Poll participants of both E-Diets.com and In Touch magazine agree that David Beckham, Mario Lopez, and Matthew McConaughey share top spots as Hollywood celebrities with the best abs. While e-diets heralded only the top three, In Touch named others such as Lipstick Jungle’s Robert Buckley, Mario Lopez, Hugh Jackman, and Shemar Moore of Criminal Minds.
Just to add to the trivia, 2,200 voters named Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (Race to Witch Mountain) this 2009 as the male celebrity with the best overall body garnering 27 percent of the votes. This was followed closely by Matthew McConaughey with 26 percent and soccer icon David Beckham with 23 per.
Brad Pitt won the best butt category by a hefty 40 percent with the second slot split between Justin Timberlake and Orlando Bloom who got 17 of votes each. Best arms went to Hugh Jackman (37 percent) and LL Cool J (28 percent) while the best legs went to Matthew followed by Lance Armstrong (24 percent) and Mario Lopez (20 percent).
Best Sports for Your Abs
If you are not in love with the gym, don’t fret. Experts say that there are several sports that engage the core, assuring you of a strong, sexy mid-section. The coordinated movement of the upper body and lower body or torso rotation engages the core muscles and stabilizes the torso. This generates power and force in the extremities. For sexy abs, choose sports that use both upper and lower body in powerful, repetitive moves.
What are some of these core-engaging sports? Volleyball and soccer are the ball sports that help build a strong sexy core. The spikes, digs, and jumping blocks involved engage the core and abs. Just look at David Beckham’s abs and believe how kicking and heading a soccer ball requires repeated powerful contractions of the upper and lower body. Even the skipping warm-ups with torso rotation that David and other soccer players do is great for the mid-section.
Gymnastics and swimming are also part of the list. During sports events, observe how the gymnasts and swimmers sport the smallest waistlines. In gymnastics, the rings provide the ultimate abs workout though all gymnastic moves require amazing core strength. It takes a strong torso to swim effectively, say sports experts. Need we say more?
While there are other sports that would help you get a strong core, one more fun outdoor activity for the job is kayaking while yoga is a calming indoor activity that will also do the job. Kayaking requires rotation of the abdomen and the paddle motions build not only core strength but the back, chest, and shoulders as well. The numerous pushups and static poses (I can practically hear my instructor say, engage your core) provide core strength and balance.
What Hollywood Hunks Do
Robert Buckley, believe it or not, was chubby as a child swimming with his shirt on. Now at 27, he hardly wears a shirt on the Lipstick Jungle set as he is its resident eye candy. He is an avid runner. “I’ve found there’s no better motivation than knowing I’m going to be practically naked in front of millions of strangers every week. People say to me, ‘You’re the guy who’s naked all the time,’” he told In Touch.
Mario Lopez swears the key is in breaking a sweat each day. “Make time to work out, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. Try to eat every two hours, and always change your workout routine to keep your body guessing. I like the way it makes me feel. The way my body looks is a byproduct! I really got into exercise when I was a teenager — dancing, running, wrestling, and boxing,” Mario shares.
While Hugh Jackman is tall at 6’2” and lean his entire life, he had to bulk up as an X-men cast. “For Wolverine, I ramp it up. I train really hard. I crank up the Godsmack and Metallica. I yell and scream, which helps me have a bitch of a workout,” he notes. The dad of two also cuts bread and most sugars from his diet to help trim the fat.
Shemar Moore admitted to In Touch that he is a total gym rat. He even has a gym on wheels in Criminal Minds. “I have a workout trailer that travels with us from set to set. I lift weights four days a week for an hour and a half each day. I box three days a week for an hour a day. And I run four miles a day, four days a week. I’m not gonna lie. I’m vain, like anybody else. I need that adrenaline rush. It just makes me feel good. I’ve worked out my entire life. I’m not right if I don’t work out,” Shemar says.
Matthew McConaughey confessed that he loves every sweat-soaked second of his exercise regimen. “I just feel better when I work out. I do sit-ups, push-ups, and jogging. When it’s raining, shadowbox for 20 minutes. It’s fun to feel healthy. And I gotta have both,” he concludes.
Engage in sports, start yoga or hit the gym, but whatever you do, remember that a strong core not only looks good, it makes you feel good as well.
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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.