.png)
A six pack sits at the top of most people's Wishlist in life. Everyone wants to be as shredded as Ronaldo and be as jacked as the fitness models we see all over our social media.
Everybody's been there, they want to find out how to get a shredded six pack and look good in photos and when they take off their shirt at the beach to impress the gals or the pals.
I've been there! In fact, I feel like my six-pack is one of (if not the only) redeeming feature of my appearance!
That was a joke, we're all good-looking in our own ways, even though I personally think I look like the underside
of someone's toe, I've been told otherwise.
Point is, I've been at the point where I wanted to lose that extra little bit of bodyfat and reveal my six babies so I could impress the girls.
However, I feel like my view on my physique has changed, and I no longer feel the desire to impress others with my physique (although I always feel the eyes starin' when I'm at the beach 😉).
My perspective has changed in a way where my physique is no longer a tool to impress, but is now a form of self-achievement, and a result of all of the hard work I put in day in and day out.
It's a reminder of the previous life of luxury that I have sacrificed in order to take on the challenge of being the best version of myself I can possibly be.
However, not many people can say the same. They still struggle with their fat loss goals, and would kill for their desired physique.
Especially athletes. Many athletes think that in order to be that best player they can be, they MUST have a six pack. They MUST have a low-body fat percentage.
And to some extent, this is true, you do need a semi-low bodyfat percentage to be a healthy, and more fit athlete, but not many people understand the reason and associate having a six pack with a strong core and strength; which over time, leads to unhealthy habits and choices that negatively impact your performance as an athlete.
Why Footballer's Need a Low Bodyfat %
In order to perform to the best of their ability, footballers need to have a relatively low bodyfat percentage, roughly 8-12%.
This is because as athletes, we want to be as quick, as powerful, and as fast possible, and if we're carrying around too much extra pounds of fat, we're limiting ourselves from being the fastest, and more athletic version we can be!
That extra weight that is being carried will slow you down, although the difference would be minimal, soccer is a sport where every milliseconds matters.
In order to have a better chance of beating your opponent in a foot race, and being able to quickly move your body when defending an attacker, having a lower body fat percentage can be the deciding factor.
Of course, just because you have a low body-fat doesn't mean you'll automatically become as quick as Raheem Sterling, however, you will definitely be a lot quicker than if you were to have to carry a few extra pounds of fat.
Misconceptions on Low Body-Fat Percentages
However, just because it is beneficial to have a low bodyfat percentage, doesn't mean you should be chasing very low numbers of bodyfat and become as shredded as possible.
Why? Because having a body composition will cause you many health problems and impact your performance on the pitch negatively.
This is because some of our fat reserves are essential for our body's function and it aids our body's internal systems by providing them with long-lasting energy, as well as hormones that aid in our bodies function.
In a study by the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, the heart rate of professional bodybuilders, who drop to under 5% bodyfat during competition, drops down to as low as 27 beats per minute. This is dangerously low and can cause many health issues in our bodies since our circulatory system isn't able to efficiently pump blood around the body to the cells and muscles that need them.
As athletes, we need to make sure that our body's systems are functioning as efficiently as possible in order to help us perform to the top of our capabilities and to recover quickly.
Our fat stores also act as another source of energy during our daily activity and workouts. When our body runs out of the stored glycogen it has in your muscles and liver cells, it turns to the fat reserves in our body, since all fat is is calories that your body stores for later.
During a 90-minute match, or an intense training session, your body will need to not only rely on your carbohydrate intake, but it will also rely on the stores of energy you have in your bodyfat.
In order to ensure you can perform and not fatigue out too quickly, you must have a healthy percentage of bodyfat.
So Do You Need A Six Pack to Be a Better Player?
Technically, yes, you do need a six pack to be a better soccer player or athlete, but not in the reasons you and most other people would expect.
The six pack itself isn't making you a better player at all, because all a six pack really is is an indicator of a low bodyfat percentage, which allows your abdominal muscles that were once hidden by layers of fat, to pop out.
Having a six pack DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE A STRONG CORE.
You could have a six pack, but be as lean as a stick and not train your core at all, which as an athlete, won't benefit you at all.
What makes you a better player, is not the sexy six pack, but rather your healthy level of body composition which allows you to carry less weight, while also feeling energized, explosive, and quick.
How Can I Lower My Bodyfat Percentage?
In order to lower the amount of extra fat in your body, you must be in a calorie deficit.
That's it.
You don't need any fancy pills or supplements that claim they will stop you from absorbing glucose or speed up your metabolism or any of those marketing lies.
Seriously whenever I see a commercial on TV where a company 'guarantees' fat loss without the dieting, without the exercise, and without the sacrifice, I go insane.
All these companies will actually help you with, is emptying out your wallet on useless pills that won't do jack for your body.
Too many people want to complicate lowering the amount of fat in their bodies and getting a six pack. They want to know what diet they should do, what type of food they should eat. How much grams of carbs to consume on a daily, etc.
All you need to do is make sure you are consuming less calories than what you burn consistently for an extended period of time, and your body will naturally lose fat.
It's simple science. Calories are just a unit of energy. If you consume more energy than what your body needs, then your body will store it as extra bodyfat that it can call upon later. If you consume less energy than what you burn, your body will use up the stored bodyfat, since again, all bodyfat is is stored calories.
If you would like to know more about how to start eating in a calorie deficit, and how to track your calories to make sure your body is using up your bodyfat, then read this blog post!
Thanks for Reading! Get Up. Go GRIND.
Comments