DO ab exercises make your belly appear bigger or smaller?

[karoloydi]

I was wandering whats the effect of the abs on the appearence of your belly, if you have a quite big belly (25% body fat).
One one hand I am thinking that they will make my belly appear smaller cause it will stiffen the muscles and my belly will be like when I am sucking it.
On the other hand I am thinking that the muscles will push the belly out even more making it appear even bigger.
What do you think?
I am not doing ab exercises yet. I am only working them out when I do the deadlifts.

[chazzy1864]

it won't have much overall difference. I'd say do ab exrecises, so when you do get rid of the belly fat, they will look much better.

[Herbalizer]

You won't notice any difference. You'll strengthen your core and that's it. You'll have to eat clean and do cardio in order to really notice any ab defenition.

[Spaghettii]

You won't notice any difference. You'll strengthen your core and that's it. You'll have to eat clean and do cardio in order to really notice any ab defenition.

Abs are made in the kitchen

[evasiontank]

To answer your question, in my experience, my belly looks bigger after doing Abs 5 days a week for the past 6 months, I used to have a gut, and my belly was much larger than it is now, but then i dieted down and lost the gut, picked up on ab exercises, and now my mid section sticks out, especially the middle of my six pack, but it doesn't look bad or anything. If i were you i'd definitely do abs at least once a week, I prefer to do them more than that though. Strengthening your core will help you with your compound movements that you do for other muscle groups which is definitely helpful.

[ZeMax]

Felt that my amazing keg got bigger, or atleast stood out more but mostly because it doesnt slouch (hang over/low, word?) as much anymore, the increase in muscle (i think) makes you assume a more tight sucked in posture and just makes everything look more ''stable'' actually gives a better look of it tbf. The more muscle you have the more you burn they say, Just work it.

[SaratogaKid]

it will make your stomach bigger but the new muscle will help to burn the fat a little bit. If you are at 25% plus body fat you need to just run or do cardio and eat super lean. You dont have to start doing ab workouts i would say until around 15% bf and then when you start getting lower they will show around 10% or less.

[zildjian_4]

To answer your question, in my experience, my belly looks bigger after doing Abs 5 days a week for the past 6 months, I used to have a gut, and my belly was much larger than it is now, but then i dieted down and lost the gut, picked up on ab exercises, and now my mid section sticks out, especially the middle of my six pack, but it doesn't look bad or anything. If i were you i'd definitely do abs at least once a week, I prefer to do them more than that though. Strengthening your core will help you with your compound movements that you do for other muscle groups which is definitely helpful.

sticks out at 170 lbs?doubt it. its your posture.

to the OP

strengthening and conditioning your abs will make them tighter, so like you said it does look sucked in.. building your abs up with weights etc, will make them grow slightly, and yes they will stick out, but if youre working rhe rest of your body, it would grow faster and your abs would not stick out

[Vigor]

If you're worried about this consider doing vacuums they will make your wait appear smaller after sometime doing them, nice thing is you can do them anywhere.

[nano.ix]

Abs are made in the kitchen

Goddammit, I hate you.