Abbs but pot belly?

KerrymBurgess

Hi, I have good definition & have a muscular/athletic build, (female 5'7" 58 KG) but I have a pot belly which is solid definitely not fat! I'm assuming I have perhaps over worked the wrong muscles. I mainly use the Kettle Bells, planking, rowing, and pushups but I don't do situps or anything similar as I've heard they are not good for your abbs. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

mutantspicy

sounds like you need to work on the transverse abdominus. Essentially this mean pulling your navel to your spine, when you do planks, pushups. and even kettlebell swings you need to make sure your belly doesn't just flop around. You need to keep it sucked in. Also there's nothing wrong with sit ups and its great way to build ab muscles, the key is proper form. Hollow body holds, leg lifts, knee raises, while sucking navel in toward your spine with the small of the back always making contact with the ground is what you need to do.

MishMashMisha

You have visible abs and a pot belly?? Maybe it's a posture issue. Do you have a picture?

HoneyBadger302

MishMashMisha wrote: »

You have visible abs and a pot belly?? Maybe it's a posture issue. Do you have a picture?

I was going to suggest this, or perhaps even a spine curve issue - I know my lower back curve is more acute than "normal" which pushes my belly out more than it would on most people. Annoying, but nothing to do about it, it's genetic in my family. Doesn't cause problems, but always makes me look like I have more of a belly than I do.

Consciously standing/sitting up straight and "flexing" my abs helps, and the more you do it, the more natural it will become.