Defined abs?

catyp03
catyp03 Posts: 12
in Fitness and Exercise
I am presently training 3 times a week in a gym! One day, I am following a course of Zumba (Wich I really enjoy!!) And the other two days, I have a special workout. I'm doing 35 minutes of cardio exercices (bicycling and running) and after I do a strength workout. I lift weights and all that things!

My point is : I really want to defined my abs and I don't know how to do it. Yes, I know there is the tradionals sit-ups but I want to do something else and maybe harder.

Do you have a special exercice for me guys? :) It would really help!

Replies

  • 916lude
    916lude Posts: 305
    I like lifts like deadlifts and squats to strengthen my core which will help define your abs. To get them to really pop out I would assume strict clean eating is a must. I don't really do situps. Planks and different variations of it will help a lot as well.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Lose more fat through your diet, you cannot spot reduce
  • Venturin
    Venturin Posts: 244 Member
    Planks and side planks are good
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Lose more fat through your diet, you cannot spot reduce
    ^ This. Lose the fat and your abs will show. You can't target fat loss from a particular part of the body, and you won't get defined abs until the fat covering them is gone.
  • catyp03
    catyp03 Posts: 12
    Lose more fat through your diet, you cannot spot reduce
    ^ This. Lose the fat and your abs will show. You can't target fat loss from a particular part of the body, and you won't get defined abs until the fat covering them is gone.

    Thank you all for your answers and tips! Ok, so i need to lose all my fat before starting to defined my abs? Is that right?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Lose more fat through your diet, you cannot spot reduce
    ^ This. Lose the fat and your abs will show. You can't target fat loss from a particular part of the body, and you won't get defined abs until the fat covering them is gone.

    Thank you all for your answers and tips! Ok, so i need to lose all my fat before starting to defined my abs? Is that right?

    You can do ab work as much as you'd like, regardless of your bf%, however you won't really see your abs "defined" until you really lower your bf%
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
    Low body fat. Diet. I have worked abs directly only a few times in my life.

    Do heavy compound lifts to strengthen and grow them while you diet down.
  • slynn28
    slynn28 Posts: 93
    I wish I could get more define abs but I was told to lift weights and do lots of cardio.
    Today I'm finding out what my body fat % is to give me a boost.
  • ag2ut
    ag2ut Posts: 20
    You don't have to lose all your fat before exercising your abs (I don't think that is even possible), but no matter how many ab exercises you do, you will not see your abs until your body fat percentage is lowered. Probably around 20% for women, give or take. Do exercises that work your ab muscles (people have already suggested a few), but you have to really watch your nutrition and get your body fat down before you will really see the results in your stomach.
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    Lose more fat through your diet, you cannot spot reduce
    ^ This. Lose the fat and your abs will show. You can't target fat loss from a particular part of the body, and you won't get defined abs until the fat covering them is gone.

    Thank you all for your answers and tips! Ok, so i need to lose all my fat before starting to defined my abs? Is that right?

    Not ALL your fat, just low. How low depends on a lot of factors, including genetics. I'd say 18% is a good target to shoot for. You'll find out along the way or after you get there if that's low enough.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    Some of it depends on genetics too. I had some upper ab and oblique definition even around 24% body fat. Of course, the closer I got to 20%, the sharper the definition became. I only work my abs twice a week. It's really not about ab exercises but rather about lowering your body fat by eating at a deficit. Hope that helps.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Lose more fat through your diet, you cannot spot reduce

    this.
    I used to have abs, and it was from leaning out by dieting.
  • alexis831
    alexis831 Posts: 469 Member
    Lose more fat through your diet, you cannot spot reduce
    ^ This. Lose the fat and your abs will show. You can't target fat loss from a particular part of the body, and you won't get defined abs until the fat covering them is gone.

    Thank you all for your answers and tips! Ok, so i need to lose all my fat before starting to defined my abs? Is that right?

    Fat loss is number one but you can start building them up too at the same time. Here are some good core/ab exercises you can start now. Also, remember there are hundreds of variations of "the sit up" so don't thing there is just one and I would try all of them really just to see which one works you out better. 5-10 different sets of however many reps you decide, I do about 10 sets of 30 or so, 3 days a week is pretty good to start you off. Again this is just a start you might find out its too much or too little for you this is just what I do. Here are some links. I like these because I am a visual learner and they have pictures! I need pictures to know what I am doing.

    http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/l/bl_core.htm

    http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/a/Standing-Abs-How-To.htm

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/l/blbeginnerabs.htm

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/aa121200b.htm
  • whiteheaddg
    whiteheaddg Posts: 325 Member
    This article helps explain it well - I'm also on a quest to see some ab definition. Good luck!

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/02/body-fat-percentage/
  • johnpangan
    johnpangan Posts: 47 Member
    I go for months and not work on my abs. I don't believe in doing countless amt of crunches and situps. I could not emphasize enough but DIET is the key.
  • catyp03
    catyp03 Posts: 12
    Thank you for all your good answers :) And thank you for you links! So I'll begin with the beggining (lol) and will continue to eat well and respect my diet.

    I'll post a picture when I'll get my sexy defined abs (yeah, maybe in a year .....)

    Thank you all!
  • prov31jd
    prov31jd Posts: 153 Member
    bump

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