Does Having a 6-Pack Mean I Have a Strong Core?



We have heard the terms “ 6 packs” or “core strength” many times and it feels/sounds “same same but different” to many of us.

A “6-pack” essentially refers to the external appearance of the muscles in the stomach region of our bodies. Getting that 6 packs involves lots of training and a balanced diet which we all struggle to achieve or maintain! To sum it up, everyone has those muscles beneath the surface of our skin and fats. In order for the 6 packs to be visible, it is ideally the case of removing the layer of fat that is hiding those muscles:)


Are those abs or a strong core or both?

Core strength or stability refers to the ability of your core muscles to support your spine and to keep your body stable and balance. It is also the strength that allows you to perform manual tasks safely and effectively in your daily life. Lacking in this area of strength might mean more likely to suffer from back injuries and peripheral injuries increases as a weak core affects the transmittance of forces from lower limbs to the upper limbs and vice versa.

The question now is, “does a strong core equate to 6-pack” and vice versa?

Strictly speaking, a strong core doesn’t equate to having a visible 6-pack as having 6-pack would include a strict diet in order to reduce fat percentage in the belly area. E.g. a thrower or powerlifters. They all must have a strong core in order for them to carry such heavy weights but due to the nature of their training (to an extent, their diet), their 6-pack might not be visible.

Also, a visible 6-pack does not equate to having a strong core. Visible, chiselled abs mainly means low fat percentage. In order to achieve that, one can do a lot of cardio exercises which might not involve the core specifically and also having a strict diet.

We here at The Fitness Project believes that we should have both!

With our HydroFit Zen and Pump programmes, we aim to help you burn calories faster, build your core strength, work your stabilizing muscles in your joints while having fun!!

Our programs are conducted on Boga’s floating mat which is anchored to parts of a swimming pool. These FitMats allows most exercises to be taken from land and be done on the water! At the same time, it requires us to engage our core and stabilizing muscles which might be neglected when we perform these exercises on land as the stable platform allows us to “cheat” if we have a weaker part of our bodies.

Furthermore, being close to the water brings out different experience while unlocking several benefits at the same time!!!