Women with abs
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Okohme
Posts: 152 Member
I have a question for women with visible abs, about what point BF% wise did you start to see definition. Visible abs is one of my goals and I am sort of curious what to aim for. Right now I am doing strength training, running and eating deficit, i seem to be getting leaner but wonder if I will ever actually have lean abs.
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And I'm currently at 17%, and don't have visible abs. Genetics play a big part.2
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Well, guess I've got a ways to go. What sort of a change do you see? When I got my BodPod scan the lady said about 1% change in a month which seemed a little bit slow to me, but then im still relatively new to this.0
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Gimsteinn1 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »And I'm currently at 17%, and don't have visible abs. Genetics play a big part.
Oh may I ask a question? I read somewhere you did body building.. How common is it for female body builders to have 6 pack abs or more?
Powerlifter, not body builder. Can't help you.
@usmcmp is a body builder. You could ask her.0 -
Well, guess I've got a ways to go. What sort of a change do you see? When I got my BodPod scan the lady said about 1% change in a month which seemed a little bit slow to me, but then im still relatively new to this.
I lost .5% in a month and was super excited about it, but I don't know what's considered fast/slow. I was just excited it was moving the correct direction.0 -
I've lost weight, but been running, mountain biking, doing some exercise DVDs (old Jillian Michaels ones) and starting to get back into lifting.
Interestingly, I had similar (a little more) definition when about the same weight, doing crossfire and lifting heavy 3+ x per week.
I think the weight loss /drop in body fat has been the consistent factor.
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Gimsteinn1 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »And I'm currently at 17%, and don't have visible abs. Genetics play a big part.
Oh may I ask a question? I read somewhere you did body building.. How common is it for female body builders to have 6 pack abs or more?
@Gimsteinn1 It varies widely how female competitor abs look and it's purely genetics. Women who are lean without actual abdominal separation aren't marked down for that. I've seen several female bodybuilders and women's physique competitors win shows with little to no abdominal separation.2 -
Gimsteinn1 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »And I'm currently at 17%, and don't have visible abs. Genetics play a big part.
Oh may I ask a question? I read somewhere you did body building.. How common is it for female body builders to have 6 pack abs or more?
Everyone has abs.... But how visible/defined they are depends on leanness, and the size of the muscle....
My first shows I had "flat abs" that were barely visible. Later shows, after spending time doing some powerlifting style training, they were a lot more defined...
I wouldn't actually aim to have them as a general rule... I don't think maintaining the level of leanness to have (what I consider) visible abs is necessarily healthy for women...1 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Gimsteinn1 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »And I'm currently at 17%, and don't have visible abs. Genetics play a big part.
Oh may I ask a question? I read somewhere you did body building.. How common is it for female body builders to have 6 pack abs or more?
Everyone has abs.... But how visible/defined they are depends on leanness, and the size of the muscle....
My first shows I had "flat abs" that were barely visible. Later shows, after spending time doing some powerlifting style training, they were a lot more defined...
I wouldn't actually aim to have them as a general rule... I don't think maintaining the level of leanness to have (what I consider) visible abs is necessarily healthy for women...
The level of leanness to have visible abs can vary widely based on abdominal muscle volume. Mine show at 22%.1 -
For me around 15-17%, but still not a six pack.0
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I've had some definition to my abs throughout most of my adult life. I've mostly been around 20-24% body fat. But, I had a job that was pretty physically active for 20+ yrs and used a lot of core strength. So although it wasn't intentional, I was building muscle. I gained weight, up to about 30% body fat and couldn't see my abs anymore.
I'm at around 20%ish now and have a 4-pack. I've never really had a 6-pack, even at lower BF%.0 -
It depends on your body shape. 2 women can be at the same weight/height/bodyfat% and one may have abs and the other will not. The women who have an easier time getting to abs are the pear-shaped ones. Some can have pretty sizeable hips/butts/thighs but will have abs.
If you're apple shaped, like me, and have very little lower body fat (slim thighs/hips, no butt) and store most of the remaining fat in upperbody/arms/belly, it will take a while to get to abs (eg. I'm 5'4" and got down to 114 lbs with no abs). You'd probably have to get super lean to get them, and be at a much lower body fat than another woman with abs at a higher body fat.1 -
A lot of it is genetics...I know quite a few ladies who are sub 20% who have flat stomachs, but little to no ab separation even though they work very hard in the gym.0
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I don't know my exact BF% but you can see definition when I am around 18-20%. I have never had abs despite being very lean (due to lack of muscle base) and not sure I ever will.0
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I am fortunate that because I was so heavy when I started lifting heavy my abs are huge so I have them at about 23 even 25% bf.1
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sorry about the before pics, couldn't crop before posting0
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