Great Six Pack Ab Video Shows How Get Extremely Toned Abs

Hi,

Is 17% body fat already considered as low?

Thanks!

Well…17% body fat isn't too bad for a female, but it is about average for a guy. You will really begin to see your abs at a little lower body fat level…around 10-12%…but part of it depends on the person as well.

I've seen two people at 15% body fat…one person looked a bit flabby and one guy looked toned.

cooL. I'll aim for 10% body fat then. Cardio, here i come!

Thanks!

P.S. I'm a guy. =]

Great…if you can get to 10% body fat, you will see your abs. Very few people are 10% or below, but it really isn't too hard if you are active.

Go to your kitchen cabinet, get medium sized popcorn serving bowl and duct tape it to your stomach. Now get into the standard plank position and look down at your midsection. That's what my abdominals look like when I am in the push-up/plank position.

There is a little fat (not much, I'm 150lbs and 5' 10") , but mainly it's like my abs are really convex. This effect dissapears when I stand up. I just discovered the plank exercise today and just did 2 minutes of standard plank (with a timer).

Up to now I've been doing 45 min of cardio per day plus a moderate free weight program 5 days a week for the last 2 months.

Is the shape of my abs a common thing for ab beginners? I have asthma so I thought maybe struggling to breath all these years has deformed my midsection somehow. Appreciate any help.

Planks are perfect for someone with convex looking abs. You probably need to tighten up the abs without adding mass to the abdominal wall. If you add mass, your abs will look even more convex.

The nice thing about planks is that it is an "isometric contraction". Isometric contractions build tone not mass…which is perfect for abs. When you work your abs through a range of motion in a more traditional method, there is a good chance that you will build mass.

Stick with planks…and keep hitting the cardio hard…in 3-6 months your abs should look great!

Rusty

Ok thanks. I do already feel more and deeper soreness today than I ever felt with crunches.

Tom,

Yeah…and you will get even ab development…most people can get sharp upper abs, but have a tougher time getting good lower abs or toned obliques. Planks seem to get your whole mid section toned…and even some side benefit to the chest and shoulders.

It is a great exercise…especially since it just takes 2 minutes.

Rusty

This is reallly bugging me: I have an eight pack (type-thing) when I flex, but, my right side is definately a lot stronger, I do not know how to even them out, please help.

(I'm skinny/athletic/muscular-ish b/c I'm 14 years old, 5' 7" and 140 pounds.)

Brad,

I know how to fix your problem! I'm glad you found my site, because I have solutions for most common fitness problems.

You simply have a stronger mind-to-muscle link on your right side. As you mature this will most likely balance out, but I can help you speed up the process.

Do the "Side Planks" as demonstrated in the video. Do your weak side first for as long as possible (time yourself). Do your strong side after that for the exact amount of time…don't go longer than the time you spent on your weak side.

What you will find is that both sides will eventually balance out.

I enjoy hearing about younger guys getting into fitness. So many of the younger guys spend the majority of their spare time playing video games…it is nice to see that you are interested in something that will benefit you your entire life.

Rusty

thanks a lot =D

Hi. im 25. i ran Track and cross country in Highschool. i was in the Army for 5 1/2 years. so im phsically fit for the most part.

i weigh about 135lbs and im 5ft 9" so im a skinny bean pole.

how do you get highly defined abs when i only have about 7-8% body fat. im mabe up to 10-11% now since ive been out.

its so much easier for overweight people to gain muscle and define. because they have the mass already. ive have i guess what you would call a almost 4 pack. if i flex you can see a defined muscles line around the outside. ive done pushups/situps/crunches/side crunches/ resistance situps/ ect ect. running. now ive only started back trying to get some abs in the last week or so. what is the best process for us skinny people to get good definition.

John,

It is definitely easier for guys who are naturally skinny to show muscular definition. You really have a big advantage in a lot of areas.

I have a detailed post about what the true cause of muscle tone is. This is probably different than what you have read on muscle tone in the past…

High Reps for Muscle Tone? Bad Advice

Since you have low body fat percentage, your main focus is to increase your body's natural ability to flex your abs. The stronger you increase the mind-to-muscle link to a bodypart the more toned that body part will get.

Muscle tone is basically how "flexed" and alert the muscles are in a relaxed state. The way to increase it in many muscles is to lift heavier weights, but with your abs it all comes down to flexing them hard throughout the day.

What I would recommend is to do these plank exercises twice per day, but in addition to that practice flexing your abs hard throughout the day. The better you get at flexing your abs…the more toned they are going to be when you are not flexing them.

It is NEVER an advantage to have higher body fat as far as muscle tone goes. Since you are naturally lean…all you have to is hit the weights and the tone will come. The older you get…the better your tone will get as long as you stay at the same body fat percentage.

Consider yourself lucky!

Rusty

ah thanks. ive been trying these planks now. one more question.

i am taking whey protein at the same time to try and build little more mass. how much if any would that slow down my toning? im not sure if whey protein has any affect on fat and toning while its repairing muscle tissue. should i just work on my abs get the 6 pack then start trying to gain some mass to turn into muscle or can i do this at the same time? i a definately no scared to work out extra hard. im used to 1 to 1 1/2 hour workouts. intense training. just in the Army it was more to sustain strength and endurance that actaully gaining strength and endurance.

i wish the Military would adapt your style of training. ive never been a fan of situps or crunches because of the strain it puts on the back and neck.

thans again for quick responce and your video

John,

I am not a huge fan on building too much muscle mass, but you are slim so in your case a little more mass would be fine.

To build mass, you are going to want to purposely damage the muscles a bit when you workout. Then you are going to want to make sure they have time and the nutrients to repair the damage.

When you are building mass, you are aiming for a higher volume per muscle group than when you are trying to tone your muscles. You can't go wrong with 12-15 sets of 6-12 reps per muscle group. Try to rest just enough in between each set to catch your breath, because you are aiming to get a "pump" in the muscles (again…I usually don't recommend this type of workout unless you really need more muscle mass). When rest is at a minimum then each set builds upon the previous set…this is what causes a pump. If you rest too long, you lose the benefit of the previous set.

Right after your workout is a perfect time to drink a protein shake (your muscles will absorb the nutrients like crazy). Then you will want to eat a bigger meal an hour after that.

Once you have enough mass, you don't want to damage the muscles…so you will puposely do much less volume of lifts and spend more time on cardio.

Hope that makes sense!

Rusty

yea i totally understand!.
another question. should my shoulders be burning like fire? or is that a sign i need to work on them or mabe im not using propper form. im holding the planks for 2 min, and im holding it fine my stomach could handle more but my shoulders begin to give way.

is that normal?

I'm bulking up my muscle mass and have a layer of fat covering my stomach. i can see my abs or the outline of them when i tense my abs but not otherwise. I'd rather not to any cardio just yet as I've been told it will inhibit my growth. Will this exercise help me to get toned abs, leaving me to do cardio to lose the fat in that region?

Saleem,

This exercise will definitely tone up your abs, but it will be under the layer of fat you currently have. It will still be worth doing, because once you burn away the body fat…the muscle tone will show through.

The video isn't available anymore, you wouldn't happen to have any other recommended video links, would you?

Hey,
I'm 18, 5 feet 9 inches, but I weigh only 130 pds. I was wondering, if you had any other suggestions as to what I could do. I have already read the other comments and your answers above me. I have really skinny legs, and I'd like to build them up. And as for upper body I already do weight training on it, I'm pretty much convinced its my lower body thats keeping my weight so low. I don't have access to squat machines and all that, so maybe you have some other ideas as to what I could do?

Sincerely,
Ray

p.s. this site rocks

So, I'm 16 and started doing the planks for more than a 30 second rep after reading the positive feedback on it above. I weigh about 135, am in good shape without much in the way of "flab." (oh, and I'm 5'7). Now, I only have two questions [if someone would be so kind as to answer]. 1. Is there anything else I should do to maximize the workout besides the planks? And secondly, how long would you guess it would be before I see the changes (assuming I do it around 5 times a week)?

Thanks,

Zach

Zach,

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. You have actually gave me a great idea for an article on six pack abs…I will write it today or tonight and include the link here:

Bruce Lee's Secret Six Pack Ab Exercise

Enjoy the post…add this exercise to your arsenal!

Rusty

Thanks man,
Great article on the BoD if you will. Sounds like something worth a look I appreciate responding man. Now I guess the only question left is how long do you think it would be until I see noticeable results. Assuming I measured correctly, I have 11.5% body fat.

Thanks again for the timely response Rusty, you really have a great site going here. Everything I read is not only coherent, but makes sense too. A nice combination.

Zach

Zach,

11.5% body fat isn't bad at all…I bet you have a nice "4 pack" and that your lower abs aren't quite there yet. Am I right?

At between 10-12% body fat, you will have great definition in certain parts of your body, but other parts won't be quite as defined.

If you can hit anywhere between 8-10%, you will be evenly toned all over your entire body. You really don't ever need to go below 8%.

…But 11% body fat is very respectable…very few people are that low!

Rusty

well i have been working my abs out by doing sit ups with 20 pound wieghts on my chest and it doesnt help can you please tell me how to get a firm 6 pack

Jon,

I have a few articles posted on how to get six pack abs. They are all located here:

http://fitnessblackbook.com/category/six-pack-abs/

The biggest thing is that you have to get a low enough body fat percentage to be able to see your abs. The other thing is that you have to make sure you have a strong mind-to-muscle link (read the "Bruce Lee Abs" post).

Stay away from situps if possible…and study those posts I recommended above…and begin doing the exercise listed above as well.

Rusty

This video seems to be unavailable. Can you check on the same please and provide an alternate link, if any?

Abhishek,

It should be good now.

Rusty

Yes, I see the video now. Looks like a good exercise; will have to ewxperience it though.

I'm a guy with an average physique and since last 1 month or so, I'm doing a specific exercise for ABs. This exercise requires both the legs raised, bent at knees in 90 degree position with the head raised comfortably so as not to cause pain in the neck. This exercise gives my ABs decent amount of contraction but still I'd like to know if doing planks would give better results.

BTW, this site seems to contain lot of good stuff!

You are doing the standard crunch exercise. It isn't a bad exercise for the short term to build foundation in your abs and increase your ability to flex your abs in other exercises…the problem is that it can irritate and even weaken your lower back over time. If you have a back injury, then I would avoid these.

The brilliance of the plank exercise is this…you are contracting your abs hard using the same posture you would use while standing up. So eventually you will display more tone when you have your shirt off and are just standing up.

Another benefit of planks it that it works the intercostal, obliques, and basically every torso muscle.

It is a great exercise!

Rusty

I understand it now, Rusty. I do see the posture for planks in the video but would appreciate if you can outline the breathing technique associated with it as well. Do we breath normal when performing the exercise?

If you don't mind, I'd like to have your suggestions on a different topic as well:
After a few years of "irregular" free weight workouts, I've recently started with the isometric exercises on a serious note and let me tell you – I'm enjoying them. I do 2 set of 10 reps for almost every musle group every second day.

Since last couple of months, I have been reading articles on the isometric training and have come across some of them that say isometric exerices are not good as they cause joint related problems during later stages of life. Can you shed some light over the same and help clarify the matter?

Thanks!

I had posted a message here a few hours back but it seems that it was removed. Anyways, thanks for your response; would be great if you can throw some light on the breathing method while doing planks as well.

Not sure if my earlier post was removed due to the fact that it enquired about "isometric training" but that's something I'm currently in and want to know if it affects joints in the long run.

Woo..I see the message back in here. Now, 2 messages out there for the same set of enquiries lol

Abhishek,

The posts will disappear after you leave the page until I moderate the comment and allow it to post here. There are a lot of spammers and people who use profanity, etc. I want to keep this site well moderated, friendly, and informative…so I usually check once in the morning and once at night to allow the regular comments to post.

Here is a breathing tip to make planks more effective. Force all the air out of your lungs while simultaneously contracting your abs as hard as possible. Hold that for 5 seconds…rest for 20-30 seconds and repeat. You will notice that your abs will feel extra "dense" after doing this for a few weeks.

I have to be honest…I have never heard of isometrics being bad for the joints. I will do some research on this and if I find something noteworthy, I'll post this. I'll dig through the scientific journals to see if there was a legitimate study done on this.

No need to worry about including comments that are slightly off topic. I post random Youtube videos and pictures that are pretty "out there".

Glad to have you as a reader…I appreciate your input!

Rusty

Thanks for the breathing tips, Rusty. I can start with planks now!

i have a flat stomach but the abs just aint showing

Slim,

Sometimes it takes a 3-6 months of solid exercising a body part, before you have the ability to flex a muscle hard. You have to create a strong mind-to-muscle link to display the bet muscle tone. You also have to get to a low enough body fat percentage so that you see that muscle in the first place.

Rusty

rusty,so what exercise do u advise me 2 do

Slim,

Go to the Six Pack Abs category of my blog. Read about Bruce Lee's Secret Ab Exercise. Do this along with "planks"…you will get a six pack within 6 months.

Rusty

i am tryin 2 build my pecs wat routins do u think i should do? and how long would it take for a visible difference 2 show?

Hey these are great exercises.
I wanted to know what exercises you think i should do. I have a slim body but i am toned and Im trying to get a six pack. The form of the abs are there but I want them to be more defined and easily visible. Can you give me some tips on exercises

Thanks

hey, well first of all i dont know what percentage of body fat i am. i do track, and cross country and i run a lot everyday. i am in pretty good shape but really want my abs to be toned. my stomach is mostly just flat and when i flex sometimes you can see muscle. what should i do?

thanks

oh, im 16 and 5'3, 105 lbs

Ashley,

You sound like you are in great shape! What you need to work on is increasing your mind-to-muscle link in your abs. Practice contracting them a few times a day. Once you get good at contracting your abs, your ab workouts will have much more purpose and you will begin to see that definition.

Read this post I made. I think you will like it.

Bruce Lee's Six Pack Ab Secret

Have a great one!

Rusty

yo rusty, I have this problem where my lower two abs "pudge" out i guess you could say. From the front they look great but then when I turn to the side it looks terrible. Is this happening because I dont have low enough body fat, or are their some exercises to correct this? just lookin for any ideas on how to make my abs flat because these lower two abs are driving me crazy!

Brandon,

It is just a matter of losing a little bit more fat. Once you see a "4 pack" you are typically 5 pounds away from a six pack. Crank up the cardio a notch and tighten up the diet a little and you will get there! I've been in this position many times!

Rusty

Hey rusty,

Recently I had my hydrostatic weighing done, and found out that I was at 11.2%. Which I was told was pretty good. I am 27, 6' 2" and weigh 175 pounds. I run almost 2 miles every day, and have been using dumbells, pushups, and a variation of different ab excercises. I have noticed that I have a very small 4 pack that starts above my lower stomache. I am really having trouble with my lower stomache and it seems to be a common thing. Also I have always been kinda skinny and I have been using my dumbells a lot and notice considerable difference when Im using them, but whenever I am done with my workout, They seem to dissapear. I dont know If I am just being impatient but I decided to buy a muscle mass supplement drink, and I hope it will help. Is that a bad Idea? And is there any thing you can tell me on the best way to help my lower stomache. I would really appreciate it… thanks

Marcus,

The only reason you aren't seeing the full six pack is just because of your body fat percentage. Typically, people see a full 6 pack at around 10% body fat…you will go from a 4 pack to a six pack with just a bit more fat loss. The good news is that you are really close.

Don't drink the mass supplement shakes…all they are going to do is add a bunch of extra calories that you don't need. If you have a bit left and don't want to waste the money you spent, then just drink those shakes right after working out…but don't buy anymore after that.

Here is a tip that will allow you to lose that last little bit of fat.
1) Don't touch any type of calorie whatsoever within 4 hours of your workout.
2) Only eat carb containing meals right after your workout. Try to go low carb the rest of the time.
3) Drink Green tea throughout the day if you get a bit low on energy from your low carb diet.

This is slightly extreme, but will work wonders. You could easily get down to 8% body fat following this plan…then you would get really sharp 6 pack abs. At that point you could re-introduce carbs back into the rest of your meals. If you are really strict with this you could see results quickly.

Rusty

Awesome exercise. I'm going to start doing it after my cardio. What is a good goal bodyfat % for women? I see 10% for men is good to see ab defination but what about women? I've got a long way to go but years ago I was at my lowest 15.3% I still don't remember my abs being totally flat.

Valerie,

This is an amazing exercise for sure. This is basically all I do and I have a sharp six pack year round. A good body fat percentage for women…it depends upon the woman. I normally add 4% to what I recommend for a guy. For a woman to look as ripped as a guy at 6%, she would need to get to 10% body fat. I don't think that is ideal. See what 12-13% looks like…women vary greatly in what they look like at certain body fat percentages…way more than guys.

Rusty

i wanna know a good routine , what is it , 3 series of 15 each exerciese? what is the best

Hi Rusty loving the site, i've never really been someone who exercises all that much, but now want to start, i've always eaten pretty much what i want an still seem to stay lean, My body fat percentage is 13%, you can see my abs but not that great. How long would it take if i were to really go for it and try and get my body fat to 10% and below? Im a male, and 27 years old

Cheers!

Chris,

You are just two months away from being ripped if you tighten up your diet and increase your activity levels. I actually think that going from 12-13% body fat to 6-8% body fat is very rewarding! Once you hit 10% and below, each pound you drop makes a HUGE difference in the way your body and abs look.

This is going to be a fun time for you!

Rusty

I had hydrostatic weighing done and I found out I was 2.5% Im only 15 and have training for 11/2 years in shaolin kung fu. It works and this does too.

what would you say how fit is my body fat percentage? (I redid it, its 3.5%) please tell me what is your opinion on it…

Hi I am 17 yrs old and i swim competitively and have around 9% body fat. But i still have that little fat around my lower abs. My upper abs and v-muscle(sex muscle) show but i just dont have the 2 lower abs muscles. Do you have any tips on how to get them? Ive been working on abs every other day, and i only see little results.

Thanks,
Zlatan

I just came across your site today, I know that the planks are great, and getting to 30 seconds, is hard enough for me.

I just had 2 children in the past year and a half… needless to say I have little to no abdominal muscles. Anyway, I'm sure you are familiar with cross-training- I've been doing cross-training routines 3-5 times a week, plus HITT 4 or more times a week for the past two months. I'm definitely seeing and feeling a difference from my former post baby body, but is there anything I can do to speed up the process? especially with my midsection! Will the planks be best to tone up a post baby belly? I'm open for any and every suggestions you have, even nutrition wise.

I like to think that i eat pretty well. clean meals 4-5 times a day.

Hello, i have alot of belly fat, and i was thinking if you would have a nice diet, + i nice way too work, them of.. My body fat is between 16-17%…. And i really want to get rid of it, thank before hand.

how many times a week should one perform planks?
how many sets of each?
thanks

Iam 18, just left school and I have to say, I am absolutely ripped, but since i left school, I have been doing more crunches and my abs seem to slightly stick out in front of my chest. Only ever so slightly. It aint fat cos I still run and all that.

Will planks fix this?

hey i am 17 years old still in high school i really like this site, its given me alot of info to loose weight. I was just wondering how do i check to see how much body % fat i have. And what else besides planks can i do to get my abbs tight and strong? im about 162 Lbs 6'0 im trying to loose body fat but cant seem to find anything working please help!

The video is not viewable. How do you do the planks? With feet on the floor or up on a ball or couch? Thanks!

Hey man. I love this exercise because I can feel it working. I was wondering if it is okay to have a regular sized restaurant cup with a straw under my face that I can drink out of while doing the exercise, or if water reverses the effect. Thanks

Hey, my name is chad. I have had trouble getting good abs. I have a 6 pack when i flex my abs but when im just normally walking around and not flexing there is barely anything there. Its just little outlines of curves not any definite outlines of a 6 pack unless i flex. Can you help me? I dont know what to do to make them show up without flexing.

I'm 16…5'8. about 130 pounds

PS – my abs don't show much at all. I don't really have much bodyfat on my stomach at all. What should I do to make them pop?

I've begun doing situps and when I come to the position where my elbows come to my knees, my stomach muscles (for lack of a better phrase) appear to form a triangle, rising up from my thorax. Is this common among those of us who have let that area "go"?

Hi. I just had a baby 3 months ago. I am trying to lose the rest of the fat and tone up. I weigh 135 and I am 5'5. I would like to get back to my pre preggo weight of 115 to 120. I mostly want to be tone. What great exercises do you recommend. I do squats, plies and lunges with the baby. He seems to enjoy it. What else can I do

Hey there Rusty,
I've been reading you're website for a couple of months now and I had a question about getting abs and the plank work out. I'm 19 years old and until freshman year in college, I weighed about 170 lbs. During my freshman year I lost about 40 lbs and I now weigh about 140 lbs(gained a bit of weight since). I am trying to get better abs but my issue is that I have loose skin around my abs which was were I used to have fat. I am wondering if there is any other work out you suggest, or if I should just stick with planks. I admit I haven't kept doing them that much but I'm just wondering if this will do the job seeing as my situation might be slightly different.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

I'm a 16 year old girl and I am doing 8×1 minute of planks currently and I'm working my way up to doing a 5 minute plank. I run 6 days/week for 50-80 mins. I'm 5'4" and 104 lbs. I have been doing the plank for 5 weeks now and I haven't seen any results. How long until I have a 6 pack?

hey question
would it mean i have a weaker back if my lower back gives out before my abs do during this exercise? perhaps im arching my back too much?

Dear Rusty?
I have a couple of questions for you. I have left questions on your abs articles before and sent you things through your contact option. But they were general question I wanted answered. These actually have to do with the article.

Anyway, I'm 16, 140lbs, and 7.5 percent body fat. I workout every other day, 3 times a week. And for abs I usually do various crunches with a weight on my chest. I really want a good muscular lookin set of abs. And I read all the time on how u say that if u have low bf% that you’ll be able to see them. Well min are okay, I have noticeable obliques but not very good midsection. What I want to know is if there are things I can do to put muscle on my abs and make them look bigger, not just defined.

Because from what I'm understanding after reading most of your ab articles, you're saying to get to a low bf% and tone your abs so you can see them. That’s what I got from your articles. But I don't just want toned or noticeable abs, i want them to look muscular and a bit big. Because alot of teenagers my age think they are ripped and have good abs, and girls love them for it. But in fact, they just are skinny and have no fat covering them. They are noticeable but not impressive, well not by me at least. So planks and renegade rows are good, and I do try them but could they give me that muscular and truly ripped image I long for? Could they build muscle on my abs and obliques? Because I understand fully about the toning and getting low enough bf% to see the abs, and I agree… to a point. Because I don't think I could do that, for I don't have that much muscle in my abs to begin with. So toning them would work but I wouldn't want them to look "wimpy". But I'm just posing a question is all. And I would want this mystery, that I had on my mind for a while, cleared up.
Sincerely, Mike Y

hey i'm 12 and at the moment have about a 4 pack, i'm into all sports and do exercise regulary however when i wake up my 4 pack is clear but whenever i eat it is covered by fat and when i tense it turns into a chubby 4 pack with fat covering my abs,and sometimes i find it hard to tense as i have eaten. i've been told im skinny but however when i eat my belly always feels really bloated and my abs are therefore hidden. i've recently tried to build my abs by doing bicycle crunches (200 a night for 2wks) but have stopped this as was worried that if my abs got bigger and pushed up against my belly fat i would appear naturally big and fat therefore i tried reducin my calorie intake but this seemed to make no difference, i normally eat healthy and only occasional eat junk foods. i'm looking for any advice of how to get rid of my problem of when i eat i appear alot fatter and answers 2 how to make my morning 4 pack a clear 6, i will highly appreciate any feedback, thanks

Hey! Ok, so I recently turned 17,and am a 5'1, 105lb girl. I am pretty petite/small boned, I just have no muscle definition, and a little extra flab on my tummy. I would really like to get a little more toned. Not more muscular, per se, just more toned(i.e slightly defined abs, upper arms and thighs.) Any workout suggestions, etc. would be greatly appreciated, thanks!P.s. I play volleyball from Aug.-Nov., but after that I don't exercise too often:)

Hi, i have a 4 pack and all i want is just to know how to get it to a 6 pack. I turned 13 last month and i am 5'6 and three quarters. I weigh 128 pounds. Please help.

Hey. So ive been working out for a while now and well I usually run 2 miles in 13 minutes and this is my only cardio. I am currently 17 and weigh in at around 140 something and im 5'11. I was wondering how to fix my problem of having my six pack show only when flexing? Ive been doing some research on the internet and some people say that to get it to show without having to flex is all because of genetics is this entirely or at all true? Or can the normal guy like me get to this point as well if so how? My current abdominal exercise is 50 russian twists, 50-100 crunches, 20-30 reverse crunches, and 25-50 skywalkers. Thanks