Trying to get the 6 to show through
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As above:
Are the scales going down?
If not, is your body weight going down?
Saying all that, doing an abs routine made upper abs show to some degree - I was still too high body fat, but initially thought I'd go some odd swelling bellow my (quite large) rib cage. Then realised it was actually my hard work showing through and was muscle
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The routine I do is 3x12 of:
Weighted Decline Situps
Weighted Hanging Leg Raise
Dumbbell side bends
Standing Ab-roll out (I started kneeling, with the standing I'm still keeping my arms vertical - definitely not strong enough to go flat from standing.)
Oh and yes; I set my protein reasonably definitely, fat a bit less so, then fill the rest up with carbs - to the point that these days towards the end of the day I'm often trying to find something with lots of carbs and less protein to eat!.
(I also do more calories workout day and less on rest days.)0 -
While dropping weight, like all other muscles your abs are going to look best the day you stop eating at a deficit and they fill out. But if your body fat isnt low enough its not going to look how you want. If your Abdominals just aren't developed enough that is a bigger problem as you will have to bulk up and do weighted exercises, then lose the fat again.0
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What does your weight do at your current calorie intake?
It's slowly decreasing 2kg over the last few weeks. With the injury I have been unable to do any meaningful training.
I normally train 3-6 days a week but I have been reduced to 1 last week and none the weeks before I will try for 2 this week.
The whole reason I am on this nutter stripping phase is after the injury I noticed I was PACKING on the weight and losing the little definition I had.
In the mornings there is kinda a 4 pack but that lower belly fat is still there. so looking to strip as I can't do much else atm while I am healing.
Moving over to Canada in a few weeks to be with the love of my life so that's probably the biggest motivator for stripping atm to be honest.0 -
Why so few carbs? I'd die. And why the cycling? For most people it's really not necessary. Maybe you should try aiming for g/body mass of macros (protein, fat) rather than %s. Like 0.8-1.2 g protein/lb and 0.35g fat/lb. To get the abs to pop you need to reduce bf. Also, the extent to which they pop is going to depend a lot on genetics and on how much you've trained them while eating at a surplus; you can't put on appreciable muscle mass while dieting. If you want bigger muscles (anywhere, not just abs), you're going to have to eat more and put on some weight - you'll gain bf temporarily but can cut again after.
most of my macro's and calories ideas are generated from this website it made the most sense to me personally
http://simplesciencefitness.com/0 -
You might just have naturally smooth ab muscles. Having a 6 pack is something that is genetic. Not much you can do to change your genetic tendencies if that is indeed the case.
Since you have obvious vascularity, this would indicate your body fat is already pretty low. Some people just don't have bulging ab muscles, and aside from plastic surgery, there isn't really anything that can be done to change that.
If your bodyfat is still higher than you want it to be, you need to move into an intense cutting program. I recommend HIIT six times a week and strength training 2-3 times a week. You can find some pretty awesome cutting diets on Bodybuilding.com.
Good luck! I hope you are able to achieve your goals. :-)0 -
Thanks paris, I will look at them I am def going to give it my all over these next 3 weeks and see what comes of it.0
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When you suck in your breath can you see any definition? Definitely seconding that abs are genetic, mine show through at quite a high body fat percentage but so do my parent's.0
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What are your macros? Or do you just eat for calories?
rest days its: 1615 cals
15% starches and veg
25% protein
60% fats
workout days: 2280 cals
35% starches and vegs
25% protein
40% fats
why is your protein so low? I have my protein set at 40% for workout and non-workout days…
my breakdown is 40/30/30
on non work days I aim more for a 40p/40f/15-20carbs0 -
why is your protein so low? I have my protein set at 40% for workout and non-workout days…
my breakdown is 40/30/30
on non work days I aim more for a 40p/40f/15-20carbs
Hey I used this website to design my macro's: http://simplesciencefitness.com/
The site made a lot of sense to me atm I am not bulking but just trying to maintain and strip fat before I am fully healed and can get back to full workouts. then I can I will then probably switch back to 3000 cals higher protein diets.
And thanks Larry, yes I can feel them under there and the 4 pack is visible on good days but its not quite there I feel like there is a thin layer of loose skin laying over the top its SUPER annoying as the sides are as defined as all hell (veins and stuff on hips) but around the belly the barstard just won't slip. I did lose 12 KGs about a year ago now and have gone from stripping to bulking, then injuring myself and back to stripping.
edit: just putting link to pic as embedding the pic looked silly
http://imgur.com/MroZ0et0 -
probably been said on this thread already but you need to just lift a bit heavier and build some more muscle, some people also (like me) carry all their bodyfat on their stomach and its the last bit to go, for my six pack to 'pop' i have to be around like 10%, where as some people get away with 15% range.0
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probably been said on this thread already but you need to just lift a bit heavier and build some more muscle, some people also (like me) carry all their bodyfat on their stomach and its the last bit to go, for my six pack to 'pop' i have to be around like 10%, where as some people get away with 15% range.
I threw my measurements into this calculator and got out http://www.linear-software.com/online.html
9.59% body fat... I think that's probably too low for how I feel but its annoying none the less!
stats atm are
height: 172cms
weight: 64.5kg
neck: 38 cms
waist: 76cms
makes me a sad panda but thanks Average, I have been doing more weighted ab stuff I might boost it even a bit more.0 -
probably been said on this thread already but you need to just lift a bit heavier and build some more muscle, some people also (like me) carry all their bodyfat on their stomach and its the last bit to go, for my six pack to 'pop' i have to be around like 10%, where as some people get away with 15% range.
I threw my measurements into this calculator and got out http://www.linear-software.com/online.html
9.59% body fat... I think that's probably too low for how I feel but its annoying none the less!
stats atm are
height: 172cms
weight: 64.5kg
neck: 38 cms
waist: 76cms
makes me a sad panda but thanks Average, I have been doing more weighted ab stuff I might boost it even a bit more.
To me it sounds like your suffering from the old 'skinny fat' issue, not quite enough muscle. Bodyfat is hard to calculate accurately i have callipers and thats still not 100%
Remember, squats, deadlifts, ohps and bench pressing all utilize the core if the exercise is performed properly. A strong core helps to prevent back injury too. Keep your core work simple, do some damn heavy working sets to help strengthen it, I only do weighted planks and weighted crunches(on a cable machine now, couldn't grip multiple plates) and around 12 weeks of doing that made a real change in my abs especially upper. Be nice to see them again after christmas ^^.0 -
why is your protein so low? I have my protein set at 40% for workout and non-workout days…
my breakdown is 40/30/30
on non work days I aim more for a 40p/40f/15-20carbs
Hey I used this website to design my macro's: http://simplesciencefitness.com/
The site made a lot of sense to me atm I am not bulking but just trying to maintain and strip fat before I am fully healed and can get back to full workouts. then I can I will then probably switch back to 3000 cals higher protein diets.
And thanks Larry, yes I can feel them under there and the 4 pack is visible on good days but its not quite there I feel like there is a thin layer of loose skin laying over the top its SUPER annoying as the sides are as defined as all hell (veins and stuff on hips) but around the belly the barstard just won't slip. I did lose 12 KGs about a year ago now and have gone from stripping to bulking, then injuring myself and back to stripping.
edit: just putting link to pic as embedding the pic looked silly
http://imgur.com/MroZ0et
I understand but even when cutting you want to preserve as much LBM as possible so that when you strip away the fat you actually have muscle to show …IMO whether cutting or bulking protein should always be in the 40% range….plus abs are a muscle, and protein helps to build/preserve muscle..so if you want your abs to pop up the protein...
you do not want to lose 10 pounds and just be skinny fat to do you?0
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