The obsession of the health-conscious world are flat, ripped abs, also known as six-packs.
While certain exercises, such as sit-ups and planks, are great from toning your core muscles, and improving your strength, there are other forms of exercise that can also help. One of these exercises is running.
So, how much can running improve your abs? Can you gain abs through running?
In this article, we will teach you everything you need to know about gaining and maintaining six-packs while running.
How Running Affects Your Abs
As we’re sure you already know, running has a lot of advantages. Both your physical and mental health will benefit greatly from this excellent form of exercise, whether you’re going for a light jog, or training extensively for an upcoming 5K race.
Running mainly strengthens the muscles in your legs, as well as being great for your cardiovascular and respiratory organs. But, what about your abs? Is it possible to gain a six-pack from going on a run?
The answer is (potentially) yes.
Running is an exceptional way to exercise your abs. Of course, how soon you develop abs with running depends on how much body fat you currently have.
You would advance in that area far more quickly if you ran rigorously and constantly every single day for hours on end than if you only went for two or three jogs a week. It all depends on how often you choose to run, and for how long.
Running by itself won’t give you six-pack abs like targeted ab exercises do. Nevertheless, you may tone and improve your midsection by alternating rapid, faster runs with slow sustained ones. Your metabolism will speed up at the same time, helping you to lose weight.
Types Of Running To Improve/Gain Abs
Did you know that there are different types of running? Not only that, but particular running styles are more likely to help you gain six-packs compared to others.
Longer, slower runs, that are called steady endurance runs, will improve your core stability, and when it comes to calorie burning, they are some of the best. They will wear you out quickly, but these will assist in fat burning while highlighting your abdomen.
Sprint intervals are also excellent for developing your core, and for developing your abdominal muscles. It will aid in increasing your heart rate, which aids in fat burning, if you alternate between sprinting or walking quickly while you run or walk slowly afterward.
Finally, hill exercises will offer you the best workout of your life, and are exquisite for strengthening abs. Running up hill will, undoubtedly, give you some of the worst aches in your calves following the exercise, but you will definitely see results if you stick through it.
The Best Ways To Develop Abs While Running
Now that you are aware of the greatest running techniques for developing abs, you should also consider these advices in order to get your very own six-pack. You will see results much more quickly if you use these techniques.
Combining Strength Training With Running
Strength training in general can assist develop powerful abdominal muscles, which are essential for achieving better racing speeds, regardless of what you’re training for. This is in addition to performing standard ab workouts.
By forcing your abdominal muscles to operate in their inherent bracing configuration, these exercises help you build powerful abdomen muscles.
Think like a sprinter if you want to tone your abs. Add interval training, whether it be tempo or interval runs, to your training plan. Incorporate full body weight workouts into your cross-training, and you will experience much quicker results.
Eating A Healthy Diet Alongside Running
Eating healthy and exercising is the greatest duo since PB & J… although, you shouldn’t be thinking about peanut butter and jelly if you want to gain some abs.
The best source of food for a runner, or any form of athlete, is protein. Meat, for example, is a fantastic source of protein, which is crucial if you want to develop your muscles. Because they are high in amino acids, proteins are essential for building abdominal muscles.
You must consume adequate protein—between 1 and 2 grams per pound of body weight. Attempt to split your daily protein intake into smaller portions so that your body can digest it properly.
A runner needs carbohydrates to fuel them as well. Carbs are stored as glycogen, and when glycogen is saturated, the body can use it for energy rather than immediately turning to protein.
Your body will persist under anabolic conditions more often as its level of carbohydrates rises, which will aid in converting those carbohydrates into energy.
Keeping Hydrated
Water is a crucial component of any workout in order to replace the fluid that is lost from the system.
Dehydration must be avoided if you want to keep building muscle. Water ensures that your muscles are sufficiently hydrated and aids in the movement of nutrients throughout your body.
Be mindful to stay away from foods that are very oily, salty, or filled with sugar.
Not only are these foods harmful to your body, but will also create a cycle as you will begin craving them more, which could defeat your attempts to lose weight and develop a six-pack. Salt, in particular, may cause you to dehydrate faster.
Final Thoughts
Eating healthy, keeping hydrated, and exercising regularly are the three key factors that keep the average person in great shape.
Gaining visible abdominal muscles may be a challenge, especially if you currently have some fat around your core area. However, it is not impossible! Through regular running, you could soon see some results, especially if you follow our advice above.
We hope you found this article helpful.
Happy running!
