I dropped from 85kg to what I weight now 79kg and I do like to go to the gym 4d/wk but for me I have to get into the 77kg before some decent lower abs pop up. I think it's all about diet.
It's not going to be all about one thing or another. A select few won't have to work for it (like mikenostic, for example), but for most of us poor people, it's going to be a combination of a proper healthy diet, free of excesses, and a solid workout routine. For the most part, abs are difficult to work out effectively in such a way that you will increase their size, but they are also covered with fat most of the time. So, the best way to have them defined is to lose that fat. How you do so is up to you, but it will likely be a combination of diet and exercise.
If I tighten my abdominal muscles I can see them really well, but I guess that probably doesn't count. My boyfriend has them though and he doesn't have to flex anything, unlike me.
Women don't put on weight on their abdomen the way that men do. They put weight on their hips first, but our abs are the first thing to get covered. Even when I weighed 180 to 185 (at 6'3"), and rode my bicycle 200 to 250 miles a week, I could only see the top of my abs. But that's ok anyway. Six pack abs on women are too much for me. I prefer that they have a smooth stomach, and I think most men agree.
That technically doesn't count, but you're still onto something. What you just described can be used to your advantage. If you want to exercise your abs, just tighten them, hold it for about 3 seconds, then let go. Repeat. You can do this sitting at your desk, standing in line, walking down the sidewalk, anywhere. I used to do those, but now, to be honest, I watch a lot of funny shows and laugh quite a bit. That helps just a bit too. Agreed. If it's too six-packy, they start to look mannish. I also think a tiny, tiny little pooch is sexy too. Little imperfections like that make the person seem more human and less an airbrushed magazine model. Real is sexy.
I'm male, and I put on fat on my hips and butt first, and then internally. Even now, aging, the fat is adding on the inside mostly. I had what the kids call 6-pac abs from sometime in my early teens to sometime in my early forties (didn't notice the change until it had happened). I got them by genetics and general physical activity, especially fooling around on the parallel bars at the high school (there was no gym team, the school just left the bars set up in the corner. Those were the days - you'd probably get sued now). By the time you can glide kip to an L, hold for ten, then pike press to a handstand on the parallel bars, you will have 6-pac abs. And more fun than the general workout routines. The loss of elasticity with aging costs in cosmetics and spring before it costs in strength - I'm grateful to my youthful self for building a stock of strength to draw down on. If cosmetics is your goal, it's better than no motive.
Apparently I'm turned on by stretch marks. My wife's stomach looks like Freddy Krueger's practice corpse. But hey, four kids and still a size 4, I can't bitch too much.
I had bronchitis or some other persistance cough for an entire summer once. I coughed and coughed and coughed all summer long. I actually coughed myself a six-pack. But it didn't last...I'm back to a keg.
Mine would be shortened by a serious attempt. But the recommendation was for the kids - even the slackest of them could get there in a year or so. Youth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSIuwAcgbVs&feature=related about my level, although I was a bit less strained. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPesl6xwK0A where it goes from there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1ho6_Qlvsw&NR=1 in context http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flZgqUcZyU8&feature=related there's a quick glide kip to an L about 34 seconds in.
I would recommend not aiming for getting a 6 pack, since you actually already have an 8 pack. You can exercise to increase their size, but i would say you need to get your body fat % to 15-20% before you even start trying that. An good exercise regime including CV strength conditioning, and body weight free weight training is the best way forwards. Try doing 3 sets of CV a week, and a circuit session every other day. A good circuit would include 8-10 exercises, performed for 15-30 seconds each. Once you complete the first circuit take a 3 minute rest, have some water and repeat. try and get 3-5 reps in there. Make sure you balance out your exercises and dont just exercise your abs or you will become unbalanced, like those guys with massive arms and skinny legs, which to a woman, looks awful, believe me. Join an gym and get a PT to give you a good exercise regime to get to your goals and STICK TO IT, dont just give up after a month, it takes a long time to really get anywhere. And i can't stress the importance of eating well to match what you aim to do. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Thanks. I don't know what a circuit session is, though. Could you give me a little more info on that? I don't know what my body fat % is but it has to be pretty low. My eating habits are decent as well. For instance today I've eaten: 1 turkey tenderloin cutlet (approx 1/2" x 2" x 3") 1 serving of broccoli (cooked) 1 grapefruit 1 diet coke 4 cups black coffee 1 handful unshelled sunflower seeds And then I fell and had a snack size bag of BBQ chips.Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I haven't eaten dinner yet.
Agreed. Although let me elaborate on the bold statement. For all the ab training you do, you must also match that with your back muscles. Not so much the lats per se, but the rhomboids and especially the erector spinae. Not balancing those exercises out can cause all sorts of back problems. What happens is that your abs get so strong and tight that they start pulling against your back and can affect your posture. Well, when you try to compensate for that, your back muscles have to work even harder to off set the power imbalance from your abs. Now, unlike your back muscles, your abs are a non-jointed muscle, so you can work them everyday. You cannot do this with jointed muscles, especially the erector spinae, due to the fragility of your spine.
Back extensions are my favorite. They are more or less the exact opposite of a crunch/sit up. This is what a back extension machine looks like: Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! You can also use a Swiss ball: Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! You can also just stand up straight with some light dumbells in each hand, then just bend over while keeping your arms relaxed. You will also need to keep your back straight when you do lean over. You can accomplish this by keeping your head facing forward (even when bending over), and not bending over more than 90 degrees (i.e. back parallel to the ground). Before you start doing this, if you're past a certain age or are known to have back problems, consult your doc or just be careful when you do these exercises.
mikenostic, I use to do back extension but during that time I got sciatica. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I don't know if one led to the other, but it took a long time and a lot of stretching to go away. It's not gone but I don't do that workout anymore.
It's amazing how much exercise you can fit into your every day doings. I exercise abs, or do balance exercises while waiting for the kettle to boil. It all adds up.
I just looked that up....OUCH! But yeah, like I mention above, you have to be careful with those kinds of back exercises. In hindsight, I should have mentioned that the back extensions isn't really a beginner exercise for that. You should start with the exercise I mention of just getting a pair of LIGHT dumbells and lean over, repeat. But. BUT, if you have any sort of spinal issues, you might want to tread VERY lightly with those types of exercises....like I mention check with your doc first. I agree. Oh, one other exercise I forgot that you might be able to do is the 'superman'. Lay flat on your stomach (prone) with arms stretched out (like superman flying). Then arch your back (by lifting your hands and feet off the ground as high as you can simultaneously). This also works your erector spinae, but since it has a much narrower range of motion than extensions, it may be much better on your spine. HOWEVER, if you have spinal problems to begin with, consult your doc before you try those.
