The secret of your abs once you're over 40

If you have more than 40 years (or you're already married to the partner of your dreams), the last thing you want to do is be many hours in the fitness center. And that's precisely why the man on the June cover of 'Men's Health' is Joe Manganiellono, sportsman and husband Sofia Vergara.

So, how is it possible to reach an age that abdominals are so marked? It's not easy, we're not going to cheat you: all thanks to a rigorous routine and a conditioning process called "80-20 plan" designed by the coach Ron Mathews. It is a practical long-term approach through several stages. In the last one, your body is ready to go to the beach and even if you lose it, you already have the instructions to recover it.

Is a perfect plan for someone busy who does not want to be in the gym all day. You only need six weeks for your 'six pack' to appear. "He works very hard all year, but he has more flexibility in his agenda to enjoy meals and have family time of what you can think, "says Mates." We never perform less than 80% of training and diet, which means that you can still have a 'cheat meal' and enjoy life the other 20%, "he adds.

If you are over 40 years old and want to have a sit-up marked we tell you what he does to pursue this goal. You have to organize because there is always time for everything.

How is the training?

The 80-20 plan It has several phases. The first is that of maintenanceFocus on work, but not too much. Enjoy life while you have your responsibilities and start with your goal of doing crunches. The next one is start getting in shape"Go for it until the end, sacrifice everything you owe, eat well, do high intensity and strength exercises, you will see that little by little everything is getting easier," he says.

Do not give up and avoid distractions in the gym. Do not give yourself time to relax and always be active

As the name itself indicates, you must pass 80% of the time at the top and the twenty giving you a whim (but small, do not pass). Manganiello only takes this freedom if he has not failed any of the times and has always remained firm.

Never skip the day you touch legs. "It's the only exercise you can not forget about, it stimulates your metabolism and muscle growth factors, the actor trains twice a week and never forgets this," he explains. further, for five or six days a week focuses with weights (this is where you can jump any). Work hard because you will have your reward.

A for more

Once you have six weeks with a goal and see how much you have advanced, it is time to increase the intensity of all the exercises. Calculate your basal metabolic rate so that you know exactly what to eat and how many calories you should eat. The metabolism of each person works differently, and factors such as the ones mentioned above can significantly alter the amount of calories burned. Even within each activity There are very different levels of effort.

Iron Abs

Every morning run 45 minutes fasting or bike. Your heart rate should be 110 to 130 beats per minute, so you will burn the liver glycogen and then the fat. Do not give up and avoid distractions in the gym. Do not relax: do bicep curls with dumbbells, squats or triceps for four rounds of ten repetitions.

Every two days, ten minutes of sit-ups. The first thing you should know is that in order for the exercise to fulfill its function, you must run it slowly, always avoiding the impulse. The neck, head and shoulders have to be relaxed and resting on the surface where you are going to make it, so that you concentrate the effort only on the muscles of the abdomen.

If you fulfill the plan as you should (80% without failing), you have the opportunity (20%) to eat what you want or skip an exercise

The lumbar area should not be detached from the ground when you lower your legs and if you arch your back, lower your legs less. To start the exercise lie with your back fully supported on the mat and flexes the hip to raise the straight legs until they are perpendicular to the trunk. From there, with the head, neck and shoulders on the ground, make the movement.

Place your hands on the sides of your body with your palms on the floor, or, for comfort and better back support, put them under your buttocks. Inhale and lower the limbs slowly while contracting the abdomen to control the exercise. You can download itIt's only up half way or continue until you almost get down. Return very slowly to the starting position and repeat as many times as indicated. His thing would be to do three series of between 8 and 12 repetitions each.