Many people will tell you abs are built in the kitchen, but that's BS.
I'll explain why in a second. First this question about building six pack abs. My comments are below...
### QUESTION ###
"I agree with almost everything you say Mehdi, but when you say your six pack is a result of only squats and military presses I have to call B.S. on that one. Looking at your pic I say you have done other forms of ab work. Compound exercises will not chisel your stomach, just the top layer of muscle. Also known as lifters gut."
*** MY ANSWER ***
My broscience-meter just went off :-)
Look, my little brother was doing Chinups the other day...
... after not doing them for ages
... and the next day his abs were sore
He didn't get it.
"It's because Chinups work your abs"
"Huh?"
"Your ribcage must stay down while you hang on the bar"
"You must keep your lower back neutral"
"This is what works your abs"
People with a "bodybuilding-mindset" don't get this.
They see Chinups, they think "lats" or "biceps".
They hear Squats, they say "quads".
They want abs, they do situps.
Well I've done heavy Squats with 190kg/419lb.
And I know more than just my quads worked to lift that weight...
Remember gravity is always there pulling the bar down.
It pulls the bar towards the floor when you Squat.
Meanwhile you must keep your torso neural.
You must resist gravity.
This works the muscles around your spine.
It's how Squats strengthen your lower back, obliques and ABS.
Abs are muscles - make them stronger, they become more muscular.
That means you "got" me. I AM doing "ab work" :-)
But it's not the ab work most people think of...
My "ab work" consists of heavy compound like Squats and Deadlifts.
That's why the saying "abs are made in the kitchen" is BS.
Your abs aren't made in the kitchen...
They're made in the gym.
And the way you make them in the gym is by training your abs HEAVY.
I mean, do you ever Bench 100 reps with an empty bar to get a bigger chest?
Of course not.
But then why the heck would you do 100 situps to build muscular abs?!?!?
This drives me nuts.
Your abs are muscles!!!
So train them heavy like all your other muscles!!!
Now of course, training your abs heavy isn't enough by itself.
Let say you build very muscular abs by training them heavy...
... but your body-fat is 30% like the Michelin guy...
Will you have a six pack then?
Yes!
(I bet you thought no)
BUT, they'll be covered with a layer of fat. Looking "soft".
So you should indeed lower your body fat at that point to "chisel your stomach"
But you can't ignore the heavy lifting like a lot of people do.
Because a low body-fat without muscle is just a skinny.
That's not an improvement.
Anyway, my abs are simply the result of doing heavy compound exercises and eating right.
So if you do StrongLifts 5x5, you'll strengthen your whole body and develop your abs.
Use my apps, they'll guide you through each workout...
https://stronglifts.com/apps/
Keep it simple.
-Mehdi
P.S. The lifter gut is a myth. Your abs are a thin sheet of muscles. They don't have much potential for growth because there isn't much to work with. Lifters with big guts are just fat or on drugs.
Your waist size will actually DECREASE if you lift heavy and eat right. I must wear a belt in all my jeans because they're loose at the waist (thighs are tight though). This is despite Squatting +180kg/400lb.
Most people who do StrongLifts 5x5 report the same. Their waist size goes down as the weight on the bar increases. More info about the workout here...
https://stronglifts.com/5x5/
P.P.S. If you have a question you'd like me to cover in my daily email tips, send it by hitting the reply button. Include your age, weight, height, and best sq/bp/dl. Keep it short, 2-3 sentences max. Don't send me a whole book :)
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