How to get ripped abs quick is a question that commonly gets asked. Not surprising either as it well known that a good set of abs are considered one of the most sexy parts of a man or woman.

A good set of ripped abs represents fitness and health. However, in order to get a good set of ripped abs most people think you have to do thousands of crunches, spend hours and hours down the gym or be a bodybuilder. All of this, however, is untrue.

The abdominal muscles are covered in a layer of fat and so in order to see the abs and get that ripped look the secret is to get rid of that layer of fat. Crunches and sit-ups are fine for strengthening the abdominal muscles but exercises that work the big muscles of the body are particularly effective at developing abs. Why?...... well the big muscles such as the quadriceps muscles - the big muscle on the front of the thigh expend a lot of energy and therefore burn a lot of calories. So performing an exercise such as squats will burn a lot of calories and therefore fat but they also stimulate the body's natural growth hormones, encouraging muscle growth.

In order to get rid of this layer of fat we also need to incorporate some cardio work to burn those calories. I'm not a particular fan of spending hours on a treadmill or bike - I find them boring and I just don't have the time. Instead I find short bursts of high intensity exercise to work better. An example of this would be sprinting. One routine I like is to run steadily for 10 minutes to warm up and then spend the next 15 minutes sprinting at 80% of full pace for 30 seconds and then steady pace for 60 seconds. Then warm down for 5 minutes. This is a killer but very effective at burning calories and you've just got to remember you'll soon be looking good with those sexy ripped abs!

We also have to look at diet. It is important to control calorie intake to get rid of fat. A low carbohydrate, high protein diet is good for fat loss and building muscle. I have recently discovered the concept of calorie cycling which I've found to work well. 

The most important thing to remember is that anyone can get a great set of abs. You just need to start......NOW!

With an exercise regime that takes 10-15 minutes a day you can burn between 150-200 calories. Do this each day and that's an amazing 1400 calories a week. I like to think of this as a mini circuits workout. I would suggest doing these exercises on a soft yoga mat to reduce the impact on the knees and back and reduce the risk of injury.

First two minutes: Use a Jump Rope and do a single jump per turn of the rope. Remember -use a correct size jump rope and land softly on the balls of the feet.

Minutes two to three: Squat Thrust and then jump up and go into a Star Jump. When doing the squat thrust, when you return into the squat position jump up and throw the legs and arms out to the sides to make a star shape. When you land on your feet, go down and straight into the squat thrust position. Again,  do this exercise on a yoga mat and remember to land softly on the balls of the feet.

Minutes three to four: Go back to the jump rope and this time do two jumps per revolution of the rope.

Minutes four to five: Squat Thrust and then Push Up. Between squats do one push up and then straight back into the squat thrust.

Minutes five to six: Back to the Jump Rope and again do a single jump per turn of the rope.

Minutes six to seven: Squat Thrust then into a star jump and then on landing on the mat go down and do a single press up. Then straight back into the squat thrust and repeat. These are going to hurt but just think of the fat loss and how good your ripped abs will look.

Minutes seven to eight: Back to jump rope and do two jumps per revolution of the rope.

Minutes eight to nine: Squat thrust and then stand up and sprint on the spot making sure to lift your legs high for five seconds and then back into the squat thrust and repeat. Feel that fat drop off!

Minutes nine to ten: Jump rope and do a single jump per turn of the rope.

Finish and congratulate yourself. You will have worked up quite a sweat in this short period of time so remember to drink plenty of water. Do this every day, lose the belly fat and watch those abs appear.

This workout is an example of a high intensity workout. You can burn calories and therefore lose fat without spending ages running on a treadmill or cycling. This is great if you are pressed for time.

When you set yourself a goal to looking good, remember you need to keep focused:

* DECIDING just what you desire (how you wish your body to appear, how much self-confidence you would like to feel, how much energy you desire, internal wellness, etc)
* REALISING that you actually possess a BURNING DESIRE for what you would like to accomplish
* Determining/documenting EXACT GOALS for what you would like to accomplish
* PICTURING and "feeling" what you would like to attain. Develop that mental picture of what you would like to achieve - see, it, feel it, taste it - use all your senses.
* BELIEVING that you CAN really accomplish it.
* Taking heavy action TODAY to begin achieving your goals.

A number of programs out there can help you with planning and motivation. These videos come from a writer of a very good program. A full outline can be found at the Vince Delmonte Review site.