Some help with abs

[novicebb]

Man I am doing damn well with my workouts and my body is coming along damn nicely except with my abdominals and obliques. Need some help shedding the sub fat around muscles and toning up muscles. So any assistances?

[mikesmallguns]

at least 35 minutes of cardio 3 times a week ,if you can first thing in the morning.All so invest in a heart rate monitor and figure out were your heart rate should be,beats per minutes.For example it really depends on your age and cardio conditioning were that heart rate should be.If the hr is to high you will burn mainly carbs and not fat.I am 42 and am in good cardio shape,I keep my fat burning heart rate at between 140beats per minute to 145 no higher

[Beefster]

You can not spot-loss fat around your abs. The only way to make them come out more is to get leaner overall. The only way to "tone" them is to work them. Also, fat (weight) loss is much more dependent upon your diet than cardio. Keep an accurate intake journal for a week to see where your caloric intake is currently at. Then, cut calories from there. When you do set out your diet, shoot to keep protein high while injesting good fats and complex carbs.

For additional help, you might want to post your stats and diet in the nutritional forum.

Good luck.

[hackskii]

Originally Posted by Beefster

You can not spot-loss fat around your abs. The only way to make them come out more is to get leaner overall. The only way to "tone" them is to work them. Also, fat (weight) loss is much more dependent upon your diet than cardio. Keep an accurate intake journal for a week to see where your caloric intake is currently at. Then, cut calories from there. When you do set out your diet, shoot to keep protein high while injesting good fats and complex carbs.

For additional help, you might want to post your stats and diet in the nutritional forum.

Good luck.

Very good post.

There is no such thing as spot reduction (well maybe with HGH but that is another topic), diet controls fat loss over cardio.

Resistance training over cardio for fat loss too.
I think basic compound exercises over isolation movements are preferred as well.

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by mikesmallguns

at least 35 minutes of cardio 3 times a week ,if you can first thing in the morning.All so invest in a heart rate monitor and figure out were your heart rate should be,beats per minutes.For example it really depends on your age and cardio conditioning were that heart rate should be.If the hr is to high you will burn mainly carbs and not fat.I am 42 and am in good cardio shape,I keep my fat burning heart rate at between 140beats per minute to 145 no higher

I really don't think heart rate has shit to do with it. I know we've all heard about the "fat burning zone" or what-the-fuck-ever, but it just doesn't work like that. In the end, all that will matter is the amount of calories you burned doing the work.

In fact, IIRC, it has actually been scientifically proven that HIIT cardio is better at removing body fat and the target heart rate zone is WAAAY exceeded when doing this type of training.

[hackskii]

Originally Posted by Grizzly

In fact, IIRC, it has actually been scientifically proven that HIIT cardio is better at removing body fat and the target heart rate zone is WAAAY exceeded when doing this type of training.

True story.
Sprinters and long distance runners are another example here.
Sprinters are more muscular than long distance runners.

[dookie1481]

Originally Posted by hackskii

True story.
Sprinters and long distance runners are another example here.
Sprinters are more muscular than long distance runners.

I don't want to get into an argument with you (again), but I think you may be mistaking correlation for causation. The traits that sucessful sprinters tend to have make them more likely to be lean (great hormonal profiles, increased SNS activity, etc.). I do agree with everyone that HIIT burns a shitpile of fat; the EPOC rivals that of a weight training session (which is HYOOOOGE).\

EDIT: BTW, I think that many sprinters would make great BBer's, if they so desired.

[role model]

Dr. Squat Hatfield

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drsquat6.htm

[Ramstein II]

Besides doing cardio and eating fewer calories than you burn, I suggest some ab work doing reps in the 10-15 rep range. e.g. cable crunches. This will build the ab muscles which gives them a better look. Have you ever seen a flat, lean, but non-six pack stomach? It's better to have developed abs.

[CaNe]

Check this article:
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459414

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by Grizzly

I really don't think heart rate has shit to do with it. I know we've all heard about the "fat burning zone" or what-the-fuck-ever, but it just doesn't work like that. In the end, all that will matter is the amount of calories you burned doing the work.

In fact, IIRC, it has actually been scientifically proven that HIIT cardio is better at removing body fat and the target heart rate zone is WAAAY exceeded when doing this type of training.

OK Grizz, what the hell is HIIT? Thanks.

[Grizzly]

High-Intensity, Interval Training. In other words, SPRINT for 15 seconds, jog for 30 seconds and repeat until you die.

In "theory", the sprint vs. jog times are equal, but, let's face it, actually sprinting takes a fuckload more out of you than you can maintain for more than 15-30 seconds.

[Preacher]

ok, now I got it. I use to do it on a stationary bike when i was playing hockey, we would ride for 10-13 minutes total with 20secs hard and 40 secs at a slower speed but keeping hart rate at a certain target. If I remember correctly it sucked.

[rea$on]

Originally Posted by Grizzly

High-Intensity, Interval Training. In other words, SPRINT for 15 seconds, jog for 30 seconds and repeat until you die.

In "theory", the sprint vs. jog times are equal, but, let's face it, actually sprinting takes a fuckload more out of you than you can maintain for more than 15-30 seconds.

sickk i learned something new to!

i started doing that about a month a go, and noticed it took a lot out of me when sprinting. first time i actualy chuffed

it wasnt even close to 15secs of sprint more like 7secs of running as fast as i can, then slowing it down for 20 secs.

[Kayz]

HIIT is definitely the way to go because the short bursts recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers, which require a shit load more energy to activate than their counterparts, slow-twitch fibers; which are recruited when you get on a treadmill, set it on 5 mph and jog for 30 minutes. If you stay at one setting, your body will adjust to this and go into a static state and actually try to conserve energy (calories/fat). The only way to break this cycle is to recruit fast twitch fibers and thus burn more calories/fat.

And it doesn't have to be an increase in speed. You could set the treadmill or elliptical at an insane incline and walk at a brisk pace uphill. This too will recruit fast-twitch fibers.