How do I get abs?

Anyone have some good food and exercise advice to get abs? I'm a pretty small person so I honestly just need to eat better and toned. Any help is appreciated :P

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Strength training. Don't worry about getting "too big", you need to do strength training.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited October 2015
    Hit the weight room with a solid program that has it's foundation in compound movements...make that your focus with some ab isolation work here and there...but the compound movements are going to give you the most bang for your time and effort.

    ETA: Beyond that, you have to be at a low BF% which is why you here things like "abs are made in the kitchen" given that your diet is going to have the greatest impact on your leanness or lack thereof.
  • denelifet
    denelifet Posts: 27 Member
    DIET!!!!

    abs are made in the kitchen...period.
  • _Bropollo_
    _Bropollo_ Posts: 168 Member
    Visible ab definition is the result of low enough bodyfat % + training your abs enough to have visible separation. You seem pretty thin already based on PP, what is your estimated bodyfat %? How did you measure it?
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    denelifet wrote: »
    DIET!!!!

    abs are made in the kitchen...period.

    If this were the case, I'd have abs from hell. Weights are key to changing your body composition.
  • tayloralanj
    tayloralanj Posts: 137 Member
    90% diet, 5% training, 5% genetics. That's bro science for you, but take in fewer calories than you expend to create a deficit = lose fat = someday see the abs.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    90% diet, 5% training, 5% genetics. That's bro science for you, but take in fewer calories than you expend to create a deficit = lose fat = someday see the abs.

    ^^^This.

    From looking at your profile, with little weight to lose you should investigate recomp. But ya, visible abs comes down to a lowered BF%.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    denelifet wrote: »
    DIET!!!!

    abs are made in the kitchen...period.

    If this were the case, I'd have abs from hell. Weights are key to changing your body composition.

    "abs are made in the kitchen" refers to the fact that to have visible abs you have to be very lean which is ultimately going to be largely about your diet. resistance training is the key to changing body composition and is necessary to build those muscles...but there's lots of people who lift who don't have visible abs because they're simply not lean enough.
  • natalieetzkin
    natalieetzkin Posts: 4 Member
    I need to ab workout ideas. I usually just do planks. Any ideas?
  • natalieetzkin
    natalieetzkin Posts: 4 Member
    New**
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    edited October 2015
    ever look at the back of a national geographic a bunch of naked ripped stomach people and no gym in 100's of miles.. Its diet, an active life style yes gynetics too..
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I need to ab workout ideas. I usually just do planks. Any ideas?

    You read the thread right?

    Lift heavy things and put them down again and drop BF through calorie control



    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I need to ab workout ideas. I usually just do planks. Any ideas?

    don't make core/ab workouts the foundation of what you're doing...make compound movements the foundation of what you're doing...they will build your abs. get an actual workout in and do a little isolation work at the end if you want...leg lifts are good, Bosu ball crunches are good (don't do regular floor crunches or situps), reverse crunch, ab roller.

    really, i do very little ab isolation work, just a little here and there...my compound lifts and Olympic lifts are largely responsible for my rock hard abs and solid core in general.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Buy a costume with abs exposed. LOL
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I have been doing isolation exercises for a few months because of tendonitis which prevents me from doing a full range of compound lifts

    They have not improved my visible abs at all as I am in maintenance ...what I have is there because of losing 50lb+ scale weight 10% BF and progressive compound lifts program
  • natalieetzkin
    natalieetzkin Posts: 4 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I need to ab workout ideas. I usually just do planks. Any ideas?

    You read the thread right?

    Lift heavy things and put them down again and drop BF through calorie control



    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    Yea I did. Just wanted some specific workout ideas if anyone has ideas.
  • eatgoodeat
    eatgoodeat Posts: 180 Member
    ever look at the back of a national geographic a bunch of naked ripped stomach people and no gym in 100's of miles.. Its diet, an active life style yes gynetics too..

    I like your analogy. To me, it describes our base bio mechanics. What is lifting/dragging 500 lbs of carcass, chopping trees and chasing game? Do it long enough and the body responds by structurally getting efficient at it.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I need to ab workout ideas. I usually just do planks. Any ideas?

    You read the thread right?

    Lift heavy things and put them down again and drop BF through calorie control



    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    Yea I did. Just wanted some specific workout ideas if anyone has ideas.

    In addition to a full body routine?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I need to ab workout ideas. I usually just do planks. Any ideas?

    You read the thread right?

    Lift heavy things and put them down again and drop BF through calorie control



    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    Yea I did. Just wanted some specific workout ideas if anyone has ideas.

    work with an established program...

    http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women

    start there...
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I need to ab workout ideas. I usually just do planks. Any ideas?

    You read the thread right?

    Lift heavy things and put them down again and drop BF through calorie control



    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    Yea I did. Just wanted some specific workout ideas if anyone has ideas.

    Read this: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/10/26/how-to-not-suck-at-working-out/

    Get a programme
    Books
    Strong Curves
    New Rules of Lifting for Women

    Structured online programmes
    http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
    https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
    http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/4-week-guide-starting-strength


    Why?
    wxy1lxqvbhdn.jpg

    See Staci
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    If you can't bring yourself to do free weights yet then do a decent bodyweight programme
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    But it all comes down to calorie intake for fat loss so don't forget your calorie counting
  • dwick1017
    dwick1017 Posts: 21 Member
    One more thing most people don't take into account is that females (unfortunately) have higher BF% than males because of the ability to have children they need the extra fat. Very few women have the genetics to show their abs. Sure, competitors have abs showing but they also have many health issues associated. Don't be discouraged just focus on staying healthy.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    When many females talk about abs we don't always mean low enough BF for a 6 pack (although there are some rocking lean women out there)

    For me personally my desired body aesthetic is strong but soft ..so I like a shadow of abs in my torso which I have around 23-24% BF
  • joshuajdouce
    joshuajdouce Posts: 70 Member
    Compound lifts and steadily chip away at that bodyfat %. Thats what i am doing at the moment and its going good :)
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    dwick1017 wrote: »
    One more thing most people don't take into account is that females (unfortunately) have higher BF% than males because of the ability to have children they need the extra fat. Very few women have the genetics to show their abs. Sure, competitors have abs showing but they also have many health issues associated. Don't be discouraged just focus on staying healthy.

    Women will show visible abs at a significantly higher bodyfat percentage than men, though (speaking in general terms). A woman at 20% is pretty lean, while a man at 20% generally still looks soft. Compare the photos here for at least a general idea (taking into consideration that genetics plays a significant role in how those leaner people look).
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    dwick1017 wrote: »
    One more thing most people don't take into account is that females (unfortunately) have higher BF% than males because of the ability to have children they need the extra fat. Very few women have the genetics to show their abs. Sure, competitors have abs showing but they also have many health issues associated. Don't be discouraged just focus on staying healthy.

    My abs show at 21%. That's not unhealthy and I don't have health issues because my weight isn't that low. The secret to that is fueling my body appropriately (not starving myself) and working hard to build muscle. I managed abs after having two kids. Female body fat might be numerically higher, but we are still very capable of getting visible abs.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    dwick1017 wrote: »
    One more thing most people don't take into account is that females (unfortunately) have higher BF% than males because of the ability to have children they need the extra fat. Very few women have the genetics to show their abs. Sure, competitors have abs showing but they also have many health issues associated. Don't be discouraged just focus on staying healthy.

    My abs show at 21%. That's not unhealthy and I don't have health issues because my weight isn't that low. The secret to that is fueling my body appropriately (not starving myself) and working hard to build muscle. I managed abs after having two kids. Female body fat might be numerically higher, but we are still very capable of getting visible abs.

    Same here. I don't think it's accurate to say that women who have visible abs "have many health issues associated". That's not true for me.
  • VanillaGorillaUK
    VanillaGorillaUK Posts: 342 Member
    Deadlifts
  • VanillaGorillaUK
    VanillaGorillaUK Posts: 342 Member
    and front squats.