6 pack abs

[floridagirl]

About how lean (as far as bf%) does a female need to be for a visible 6-pack to be possible?

[Tiffany_P]

About how lean (as far as bf%) does a female need to be for a visible 6-pack to be possible?

It's really individual and depends on where you store fat (I have some nice ab definition even when I still have cellulite, but I know another girl with quad separation who still doesn't have abs). However, generally, women look really fit and lean at around 15%.

[Nightbird573]

It really just varies from woman to woman. I am at 13.8% body fat and I don't have a six pack. I have plenty of muscle and I can see the top 2, but can only feel the bottom "blocks" under the surface.

[PBanonymous]

It truly does vary. When bulking.. I can put on some weight in my thighs and my abs are still shredded. I wish my quads would separate! lol guess that'll come in my cutting phase.

Nightbird: Um from you pic... you're right. you don't have a 6 pack... you have an eight! :) Seriously! lol. What are ya talkin bout... lol.. oh if we could only see ourselves how others see us! :)

[heidismommy]

I agree with what the others have said, it's highly variable from one individual to another. If a woman stores a lot of fat in her lower body (typical female fat distribution) she may be able to see ab definition at a higher body fat percentage than someone who holds fat differently. If a woman holds less fat in the legs or has a more even fat distribution she may have to be at a lower body fat percentage in order to see abs.

[tileigh]

Not meaning to through anyone of topic, but I have strong abs but I want them to be more visible. I'm just starting to lift heavier. Should I cut to make my bodyfat lower? or bulk to gain muscle? How would I go about it?

[juliacheh]

Not meaning to through anyone of topic, but I have strong abs but I want them to be more visible. I'm just starting to lift heavier. Should I cut to make my bodyfat lower? or bulk to gain muscle? How would I go about it?

If you have a decent muscle base, cut. But since you mentioned that you just started lifting, you probably need to bulk first, of course, if you don't have a lot of body fat to lose.

[tileigh]

If you have a decent muscle base, cut. But since you mentioned that you just started lifting, you probably need to bulk first, of course, if you don't have a lot of body fat to lose.

Thank you for the advice. Yeah, the most I can care to lose now is 5 lbs. any more than that, and I would look anorexic. Also, I'm contracted into the Army ROTC program at my college so I need to have enough energy for the high cardio running MWF mornings. So, I guess I'll get some whey protein and have that before my lifting workouts to gain mass. Or should I also use that before the Army workouts as well?

[dvsness]

I can see abs at around 11%, but I also have very shallow abs so they tend not to look like much. I often concentrate on doing weighted ab movements to thicken the abs.