What it takes to get rock solid abs

[GatorAvatar]

I am curious to hear from those who have rock solid abs what it takes to get them. Here I am taking time frame, and what type of exercise routines and how many times you exercise per week.

Thanks in advance.

[Dreamliner]

No exercise necessary. Just a sustained calorie deficit. How long that takes depends on how much abdominal fat you have to lose.

[GatorAvatar]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

No exercise necessary. Just a sustained calorie deficit. How long that takes depends on how much abdominal fat you have to lose.

Thanks for your response. I and my wife both have close to flat tummies - but we would love to get ripped (we both get turned on by bulging abs )

[Dreamliner]

No problem. Flat abs are good. Apart from fitness models and bodybuilders, almost no one needs a six-pack. The difference between flat abs and a six-pack is usually a few pounds of fat.

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by GatorAvatar

Thanks for your response. I and my wife both have close to flat tummies - but we would love to get ripped (we both get turned on by bulging abs )

Dream is of course right on this one. We all have abs under whatever fat we have accumulated to cover them. So, it should be as easy as dieting down to the point where your bodyfat is low enough to let them pop through. It doesnt hurt to do workouts that challenge the core either but its not necessary.

A good start would be to find out exactly where you are now so that you can set in place a plan that will get you to your desired look.

[ovillegator]

That makes so much sense. I never thought of it that way. I thought it took tortuous exercise.

[GatorAvatar]

Originally Posted by LeafUF

Dream is of course right on this one. We all have abs under whatever fat we have accumulated to cover them. So, it should be as easy as dieting down to the point where your bodyfat is low enough to let them pop through. It doesnt hurt to do workouts that challenge the core either but its not necessary.

A good start would be to find out exactly where you are now so that you can set in place a plan that will get you to your desired look.

The tricky part is to figure out the optimum diet regime (or good eating habits). Should you completely stop drinking sodas, and all bad carbs etc. Problem I am facing is I sometimes get sick and tired of eating brown rice, fruits etc. There are days I crave ice cream, soda etc but I am not sure how much of those I can have in a month lol

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by GatorAvatar

The tricky part is to figure out the optimum diet regime (or good eating habits). Should you completely stop drinking sodas, and all bad carbs etc. Problem I am facing is I sometimes get sick and tired of eating brown rice, fruits etc. There are days I crave ice cream, soda etc but I am not sure how much of those I can have in a month lol

Well, in the good news department you dont really need the optimum diet regime to do the trick. Just the one that you will stick to. Once you know how many calories you need to be in a deficit you can plan from there. If you can you fit the things you crave into your diet then really is no reason not to have them.

My take on dieting is if it fits your macros its fair game. Dream would probably say if it fits your calories which is even simpler. I dont eat ice cream or soda but I do eat pasta and popcorn and today I had a doughnut and a bagel. So its possible to have the things you crave.

[oI2ange]

if you want to do workouts that will result in a 6-pack, work on compound lifts. ppl who spend hours on the ab machines make me laugh- if you want a really strong core, do squats/deadlifts/etc.

[Dreamliner]

You can eat anything you want to get rock-hard abs ... as long as you maintain your calorie deficit. And one good reason not to go hog-wild on exercise is because it makes it more difficult to calibrate the amount of calories you need to lose fat steadily.

Yes, I know that many of the Olympians have six-packs. But for them that is a by-product of the prodigious amount of training they have to undertake. You don't want to do that. You don't have to.

In fact, more and more we're reading that muscle growth and health may be competing goals. Eat lots of protein and work out hard for growth. Restrict calories, exercise moderately for health and longevity.

[GatorAvatar]

Thanks for the great advice.

[LeafUF]

Speaking of Olympians earlier in the summer I met a girl who was training for the 800 with one of the track clubs preparing for the trials. She was able to eat whatever she wanted just because she trained more than anything else. Heck, she trained so much she didnt even have time to hold a full time job. And trust me no one is getting endorsements for the 800.

[Dreamliner]

The level of dedication required is ridiculous. But sometimes you see it in the general public. I met a woman, just last week, who allowed that her fanatical dedication to triathloning led to her divorce.

But for the record, I'm not 100% sold on the notion that even Olympians need to train hours a day. Sometimes I wonder where efficiency ends and compulsion begins to bleed in.

[GatorAvatar]

Some people are just addicted to working out and maintaining that ripped body. It is a sign of the times I think. There is a lady I see at the gym and she tells me she works out 7 days per week without fail.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by GatorAvatar

Some people are just addicted to working out and maintaining that ripped body. It is a sign of the times I think. There is a lady I see at the gym and she tells me she works out 7 days per week without fail.

And the sad thing is she could probably maintain (and possibly improve) her body composition with a fraction of the exercise.

[Chirogator]

Definitely agree you can take more of a minimalist approach on exercise (with a focus on compound lifts as stated earlier) if nutrition is solid. Caloric deficit is definitely important but I think food quality is too. Certain foods trigger satiety centers in the brain (generally proteins, fats, and fibrous foods) and will make going into caloric deficit a little easier to manage without bad hunger pangs and cravings. Sugar and grains are generally the worse offenders for stimulating appetite centers in the brain, but I think if you have good blood sugar control you can get away with a little on your way to a 6 pack.

[Dreamliner]

Chirogator's on fire tonight! For the record, I don't argue with clients of mine who want to optimize their diets for satiety. But I do think that modern Americans are terrified of hunger pangs. So, another option would be just to eat what you like and learn to master your hunger.

[GatorAvatar]

Originally Posted by Chirogator

Definitely agree you can take more of a minimalist approach on exercise (with a focus on compound lifts as stated earlier) if nutrition is solid. Caloric deficit is definitely important but I think food quality is too. Certain foods trigger satiety centers in the brain (generally proteins, fats, and fibrous foods) and will make going into caloric deficit a little easier to manage without bad hunger pangs and cravings. Sugar and grains are generally the worse offenders for stimulating appetite centers in the brain, but I think if you have good blood sugar control you can get away with a little on your way to a 6 pack.

I was searching for the "like" button, but then ended up using the "rep" button

[Dreamliner]

The Greatest Fear In America: The Hunger Pang.

We could actually do well to embrace it. People in Third World countries are dying of starvation. People in the West are dying of gluttony.

[slmdLS1]

I'm still shooting for single digit BF, form there the six pack should be within reach. I know BMI isn't a "stick to guide" but it doesn't hurt to use it as an estimate. My optimal BMI was somewhere around 167, and the lowest i have been in my 2 year diet so far has been 176 after my girlfriend and I broke up. I'm pretty sure if i got down to about 170, it wont be long with some increased ab exercises and lifting to make them pop. My diet has slacked a little(186 now) but started KETO again today(50g version), and have an EC stack with a multi that i should start in a week or two. I'll still fast a day per week.