Ideas why I can't get abs to show???

[arody169]

I am 5'6", 151 lb., 21 yo., male, very active, athlete. I am in the US Navy. I only eat healthy foods never eating above 2600 calories per day. I carb cycle with a high/low/no carb cycle. I lift 2 days on, 1 day off. I do cardio 6 days a week. I lift very heavy for my size. I have 1-1.5 hr lifting sessions. I never have cheat meals. I do abs on no carb days using weights/body weight exercises. I supplement with creatine/whey/thermos/fish oil/green tea extract/bcaa's/nox. I lift with intensity in every weight lifting session I have using mostly compound exercises. I take 30-60 sec. rests in between sets (if that). I have a bf% of ~9-10%. At my best my body fat % was 7% and my abs were mediocre at best. My sources of carbs are oats/fibrous veggies/fruit. Protein comes from whey/chicken/fish/eggs/steak. My fats come from almond/peanut butter (natural)/almonds/fish/fish oil/whole eggs. So my question is this, why can't I get a nice set of abs like other people doing similar or less intense programs? I feel as though my diet is in check. My RMR is ~2600. I never eat over that. Yet, no matter what I do, how much cardio, how many weights I lift, how heavy I lift, I cannot seem to get that nice physique that I strive for. I cannot build muscle, I cannot lean out any more. Is it really that it may not be genetically possible for me to do either of these or am I likely doing something/anything wrong? If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to help. I have been training for over 5 years now and I am not at the same physique level as most people that have trained about the same length of time. My strength gains have gone up tremendously over this period of time, but my physique has always remained the same.

[uprise240]

same problem (I think) def. going to keep an eye on this thread to see responses.

[Bakers Man]

If you BF% is 9-10%, my best guess could be more subcutaneous water storage around the "abs".

[MarkVI]

Could be creatine but I'm betting on the fact that you have very little ab mass so they won't show at higher bf%'s.

[arody169]

Just so everyone has a little more insight to my predicament, I am in the special forces and as an operational/occupational requirement, cardio endurance/fitness is a massive part of my life. I consistently have timed events of prolonged cardio endurance (swimming/running/obstacle courses/etc.). One of the reasons I have trouble bulking is because I am terrified (and I do mean terrified) of excessive fat gain. The fatter I get, the more my times suffer, with the exception of swimming. I want to put on muscle but the risk of putting on too much fat and slowing down too much is just too great. As soon as I start to get that excess skin forming around my midsection, I tend to panic and cut back down. Regardless though, I cut, but as I said, I can never get my abs to show and get that nice physique that I would like. As I have said, I have had my bf% as low as 7% and the best I could get my abs to show was the way they look in my profile pic.

[arody169]

Unfortunately, I figured that I would get a few posts that said I probably have too little muscle in the ab region and possibly everywhere else. I imagine the remedy to this would be to bulk up and again, that plays into my dilemma of fear of fat gain. I struggle to know how to bulk while limiting fat gain. In high school, I bulked up and put on a lot of muscle with a generous amount of fat, but in no way was I obese. Through the course of my military career, however, due to poor nutrition and excessive working out, I lost a lot of fat, and unfortunately, a lot of muscle with it. I would like to be able to put on some muscle, but as I said, I fear that I am going to mess up my diet and/or training again and get fat which in turn would decrease my cardio performance.

[RaaawR]

If you really fear about fat gains in a bulk, do a very slow clean bulk going 100-200 calories above mantainance.

[zeetis]

Yup it's a muscle mass thing man.

Have a look at my pics, when I was 146-148 I had less defined abs than I do now at 152-154 after a slow bulk... just go on a slow bulk and make sure you engage your core during big exercises.

That's my experience anyway, good luck

[Resolve.]

^^^This. A slight increase in cals should allow you to gain weight slowly enough that it is practically all muscle. Also a focus on vertical and standing lifts has really helped with my abs - front squats and push press in particular.

[IanR1205]

You might be genetically predisposed to store more fat in your ab region than other parts of your body which would make your abs hard to see even at a low body fat percentage.

Also, since you have two goals (performance in your endurance events and looking like a sculpture) it may be hard to achieve both at the same time.

Reducing calories further will definitely get you your abs but your performance may suffer.

[Bakers Man]

One of the reasons I have trouble bulking is because I am terrified (and I do mean terrified) of excessive fat gain. The fatter I get, the more my times suffer, with the exception of swimming. I want to put on muscle but the risk of putting on too much fat and slowing down too much is just too great. As soon as I start to get that excess skin forming around my midsection, I tend to panic and cut back down. Regardless though, I cut, but as I said, I can never get my abs to show and get that nice physique that I would like. As I have said, I have had my bf% as low as 7% and the best I could get my abs to show was the way they look in my profile pic.

I would like to be able to put on some muscle, but as I said, I fear that I am going to mess up my diet and/or training again and get fat which in turn would decrease my cardio performance.

I wouldn't worry too much about your times suffering, as far as running anyways. I was once a seriously competitive XC and track runner, although, due to implications I had to stop running for a year and a half and am still have issues I found out as of yesterday. But even after all of that, I am still able to pull off at least a 5:30mi on one of my 1st times out 2 weeks ago w/ no real effort. And this is also including the fact that I've gained 40lbs since then, but am about 30lbs heavier since I was last able to run. Just make sure you keep the fat gain to a minimum and the extra weight shouldn't impede you that much.

[simodasink]

Some good posts in here. Really helpful!

[MikeK46]

I cannot build muscle, I cannot lean out any more.

You're eating at maintenance. Therefore you'll be spinning your wheels until you decide you want to cut (lower calories below maintenance) or bulk (increase calories above maintenance).

[kanis999]

I'm in the same boat. Abs are too undeveloped to pop out. Clean bulking for 5-6 months, then cutting for 1-3 months should help.

[WonderPug]

You're eating at maintenance. Therefore you'll be spinning your wheels until you decide you want to cut (lower calories below maintenance) or bulk (increase calories above maintenance).

Mike, you just replied to a 3 year old post.

[MikeK46]

Mike, you just replied to a 3 year old post.

Figures. Just woke up