Developing abs

[Tigerzen]

There was a recent discussion about how someone had got down to low bodyfat levels but still had no abs showing and the comment was made that the poster needed to incorporate abs exercises into his routine. It was also suggested that some people will have abs showing just as a result of heavy compound exercises. Is this because of fat distribution, abs muscle development or is there another reason for this. Also, this maybe related but why do some people have to go down to 27 inch waists to reveal abs while others have them on 32 inch and above waists? Is this a bone structure issue ie small bones or is there another explanation?

[nosirrahx]

It was also suggested that some people will have abs showing just as a result of heavy compound exercises. Is this because of fat distribution, abs muscle development or is there another reason for this.

Especially squats and deadlifts but yes, heavy compound movements force you to flex your abs with great intensity and this will develop them.

[Tigerzen]

Especially squats and deadlifts but yes, heavy compound movements force you to flex your abs with great intensity and this will develop them.

I've done these in the past but still no clear abs, I know others have done plenty of these too, some get abs easily, others need the specialised abs work.

[freymart]

Do a deadlift routine + some isometric holds. If you are geting stronger you can think about the more advanced bodyweight exercises like dragon flag, standing ab wheel etc.

cut out most exercises with eccentric movement as they usually target the front abs but neglect the obliques and inner girdle. Plank holds or hollow body holds and dealifts are really the best exercises when you want to get an overall strong core and not just some aesthetic hypertrophy in your top ab layer.

[tara19]

Abs are like any other muscle, they need to be built.
And to build muscle = a calorie surplus + resistance training. ** and adequate protein.

[DSUP]

I always like cable crunches for ab training because it's one of very few ab movements that you can incrementally increase the resistance with. I resolved the running out of weight on the machine by making a pin that sticks into and out of the stack which allows me to hang extra plates.



What the posters above said: train the ab muscles for hypertrophy just like any other (i.e., progressive resistance).

[Tigerzen]

Appreciate the replies and it's all good information but there seems to be a big discrepancy when people quote their measurements, you'll see someone with a 27 inch waist and clear abs and then someone else with a 32 inch waist with clear abs. Is that all attributable to abs work with progressive resistance?

[jtaylor2010]

Appreciate the replies and it's all good information but there seems to be a big discrepancy when people quote their measurements, you'll see someone with a 27 inch waist and clear abs and then someone else with a 32 inch waist with clear abs. Is that all attributable to abs work with progressive resistance?

What if I told you their hip bones were a different size?

[Tigerzen]

What if I told you their hip bones were a different size?

Then I would say I understand, I then must have smaller hips as I have been down to 28.5 inches waist measurement and still not seen significant abs.

[sdunn96]

Abs are like any other muscle, they need to be built.
And to build muscle = a calorie surplus + resistance training. ** and adequate protein.

To some extent...you need to lower calories to get rid of fat....

I've done these in the past but still no clear abs, I know others have done plenty of these too, some get abs easily, others need the specialised abs work.

Genetics

Appreciate the replies and it's all good information but there seems to be a big discrepancy when people quote their measurements, you'll see someone with a 27 inch waist and clear abs and then someone else with a 32 inch waist with clear abs. Is that all attributable to abs work with progressive resistance?

Genetics

Heavy compounds will help with ab development since you incorporate your core to stabilize yourself while performing them....at heavy weights.

But I would still hit abs w/ crunches, leg lifts, cable crunches, etc....at least 2x/week.
That's what I do.

[Tigerzen]

You will always hear that everyone has abs, they're just buried under the fat, guess they need to be worked fairly hard if they are to be visible.

[sdunn96]

You will always hear that everyone has abs, they're just buried under the fat, guess they need to be worked fairly hard if they are to be visible.

You do have abs and yes they are below fat.
And yes they are a muscle group, so you do need to work them

But you also have to understand that their shape, and how they show, how they develop.....it's all based on genetics.
Mine will always look how they do, no matter what I do....I will never get an 8-pack like other guys have...
And when I was younger I would start off my workouts doing at least 30 min of ab work....tons of crunches and leg lifts....and they have always looked the same.....once the fat was gone.

[EjnarKolinkar]

There was a recent discussion about how someone had got down to low bodyfat levels but still had no abs showing and the comment was made that the poster needed to incorporate abs exercises into his routine. It was also suggested that some people will have abs showing just as a result of heavy compound exercises. Is this because of fat distribution, abs muscle development or is there another reason for this. Also, this maybe related but why do some people have to go down to 27 inch waists to reveal abs while others have them on 32 inch and above waists? Is this a bone structure issue ie small bones or is there another explanation?

Abdominal structure contributes

Fat distribution patterns (gynoid, android) differ in how much fat has to be lost.

Size of the muscles

Heavy standing compounds like deadlift, squat, press, clean all will contribute greatly to abdominal development along with more direct training.