Building up an impressive, shredded set of abs will always be a top fitness goal for many guys, but there are so many disparate plans to get a six-pack it's nearly impossible to know which one to follow.

There are thousands of trainers and infomercials hawking quick, effortless programs that are guaranteed to give users abs in mere minutes a day — as long as they buy an expensive piece of equipment or DVD set, of course. For some people with impeccable genetics or bulletproof diets, that might just be enough to make their core ripple with muscle. But most bodies just aren’t built that way.

On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the so-hard-it-has-to-work method. Think 60 to 90 minutes of exercise, six days a week. Now if you have the time and energy for this kind of regimen, we commend you. But plenty of people are missing one or the other through no fault of their own. And that's just reality, not a cop-out.

So we wondered: Could there be an ab-sculpting program that actually works and is doable for most people? For the answer, we turned to Mike Wunsch, C.S.C.S., and Craig Rasmussen, C.S.C.S.

The answer: "Absolutely," Wunsch told Men’s Health. "That's exactly how we make our living."

The real key to a program’s success is just how feasible it can be for anyone who works, goes to school, or parents full-time to commit without worrying about having to miss sessions because of their schedule. The requirements for Wunsch and Rasmussen’s plan is simple: 30 to 40 minutes a day, 3 days a week.

So how do these trainers do it when so many others have failed? They threw out the old guidelines. The new ones they've created are based on real science and the methods that have proven to work best with their clients. Now you can benefit, too. Apply these principles to your training to bring your abs out of hiding.

Start in the Kitchen

A_NAMENKOGETTY IMAGES

Abs aren’t just made in the weight room — the real work starts in the kitchen. You’re going to need to approach your diet with the same discipline you bring to your workouts.

Some experts recommend eating six small meals a day, instead of the more conventional three, cutting out added sugars and processed foods, and loading up on dependable sources of protein to help build new muscle in your midsection. Before you commit to any new diet, though, speak to your doctor and/or a nutritionist to see what they believe will work best for you.

Work Every Single Muscle

"Muscle is your body's primary fat burner," said Rasmussen. Your muscles require energy to contract, which is why you burn calories when you exercise. But resistance training, unlike running or cycling, also causes a significant amount of damage to your muscle fibers. And that's a good thing contributor: 

Healthformen.com