Abs?

2

Replies

  • letjog
    letjog Posts: 260 Member
    I go through cycles of wanting a well defined set of abs and then thinking it's a bit manly on a woman. Combined with the loss up top required to get this skinny! Hmmmm
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I don't really do a whole lot of specific ab work. I lift heavy doing compound lifts. Squats, bench, pendlay rows, overhead press and dead-lifts. All those work your core.
  • DenyseMarieL
    DenyseMarieL Posts: 673 Member
    I've found planks to be the best so far. I've never had sore abs as I have after doing planks.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member

    Good info, thanks! I am trying to lower my BF% and eat way more protein than I had been, as well as lift much heavier than I previously thought I was capable of. How long until you started seeing some results? I'm sure I just need to give it time as well—I haven't been doing this for long!!

    I started working out 6 years ago. I was overtraining and undereating. I became a skinny girl with a flat stomach. Then I started weight training. I found out the importance of protein. I started to eat more. Like in 3 months my abs popped out. People were asking me how I did it. I wasnt doing anything different. I wasnt counting calories but I was eating more and eating more protein. But my bodyfat was already low. I dont do any abs exercises any more. They are still there. When I get a tan they are more visible. When I get bloated they become invisible but I know they are there:) Its really difficult for a woman to keep the abs. Our hormones and periods are a pain in the a.s. I am sure you know what I mean:)

    Be patient. You have a nice body and a nice stomach. As you keep working out & weight training& eating clean and get enough protein to build muscle you'll have them.


    Thanks for this! That's super helpful!
  • Medwayguy
    Medwayguy Posts: 69
    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/abs.html

    Everything you need to know is above.... PLANK and HOVER are excellent btw ;)
  • rubysphoto
    rubysphoto Posts: 254 Member
    I agree with a lot of the same from previous posters. It is about nutrition which includes % of (carbs, protien and fat). Treat your abs the same as your other muscle groups.
  • mamaclose
    mamaclose Posts: 179 Member
    I don't do any abs specific exercises and have ab definition. I've been in training for triathlons all summer long so just running, swimming and biking. I also follow a plant based diet and eat as clean as I can.
  • Summerful
    Summerful Posts: 46 Member
    Lower your body fat %, eat healthy foods with low fat I guess.
  • MrDelts
    MrDelts Posts: 209 Member
    Just eat clean and exercise your *kitten* off.. You'll wake up one morning and your abs will just be there.
  • likemeinvisible
    likemeinvisible Posts: 309
    Mine are not very impressive but I did see some improvement when my bf% went to 6.3 that's with no weights just crunches etc. and not much of that too. Lots and lots of running and walking to lose the fat, 11 miles a day. Which got me injured, but that's another story. See my gallery black pants=before grey=after. Only 3.1 Kg (6.82 lbs) difference between the two.
  • bradphil87
    bradphil87 Posts: 617 Member
    My trainer said his started to show after he went under 10% bodyfat. I'm at 14.6% now, I'm looking forward to hitting 12 :)) hopefully by next summer I can be around 10
  • Tricep_A_Tops
    Tricep_A_Tops Posts: 319
    Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym
    No they are not, they are uncovered in the kitchen but if you dont have good ab development then you will never see them no matter how skinny that you get. I suggest any weighted ab exercise ( by far the best way to develop your abs) and also an ab wheel (an oldie but a goodie)
  • Cese27
    Cese27 Posts: 626 Member
    Well I've never done any ab work and mine seem to be coming along
  • eatrainsmile
    eatrainsmile Posts: 220 Member
    Well I've never done any ab work and mine seem to be coming along

    This is what I was talking about. I have a fitness trainer friend. He has never done any abs workout but he has a 6 pack. He isnt a cardio freak either. Some type of exercises like squats, dumbell rows, pull ups, pull downs also work out the abs indirectly. I am also a firm believer that abs shouldnt be overtrained doing hundreds of crunches if you dont want flat abdominal muscles.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym
    No they are not, they are uncovered in the kitchen but if you dont have good ab development then you will never see them no matter how skinny that you get. I suggest any weighted ab exercise ( by far the best way to develop your abs) and also an ab wheel (an oldie but a goodie)

    Was going to mention this.

    The big compound lifts already require you to use you're core but if you want to do some extra stuff I like:
    planks (variations & add weight when too easy, google RKC plank)
    ab wheel rollouts (knees first, progress to standing eventually)
    hanging leg raises (start with knees, then straight leg)
    front levers (these are advanced but a good long term goal)
    Also things like farmer's walks & suitcase carries are awesome. (and great for grip strength also)

    But yeah, if you have too much body fat then they still won't be visible but they will be strong. (good for you're spine also)
  • chasterson
    chasterson Posts: 11
    Sarah reduce your carbs.. do a 50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% that should help out alot.. if your trying to get a six pack and lose BF thats the best solution.. i was looking at your diet and thats what i would suggest.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    Sarah reduce your carbs.. do a 50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% that should help out alot.. if your trying to get a six pack and lose BF thats the best solution.. i was looking at your diet and thats what i would suggest.

    Hey, thanks! I was trying to do 30% Protein, 30% Fat and 40% carbs, but I was having a REALLY hard time getting that much protein eating vegetarian... and I was feeling kind of nauseous? So I took protein down to 25%, but trying to pay more attention and find some good solutions so I can bring it up.


    *Edit* Okay, playing around with my macros and editing some of the items for tomorrow for example, I can see a lot of areas to cut down on the carbs and add protein instead. (I like to plan each day the night before!!) Any thoughts on maybe feeling kind of sick because of the protein? I read that somewhere.... but seems sort of like a myth. Might just have been feeling under the weather.
  • chasterson
    chasterson Posts: 11
    tell ya what not sure not what your reasoning behind being a vegetarian is.. but ya youre going to find it very hard to hit your protein intakes... you may not know it but by doing so you are probably lacking a lot of minerals in your diet that you can get from protein sources.. or maybe just do fish and eggs? :happy:
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    tell ya what not sure not what your reasoning behind being a vegetarian is.. but ya youre going to find it very hard to hit your protein intakes... you may not know it but by doing so you are probably lacking a lot of minerals in your diet that you can get from protein sources.. or maybe just do fish and eggs? :happy:

    Oh, I do eat eggs, actually, and lots of dairy. :) And I do eat fish a few times a month.

    As far as my reasoning goes, I actually felt MUCH better after my meals when I cut out meat, especially red meat and chicken. Not sure why, but I felt like I had much more energy and was able to digest better.
  • chasterson
    chasterson Posts: 11
    Interesting :) well keep losing bf and look up Jim stoppani shortcut to size and he's got an amazing workout for abs. That's what I use

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