Difference between visible abs on women and flat belly?

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snargaluff
snargaluff Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi I'm still fairly new to the fitness world and working out/dieting, and I just had a question about abs on women. Sometimes I see certain pictures of fit women and comments such as "I want her abs!" (See the first pic)
e5184wje4jtq.jpg
...except I don't understand what I am looking at, exactly. What are female abs supposed to look like, is it the slightly faded line that goes down the middle of her torso? The rest looks like a flat belly to me.

But if someone, showed me the second pic and said "I want her abs" I could understand a bit more, since they are clearly defined..
d7e3cds9olni.jpg

Obviously maybe the second pic works out a bit more and has a lower BF % but does the first pic also have nice abs or just a flat belly?? Is she in the process of getting in the shape of the woman in second pic? I feel like many females today generally aim for first pic girl, but I'm not sure why and how to get there.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Replies

  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
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    Second pic is abs. First pic is flat stomach. Girl in the second pic likely has a lower BF%.
  • Noelv1976
    Noelv1976 Posts: 18,948 Member
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    Girl in second pic may or may not have less BF, but certainly concentrates more on her core, and may do other exercises that the core supports. I'm no woman, just my nonprofessional observation. either way, both are attainable and just preference.
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
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    It's funny - I view those pictures as the standard "cardio" vs. "lifting" debate. The girl in the first picture is probably a runner - or at least we're supposed to be. Is it an ad for running shoes? The girl in the second picture is definitely more of a strength trainer.

    Probably.

    Let's keep in mind that their posture is different - if girl #1 were to push her chest and stomach forward the way girl #2 did - you'd probably see more of her muscle definition as well.

  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Noelv1976 wrote: »
    Girl in second pic may or may not have less BF, but certainly concentrates more on her core, and may do other exercises that the core supports. I'm no woman, just my nonprofessional observation. either way, both are attainable and just preference.

    Not really. Visible abs has everything to do with lower body fat. You can strengthen your core all day long, but if there's too much fat covering it, you won't be able to see that definition.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    edited April 2016
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    The top picture is very low muscle and relatively low fat. The bottom picture has some muscle and low body fat. To get like the first picture requires good genetics.


    Here is an example of two women with similar body fat, but one has muscle and the other does not.
    15-percent-body-fat-female1.jpg
  • Abby2205
    Abby2205 Posts: 253 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    The top picture is very low muscle and relatively low fat. The bottom picture has some muscle and low body fat. To get like the first picture requires good genetics.

    I've never researched it but you confirm what I suspected, it's genetics. I have a flat stomach like the first picture, with the contour down either side, and I assume I'm relatively low in body fat (5'7", 124 lbs) but low in muscle. People ask me if I work out, and nope, plus I had two children and I'm old so this is just the way I'm built. That, or 20 years of sucking it in.

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Abby2205 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    The top picture is very low muscle and relatively low fat. The bottom picture has some muscle and low body fat. To get like the first picture requires good genetics.

    I've never researched it but you confirm what I suspected, it's genetics. I have a flat stomach like the first picture, with the contour down either side, and I assume I'm relatively low in body fat (5'7", 124 lbs) but low in muscle. People ask me if I work out, and nope, plus I had two children and I'm old so this is just the way I'm built. That, or 20 years of sucking it in.

    Lol.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    https://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/
  • christinecoffeebean
    christinecoffeebean Posts: 30 Member
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    Also keep in mind flexing vs not flexing

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