Abs
- Thread starter derok
- Start date
my body fat is 8 and im not really close to thati can only see my abs when i pull the fat down, any suggestions?
Before I write the main part of this post I want to say a few things:
If my mind can conceive it,
and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.
and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.
(JJ)
Be able to beat the demons of the self and not the demons of someone else.
(Chillen)
I am not the youngest member, I am not the strongest member, but I would put up my persistence, consistency, fight and determination---not against any person.....but the demons within myself that can cause the disease to stop it. I cannot be stopped. I am the one I turn to when the chips are up and when their down. I cannot be stopped.
Burn this within you. Stay hungry, baby! ALL THE TIME......IT WILL PAY OFF!
You cannot be stopped. No one can enter your fitness armor. No one can penetrate your fitness defenses as you have the personal offenses. You are the battle plan. As you are the master of yourself. And, cannot be stopped.
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You are going to have to be consistent, and persistent with proper self discipline within the whelm of your life that includes a proper blend of the criteria necessary for the goals you desire (within diet and fitness that are at tolerent personal levels) in order to meet personal fitness goals.
There are going to be times when you are not going to want to do your training, and you will have to force yourself to do it--no question about it. You will have to do the things that "are necessary" to get the job done--whether its more or less--then what someone else does or whether someone else thinks its too much (using knowledge as a base of sense). Some have said that the way I approach my diet is obesessive. I dont care. I get the results I want, and they can flat shut up--I do what it takes for me.
You find what works for you, and it may take some trial and error along the way.
In addition, its important to keep the flame that burns inside you at the beginning of the "want" to earn something during the time you realize the "work" involved when trying to earn it.
Remember the fire the brought you to the starting line will bring you to the finish line.
A lot of persons fall off the wagon on personal persistance when they realize the sheer amount of work that its goanna take. And, it IS goanna take alot of work, let no one fool you. Are you up to the task? Only YOU determine if you are, your body wont care one way or the other. You steer the ship one way or the other. You either optimize the situation (in a suboptimal environment that life throws your way) or you dont. Your choice: The body will follow either way.
Okay.......He, he.......done with the ranting
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IMO, with your current physical condition (with what I currently know), your goal can be "mainly" achieved through overall body training which involves direct and indirect training (putting on "some" muscle and development) and getting your diet plan and needs together. Do not focus just doing direct core exercises. If you develop the entire body you will look much better, and I am not going to touch the reps question, as you need to understand some basics (and we need to discuss "basics") that will improve your situation.
The basics of diet and fitness provides the "superglue" for the advanced methods that follow, and do not forget it! Or I pull out my chill strap!
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1. What exercise equipment are available for you to use? For example do you have access to a gym? A home gym (if so what type of equipment does it have?). Do you have any money available to obtain equipment you may need?
Your goal can be achieved with or without weights (say body weight exercises, bands, etc), but I would definately give the nod to overall weight training as being the more optimal method along with some possible blends of other body weight exercises, bands, etc.
I say this because I dont want you to lose faith if you dont have access to weights (or cardio equipment), and are only able to do body weight exercises, etc. Your goal is STILL achieveable and a program can be developed to serve your purpose with what you have available--if the desire to achieve is there.
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2. Have you determined your individual approximated MT Line of calories?
The most critical factor to swing tissue loss or gain one way or the other is the diet or how much you are consuming as compared to what you are expending. This is the MAIN component. With proper stimulus in your training/exercise routine as being the other contributing factor (keeping things equal).
Therefore, determine your base caloric need and calorie needs with activities included (work, training,etc). Its only an approximation science, you may or may not have to make personal adjustments dependent on bodily feedback.
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3. Have you decided that you are going to change eating habits?
Decide on your food tolerances. I do advocate eating clean nearly 100% but this isnt required, and one can make adjustments within diet (say a 95-5%, 90-10%, ratio if this assists with staying faithful--WHILE keeping your goal path.
Make some HONEST decisions on the diet......THIS IS THE MOST CRITICAL component, IMO.
The main thing is to reel in changes that you can tolerate (some tough) that will maintain your goal path; you can always adjust the ratio closer to 100% (if say you are starting at 90%), as you progress and become personally adjusted and compfortable with your approach on diet.
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4. Have you learned that the body is designed to work as a unit, and are you prepared to train in this manner? (IMO)
Yes, this will bring out your ab core if your diet is playing the key role it should play within the self equation.
A continued education on various types of exercises and how these exercises directly and indirectly involve various muscles, will serve you well in developing, and then redeveloping (changing over time) your training routine......DO NOT forget this.
Additionally, read on the purpose and overall FUNCTION of the ab core--this WILL serve you well.
The core can be the most misunderstood but sometimes most sought after body part. And IMO, is best brought to view through a well thought out diet and training routine. That includes a Full Body Workout (FBW, upper/lower split with traditional weights, "or an equivelent"--through the use of body weight exercises, etc, and a proper balance of cardio), and an "individualized" diet (calorie intake specific to the person).
The "proper blend of training" can vary on a persons starting point (and health), how fast one wants there goal, how there responding to current training, etc.
For example, one doesnt have to do cardio to lose body fat; however, if calorie deficit is correct, doing cardio (especially if not done before) could speed up fat loss if certain personal factors are in place. So the blend of training can depend as time goes on, but we can "begin with a basic premise" on healthy individuals given there starting point in consideration.
Of the two mentioned (between exercise and diet), the diet circumference is THE most important player.
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As you can see I havent even hit on ab exercises, because when everything is considered as "a whole" direct ab exericises while playing a role in the equation, play a minor one in the entire pie.
I will touch base on this once we determine what you have to train with, and you get your calorie needs for yourself in line.
Advise us what you have to train with.
Come back with your approximate calorie needs.
Begin here:
Go here and read on some basic and fundamental information:
Weight Training 101
Nutrition
Weight Training Technical Articles
How to get abs guide
Go here for some thoughts on the mental side: (you already posted there
)Weight Loss Intricate
The ChillOut Log by Chillen
(allot of pages to go through, but there IS good information that may help you if you take the time to seek it)
Understand yourself, find what motivates you. Aspire and deliver to yourself.
I wish you the best in all that you in life and in fitness,
ROCK ON!
Chillen
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ah thanks for that information! How do i find out my caloric needs? The Nutrition link doesn't work. And i have access to a gym which i go to a few times a week. And i'm concerned about burning more calories than i consume because of my diabetes, i'm not sure if that will effect my blood sugar. And as far as the FBW, does that mean i train different muscles different days (which is what ive been doing) or rather, train my whole body per day?
You guys have any tips on how to do weighted crunches or sit ups, or any weighted ab exercise other than holding 5 plates on your chest?
Thats what i've been doing, and its uncomfortable and it starts slipping off my chest, and is hard to keep the grip on etc, any idea on how to do situps/crunches but to add resistance without tons of plates on your chest?
Thats what i've been doing, and its uncomfortable and it starts slipping off my chest, and is hard to keep the grip on etc, any idea on how to do situps/crunches but to add resistance without tons of plates on your chest?
I got some long velcro straps at (yes, Wal-mart) that I wrap through the hand holes to keep them together and prevent them from slipping.
Also another idea for you. You could begin to do a reverse pyramid, and see if you are a rock and cut the mustard!
Start off with doing reps at for example, 60 pounds, then at failure, drop the weight to 50, then 40, then 30, then 20, then 15, then 10, then 5, then no weight (no rest inbetween, just long enough to adjust the weight). Some pre-planning with the type of weights in advance is required before starting the set. This is considered ONE SET. Remember a key thing. The weight being used on a set is only to failure at that weight, when you drop the weight you will be able to do more reps--even without rest. You can vary the weight drop sequence.
There a ton of ways to stress the core (And, in this case the hip flexors as well, as they do play a role of course)
The tear drop (another name I call it) can be a wake up call if you havent done before. You are a beast give it a shot!
Chillen
(this is assuming you have smaller weights), and then peel off the weight (with no rest in-between), and go
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Okay so i have a question. If I'm trying to get that 6 pack AND get bigger.. should i cut calories or eat more? From what i understand the cutting gets the 6 pack and eating more gets the muscle...Also im changing my routine, i usually split my main body parts into days..is it a good idea to just do like upper body one day and lower body another? Thanks! im such a noob.
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