Without a doubt, rips and cuts throughout your core are among the most highly sought physical attributes. You’ve definitely overheard a client speaking with a trainer on how to get that look. You’ve probably even tried to get the look yourself. But scoring a six-pack is a concentrated and complicated goal that requires a lot of discipline. If your diet and training still aren't doing it, try revamping a few things in the gym. YOU DON'T TRAIN WITH WEIGHTS Resistance is what stimulates the muscle fibers in the body and promotes muscular growth. You wouldn’t expect to add two inches to your biceps by using the weight of your arms—why would abs training be any different? Training for 50, 60 or even 100 repetitions would be great for endurance and conditioning, but don’t expect to see a washboard appear. Advice: Incorporate weighted exercises at fewer repetitions. Try out a medicine ball throw while lying on a Swiss ball. Shoot for 12 to 15 repetitions. Complete a total of three to four sets. Read More

Once Josh Holloway wrapped up his role as Sawyer on ABC's hit sci-fi drama Lost, he took some much needed time off to do, in his own words, a lot of "barbecuing and PBR-drinking." But the Georgia native had to jolt his body back into fighting form when he got a call from a producer on Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol to fly out to Prague to star in the action film. "I trained my ass off," Holloway told Men's Fitness to prepare for the role of Agent Trevor Hanaway. "That shook me up. I thought, 'Enough of this letting go and getting it back. Maybe you can't be completely performance-ready all the time, but you can't let it go. Read More

Cardio for athletes used to be all about "road work"—running for miles. These days, mixed martial arts athletes rely more on metabolic training, otherwise known as high intensity intervals, which allows them to increase their endurance in less time and with less risk of lower-leg injury. Metabolic training essentially means alternating brief but highly intense bouts of activity with intervals of lighter work or rest. The upside is, compared to light jogging, it improves your muscular and cardiovascular systems in a way that’s much more specific to fighting, and it helps you add muscle while burning fat. The downside is that it’s really damn hard. But if you’ve got the guts to push yourself, you can get in fighting shape without wearing out your running shoes. Choose from the following list of metabolic exercises and incorporate them into your training as suggested. Interval Stair Run When: After an upper body workout, or on a separate day, two times a week How: Find a staircase (a high school stadium is ideal). Sprint up the stairs and then walk back down. Read More

Just a few years ago, the sight of someone jogging barefoot was considered bizarre. But the minimalist running movement has steadily gained momentum, with several companies offering specialized shoes that strip away the countless layers of padding that they claim corrupt a runner’s natural stride. Today, it’s not uncommon to see casual joggers and marathoners alike trading in their high-tech running sneakers in favor of thin, slipper-like shoes designed to make runners move and step the way nature intended. But is there truth to these barefooted claims? Licensed physical therapist, personal trainer and minimalist training enthusiast Martin Rooney tells Men’s Fitness what you need to know about ditching the padding before you go throwing out all your sneakers. Cushioning may be ironically bad for your feet “Impact and natural mobility of the foot is essential to foot health,” Rooney says. He believes that sneakers, with their thick, impact-absorbing soles, have turned us all into “tenderfoots,” as well as altered the body’s natural inclination to land on the ball of the foot instead of the heel. Read More