Fastest way to get six pack?

dgallaher3447
dgallaher3447 Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've just hit the goal weight I'd set in my head and I've shed a large percentage of my body fat. I've been planking and doing crunches for about 7 weeks and not really seeing decent results yet. Any suggestions? I had knee surgery so needs to be fairly low impact on my knees

Replies

  • dgallaher3447
    dgallaher3447 Posts: 3 Member
    https://ibb.co/8Dwf0Tp
    Progress photo
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
    Crunches won't do it. They suck. Check out Athlean X for ab workouts.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,138 Member
    Abs are created in the kitchen, not the gym.

    That being said, having visible abs is tough for some people. It’s part genetics, part low body fat, part exercise. But mostly low body fat.

    Might need to try and drop more general body fat and do core exercises (not crunches), things like planks are great but there are lots of good YouTube videos available with good core workout programs.

    And have lots of patience!

    Good luck!
  • dgallaher3447
    dgallaher3447 Posts: 3 Member
    briscogun wrote: »
    Abs are created in the kitchen, not the gym.

    That being said, having visible abs is tough for some people. It’s part genetics, part low body fat, part exercise. But mostly low body fat.

    Might need to try and drop more general body fat and do core exercises (not crunches), things like planks are great but there are lots of good YouTube videos available with good core workout programs.

    And have lots of patience!

    Good luck!

    Thanks! I think my body fat is the lowest it's been since I was a teenager. I dropped loads of weight thanks to the keto diet a long with exercise just can't seem to get proper definition. I'll try YouTube 👍🏼
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Don't do crunches, they put a lot of stress on your spine.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited May 2020
    dgallaher3447 wrote: »
    briscogun wrote: »
    Abs are created in the kitchen, not the gym.

    That being said, having visible abs is tough for some people. It’s part genetics, part low body fat, part exercise. But mostly low body fat.

    Might need to try and drop more general body fat and do core exercises (not crunches), things like planks are great but there are lots of good YouTube videos available with good core workout programs.

    And have lots of patience!

    Good luck!

    Thanks! I think my body fat is the lowest it's been since I was a teenager. I dropped loads of weight thanks to the keto diet a long with exercise just can't seem to get proper definition. I'll try YouTube 👍🏼

    For a visible 6 pack, most guys need to be sub 10% BF...which is very lean. Some guys can have visible abs at higher BF% if they are highly muscular, but it's not usually a shredded 6 pack. At my leanest which is around 15% I have some visible definition in the right light and if I'm flexed, but it's nowhere near a shredded 6 pack. The leanest I've gotten is 12% and there is greater visible definition there, but still nowhere close to looking shredded.

    You're likely going to need to be at a very low BF%...sub 10%. Also crunches kinda suck...there are much better ways to work your abdominal muscles. It's good to work them, but you won't have a shredded 6 pack without being at a pretty low BF%. I haven't been sub 10% since my early to mid 20s.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited May 2020
    I've been as lowas 8% BF based on hydro testing andstill didn't have what I consider "ripped" abs

    Genetics is to "blame" in my case.

    My abs are visible and rare enough to be attractive in a near 70 yr old man to ladies of the same vintage.

    So, I thank the gods for those few "positive" physical attributes that have been blessed upon me.

    LOL! ;)
  • M93KG
    M93KG Posts: 41 Member
    Just a few miles to your friendly neighborhood convenience store
  • fitnessguy266
    fitnessguy266 Posts: 150 Member
    Definitely reiterating what Chief said, the bodyfat percentage to see a visible six-pack is highly individualized.....genetics, fat distribution, and LBM all play a role.....a definitive percentage to start seeing them is highly subjective, but as others mentioned roughly 10% and lower.
  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 905 Member
    dgallaher3447 wrote: »
    briscogun wrote: »
    Abs are created in the kitchen, not the gym.

    That being said, having visible abs is tough for some people. It’s part genetics, part low body fat, part exercise. But mostly low body fat.

    Might need to try and drop more general body fat and do core exercises (not crunches), things like planks are great but there are lots of good YouTube videos available with good core workout programs.

    And have lots of patience!

    Good luck!

    Thanks! I think my body fat is the lowest it's been since I was a teenager. I dropped loads of weight thanks to the keto diet a long with exercise just can't seem to get proper definition. I'll try YouTube 👍🏼


    I will Echo what everyone above is saying but add in regarding Keto, I find near impossible to have visible ‘popping ‘ abs.
    The flatness and lack of glycogen will just make you look stringy,
  • nogymhero
    nogymhero Posts: 24 Member
    Judging by the progress pics, you are pretty close but one thing you might struggle with now is loose skin. Keep working on reducing your body fat percentage and work on your hypertrophy but if you have loose skin in the area it might be very difficult to get them to pop.

    Congrats on your progress so far and keep up the hard work.

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