A six-pack when I suck my belly in, but if relaxed...a beer belly.

[leo_bassani]

Hi all! What would I do for this? I wonder if I just have an excessively stretched abdominal area.

Essentially this is the deal: if I suck my belly in, and position my abdomen correctly, I have a 6 pack, actually an 8-pack, including obliques and other details.

However, if I am just relaxed, it is a flabby mess, where all detail disappears and my stomach sticks out a few inches. What it this? I wonder if because of years of having a belly (not so big, just a under worked body) I just have stretched abdomen muscles. Maybe it is just what it is, my body is like that? what about a weak lower back?

any information on exercises to fix this, or someone with a similar issue and a solution?

warm regards,

Leonardo

[PoW]

If you want a six pack all the time, you have to lower BF.

[W8isGR8]

Could be visceral fat. Fat stored inside the abdoman.

[TexAss]

I have the same problem.

I have been told to try vaccuums and planks to work the transversus abdominus (I think that's right).

[Iron7]

You have these things in your stomach called organs
lol

[Flex500]

Hi all! What would I do for this? I wonder if I just have an excessively stretched abdominal area.

Essentially this is the deal: if I suck my belly in, and position my abdomen correctly, I have a 6 pack, actually an 8-pack, including obliques and other details.

However, if I am just relaxed, it is a flabby mess, where all detail disappears and my stomach sticks out a few inches. What it this? I wonder if because of years of having a belly (not so big, just a under worked body) I just have stretched abdomen muscles. Maybe it is just what it is, my body is like that? what about a weak lower back?

any information on exercises to fix this, or someone with a similar issue and a solution?

warm regards,

Leonardo

it's hard to tell exactly what your problem is but I bet it is just your body and your posture. I have told people before my old roomate in college had sick abs, I mean unbelievable. But he would walk around hunched over and let his stomach just go everywhere.

He would always say "why is my stomach like this when I have such low bf and great abs?" He literally had to have less that 7% bf. Anyway I would tell him "quit walking around like that co*ksucker, it's not normal to let everything hang like that. Don't lurch around, get your back strait chest up and stomach in and walk with normal posture"

Maybe your bf is just too high that could be it for you, but that was for sure not it for my roomate. I am the same way also, when I am dieted down if I let it "all hang out" of course it will look like a gut.

[meg@tron]

i have the same problem although im at 8-9% bf as of the last check done in sept of this year. i can see definition when sucking in the gut however when let out its a mess.

[NumberTwentyTwo]

I have the same problem.

I have been told to try vaccuums and planks to work the transversus abdominus (I think that's right).

this is the correct answer

[jaybrown]

I have the same problem.

I have been told to try vaccuums and planks to work the transversus abdominus (I think that's right).

I had that problem about 2 weeks ago and started do vacuums and i've noticed a big difference....maybe you should give them a try

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

[homer77]

If you want a six pack all the time, you have to lower BF.

you said it all

[LiL USMC BBer]

lower body fat if you want abs all the time.. I have the same problem. When flexed I have almost pefectly defined abs, but when relaxed its just flat, but no definition.

Mozelstein what are planks?

[TexAss]

Lay face down on the mat. Rest on your elbows under your shoulders. Toes should be in pushup position. Contract your abs and bring your torso in line with your shoulders (flat like a plank). Hold for 30s. That is one rep.

http://exercise.about.com/library/graphics/plank1.jpg

[Lampen69]

i made a thread like this..i think its like other muscles ..like theyre only defined pretty much when u flex..some guy just said u gotta suck in all the time ..btw ive tried planks and vacs. didnt help too much, so i think the answer is just suck in all the time till u get used to it

[W8isGR8]

My problem is my stomach is always stuffed with food All this damn eating every 2 hours and drinking a gallon of water makes me feel pregnant all the time. The only time I have a flat stomach is first thing in the morning.

[Brutarian]

Transversus is hard to hit. Also try quadruped, especially with a full stomach (you're lifting weight, heh). On your hands and knees, put your navel cloxe to your spine. Extend legs, one at a time.

[EvilMonkey]

Want to test your core? Try this

http://ronjones.org/Coach&Train/Exer...ntDynamic.html

[Iron7]

Want to test your core? Try this

http://ronjones.org/Coach&Train/Exer...ntDynamic.html

I remember that

[LiL USMC BBer]

Lay face down on the mat. Rest on your elbows under your shoulders. Toes should be in pushup position. Contract your abs and bring your torso in line with your shoulders (flat like a plank). Hold for 30s. That is one rep.

http://exercise.about.com/library/graphics/plank1.jpg

OOOOOOOHHHH!!! We do those all the time, when we PT. I just didn't put a name to it.

We do them on the side to. Both sides and then the center one.

[Uriel_da_man]

It's a matter of posture. Correct posture is chest high, chin forward and stomach slightly sucked in. That's right, correct posture is keeping a slight vacuum all day long. If you can't you have to work your transversus abdominis through stomach vacuums...or just suck it in as long as you can everytime you remember it and you'll eventualy be doing it instinctively.

[leo_bassani]

I guess I was right from the beginning, I just have to have good posture and work on sucking the belly in all the time, as well as doing bridge type exercises.

I wonder if buying one of those lame neoprene wraps for my waist would help be remember to keep it sucked in.

Anyways, PILATES helps a lot, it improves dramatically.

MY BF is 8%, so enough to have the pack for sure.

thanks for all suggestions!

Leonardo

[$AJ]

I guess I was right from the beginning, I just have to have good posture and work on sucking the belly in all the time, as well as doing bridge type exercises.

I wonder if buying one of those lame neoprene wraps for my waist would help be remember to keep it sucked in.

Anyways, PILATES helps a lot, it improves dramatically.

MY BF is 8%, so enough to have the pack for sure.

thanks for all suggestions!

Leonardo

how do you know yoru bf % is 8%. if it was from callipers or a scale or similar method, it isn't and it's probably a lot higher. if it's from hydrostatic (dunk) or muscle biopsy, then it's accurate

[Uriel_da_man]

I wonder if buying one of those lame neoprene wraps for my waist would help be remember to keep it sucked in.

Nope. It'd do the same thing as a weightlifting belt - suck it in for you so your muscles can relax and not worry about it. Exacly the contrary of what we want here.