What makes abs look different?

LaurenAOK

I've noticed that for super fit women, the look of their abs can vary quite a bit. For example, here are a few women whom I would consider to have abs:





I realize they might all be at different percentages of body fat, but I feel like there isn't the only difference. It seems like some women tend to get mainly a line down the center of their stomach, while others develop a full-on 8 pack. Some women get huge obliques and others dont. I'm just curious, is this from a doing different kinds of exercise or is it more of a genetic thing? I want visible abs one day but I can't decide what I want mine to look like. I'd be happy with anything, really!

Mokey41

The one in the middle has low BF and does a lot of lifting. The other 2 are on the low end of BF but haven't put in a lot of hours in the gym. The average woman even with low BF doesn't have a visible 6 pack.

cnash1303

This is a touchy subject but if you want MY OPINION....

girl one does more weight loss exercise and probably has alway been on a caloric deficit

girls two and three have probably done a few strengthening exercises such as crunches and sit-ups AND (very important and) had a caloric surplus, much being proteins, allowing them to build more muscle. Notice girl 3 especially has good upper abs but not much lower, she probably did more crunches and sit-up type exercises where girl two did more full core exercises including weighted squats and leg raises.

and as far as genetics go... some women have different levels of estrogen and testosterone which can effect the amount of muscle you put on.

iWaffle

The lady in the first photo has the highest % of body fat. Notice her arms aren't as vascular as the other two. The lady in the middle has done the most weight lifting. She probably trains like a beast. The obliques are partly genetic but she also does a lot of stuff with weights that involves her core.

ApexLeader

all of a sudden i want some waffles

elsinora

wish I was 1.

Firefox7275

I've noticed that for super fit women, the look of their abs can vary quite a bit. For example, here are a few women whom I would consider to have abs:

I realize they might all be at different percentages of body fat, but I feel like there isn't the only difference. It seems like some women tend to get mainly a line down the center of their stomach, while others develop a full-on 8 pack. Some women get huge obliques and others dont. I'm just curious, is this from a doing different kinds of exercise or is it more of a genetic thing? I want visible abs one day but I can't decide what I want mine to look like. I'd be happy with anything, really!

Mainly body fat percentage but also the level of development of the muscles you can see, the six/ eight pack is the rectus abdominis. Same as how some people have larger and more defined any other muscle on the body based on how they train and what they eat. You generally do a lot of crunches, often including weighted ones like cable curls, to get development (build) and definition on the visible muscles, work the deeper core muscles more to just get a flat stomach. It's not really healthy for a regular female to have a bodyfat low enough for a six or eight pack, only do that if you are willing to have your hormone levels tested regularly.

Crayvn

some never get 6 packs no matter what..its somewhat genetic..dont know how much it factors in..but it does for some.

meshashesha2012

in addition to what other people have pointed out about body fat percentage, you also have to keep on mind torso length

pic #1 has a long torso
pic #2 and 3 are short waisted

6 packs are easier to see with a short torso. in addition 6 packs on short torsos tend to make the waist look thicker than on a longer torso.

so when choosing photos as inspiration, definitely make sure you are choosing people with body shapes similar to your own in as many ways as possible

mrau719

different body fat %, different body COMPOSITION! #1 doesn't have near the muscle mass as the others. They could have the same % bf, but still look differently if they're body composition is dramatically different.

Nauti_Buoy

My abs look different because they have a layer of fat over them but I'm currently working on it!

zimfour

Is it the same with the guys?

goody2shews

I have a friend that competed for years. He tells me that for visable abs some people have to eat a certain diet for their skin to become more thin and less thick. Don't ask me what that diet is. It made sense to me though. I'm nowhere close to seeing abs so other than that...I got nothing.

fittiephd

I was gonna say, the length of your torso definitely plays into it. I have to say, like with me, I don't have a super low body fat percentage but my middle line in my abs is not really visible, but you can see my obliques a lot more... and I have a pretty long torso (I'm 5'8"). And I do lifting and ab work and no cardio and I'm eating at maintenance. Sooooo basically what I'm saying is I think some is genetic.

jennaworksout

The one in the middle has low BF and does a lot of lifting. The other 2 are on the low end of BF but haven't put in a lot of hours in the gym. The average woman even with low BF doesn't have a visible 6 pack.
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this ^ genetics plays a lot too

jayche

Bodyfat + Genetics

Dave198lbs

I have a friend that competed for years. He tells me that for visable abs some people have to eat a certain diet for their skin to become more thin and less thick. Don't ask me what that diet is. It made sense to me though. I'm nowhere close to seeing abs so other than that...I got nothing.

I dont think any specific foods make a ab difference except to really lean out for photo shoots, models and body builders will cut back carbs to almost nothing for a week or 2 before the shoot

that with low body fat makes the muscles "pop" and they look like that for a few days

it isnt healthy and not for long term

plus good lighting and oil helps

Ely82010

The lady in picture # 2 is Dana Torres the Olympic swimmer. I don't know how old she was in that picture but probably much younger because her hair is very short and now is medium length. She is now in the mid 40s and still showing killer abs, she swims a lot and does a heavy work out at the gym and has a very special routine. She was interviewed in CNN when she was trying to qualify for the last summer Olympics, and she described her routine and showed her abs. Sadly she didn’t make it; she lost her last chance for a place with the female Olympic team by 0.4 of a second. What about that?

But I also noticed that the last two pictures show ladies with very little difference (in inches) between their waist and their hips. Not a pear or hour glass shape for sure. So in my opinion, besides heavy training, genetics has a lot to do with their physic.

sarah3333

The quickest way to abs for me was pullups.

CoderGal

CoderGal theory:

Slim girl was slim, perhaps got to show her muscles with diet or lots of cardio. She doesn't look like she 'built up to her abs with weight lifting'. I doubt she lifts heavy. Lots of cardio?

second girl lifts heavy, may have been larger or did lots of bulk or cuts for that amount of muscle definition? Also, hormon levels?

next girl eats more then first girl and works out with more strength.

SARgirl

So is diet vastly important then to see abs? I would love to have the look of 1 or 3 but don't know that I'm ready to give up all the yummy food I eat! I do cardio about 4 days a week, have started lifting (NROLFW) 2-3 days a week and try to do yoga 1 a week.

shorty35565

The lady in picture # 2 is Dana Torres the Olympic swimmer. I don't know how old she was in that picture but probably much younger because her hair is very short and now is medium length. She is now in the mid 40s and still showing killer abs, she swims a lot and does a heavy work out at the gym and has a very special routine. She was interviewed in CNN when she was trying to qualify for the last summer Olympics, and she described her routine and showed her abs. Sadly she didn’t make it; she lost her last chance for a place with the female Olympic team by 0.4 of a second. What about that?

But I also noticed that the last two pictures show ladies with very little difference (in inches) between their waist and their hips. Not a pear or hour glass shape for sure. So in my opinion, besides heavy training, genetics has a lot to do with their physic.

So its harder for ppl with hourglass figures to get 6 packs? I'm an hourglass with a longer torso, so all this makes me nervous tht I might not ever get abs

geekyjock76

Dana Torres is 5'11, btw.

Ely82010

The lady in picture # 2 is Dana Torres the Olympic swimmer. I don't know how old she was in that picture but probably much younger because her hair is very short and now is medium length. She is now in the mid 40s and still showing killer abs, she swims a lot and does a heavy work out at the gym and has a very special routine. She was interviewed in CNN when she was trying to qualify for the last summer Olympics, and she described her routine and showed her abs. Sadly she didn’t make it; she lost her last chance for a place with the female Olympic team by 0.4 of a second. What about that?

But I also noticed that the last two pictures show ladies with very little difference (in inches) between their waist and their hips. Not a pear or hour glass shape for sure. So in my opinion, besides heavy training, genetics has a lot to do with their physic.

So its harder for ppl with hourglass figures to get 6 packs? I'm an hourglass with a longer torso, so all this makes me nervous tht I might not ever get abs

I don't want to discourage anybody. I consider myself a mix fruit: 1/2 pear and 1/2 apple. I have hips and boobs, small at the shoulders and at the waist, short trunk, and not so small hips and thighs. And I am barely 5 feet.

Even when I was younger, which I am not anymore: sad:, and I had a nicer stomach without the scars of a blotched hysterectomy incision, I never had ultra developed abs, and not even a 2 packs, just a flat one like the lady in the first picture.

I have seen many photos of ladies with great abs, but as long as I remember, they didn't have a curvy figure with a small waist and wider hips like me. I would love to see a picture that proves me wrong.

AnvilHead

Our genetics dictate our ultimate potential, but there's one thing that applies to everybody: With hard work and dedication, you're capable of looking the best YOU can possibly be. Don't compare yourself to others - compare yourself to YOU and take pride in every little improvement.

In those pics, part of it is a difference in bodyfat; part of it is most likely a difference in the workout routines they've done to get where they are - and probably the biggest part is genetics.

geekyjock76

I have seen many photos of ladies with great abs, but as long as I remember, they didn't have a curvy figure with a small waist and wider hips like me. I would love to see a picture that proves me wrong.

Jaime Koeppe got relatively lean in some shoots and is 35-24-40.

shorty35565

The lady in picture # 2 is Dana Torres the Olympic swimmer. I don't know how old she was in that picture but probably much younger because her hair is very short and now is medium length. She is now in the mid 40s and still showing killer abs, she swims a lot and does a heavy work out at the gym and has a very special routine. She was interviewed in CNN when she was trying to qualify for the last summer Olympics, and she described her routine and showed her abs. Sadly she didn’t make it; she lost her last chance for a place with the female Olympic team by 0.4 of a second. What about that?

But I also noticed that the last two pictures show ladies with very little difference (in inches) between their waist and their hips. Not a pear or hour glass shape for sure. So in my opinion, besides heavy training, genetics has a lot to do with their physic.

So its harder for ppl with hourglass figures to get 6 packs? I'm an hourglass with a longer torso, so all this makes me nervous tht I might not ever get abs

I don't want to discourage anybody. I consider myself a mix fruit: 1/2 pear and 1/2 apple. I have hips and boobs, small at the shoulders and at the waist, short trunk, and not so small hips and thighs. And I am barely 5 feet.

Even when I was younger, which I am not anymore: sad:, and I had a nicer stomach without the scars of a blotched hysterectomy incision, I never had ultra developed abs, and not even a 2 packs, just a flat one like the lady in the first picture.

I have seen many photos of ladies with great abs, but as long as I remember, they didn't have a curvy figure with a small waist and wider hips like me. I would love to see a picture that proves me wrong.

I've honestly never seen an hourglass women with abs either. I was wondering why. Now I guess I know. Well the 1st woman still has a lovely stomach. I will just try as hard as I can & whatever I end up with when I'm 17% BF is what I'll have to take.

BonaFideUK

Pretty simple. The first one has low Body fat but doesnt put in hours at the gym. The other two have low body fat but also work out, thats why their abs are so defined. You need roughly 10% or less BF to see abs. No matter how much effort you put into your abs its all a waste of time if you have higher than 10% BF because you almost certainly wont see them.

Rtossas

Bodyfat + Genetics

I couldn't agree more with this statement, but there's ways to worked a different type of core appearance. It's simple girl one does mostly body movement ab type exercises therefore having a more toner core appearance, where as girl 2 does more weighted core strengthening exercises therefore having a more muscular appearance.

abrahamsitososa

The second one looks freaking nasty on a female. She's either on steroids or a ton of bodybuilding supplements. The first woman looks a lot healthier.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

The one in the middle has low BF and does a lot of lifting. The other 2 are on the low end of BF but haven't put in a lot of hours in the gym. The average woman even with low BF doesn't have a visible 6 pack.

Ditto!