If you want to be able to see your abs this summer now is the time to start working at it. The most important factor in being able to see your abs is the amount of body fat you are carrying. The more body fat you carry around the midsection, the longer it will take to see the abs. Still the middle of winter, but a good time to start those summer goals. If you know how much weight you have to lose aim for a pound to a pound in a half a week and this will give you an approximation of how long it will take you.

Now....how do you actually lose this mid section weight? The answer may surprise you. Working the abs is not the best way to lose weight off the abs. The problem is that working them does not burn a lot of calories, and to lose weight you have to put yourself in a calorie deficit. 

To do this work hard on the larger muscles of the body. Train the legs, back and chest hard. These are among the largest muscle groups in the body and training them hard really burns a lot of calories. Those calories have to come from somewhere and if your body fat is carried around the midsection, that is where they will come from if your calorie burn is above what you consume.

Also work your way up to two or three intense 20 minute cardio sessions. This will burn a few extra calories and will also help with increasing your energy and stamina. Pick an aerobic activity you enjoy, start easy and gradually increase the intensity.

So what does training the abs actually do? The same as any other muscle. By training the abs the muscles will get stronger, denser and have more endurance. If you are lean enough from doing everything else right you will actually be able to see your well developed and defined abs. When training abs, pick an exercise that targets the lower abs, then one that targets the upper abs.

To train the lower abs try some kind of leg raise movement. Lying or hanging leg raises are effective and the straighter you keep your legs the harder the movement. Any ab exercise that draws your rib cage down towards your pelvis will work the upper abs the hardest. The basic crunch is a great one, along with Swiss ball crunches, ab roller type exercises and decline crunches.

If you feel you need to strengthen your obliques you can train them on a hyper-extension bench or swiss ball. Keep in mind too that all your leg and back exercise will go a long way towards strengthening your abs.

Working the abs twice a week is usually sufficient enough to keep them strong and toned. Remember, you are not working them to get leaner. That comes from increased calorie burn as stated above.

Of-course nutrition is also vitally important in being able to see the abs...but that is a whole other story.