% BF and six pack ab development?

[CSWENSON]

I know that body fat is the main factor in a nice six pack. I am wondering if any of you have ever seen any studies or research as to an exact point of bodyfat and visual ab development. Obviously this is somewhat subsective, but I'm talking about a nice solid, noticable six pack. I had a six pack in my youth but I was also extremely thin 4.5 % bf 6'5" 180lbs college high jumper. At that weight my best jump was
7' 2". At 40, I now weigh about 235 and have been lifting hard for about 15 years now, so most of the weight gain is muscle, but I'm probably around 18% BF (a guess). I have been able to get a pretty solid 4 pack during some cutting phases but don't seem to be able to get the lower set without dropping so much that I start feeling too skinny. So where is the line? 15% ? 10% ? lower?

[Jakanden]

Originally Posted by CSWENSON

I know that body fat is the main factor in a nice six pack. I am wondering if any of you have ever seen any studies or research as to an exact point of bodyfat and visual ab development. Obviously this is somewhat subsective, but I'm talking about a nice solid, noticable six pack. I had a six pack in my youth but I was also extremely thin 4.5 % bf 6'5" 180lbs college high jumper. At that weight my best jump was
7' 2". At 40, I now weigh about 235 and have been lifting hard for about 15 years now, so most of the weight gain is muscle, but I'm probably around 18% BF (a guess). I have been able to get a pretty solid 4 pack during some cutting phases but don't seem to be able to get the lower set without dropping so much that I start feeling too skinny. So where is the line? 15% ? 10% ? lower?

It depends completely on the person. Some people have a 6 pack at 10%, others at 7-8% and still some at 4-5%.

I personally am 6.5% body fat and do not have a 6-pack. If i flex really hard I have the top 4, but othewise, none for me =)

[Chain]

Like Jakanden said, it's gonna depend on the person. Most people it seems start to get a defined six pack once they drop under 10%. But again, that's going to vary from person to person as Jakanden is clearly an exception to that. I think the size of the muscle and where a person has a tendency to store fat has something to do with it as well. Bodyfat % is the main thing. But if a person's muscle is bigger it's going to make it more noticeable. Same with other muscle groups. If we have two people with equal bodyfat %, and one of them has larger biceps...all other things being equal, the bicep muscle on the guy with the larger biceps is going to be more apparent. Another example of this type of thing would be how some people (like Jakanden) can't see their abs but when they flex them the muscle becomes more visible.

Unfortunately that's just an opinion of mine and I can't back that one up with any science.

[Sportychic]

I got a six pack at 24% bf.. OH wait...I have a 24 pack....
But I hope to one day be below 10% and to see a nice tummy there....