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Can You Get 6 Pack Abs From Running?

man building 6 pack abs from running on the beach

If running’s your cardio of choice, you may be hoping that you can race your way to some 6 pack abs. 

Along with looking great, having a strong core is important for your health. Solid abs keep you stable, reduce the risk of injuries, and even prevent heart disease and diabetes.

So, is it possible to get 6 pack abs from running?

Running Works Your Abs

Your abs get a great workout every time you go for a run. These muscles help to generate the force needed to move forward. They also stabilize the body, preventing you from falling.

The cardiovascular nature of running also helps you to lose body fat. If you’ve built the muscles of a 6 pack through hard work, diet, and strength training, you’ll be able to reveal it to the world if you maintain low body fat. 

Run In Different Ways To Build 6 Pack Abs

One of the best ways to get 6 pack abs from running is to mix up the types of runs you’re going on. Different types of running workouts have different benefits. Plus, if you do things different, it will prevent you from getting bored. Consider trying:

  • Sprints. High intensity dashes between 50 and 100 meters are one of the most effective types of cardio. Being so explosive, they work your abs (and most of your muscles) hard. This is a great way to build strength and burn calories at the same time.
  • Steady endurance runs. Doing a long run at a steady pace will develop your endurance and aerobic strength. A long and relatively slow run on flat terrain for 30 to 90 minutes will increase your lactate threshold. This means that next time, you’ll be able to run for longer. Plus, going for a relaxing morning jog is great for the soul.
  • Hill repeats. After a good warm up, try running up and down a hill of around 100 – 200 meters. The steepness, speed and number of repeats depend on your goals and experience. Hill repeats are tough, yes, but they’re a great way to develop your running endurance and strength at the same time.
  • Workouts which combine running and strength. A workout which combines running and strength will be high intensity and help you to build the 6 pack of your dreams. Try switching between sprint drills and lifts or bodyweight strength exercises to build your endurance and work your core hard.

6 Pack Abs Are Made In The Kitchen

You’ve heard it before, but we’ll say it again: to have an amazing 6 pack, you need to cut down on your body fat to let the muscles shine through. And what has the most impact on your body fat? 

Diet.

You need to eat less calories a day than you use to lose weight. Then, to build muscle, you need to fuel your body with protein.

Start by calculating your BMR. Aim to eat at a deficit of 500 to 1000 calories per day. You should also aim to consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.

Focus on eating fatty fish, lean chicken and beef, eggs, dairy and lots of leafy vegetables. If you stick to a relatively low calorie and high protein diet, then that 6 pack will be making an appearance before you know it.

Work Strength Training Into Your Routine

While it is somewhat possible to build 6 pack abs from running, adding strength training to the routine will make a huge difference to your progress.

Compound lifts that work many muscle groups at a time are a great way to push your abdominals to their limits. Try squats, deadlifts, bench presses and overhead presses. Each of these exercises involve stabilizing your core, which is great for building a 6 pack.

You can also supplement the workout with isolated ab exercises. These include press ups, V ups, crunches, bicycle crunches, L sits, planks, and so many more. There are many excellent and effective ab exercises to add to your workout. 

Putting It Together: Building 6 Pack Abs From Running, Diet, And Strength Training

Running is a great addition to an exercise routine. It’s effective cardio, and many people absolutely love getting outside and working out in nature. To a degree, you certainly can build a 6 pack from running. 

You’ll have an easier time building your core if you try different types of running workout. Add a quality diet and strength training regimen to the routine, and you’ll be on your way to Greek god abs in no time.

Once achieved, your strong abs will continue to boost your running performance, keeping you stable and strong. Plus, you’ll look amazing. What’s not to love?

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How Do I Get 6 Pack Abs As Quickly As Possible?

how to get 6 pack abs as quickly as possible

There’s many reasons to work for 6 pack abs. Strong abdominal muscles are super important. They help you have great posture, boost your workout endurance, and provide a base of support for your whole body. Plus, they’ll help you look a little more like Chris Hemsworth.

Getting shredded and looking your best is all about gaining muscle while maintaining minimal body fat. Even if you build the core muscles of your dreams, no one will know if they’re hidden behind too much bulk.

Here’s how you can get those washboard abs as quickly as possible – and no, it doesn’t require 1000 sit-ups a day.

Focus on your diet

You know what they say: abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym. For an enviable core, yes, you need to work out often. More importantly, you need to eat a healthy diet. 

As a general rule, you should aim to get 40% of your calories from carbs. 30% should come from protein and 30% from fat.

Don’t skimp on healthy carbs such as brown rice, sweet potatoes and whole grains. Eat enough colorful and leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli and spinach.

To build abs, you need to build muscle. This means eating enough protein to fuel your gains. Aim for 0.6 – 0.8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, depending on how much muscle you wish to build. Some great protein sources include chicken, fish, eggs, lean cuts of beef, and dairy.

Finally, make sure you work enough healthy monounsaturated fats into your diet. Think nuts, avocados, fatty fish such as salmon and tuna, and olive oil.

Do more cardio

Cardio is a crucial aspect of your general fitness. Getting your heart pumping helps your body burn fat. In turn, a low body fat percentage reveals the ripped 6-pack abs you’ve been working hard for.

Most CrossFit workouts are energetic and have a big cardio component to them. Checking out a class at your gym could be a simple and easy way to break a sweat, without having to waste time deciding what exercise to do. Plus, group fitness is really fun.

There are also many other great ways to work some extra cardio into your daily routine. You could consider walking, running, biking, swimming or rowing. Team sports you enjoy, such as soccer or basketball, are a popular and fun way to get a workout in without feeling like you’re slaving away at the gym.

Do core exercises

In addition to your cardio, take some time to strengthen your abs. There are many fantastic CrossFit moves that will get your core burning. You can get creative with which exercises you want to use during your workouts. 

Some of the best and most popular functional movements you could consider using include:

  • Overhead squats

Hold a weight above your head and complete a full body squat. This forces your abs to work super hard to stabilize your body. 

  • Toes to bar

Hanging from a pull-up bar, slowly and steadily bring your toes to the bar while keeping your legs straight. Most of the pressure will be on your core, making this an incredible ab workout.

  • Farmer’s carry

This is a simple exercise that consists of carrying two dumbbells. Your arms, back, shoulders and abs will all be exhausted after completing a few of these. The farmer’s carry is a popular CrossFit move and a great way to work your whole upper body. 

  • V ups

These modified sit-ups involve lying on your back and bending at the hips. With arms above your head, slowly bring your hands and feet towards each other – shaping your body into a V. This exercise works your obliques, core and hip flexors. V ups will improve your stability, balance, and most importantly, set your core on fire.

  • Burpee box jump

This explosive bodyweight movement upgrades a classic burpee by adding a leap onto a box. This is a great way to work your core, while also getting in some intense cardio.

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How To Squat Deeper: The Quick Fix

man learning how to squat deeper doing a deep bodyweight squat in a gym wearing a grey shirt

We all want a deeper squat, right? I think having a great air squat position is one of the best things you can do to for your health and fitness. So, how to squat deeper – quickly and easily? We will get to that in one moment.

But first…

Please understand I am not saying you should forget about mobility. It’s important to keep trying to fix any actual issues in your squat.  This is just a quick way to give your squats some variety and help hit full depth if your mobility is not there yet.

With that out of the way, here’s how to squat deeper:

It’s all in the ankles

Did you ever notice how when you squat down and are on your tippy toes, like a catcher, that you can bring your heels to your butt? But when you try to keep your feet flat on the ground then your butt doesn’t even come close to your heels? What’s up with that? 

That’s called ankle mobility and is probably the number 1 reason you can’t squat deeper. You can do ankle mobility exercises to improve your squat. Or, there is a super simple fix.

So how to get a deeper squat? Simply elevate the heels.

The right way and the wrong way to squat deeper

Obviously, you shouldn’t be loading a heavy squat and then squatting down with all your weight on the balls of your feet. This would be the wrong way.

The correct way is by taking something thin, such as change plates or a small strip of rubber matting about ¾ of an inch or so, and placing it on the floor. Place your heels on whatever your item is and now squat. 

Your squat should instantly be deeper. It should also give your heels a solid platform to balance on and push against. This helps you to come out of the squat. Doing this is essentially the cheap version of lifters.

What are lifters?

Lifters are shoes designed specifically to give you a deeper squat position. 

They are used in the sport of Olympic lifting as well as CrossFit and general training. These shoes are designed to be very tight fitting and rigid. The sole is made of hard dense materials. This lets the athlete press out of the squat  without excessive foot movement.

Lifters can be beneficial to some athletes. But, in the words, of Louie Simmons, “Don’t have $100 shoes and a 10 cent squat”. What he means is that it’s best to focus on your form and mobility in your squat before going and spending money on high dollar lifters.

But remember, squat deeper with your ankles

For the longest lasting and healthiest fix, concentrate on your barefoot squat and increasing mobility and range of motion. 

Using lifters or poor-mans lifters can be very beneficial, and is just one more tool in our toolbox. Just don’t become reliant solely on that one tool.  

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