Question about abs...

[DoogieT]

If I stand in the mirror and flex my abs pretty hard I think I look halfway good. But if I relax my abs I look kind of "meh." Is there a way to get a flexed look all the time? I used to do the P90X ab routine but there were some things I just couldn't do. Then I started doing a weighted ab crunch machine at the gym but I could never tell how to set it and what weight to use (if I was cheating by using my arms, etc.) So right now all I'm doing is lying on my back and raising my feet with straight legs so they're at about a 35 degree angle and holding them. I'm not sure if this is an official "move" (a plank of some kind?) but it makes my abs burn. I'm doing 3 x 1 minute sets.

Is there anything here I could be doing that everyone agrees on? If I were to try the rotating plank of doom (RPoD) how long do I hold each plank for? It's not so much my abs that start to give out but my arms.

D

[Raincloak]

You mean there are people who look like that all the time? I always figured they just did a bunch of crunches and then flexed the abs for the picture, then went back to having a real midsection like everyone else...

[weirdquark]

There are lots of core exercises that you could be doing (and you should do them because it's important to have a strong core) but the only way to have really visible abs is to have low bodyfat.

[Jcannon98188]

Yeah, drop to 10-15% BF and if you have strong abs they will show. That or get really good at flexing for a long period of time, and flex whenever you have your shirt off

[DoogieT]

I'm not sure that I could ever get to 10% body fat. I have flab around my waist that just doesn't seem to want to come off. I've overhauled my diet and am working out harder than ever but still it persists.

[azsf]

unless you have a pretty drastic diet change (usually accompanied by mad science) then bodyfat% change is slow and steady. just keep it up and it'll happen.

[ETFnerd]

maybe you didn't know this one...

Breath your way to a flat stomach

Achieving a washboard stomach is all in the breathing. 'When doing sit-ups, I blow out audibly as I curl up,' says Nick Mitchell, trainer for supermodels such as Zoe Duchesne. 'This makes my stomach muscles stronger.' Apparently, the less air in the lungs, the more forcible the muscular contraction.

[spezzy]

doing more ab exercises most definitely will not make your abs defined.

getting UNDER 10% bodyfat as a male will get you super defined abs.

abs are 98% diet.

If you overhauled your diet and you've given it time for the results to show, and you're not seeing results, then you need to overhaul your diet again.

also, little things like sleep could be affecting it. but really, it's mostly diet.

[ETFnerd]

people are different... i've seen people eating at taco bell every day and maintain a six pack... a lot is genetics...

[ETFnerd]

take this guy for example... this is takeru kobayashi... six time world hot dog eating champion and professional extreme competitive eater...

[azsf]

haha really? what is he, some sort of fitness supervillain?

[161803398874989]

people are different... i've seen people eating at taco bell every day and maintain a six pack... a lot is genetics...

Doesn't mean you can't get abs.

[Waldo]

people are different... i've seen people eating at taco bell every day and maintain a six pack... a lot is genetics...

...or not eating more than you burn.

[Guest Snake McClain]

Yeah, drop to 10-15% BF and if you have strong abs they will show. That or get really good at flexing for a long period of time, and flex whenever you have your shirt off

doing more ab exercises most definitely will not make your abs defined.

getting UNDER 10% bodyfat as a male will get you super defined abs.

abs are 98% diet.

If you overhauled your diet and you've given it time for the results to show, and you're not seeing results, then you need to overhaul your diet again.

also, little things like sleep could be affecting it. but really, it's mostly diet.

first off. to get those defined abs it is diet. No routine will make the abs appear. its body fat percentage. this is just a fact. i know it sucks. but it's true. second maybe consider this.

http://www.vicmagary.com/blog/uncategorized/truth-of-six-pack-abs/

if you're going for fitness perhaps a six pack is not in your best interest.

[Waldo]

first off. to get those defined abs it is diet. No routine will make the abs appear. its body fat percentage. this is just a fact. i know it sucks. but it's true. second maybe consider this.

http://www.vicmagary.com/blog/uncategorized/truth-of-six-pack-abs/

if you're going for fitness perhaps a six pack is not in your best interest.

That is an odd choice for athletes.

Do you think the photo and conclusion would be the same if they instead chose NFL defensive backs? Guys that need to be strong, fast, and agile.

(this is a rhetorical question, you would be hard pressed to find a DB that makes a pro roster that doesn't have a rockin 6 pack)

[Jcannon98188]

first off. to get those defined abs it is diet. No routine will make the abs appear. its body fat percentage. this is just a fact. i know it sucks. but it's true. second maybe consider this.

http://www.vicmagary.com/blog/uncategorized/truth-of-six-pack-abs/

if you're going for fitness perhaps a six pack is not in your best interest.

Yeah but according to that article they make panties melt. Worth it.

[spezzy]

people are different... i've seen people eating at taco bell every day and maintain a six pack... a lot is genetics...

yup, and of you look at a lot of meth addicts they also have 6 pack abs. (note: totally not recommending taking up meth. just saying )

it's having a body fat percentage low enough to have them.

some people can maintain a 6 pack while eating whatever they want.

[Jcannon98188]

yup, ... totally ... recommending taking up meth.

You heard it here first people.

[krj]

As far as the stubbon last bit of stomach fat that you are talking about, good quality sleep is also important. I know, I know--no one wants to hear it, but if your hormones aren't in a good balance (which they aren't if your sleep sucks) then dropping that last bit is going to be even more difficult than it already is.

[Brah]

My abs are pretty visible regardless of whether or not I'm tensing them, but they're always going to look more cut up when you flex. Building up your ab muscles actually WILL make them look better. The old saying goes "Abs are made in the kitchen" but I don't fully agree with that. Abs are made in the gym but you reveal them through diet. They are a muscle just like the other ones you workout. You can have "lean" arms, legs, and shoulders without working them out but they'll look much better if you do.

If your body fat is low enough they'll be visible regardless of how you store fat. And truthfully I think almost any guy can eat McDonald's or Taco Bell everyday and maintain a six pack if their macros are in check. I have been eating McDonald's every single day (I wouldn't advise this, you'd be better off with eggs, tuna, and chicken breast) and I'm getting leaner.

I have found stomach vacuums to be mildly effective at pulling in your midsection and making your abs look better while relaxed, give them a try. Body fat % is by far the most important factor though.

Edit: If diet and exercise doesn't work out for you, you can always just find some flattering down-lighting that casts shadows on your abs. Instant 3% body fat reduction, haha.

[ETFnerd]

brah, i think you said you were about 20, so i think you are at your peak in testosterone production and metabolism. as such you can get away with not having an optimal diet and get really lean working out. for women and older men like me it is more difficult. but enjoy today because it's probably the best it's ever going to be...

[Corbab]

first off. to get those defined abs it is diet. No routine will make the abs appear. its body fat percentage. this is just a fact. i know it sucks. but it's true. second maybe consider this.

http://www.vicmagary.com/blog/uncategorized/truth-of-six-pack-abs/

if you're going for fitness perhaps a six pack is not in your best interest.

I like this a lot. If you record every calorie out and and analyze the macronutrients in every breath you take, you can probably perform at a high level, train hard, and have abs. For most people (especially those more concerned about their performance), it's just not worth the effort. If you have to go hard every day, you probably don't want to be running a long-term calorie deficit.

Case in point: I was at the rowing Junior National Championships this year, and almost none of the heavyweight guys (or girls) had full-blown 6-packs. The lightweights did, due to a combination of genetics and severe dietary restriction for weight control. They all train 2+ hours daily, but there is a wide range of resulting bodies.

[Brah]

ETFnerd you're right I am 20. Testosterone is a bit overrated IMHO. It is entirely possible for an older person to have higher test levels than someone at their test producing peaks. You are correct that it is easier for me to maintain a low bodyfat % now than it will be at a much older age. The thing is, I can get away with and SHOULD eat more calories than someone with a slower metabolism. People with slower metabolisms can definitely get as lean (or leaner) than me they just have to be even more careful with their calories, as their maintenance levels will be lower.

And at Corbab I agree for a lot of people it just isn't worth the effort and being lean is of course not always ideal for athletic performance. It isn't entirely necessary to be in deficit for a long period of time though. Once you are lean you can stay lean by eating at a slight surplus and doing a small cut once your fat levels get higher than you want them.

[Waldo]

I like this a lot. If you record every calorie out and and analyze the macronutrients in every breath you take, you can probably perform at a high level, train hard, and have abs. For most people (especially those more concerned about their performance), it's just not worth the effort. If you have to go hard every day, you probably don't want to be running a long-term calorie deficit.

Case in point: I was at the rowing Junior National Championships this year, and almost none of the heavyweight guys (or girls) had full-blown 6-packs. The lightweights did, due to a combination of genetics and severe dietary restriction for weight control. They all train 2+ hours daily, but there is a wide range of resulting bodies.

Like I said though it really depends on what sort of performance you are talking about. There is not much in the way of speed or agility required to row well. Find an NFL DB that makes a roster that doesn't have a highly defined 6 pack. When speed and agility matter, BF% matters, A LOT.

And I do totally agree with Brah on his point.

[ETFnerd]

The thing is, I can get away with and SHOULD eat more calories than someone with a slower metabolism. People with slower metabolisms can definitely get as lean (or leaner) than me they just have to be even more careful with their calories, as their maintenance levels will be lower.

I think you said a mouthful here. I think the important point was missed and that's that younger people who are peaking have more efficient means of turning food into energy, but also have the ability to better repair their young bodies overnight for recovery which allows them to train harder, longer and achieve higher levels of performance and fitness in training. That's why you don't see any 42 year olds competing in the olympics, or the nfl... unless you're the place kicker... hahaha... also at 20 the male body is mature as growth plates settle and you are able to add onto a newly-constructed adult frame.

my point i guess is that when I was 20 i had my head in a book and never got to realize my athletic potential... i made my choice and i'm happy with it... looks like you have that opportunity and you're making the most of it so far... congrats and rock on bro...