Will ab exercises help with burning ab fat?

ItsBrandiii28
ItsBrandiii28 Posts: 17
in Fitness and Exercise
I do cardio everyday for an hour and I also do strength training on my lower and upper body, but I don't focus on my abs much because I know you can't spot treat and I know you have to burn the fat first before you see the muscle, BUT if I do more strength training exercises on my abs, will that help burn more fat in my midsection vs me doing little to no ab exercises?

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,993 Member
    I do cardio everyday for an hour and I also do strength training on my lower and upper body, but I don't focus on my abs much because I know you can't spot treat and I know you have to burn the fat first before you see the muscle, BUT if I do more strength training exercises on my abs, will that help burn more fat in my midsection vs me doing little to no ab exercises?
    Burn more calories, but you can't directly reduce body fat from exercising a body part.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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  • purplegoboom
    purplegoboom Posts: 400 Member
    You can't target the fat in a specific area of your body, sorry. Just keep doing what you're doing and you'll soon see your abs. :drinker:
  • BigRich822
    BigRich822 Posts: 681
    No you can not burn the fat directly off your abs but you can increase the size of your abs they work just like any other muscle. So go on and work them!
  • jawheb
    jawheb Posts: 295 Member
    The only thing that worked for me is eating the right foods.
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    There might be some bit of extra burned fat closest to the muscle that's being used but I think the results are non-measurable. You can't trick your body that easily. Your body has a favorite place to store fat. If it's favorite shelf is low and it has fat elsewhere or gets a new supply of calories where do you think that new or reallocated fat surplus is going to go to? Yep! Right back in the same spot.

    Picture yourself bailing water out of the front of a bath tub and putting it into the back of the tub. That's what's happening. The only way to reduce it in the front is to lower the total amount of water in the tub.
  • NoxDineen
    NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
    The only thing that worked for me is eating the right foods.
    Pretty much this. Burn calories and eat well should do the trick.
  • Mighty_Rabite
    Mighty_Rabite Posts: 581 Member
    I've always heard the saying that six pack abs are made in the kitchen - don't shy from working them though!
  • jenronan1
    jenronan1 Posts: 44 Member
    You cannot spot train - you will just build great muscle under the fat. Your diet needs to be clean and your abs will shine through.
  • wolfpack77
    wolfpack77 Posts: 655
    Yep, you've got abs already. Just gotta lean out to show them off.

    That being said, you dont have to do abs exercises at all to define them or make them grow. You hit your abs every time you do squats, deadlifts, lunges, pushups, pullups or other compound exercises. I never work my abs directly. I prefer to use the time to get in a few more reps on another body part that actually needs work.

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