Today’s lesson is short but critical:

If you want to see your abs, or even just have a nice flat stomach, body fat level is crucial.

You can do crunches all day long or the most killer ab routines you can find, but if you have excess fat around your mid-section you will not see “washboard” abs or have a stomach like Jamie Eason.

This does NOT mean that you shouldn’t keep crushing all that ab work though. It only means that doing abdominal training does not spot reduce fat around your stomach. What it does do is build up strong, sexy ab and oblique muscles that WILL be visible once you lose the fat.

If the guy in the picture below gained 50 pounds of fat his abs muscles wouldn’t go away, they would just be covered up.

So what we’re going to teach you here at the UpSwong Ab Lab is how to uncover YOUR abs and get what’s been hiding under there lookin’ its best.

Stay tuned for Part 2 where we’ll be dispelling a major myth and getting you on your way to UpSwong Abs!

Closely related are its siblings:

• How can I get my abs to show?
• I’m a relatively thin person but I can’t seem to lose this stubborn belly fat?

At reunions we often run into its cousins:

• What are the best exercises I can do for my stomach?
• I’ve been doing X number of (insert exercise here) so why can’t I see my abs yet?  (hint: you’re too fat)

And finally those relatives you’re never really sure about.  Your Mom always glazes over the details…he’s your Uncle Joe’s half-brother’s wife’s sister’s dog walker…

• What’s the deal with this “revolutionary” 10 minute routine that is guaranteed to flatten your stomach?
• Have you heard about these pills I can take that will give me shredded abs while I sit on the couch?

I initially planned to make a single post addressing stomach swongs but then realized there is quite a bit to cover.  I’ve received some really good questions and while they are all related to flat abdominals, each have a very different theme.  For example one asked about the best ab exercises that would also be safe for the lower back and another question asked if I had tried a new weight loss supplement and what I thought of it.  These topics and more will each be covered in a separate post that will make up the series – UpSwong Abs.

I get asked so many great questions via Facebook, YouTube, email, and forums that I’d like to start building an archive of answers to share with everyone.

If you would like to submit a fitness question please use the contact form or send an email to fitness@upswong.com.