Question for the people with perfect abs...

JaydeSkye

How the heck did you get them?

I've been doing intense cardio/sculpting and crunches like a maniac and they're just not close to how I want them. I'm a girl and I want a feminine body - think swimsuit model. That's my goal. I don't want to have the chisseled guy abs but if any of you guys have any helpful advice - I WILL listen, this isn't limited to the girls. All advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks !!

AdorablePanda

bump :-) I wanna know too

snobuni08

I wish I had the answer to that question. If you figure it out please let me know. GOOD LUCK!

AZTrailRunner

DIET, DIET, DIET!!! Your abs are there already, you just need to peel back a little fat to see them. :-D

blondebaby9890

Bump

CaWaterBug8

Bump - I so want to know! Haha I know you can't just focus on one spot since fat is all 1 membrane and you have to do cardio and such. But this is soo drivin' me insane in the membrane.

Shweedog

First thing to do is make sure there is no baby fat covering your tummy. You can do crunches til you're blue in the face but your abs are not gonna show if there's a layer of fat there. So, if there is, increase your cardio to burn it off. I do about 200 crunches a night and 100 leg lifts while laying on my back (both legs lifted about 6 inches off floor then back down without actually touching floor). I also do 50-100 sit ups on an exercise ball. The need to balance strengthens the whole core. I have a well defined tummy with a noticeable 4 pack and defined obliques. Good luck!

barbiex3

for how long?
it takes an EXTREME amount of time to get down to a body fat % where you can really see the abs. For women its usually around 16& and under. It's not easy, and everyone carries weight different. My questions are: what does you diet look like? How long have you been at this? How long have you been an "athlete"? What is your body fat %? What are your current body measurements?

CaptainAmerica1970

bump

snmonson

bump

tommanning2011

My son who does have perfect abs says you just need the right diet and to not do too many exercises that are overly ab intensive. Instead do the ones that use the abs as complementary muscles for things like balance. That is because your abs are actually small muscles and you will tend to overwork them if you concentrate too much on them.

dragonflydi

How the heck did you get them?

I've been doing intense cardio/sculpting and crunches like a maniac and they're just not close to how I want them. I'm a girl and I want a feminine body - think swimsuit model. That's my goal. I don't want to have the chisseled guy abs but if any of you guys have any helpful advice - I WILL listen, this isn't limited to the girls. All advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks !!

Check out MFP user damonmath. He has great abs and seems to have this down to a science. I bet he would answer any questions you might have.

Franticantics

Work your inner core as well as standard ab exercises, because i'm guessing you want it flat rather than bulging?

Lie on the floor arms by your side with your legs bent and feet on the floor, really engage your pelvic floor (like you're trying to stop yourself from weeing) and notice how your stomach flattens and hardens, now lift 1 leg just off the floor without your stomach changing, DO NOT let it dome! Then build up to taking both legs off at the same time, the closer they are to the floor the harder it is. Just make sure you concentrate on keeping your stomach flat.

Mountain climbers are good, as well as all plank variations, and your standard sit ups/crunches

dcgonz

You have to add strenght training to your cardio. I'm sure you have heard that muscle burns fat. Well, you can't "spot burn" fat in one certain area of your body. So, do a strength workout every other day. Work on your larger muscle groups first then the smaller groups. Cardio and crunches alone won't do it.

Diana

freerange

DIET, DIET, DIET!!! Your abs are there already, you just need to peel back a little fat to see them. :-D

What he said, it's all about diet, you have to lean out to see your abs. Check out sights like bodybuilding.com for ideas of how to get your body fat % down.

Egger29

Spot toning is a myth. All the crunches, ab machines, gimmicks and whatnot will not give you 6-pack abs.

Proper (nutritional) diet, rest and regular total body activity are the keys to lowering your body fat %age.

That being said...Swimsuit and UNderwear models are well under what is considered "Normal" body fat ranges...and generally are only in that range for a specific photo shoot....not every day.

Bany26

Bump, I want them too.

BeastieJane

My abs aren't perfect, but I've gotten a few compliments on them. So I'm pretty sure you know spot reduction doesn't work,, it'll just build muscle (which is what I think you're trying to do), but when you lose weight they muscle will show more. if you carry your weight mostly on your stomach it'll be harder for them to be noticeable, so be aware of how your body's built.

I run a lot, and I also swim, and a good core is necessary and is used a lot, so maybe try and add some cardio like these, and maybe that'll help.

For your actual core routine, I would suggest that you vary it and make sure you're getting all parts to build up muscle everywhere, and make sure you do things correctly with precision. Slower makes everything more painful. I wouldn't just to crunches, because they get boring (so go look up some different things for variety?). If I don't know what to do in between exercises for my core workout I'll do plank, and will also do it when I'm just sitting around doing nothing-like watching t.v.

so hope that helped? I think you're on the right track and they'll start showing up soon though

Kolohe71

Best way to think about his is to use your bed as an metaphore. The mattress is your abdominal muscles. The sheets and blankets are the layer of fat and skin covering it all. It won't matter how firm your mattress is if it's covered with a quilt...

barbiex3

Spot toning is a myth. All the crunches, ab machines, gimmicks and whatnot will not give you 6-pack abs.

Proper (nutritional) diet, rest and regular total body activity are the keys to lowering your body fat %age.

That being said...Swimsuit and UNderwear models are well under what is considered "Normal" body fat ranges...and generally are only in that range for a specific photo shoot....not every day.

completely agree ! =] !!

bgelliott

70% Diet
30% Gym

ABS are made in the kitchen.

I only work Abs once a week!!!!

LorinaLynn

Photoshop, a makeup artist, perfect lighting and a great photographer.

I'm not saying there aren't people out there with fantastic abs. Some of my friends have great abs. I'm just saying don't compare yourself to a fitness model.

I have a short torso and wide hips. I'm never going to look like a model. But I'm going to be the best damn Lorina I can be!

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I don't have bgelliott's abs, but I do think that mine are pretty fine. I agree, it's all about that body fat %. I should be at 14% right now (need to get remeasured). I know that if I laid off the wine and ice cream they'd look even better. I don't do anything spectacular, probably spend 25 minutes total a week focusing on them during group classes and that's it. It's mostly diet and a little mix and match (I don't do the same workout each time) and making sure that they're braced during workouts.

samb

Photoshop, a makeup artist, perfect lighting and a great photographer.

I'm not saying there aren't people out there with fantastic abs. Some of my friends have great abs. I'm just saying don't compare yourself to a fitness model.

I have a short torso and wide hips. I'm never going to look like a model. But I'm going to be the best damn Lorina I can be!

Love this! I have the same build But I do have a very strong stomach, but I doubt it'll ever end up being a "6 pack" or anything remotely like that lol

Shweedog

Spot toning is a myth. All the crunches, ab machines, gimmicks and whatnot will not give you 6-pack abs.

Proper (nutritional) diet, rest and regular total body activity are the keys to lowering your body fat %age.

That being said...Swimsuit and UNderwear models are well under what is considered "Normal" body fat ranges...and generally are only in that range for a specific photo shoot....not every day.

Spot toning is not a myth. Spot reduction is. Cardio leads to weight loss so expecting weight to come off in one spot versus another is not too likely. Toning is how you build muscle. It happens everyday at the gym with weight lifting, ab exercises, push ups, etc.

DianaPowerUp

I only do abs once/wk for about 25 min. That's it. Abs are created in the kitchen. It's all about what you eat, and how much of it.

bgelliott

Anyone can look like a fitness model, it just takes a lot of work and very clean eating. Just for the record...while i know lots of people photoshop their abs, I'd like everyone to know that my Ab pic has not been touched up in any way. I never in a million years thought I'd have visible abs. I was determined and stayed focused and one day they were there.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I think it makes a difference where you carry your weight too. I have always carried my weight in my *kitten* and thighs, not my belly.

dragonflydi

Anyone can look like a fitness model, it just takes a lot of work and very clean eating. Just for the record...while i know lots of people photoshop their abs, I'd like everyone to know that my Ab pic has not been touched up in any way. I never in a million years thought I'd have visible abs. I was determined and stayed focused and one day they were there.

YOU ROCK! Those abs of yours are insane ... something I can only be envious of

rachmaree

my abs are far from perfect, but I have seen a big improvement since cleaning up my diet and increasing weight training and cardio. As others have said, all the crunces in the world won't help if there is a layer of fat covering your abs. You really want to make sure you are paying attention to diet, weight train (heavy) and do cardio. I do my abs probably 3-4 times a week, mostly hanging knee raises, lying leg raises, and the seated ab crunch machine. I do normal crunches and side crunces sometimes, depends how I feel.
Good luck

JaydeSkye

WOW look at all those beautiful abs

Thank you everyone, you're all awesome. I didn't expect that many replies! Love it.

I've had a "flat" stomach in the past, but I was looking for a little more definition this time around. The line that comes down the middle between your ribs and the lines that cut down the sides. Nothing too crazy I'm not looking for a 6pack... it looks nice on some girls, but I don't think it'd look right on me. I'm very tall (5'10"), I have huge feet (size11) ... but I'm very girly. Honestly, I'm afraid to have lots of muscel.. I don't want to be bigger than the guys walking around.

So I think that after everything you've all said, I will pay very close attention to my diet first and foremost - then focus on my cardio. I'll still do ab exercises but keep the cardio/abs to an 80/20 ratio.

I'm excited to do this. Thank you everyone. Hopefully in a few months I have some really sexy abs to show off