shouldn't be striving for abs. How to Reduce Body Fat in 4 Mins; Beginner's Guide for Tabata Workout at Home.

First of all, we all have abdominal muscles commonly known as abs; they are just not visible because of the fat layer deposited over it. There is a very simple funda to develop a six pack or eight pack abs -- you will have to reduce your overall body fat percentage and bring it down to at least 10 percent in males and 15 percent in females.

Also, one must note that by doing crunches all day long, you will not develop six packs. Abs are not made in the gym; they are made in the kitchen. There are a lot of dangers associated with the development of abs.

Note that six-pack abs and a strong core are two different things. Your core is healthy if you can easily climb a rope with a slam ball, if you can squat with a full range of motions by putting on heavyweights, or if you can perform other compound exercises like deadlifts and Overhead Press(OHP) using a decent amount of weights.

It is necessary to train your core; you can strengthen up your core by performing isometric exercises like plank core. Our core supports the spine, and while lifting weights, they are engaged. Hang up on pull up bar and perform activities like high knee raise and toe to bar straight leg raise with the intention of strengthening your core, not to develop washboard abs.

Why Abs are Unhealthy?

For six-pack abs, males need to have less than 10 percent of body fat and for females, it is 15 percent. However, doctors say that for a healthy body, men should have body fat ranging from 12 to 15 percentage and women should have 16-20 percentage. Lower fat levels in your body can have adverse effects like reduced bladder control, irregular bowel function, hormone imbalance, weak immune system, increased tiredness and fatigue.

Apart from that, you could also develop a hunchback due to excessive crunches. According to Michael Yessis, author of Kinesiology of exercise, overdoing of abs exercise can lead to flattening of lumbar curve thereby leading to a weakened spinal structure.

Famous personal trainer and author Leena Mogre told TOI that, "Maintaining a six-pack isn't healthy for your body." She further elaborated by saying that actors not only have trained experts with them at every step, but also have lightning, makeup up and special effects to enhance their looks.

Therefore, it is sensible to live with the fact that being healthy is to stay fit;  a flat tummy will not help you in the long run. Yes, it is necessary to exercise regularly to train all your muscles and follow a healthy diet regime.

(This article is written for an informative purpose and should not be substituted for medical advice. Kindly consult your doctor before trying any tips.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 06, 2019 08:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).