Where's my six pack?

imcgr001 · 29-May-05, 05:41 PM

I used to be rather chubby and unathletic but I started working out regularly and changed my diet around a year and a half ago and I've gotten down to 6% body fat and my physique is pretty good. I've read around that most of the time you cannot see a six pack until less than 10% body fat. Well for me at 6% you can only see any definition when I flex and I still have a little pudge at the bottom of my stomach. I was wondering if this could be remedied in any way or if anyone had this problem, any help would be very appreciated.

29-May-05, 05:54 PM

Are you doing any ab work? Those muscles need to be developed before you can see them.

**threenorns** · 29-May-05, 06:01 PM

also, exactly how are you getting at your body fat result? depending on the technique, error can be plus or minus a full 10%.

if you've actually got pudge on your stomach, it makes me doubt the accuracy of the reading you were given.

imcgr001 · 29-May-05, 06:37 PM

I've thought of that I definitely do ab work although I'm sure it could be worked harder as I tend to work out other muscle groups harder and longer. I got two readings, one from one that you hold in your hands and it read below 10% but couldn't actually come up with a reading and then a fat pinching measurement and it was measured on my stomach where there was some fat and on my chest and thigh where there was almost none at all. Well thanks for the responses I suppose I will just add more time to ab work and get another reading on body fat.

**threenorns** · 29-May-05, 06:46 PM

why bother with the readings?

also, your ab work: what kind of workout are you doing and how often?

generally, work your abs like any other body part - twice a week at the most - and use weights. 3 or 4 sets of 10 - 12 reps of weighted crunches or rope crunches will bring them out bigtime.

imcgr001 · 29-May-05, 08:33 PM

The reason I bothered with readings was I didn't want to keep my calorie intake below the amount that I was burning every day once I was around essential fat, other than that they had little meaning to me except my abs weren't showing up when I assumed I wouldn't be able to lose more fat at 6%. Thanks all for the input, it has been quite helpful.

**threenorns** · 29-May-05, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imcgr001

The reason I bothered with readings was I didn't want to keep my calorie intake below the amount that I was burning every day once I was around essential fat, other than that they had little meaning to me except my abs weren't showing up when I assumed I wouldn't be able to lose more fat at 6%. Thanks all for the input, it has been quite helpful.

it's always better to rely on the mirror and your pants. when you see your abs, you know you're below 7%. when you see vascularity in the lower abdomen, you're at around 4%.

keep on keeping on and you'll get your six-pack, sure as shootin'

:

nate · 29-May-05, 09:45 PM

some people just dont have visible abs, or abs as visible as others. its all about the genes.

imcgr001 · 29-May-05, 10:07 PM

That is one other thing I was considering was the possibility that I would never even have visible abs, but no harm in attempting I suppose. I'm sure not going to get upset if I will never have visible abs if that's just no in the cards for me.

armorforsleep · 29-May-05, 11:43 PM

whats your ab workout look like?

imcgr001 · 29-May-05, 11:53 PM

Pretty much sit ups and crunches along with leg raises without weights. I also do back extensions for lower back and use the same thing to do sides, do sides with weight. Like I said, I most likely need to work on abs harder because it is easily my least worked muscle group, although I always do work it out.

gcs118 · 30-May-05, 12:29 AM

Bodyweight ab exercises won't take you far at all in terms of strength. Decline weighted sit ups, hanging leg raises with weight, side bends, etc. are all a good start.

syke · 30-May-05, 03:46 AM

cable rope crunches, decline weighted situps kill the abs...so do more of those and you'll see more progress

rbuchman · 31-May-05, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threenorns

it's always better to rely on the mirror and your pants. when you see your abs, you know you're below 7%. when you see vascularity in the lower abdomen, you're at around 4%.

Is that a good measure for 4%. What is the safe minium for men. Any other metrics for the low range?

**threenorns** · 31-May-05, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbuchman

Is that a good measure for 4%. What is the safe minium for men. Any other metrics for the low range?

4% IS the safe lower limit for men - actually, now they're saying 5%. any lower for too long and you'll end up in emerg, as happened to sylvester stallone during the filming of Rambo when he went down to 3%.