Why can't you spot reduce?

jmgj27
jmgj27 Posts: 531 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I don't really understand this. If I lift weights with only one arm all the time I will have one arm which is noticeably more toned and muscly than the other. This certainly happened to my brother after an accident.
So... why doesn't this work with abs or your bum?
And if it doesn't work, why bother doing abs classes etc.?
I am interested as I'm at normal weight and under 21% body fat and I'm wondering whether it's worth targeting my slight pooch with ab exercises or whether I just keep going with my heavy cardio workouts and it'll eventually go away.
Any help or ideas?

Replies

  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
    That's not spot reducing. That's just building muscle. The fat that was there, is still there.

    EDIT: You should take ab classes to strengthen your core. A strong core is important.
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    BUMP
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    Yes you can control the muscle but not the fat.
  • CaptainAmerica1970
    CaptainAmerica1970 Posts: 435
    Probably the same reason we are not able to spot ADDUCTION w/Fat. otherwise people would place them...well you know that is why we have plastic surgery augmentations.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Doing ab workouts as part of your weekly exercise routine is very important. Core strength helps your back and keeps everything else in balance. If you were skipping that part of your workout you would be all out of whack.
  • thumper44
    thumper44 Posts: 1,464 Member
    That's not spot reducing. That's just building muscle. The fat that was there, is still there.

    That's what I was wondering. You are asking about Spot reducing fat, but then you talk about building muscle with one arm.
    We all wish we could spot reduce fat, but the body will take the fat from where it wants to. :smile:

    Just gave me a funny visual.

    So, if we could spot reduce. Someone would be doing 100 situps a day and all kinds of ab exercises. They build their abs, and have no fat covering up the abs.

    What would the rest of the body look like?... big breasts, chunky thighs, big butts, and wide hips. :laugh:
    But they have a 6 pack.
  • swinginchandra
    swinginchandra Posts: 418 Member
    This is a really good topic to bring up. I think sometimes we might overemphasize the whole 'can't target' thing. The idea is, if you are doing crunches, that doesn't mean you're burning fat and replacing it with muscle in your core. It just means you're gaining muscle in your core. That having been said, when we gain muscle, it definitely tends to change the look of an area. Specially if you are relatively low body fat, gaining abs (or gluts, pecs, whatever) will certainly change the general look and shape of that specific area. Imagine jello spread evenly on top of flat board - then take that same jello, and spread it on top of a washboard.

    IMO, by all means, build muscle everywhere, especially in the areas you would like to see changes. This won't help you lose fat in those areas at any faster rate than your body wants to, but it certainly can change the overall look of the area. Fat over muscle looks better than just fat.

    If you haven't yet, search for the "relatively lean females trying to get leaner" thread, and take a look through it. (preferably the first one, not the second.)
  • jmgj27
    jmgj27 Posts: 531 Member
    I'm still not getting it I'm afraid. To give another example when I broke my kneecap years ago it was in plaster on and off for months. That leg atrophied. Both muscle AND fat disappeared on just that leg. The rest of me stayed the same. So why wouldn't that work for abs?
  • jmgj27
    jmgj27 Posts: 531 Member
    This is a really good topic to bring up. I think sometimes we might overemphasize the whole 'can't target' thing. The idea is, if you are doing crunches, that doesn't mean you're burning fat and replacing it with muscle in your core. It just means you're gaining muscle in your core. That having been said, when we gain muscle, it definitely tends to change the look of an area. Specially if you are relatively low body fat, gaining abs (or gluts, pecs, whatever) will certainly change the general look and shape of that specific area. Imagine jello spread evenly on top of flat board - then take that same jello, and spread it on top of a washboard.

    IMO, by all means, build muscle everywhere, especially in the areas you would like to see changes. This won't help you lose fat in those areas at any faster rate than your body wants to, but it certainly can change the overall look of the area. Fat over muscle looks better than just fat.

    If you haven't yet, search for the "relatively lean females trying to get leaner" thread, and take a look through it. (preferably the first one, not the second.)
    Sorry, our posts crossed! I'll check out that thread and your answer does help. Especially the part about the jello!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    I'm still not getting it I'm afraid. To give another example when I broke my kneecap years ago it was in plaster on and off for months. That leg atrophied. Both muscle AND fat disappeared on just that leg. The rest of me stayed the same. So why wouldn't that work for abs?

    it's pretty tough to atrophy your abs, they're part of the muscle type called stabilizers, which are partially involuntary, thus tough to not use (one of the reasons a broken rib is so painful, no way not to use your abs, which cross your ribs)

    Fat cannot be "worked out", for all intents and purposes, fat is inert. While it uses a small amount of energy creating certain hormones, other than that, fat cells don't do anything, certainly nothing to do with motion like skeletal muscles, thus you cannot target a particular spot to reduce fat. It would be like asking to try to drain water from one side of your bath tub by putting a tube in that end, the body doesn't differentiate between fat locations, and thus will take it's energy from what ever location is easiest to pull from.
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
    While it uses a small amount of energy creating certain hormones, other than that, fat cells don't do anything, certainly nothing to do with motion like skeletal muscles, thus you cannot target a particular spot to reduce fat. It would be like asking to try to drain water from one side of your bath tub by putting a tube in that end, the body doesn't differentiate between fat locations, and thus will take it's energy from what ever location is easiest to pull from.

    Wonderful answer.
  • RonBgone
    RonBgone Posts: 1
    If you have worked out and you are Serious about your diet and you have little places that the fat just won't go away you should think about getting a ZERONA treatment this is a FDA approved treatment! I have not done it myself but was told it worked very good. my wife would like it for the little bit on her tummy. Have fun work hard and enjoy life, Ron
  • schobert101
    schobert101 Posts: 218 Member
    Well in fact one can spot reduce fat.............its called liposuction.............which for the record I am in no way recommending
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
    Read "You Can't Spot Reduce: Learn Why!":

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa72.htm
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