6 pack help

shaycat
shaycat Posts: 980
in Fitness and Exercise
I would love to have a nice 6 pack any advice on how to get it without losing more weight?
Last summer my stomach was awesome, but I weighted 10lbs less and felt to skinny on my legs.

Replies

  • pgp90xer
    pgp90xer Posts: 219 Member
    From what I have learned you have to get your body fat under 10%. I am working on this myself by eating a diet of 50% protein, 30% carbs and 20% fat. This is on top of doing your exercises.

    Good luck!
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Sure, tell me to lower my carbs AFTER I ate an english muffin for breakfast. :happy:

    No one has any advise?
    I use to hear for abs cardio cardio cardio. Now I hear about lifting.
  • aproc
    aproc Posts: 1,033 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen. :P haha. I would say incorporate weighted ab exercises along with a good weight training routine for all muscles but you have to have a solid diet.
  • IPAfan5
    IPAfan5 Posts: 27
    You need to have a low BF% for your 6pack to show. So a good diet is what you need, cardio will help speed up the process.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
    JM 6 week 6 pack, to get abs get off the floor. Abs don't come from doing just crunches
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    JM 6 week 6 pack, to get abs get off the floor. Abs don't come from doing just crunches

    Yes I have done 6w6p. I love that workout.

    I feel I have a good diet.
    So a calorie is not a calorie if I want a 6 pack. I need to eat less carbs and fat?
  • sapalee
    sapalee Posts: 409 Member
    My 6 pack shows and I'm in the 20% range, (22% as of march 1, a drop from 26% Jan 1). Not sure where the 10% number comes from. Granted it would be showing a lot more when I drop a few more %. Mine came out strong with the weightlifting and full body exercises in CrossFit and eating clean/paleo.
  • tracy207
    tracy207 Posts: 2 Member
    The trouble is this. Your muscles only show if they aren't covered by fat. Some people tend to hold their weight there and cover up all the hard work they do on their abs. If you are one of those people you may been to drop a few in order to show them off!
  • Woolooloo
    Woolooloo Posts: 82
    My 6 pack shows and I'm in the 20% range, (22% as of march 1, a drop from 26% Jan 1). Not sure where the 10% number comes from.

    Under 10% is pretty typical for guys, women are entirely different and carry more essential fat. I don't recall the range for women but it definitely is not under 10%
  • cyncetastic
    cyncetastic Posts: 165
    ~18% body fat here and my abs are my most prominent muscle (see profile pics).

    Like others have said - abs are made in the kitchen. Clean up your diet, limit your sugar, and lift heavy.
  • sapalee
    sapalee Posts: 409 Member
    My 6 pack shows and I'm in the 20% range, (22% as of march 1, a drop from 26% Jan 1). Not sure where the 10% number comes from.

    Under 10% is pretty typical for guys, women are entirely different and carry more essential fat. I don't recall the range for women but it definitely is not under 10%

    Aha, that makes sense :)
  • sapalee
    sapalee Posts: 409 Member
    Yay, an advantage over the guys :)
  • lizsmith1976
    lizsmith1976 Posts: 497 Member
    If you had visible abs at a lower weight and don't now, then what you have added is fat, not muscle, sorry to say. You can be a higher weight with lower body fat and see abs. I see my abs (6 pack) at about 19-20% body fat, but at 22% (me right now) I only see my obliques. AT 24% I see nothing. There is no secret, combo of cardio and strength training to lose fat, and core-specific exercises to build muscle. Also, try ab exercises where you also have a weight in your hand. The heavier you can stand and repeat until muscle exhaustion.

    I do Russian twists, and all kinds of crunches with a weight in my hand. I'm working on getting back down to 19% body fat before bikini season :) Good luck!

    An earlier poster said 10% body fat, that is crazy. that would be dangerous for a woman (not in the short term for a bodybuilder, but in the long term yes). Women NEED to stay above 12% body fat. Since a lot of that fat is in the hips, thighs, buttocks, and breasts, you can still see abs on a woman at a higher body fat % than men, who tend to carry more fat around the middle.
  • Aliciaaah
    Aliciaaah Posts: 379 Member
    If you thought your legs were too skinny at that weight, maybe try adding muscle to your legs and cutting down a little body fat that way you get the abs you want without chicken legs. lol
  • Woolooloo
    Woolooloo Posts: 82
    Here is an article that helped me when I decided to work on my 6 pack (I'd say I have abs but not a 6 pack quite yet, my wife says a 4 pack). Read down to Step #1, you say you don't want to be at the lower weight, but that is what you are going to have to do. If you don't want your legs to look too thin, you should be doing some squats and other lifts to put muscle on them.

    But it is essential to get your body fat percentage down, so you can either lose body fat (and weight) or you can maintain weight by putting on muscle and losing fat. Either way you have to lose fat or the abs won't come out to play.

    http://www.builtlean.com/2011/05/11/how-to-get-ripped-and-cut/
  • sapalee
    sapalee Posts: 409 Member
    Using an abmat or folding a towel to approx. 2" inch thickness and placing under your lower back when doing sit ups helps hit the lower abs that are so hard to get, you'll feel it all the way down to your pubic bone the next day.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,162 Member
    I would love to have a nice 6 pack any advice on how to get it without losing more weight?
    Last summer my stomach was awesome, but I weighted 10lbs less and felt to skinny on my legs.
    not possible, actually...not possible without lowering body fat% i meant
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Ok. So I need to lower my body fat by a little. I am about 19.6% right now.
    I am doing Insanity, so maybe that will help put muscle on my legs.
    I guess I better give up my nightly chocolate and the beer of coarse. :sad: I liked it better when I could just work those things into my calorie goal. :laugh:
    Thanks everyone.
  • lizsmith1976
    lizsmith1976 Posts: 497 Member
    Spin class and cycling are my secret - cardio so good for many reasons (calorie burn, heart, lungs), but also build great muscle in the legs without doing a bunch of reps with machines or weights - just not my thing. My legs are not just toned but built. Anyone who thinks you can't build muscle with cardio has not seen Lance Armstrong's legs :-)
  • lizsmith1976
    lizsmith1976 Posts: 497 Member
    One more thing! I drink beer or wine every night, don't care much about my macro mix - although because of the food I like carbs are usually around 50%. Abs are made in the kitchen because of calorie count, not because of some secret macro formula. I can have a 6 pack and drink beer every night, and dark chocolate is good for you!!!
  • Six6xiS
    Six6xiS Posts: 47 Member
    Genetics also play a huge role in the development of a visual six pack. Some win the genetic lottery, some do not. That being said maintaining a good diet, and hitting the cardio hard is a sure way to reach that goal. However having a six pack does not equal having a strong core. Having a six pack is for visual stimulation only, having a strong core is more function based. It all depends on what your end goal is, and if it is for visual simulation only then the replies in this thread will get you well underway.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    One more thing! I drink beer or wine every night, don't care much about my macro mix - although because of the food I like carbs are usually around 50%. Abs are made in the kitchen because of calorie count, not because of some secret macro formula. I can have a 6 pack and drink beer every night, and dark chocolate is good for you!!!

    I like you!

    I have been eating a few dark chocolate pieces a night to keep bigger sweet cravings away.
    I dont know, I am sick of thinking about. Maybe I will just keep working out hard everyday and eating in my calorie goal. I still have a little time before summer. Not that I would ever go out in public in a bikini anyways.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Genetics also play a huge role in the development of a visual six pack. Some win the genetic lottery, some do not. That being said maintaining a good diet, and hitting the cardio hard is a sure way to reach that goal. However having a six pack does not equal having a strong core. Having a six pack is for visual stimulation only, having a strong core is more function based. It all depends on what your end goal is, and if it is for visual simulation only then the replies in this thread will get you well underway.

    I have a strong core, a healthy diet (ok except for the beer) and a good workout routine. So yes I am just vain and want a flat toned tummy.
  • Six6xiS
    Six6xiS Posts: 47 Member
    Genetics also play a huge role in the development of a visual six pack. Some win the genetic lottery, some do not. That being said maintaining a good diet, and hitting the cardio hard is a sure way to reach that goal. However having a six pack does not equal having a strong core. Having a six pack is for visual stimulation only, having a strong core is more function based. It all depends on what your end goal is, and if it is for visual simulation only then the replies in this thread will get you well underway.

    I have a strong core, a healthy diet (ok except for the beer) and a good workout routine. So yes I am just vain and want a flat toned tummy.

    I wouldn't say vain as everyone has different fitness goals. Some work for looks, some work for strength. Nothing wrong with either of them as long as you are doing the work. Also you might want to look into Stomach Vaccum's.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

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