Getting dat 6 pack

[Minister of Offence]

That's exactly what I'm saying, when someone asks "How do I get abs?", the common answer is just "get to a low body fat percentage".

While that is true to some degree, it also depends on the person. Someone who's been lifting weights for a few years will probably see his abs at a low body fat percentage, whereas someone who is walking into the gym for the first time probably won't. Saying it's all about low body fat percentage, while it being true, it doesn't paint the full picture. While basically everyone needs to be at a low body fat percentage to visibly see their abs, that doesn't mean everyone will have visible abs while lean.

I've seen the "it's all about low body fat percentage" said to people who have obviously never lifted before. While the statement itself is true, it's very unlikely that person will see abs at a low body fat percentage. That's why I mean there's more to it than just low BF, you have to actually strengthen the muscle for it to protrude.

That goes for every part of your body as well, if someone said they want their biceps to be more defined... you could say just get to a lower BF %. However, someone who's never worked out a day in their life is going to have skinny arms, and not bicep/tricep definition at low BF, yet for some reason people think abs are just there for everyone and it's all about getting to a low BF. That's all I'm saying... there's more to the picture than -just- low BF.

Well, I mean there's some truth to the answer of "just get low body fat". The skinny 10% guy in that picture would have visible abs if you gave him the lighting, posture, angle, skin tone and a little tensing of his abs. Just like the muscular guy? Hell no. The muscle is playing into the difference big time too, but the other variables in this stuff aren't playing skinny guy any favours either.

I'm not even really saying you're wrong either. If a person asks, how to get abs like "insert celebrity here" the answer is only "get low enough body fat", it's also get similar muscle mass too.

Truth is, lean gets easier with more muscle. I would argue that there probably are ways to get shredded with visible abs with ****** levels of muscle mass, but considering the amount of perfection at that point you'd need, and considering the truth that who the **** would want to go the trouble. There's a genetic component as well. It's such a weird thing to talk about because no one out there is aspiring to look like Christian Bale in The Machinist.

I mean, if he tensed under the right lighting I suppose we could argue he's got a visible 6 pack. But again, wtf are we talking about. He's closer to dying then ever getting laid.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=chri...#imgdii=G_UWEulSfvKbRM:&imgrc=jyvpTm8V4Zfp5M:

You need muscle mass in order to get nice abs, and yeah good core training is gonna help. And some do, especially after they've sat in desks for years, have a hard time learning to use their abs. You also can't believe everything you read from internet message board posts -- especially anonymous ones. On the Internet everyone's got the answers. In fitness especially, you don't know much until you've actually done it. Some may not like that one, but it's very true...and I've been on both sides of that coin - talking about stuff I knew nothing about then actually having done it and then having a much better perspective of what it takes. How many people do you know that have had serious success in fitness? Not many. However, walk on to a fitness message board and it seems like everyone's got it. They don't.

End of story, really, yeah you've gotta be lean and I'd say that's the tough part, in most cases. Although a lot of guys do need to come to grips with the fact that 15-30 pounds of muscles may be separating them from their goals...there's still n insane amount of guys that have spent years in gym with enough muscle mass because they like being in the gym...but body fat holds them back from the 6 pack.

 

[Vide]

I get to the point where I can see my abs, then my body is like "nope, I'm dying, I want fat", I start binge eating, gain back that layer of fat as security blanket. Rinse and repeat.

Actually it's somewhat similar for me. I've never really had any sugar cravings at all. I stopped eating candy and drink soda in my mid-teens and had no problems at all staying away from it. Now that I recently started cutting to try and lower my bodyfat, all of a sudden I got the worst sugar cravings like I've never had before. It felt really odd after all those years to suddenly have these cravings, but I guess it was just my body's response to me lowering my intake of carbs quite substantially (used to eat a lot of pasta, rice, whole-wheat bread etc). It needed to replace those carbs somehow and I guess the quickest fix was to get sugar into the system. It was really weird, but I'm past that now and got the most muscle definition I've ever had, so that's nice. Still need a lot of work and can easily trim down more and eat even cleaner. But surviving on chicken and broccoli gets old pretty fast haha.

 

[Minister of Offence]

Actually it's somewhat similar for me. I've never really had any sugar cravings at all. I stopped eating candy and drink soda in my mid-teens and had no problems at all staying away from it. Now that I recently started cutting to try and lower my bodyfat, all of a sudden I got the worst sugar cravings like I've never had before. It felt really odd after all those years to suddenly have these cravings, but I guess it was just my body's response to me lowering my intake of carbs quite substantially (used to eat a lot of pasta, rice, whole-wheat bread etc). It needed to replace those carbs somehow and I guess the quickest fix was to get sugar into the system. It was really weird, but I'm past that now and got the most muscle definition I've ever had, so that's nice. Still need a lot of work and can easily trim down more and eat even cleaner. But surviving on chicken and broccoli gets old pretty fast haha.

Yeah but if you don't go rock bottom on carbs maybe you won't get thaT craving.

A lot of people basically eliminate any taste from their diet when trying to get lean and it just isn't gonna work long-term that way. Nothing you get from a short-term diet is gonna last long-term

 

[radicalcenter]

Actually it's somewhat similar for me. I've never really had any sugar cravings at all. I stopped eating candy and drink soda in my mid-teens and had no problems at all staying away from it. Now that I recently started cutting to try and lower my bodyfat, all of a sudden I got the worst sugar cravings like I've never had before. It felt really odd after all those years to suddenly have these cravings, but I guess it was just my body's response to me lowering my intake of carbs quite substantially (used to eat a lot of pasta, rice, whole-wheat bread etc). It needed to replace those carbs somehow and I guess the quickest fix was to get sugar into the system. It was really weird, but I'm past that now and got the most muscle definition I've ever had, so that's nice. Still need a lot of work and can easily trim down more and eat even cleaner. But surviving on chicken and broccoli gets old pretty fast haha.

you might find these interesting

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fa...-points-and-bodyweight-regulation-part-1.html

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fa...points-and-bodyweight-regulation-part-2.html/

 

[Kitten Mittons]

On the topics of six pack, my gut hasn't been this big in a while. How are you supposed to have a six pack in the summer where all you do is drink, eat, go out and take vacations?

 

[Aeroforce]

On the topics of six pack, my gut hasn't been this big in a while. How are you supposed to have a six pack in the summer where all you do is drink, eat, go out and take vacations?

Easy -

I don't know when and where the 'six pack' term was coined; I've read Arnold Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding book, with an edition published in the 90's, and I think you can count on one hand the number of times he uses the term.

Yet nowadays it has become an absolute obsession. Is it yet another clever marketing ploy to make us all feel inferior, and then sell us diets, workout regimens, training devices, DVD's, etc.? Just my opinion, but yes, it is.

I do think some people are more genetically favorable for achieving the six pack. I have what I jokingly refer to as a 'one pack.' I have clearly defined vertical lines on each side of my torso, but do not have the horizontal lines giving the six or four pack.

I'm at a healthy body weight, am properly hydrated, have good core strength, and most importantly, my athletic performance is where I want it.

 

[Rocko604]

- HIIT cardio 3x week; or
- Hill sprints 3x week; or
- Metcons 3x week

+

- Consistent training; and
- Consistently clean diet; and
- Lots of patience

This. You can fit ab work into your HIIT. Knees to elbows planks, bicycle crunches etc, tabata style.

 

[LondonKendrick]

How often do I need to work abs, on top of eating really clean? I've been trying to do atleast a little bit every day this week at the gym. I like using the medicine ball for situps, what else could i do?

Get your squat over 315 (not that hard) without a belt, if you're lean you'll have abs, your muscles aren't going to grow doing body weight exercises.

 

[GirouxCouturier]

I had heard the ab area is the one spot where you could consistently work almost everyday, is it better to go 1 day on 1 day off?

I just started some HIIT last week, looking forward to it.

what i've generally been doing is..
2 mile walk to the gym
weight lifting
cardio
swimming
2 mile walk home

been doing it for a little while, car is out of service ATM but walking to the gym has me pretty well warmed up by the time i get there

Core muscles are a "quick twitch" muscle group just like your calves. You use them literally every day so they are used to the stress of constant work, therefore you can literally work them daily. I would go crazy everyday but a few sets daily is definitely beneficial

 

[GirouxCouturier]

Also to answer original question, worry less about which exercises work (they all do if you are engaging your core) and more on a calorie defecit. If you are bulking that is when you actually BUILD your abs. But to see your abs you just need to decrease your body fat. Definitely keep working them consistently as you do need to keep as much of the muscle as possible while cutting, and strong core has so many other benefits such as being stronger in other areas as well as injury prevention

 

[Samuel Culper III]

- HIIT cardio 3x week; or
- Hill sprints 3x week; or
- Metcons 3x week

+

- Consistent training; and
- Consistently clean diet; and
- Lots of patience

I know it’s an old post but this is the most accurate. Abs are muscles. What happens when you train all the other muscles? They get bigger. If you want abs to show, yes, you want them to be developed nicely, so you have to work them some but if you workout consistently and have compound movements, instability movements and hit some core iso work as well, you likely don’t need to train them anymore. You just need to dig them up, which means burning the fat that’s on top. Ab exercises have a relatively low caloric/fat burning potential so upping your ab work is really just spinning your wheels. You need metcon or HIIT work to maximize the fat burning effects of a workout. In addition to lifting heavy and regularly, adding a metcon for 15-25 minutes 3x per week and keeping your diet on track is the fastest way to find your abs.