Jo Lindner Reveals Often Forgotten Six-Pack Secret

Swap the sit-ups for the cycle.

Jo Lindner Reveals Often Forgotten Six-Pack Secret

Image: joesthetics

Six-packs. Washboard abs. Sex packs. Whatever you want to call them, it’s fair to say most guys want them. So often a sign of a guy’s masculinity – and attractiveness, unfortunately – getting yourself shredded is seen as one of the grail achievements of the gym (along with bulging biceps and a huge chest).

But, while it may be true that you need to sit up, crunch and plank your way to six-pack glory, many of us often forget the other important ingredient: cardio. And who better to relay this message than German fitness freak Jo Lindner. The man with more muscles than we knew existed regularly shares insightful workout advice and tips to help you increase your gains. But even muscle mountains need time away from the weights floor time and again, and a recent video posted to Jo’s Instagram page shows us how the cardio equipment at the gym should be embraced and not shunned.

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Jo Lindner (@joesthetics)

How come? You could build up your abdominal muscles to insane proportions, but if you have a layer of body fat covering them up, you’re never going to be able to show them off to the world. So, how do you shed the fat while still increasing muscle? Run, walk and cycle like your abdominals depended on it.

Ok, maybe not quite so dramatic, even just a steady walking pace at an incline on the treadmill will help. But if you can add running into the mix (not sprinting, just a light jog) at both a flat and an incline level, you’ll soon be reaping the rewards. Other pieces of equipment such as the exercise bike and cross trainer have their merits too.

Moreover, it’s not just the ‘youngsters’ that should take heed of this advice. No matter your age, you can get yourself a six-pack by sticking to some basic gym principles. Just look at the likes of Lenny Kravitz and David Beckham, who prove age is just a number when it comes to core strength.

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by James Kew (@jameskewfitness)

However, as fitness coach James Kew points out, cardio alone won’t reveal your abs, you still need to undergo a hardcore strength training program to increase the muscle size. He says you shouldn’t  “mess around with pink dumbbells”, as they’re simply not heavy enough. Instead, you need to be lifting weights that cause you to approach “failure somewhere between 6-15 reps”. Pair this with a high protein diet (the fuel for muscular growth) and a calorie deficit diet (to aid with body fat loss) and you’ll be a shredded beast in no time.

Watch how to get huge like Jo Lindner