Hi,
I currently have a 4 pack but I want the 6 pack which everyone wishes for. I have the 2 packs on top of you belly button, the 2 on top of that but I don't know how to get the other 2 pack which are under your pectorals. My weight is perfectly fine and I am about 180cm (maybe less). Can someone please tell me why this is happening or is it because I am not using the correct techniques to get it, if this is so can you tell me what exercises I need to do in order for me to get them.

Thanks

Abs aren't about exercises for the most part. They are about body fat. If you are doing big moves like squats, deads, weighted pullups, etc, your abs will be fine.

So get your diet in order and burn off a bit more fat.

You should mention in your profile that you're 15 years old. It's relative to the best course of action when it comes to advice.

Increase strength, speed, athleticism. The abs will be there, don't worry.

Try my ab workout if you like:-

Done twice a week on ab day...which is a day unto itself.


1/2 hour of Hip-hop Abs with some Tae-bo thrown in.

then:-

Bicycle crunches
Captain's chairs (Knee-ups using elbows as support)
Crunches on a Swiss ball
Reverse crunches.

These are done circuit fashion...One set, then move on to the next for usually 3 circuits. So first round might be 20 Bic.Crunches,15 knee-ups,10 S.B. crunches, 8 Rev.crunches.

I do them weighted at this point in time.

After that I alternate between Standing Ab Crunch/pulldowns and Floor Windmills for about 10 reps each for 3 circuits. I use about 85lbs on the Standing Ab crunch/pulldown.

The hold a 5lb ball over my head and do 20 sidebobs L+R

Then a set of 15 modified Burpees on the Total trainer.

Finish off with Swissball elbow plank held for about 45 seconds and Floor L+R Sidebridges for about 25 seconds.

This will work every ab you possess....but like the posters have said allready, you can't see the Corvette if it's hidden behind the garage doors.

Hi,
I currently have a 4 pack but I want the 6 pack which everyone wishes for. I have the 2 packs on top of you belly button, the 2 on top of that but I don't know how to get the other 2 pack which are under your pectorals. My weight is perfectly fine and I am about 180cm (maybe less). Can someone please tell me why this is happening or is it because I am not using the correct techniques to get it, if this is so can you tell me what exercises I need to do in order for me to get them.

Thanks

hey ilkboy.. the other posters have given you good advise, abs are all about body fat... you HAVE the last two, you just can't see them yet.... but the one thing I wanted to correct you on is WHERE those last two are :p they are NOT under your pecs, they are under your belly button ;) the top four are the the easiest to get out from under fat, the last two are the hardest because abdominal fat, especially the bit under our belly buttons is usually the last bit of fat to go, and usually the hardest to get rid of ;) but, as others have said... with you being as young as you are, just increase your activity a bit and I'm sure it will melt right off (the fat that is) and you'll have the full six in no time :tucool:

hey ilkboy.. the other posters have given you good advise, abs are all about body fat... you HAVE the last two, you just can't see them yet.... but the one thing I wanted to correct you on is WHERE those last two are :p they are NOT under your pecs, they are under your belly button ;) the top four are the the easiest to get out from under fat, the last two are the hardest because abdominal fat, especially the bit under our belly buttons is usually the last bit of fat to go, and usually the hardest to get rid of ;)

You're kind of both right. There are 5 distinct "levels" of abs. 3 above the navel, two below. (This is approximate. Sometimes the relative location of the navel is a bit higher or lower.) So there is another layer underneath the pectorals. There are also two layers beneath the navel. It's extremely rare to have these visibly separated from each other.

Here's a diagram with the "layers":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Rectus_abdominis.png

Here are two pictures that also distinctly show the layers:
http://www.t-nation.com/forum_images/20890-Abs.jpg
http://www.t-nation.com/forum_images/57f03-victory.jpg

Hey dpark i thought ide come in and add something to this thread. When I want to train my lower abs with exercises such as Hanging Knee raises, Captains chair knee raises and reverse crunch etc, I "think" im using more of a momentum to get through the reps, How do I target just the lower abs themselves to do the work and not use momentum? This would be great advice if you could somehow explain it, and perhaps shade some light on this threads creator.

Also is it logical to do abs on cardio days or weights day?

Hey dpark i thought ide come in and add something to this thread. When I want to train my lower abs with exercises such as Hanging Knee raises, Captains chair knee raises and reverse crunch etc, I "think" im using more of a momentum to get through the reps, How do I target just the lower abs themselves to do the work and not use momentum? This would be great advice if you could somehow explain it, and perhaps shade some light on this threads creator.
I'd say to just perform the movement slower. Slowing down will eliminate momentum. Hold a weight with your feet as well if you want to increase the workout (if you aren't already be doing this).

There is some debate about whether doing knee raises and such really does much for abs at all, though. Most of the work is actually done by the hip flexors. The abs are supposedly used mostly just to stabilize. I haven't done a ton of research into it, though.

There's also debate into whether you can even target lower abs. Some say that they cannot be exercised independently of the upper abs at all. I'm not sure I believe this, though. The argument is that since it's just one muscle, there's no way independently work the top and bottom. By that logic, though, the traps should also be unable to perform different actions at different locations.

Sorry, went off on a tangent.

Also is it logical to do abs on cardio days or weights day?
I do mine on weight days, but I don't really think it matters. I've also done abs on cardio days in the past. Do it whenever it's convenient for you.

Is there a certain amount of body fat that you have to reach before you will start to be able to see your abs? You all seem to agree that the most important part of getting a 6-pack is losing uneeded fat, but is there a certain body fat % that they will start to come out or is that dependent on the person.

Is there a certain amount of body fat that you have to reach before you will start to be able to see your abs? You all seem to agree that the most important part of getting a 6-pack is losing uneeded fat, but is there a certain body fat % that they will start to come out or is that dependent on the person.
Definitely depends on the person. Some guyse can see their abs well at 12%. Some can't see their abs well until about 8%.

Girls can have an even wider range of body fat percentages where the abs become visible, because they store fat so much differently differently than most men.

http://www.t-nation.com/forum_images/57f03-victory.jpg

Great pic.

For my money the bent-knee Captain's Chair (Elbow knee-raise) is better than the straight leg version (the straight leg type does work the
Hip flexors more).

But it's "how " you do them that counts. (The bent-knee type).

Bend your knees.Do not swing at all.. Speed is not a factor in this ex.

If you start to swing, stop.

Keep your upper torso vertical.

As you come up try and curl your lower abdomen/ass forward so that the emphasis hits the abs , not the hip flexors.

Do this WITHOUT swinging and keep your knees bent at all times.

Don't EVER do them fast.

You can weight them as you get better at it.

Aim for a 15 rep set. (or sets).

If you can do 15 easy, you're doing them too fast.