No 6 pack because of genetics?

[Thoroughbred]

I've always been on the lean side but I don't think I can get a 6 pack. Am I wrong?

 

[victor von doom]

Yes.

 

[dcfball]

Yep thats bs

 

[Charisma]

That statement is not BS, it's the absolute truth. Some people simply can't get the six pack to show .. it is genetical. read any bodybuilding ag, onlin if nothing else is available, and read up on the ab articles. Almost every time they will introduce the story with something like 'Note that some of you will never .. genetics .. sorry' etc...

But don't give up to soon, if you have 10% body fat, and still have nothing to show, then maybe you should consider this is your case. I thought it for a while too, but all of a sudden the top 4 bumps showed up, and the bottom two are peeking out today, so it's just a matter of patience, diet, routine.

 

[victor von doom]

Originally posted by Charisma
That statement is not BS, it's the absolute truth. Some people simply can't get the six pack to show .. it is genetical. read any bodybuilding ag, onlin if nothing else is available, and read up on the ab articles. Almost every time they will introduce the story with something like 'Note that some of you will never .. genetics .. sorry' etc...

But don't give up to soon, if you have 10% body fat, and still have nothing to show, then maybe you should consider this is your case. I thought it for a while too, but all of a sudden the top 4 bumps showed up, and the bottom two are peeking out today, so it's just a matter of patience, diet, routine.

This statement is BS, it's just an excuse for people unwilling to do what it takes to get the six pack.

10% BF (if that is really his BF - it's probably higher ) is not enough to show ab definition. You have to go sub 8% to get a decent six pack and sub 6% to get that "etched" look.

Charisma.. stop talking on things you know nothing about and enabling this kid's excuses.

 

[Charisma]

http://www.eppingforestguardian.co....r.437520.0.eternal_quest_for_the_six_pack.php

http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/a/strengthenabs.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/14/earlyshow/health/shapeup/main509047.shtml

Now do a litle search for 'genetics', and stfu. If he's unlucky, all he's ever gonne see without living like an anorexia patient is a 4 pack.

 

[victor von doom]

are you kidding me?

I don't consider those reputable bodybuilding sources. Those sources are what fat housewives would consult for training advice.

The problem with your reasoning is that you are defending a kid who is saying "I can't get abs, it must be genetic" but yet seems unwilling to do the dieting necessary to achieve it. Have you considered that he can't see his abs because he's still fat? Apparently not.

Now, if he was 4-6% b.f. and had no ab definition, then I would say you have a point. But this kid isn't even close to that. What does "on the lean side mean" 12% b.f. 15% b.f..... I'll bet you he doesn't even train his abs with resistance, either. A virtual pre-requisite to having "3D" abs. Crunches and dieting alone won't give you that either.

And yes, with that mentality, he'll never get abs. It has absolutely nothing to do with genetics.

P.S. Judging by the workout routine you posted in an earlier thread - you don't know much about training... certainly not enough to be giving training advice.

 

[Charisma]

I'm not replying to his question if he can't get abs because of genetics, I'm replying to the post that states that genetics make a difference is BS. genetics DO make a difference. And what the hell are you talking about 4% body fat ... are you sick ? Top athletes don't even go there. Unless If you wanne do one of those bodybuilding pose competitions, I read these guys stay that low for a short time, and basically get exhausted by anything they do. Less then 5-6 Is simply unhealthy for men, but go ahead and ignore those facts. 8 should be your maximum minimum imho

I'm not defending the 'kid' (where do you see his age ?) at all, just saying genetics matter. But please, feel free to ignore me, run on 4% body fat, and get all sorts of fvcked up things happening to your health.

Ps : by judging my workout routine I hope you noticed I'm not training to look like your gay boyfriend, but that I have other things to keep in mind and adjust my workout to it.

 

[victor von doom]

No, the assertion was that a) I'm fairly lean but can't see my abs therefore b) it must be genetic that I will never see my six pack.

And yes, you are correct, there are some (an incredibly small minority, i.e. probably less than 2%) who cannot see their abs, even at sub 8% levels.... For example, bodybuilder Boyer Coe who even at competition bodyfat levels, did not have "etched" abdominals.

so yes genetics do make a difference, in determining your ultimate level and how fast you get there. But way too many people use the genetics excuse to account for their failures in training knowledge, discipline, and exercise execution.

But my point is that you are telling him he is part of this exclusive club, and I am telling you that before you jump to that conclusion actually start to train and go on a fukkin' cutting diet. Are we clear on this?

and as to your assertions about minimum bodyfat levels. You're full of shyt. Elite athletes regularly compete at sub 6% bodyfat levels all the time. Just go to the Olympics or the Tour de France, or some World Cup X-Country Skiing competitions and please tell me you can't compete at anything less than 8% bodyfat.

hey man, if you're into looking like a scrawny squid, go right ahead with your lame training routine. I'm sure you'll be filling out your shirts in no-time.

 

[Thoroughbred]

Even when I was really skinny all I could see were 4 squares.

 

[Charisma]

Oh I see you just don't read my post, take a glimps and then reply brainless stuff ok. I said 8 was good imho, for a normal person. The 5-6 is for male athletes, we don't have any business trying to get that low a body fat. And 4% is simply unhealthy, that's just a medical fact, ask any med student on this board. But I guess you didn't read that either :O And my workout is not for filling up shirts, it's for gaining a couple of pounds to get in a heavier boxing class for the next season, that's it, and I got there, I'm back to my old speed training routine now. Doing mad amounts of reps, so not at all focused on gaining that gym look, if that's ok with you. This is my last reply to this thread though, the dude should have his answer by now.

 

[victor von doom]

Originally posted by Charisma
Oh I see you just don't read my post, take a glimps and then reply brainless stuff ok. I said 8 was good imho, for a normal person. The 5-6 is for male athletes, we don't have any business trying to get that low a body fat. And 4% is simply unhealthy, that's just a medical fact, ask any med student on this board. But

1. Most doctors know diddly squat about training. That's a fukkin' fact. Training methodology and sports nutrition are not usually taught in medical school.

2. 8% might be good enough for you PERSONALLY, but that doesn't mean all others have to agree with you .

3. A normal person can CHOOSE to drop to sub 8% if he chooses and still be rather healthy.

4. 4% for a normal person is not unhealthy, just ask Clarence Bass...http://www.cbass.com ....it's how you get to or maintain 4% that can be medically unsafe. But if you know what you are doing, it's quite safe.

5. I did read your post, you just call it "brainless stuff" because I don't agree with you.

6. For the record most of the people coming to this board come for BODYBUILDING advice, i.e adding muscle mass or reducing body fat for aesthetic purposes, not some cheeseball boxing workouts or whatever the fukk it is you do, which are incredibly inefficient methods for achieving either of those objectives.

 

[victor von doom]

Originally posted by Thoroughbred
Even when I was really skinny all I could see were 4 squares.

Dude, just go get your fukkin' bodyfat tested already.. come back with a concrete number, and none of this "I'm kinda lean" bullshyt... then we can help you.

 

[madgame]

'Note that some of you will never .. genetics .. sorry' etc...

Maybe this is supposed to mean that some will never be able to have a little bodyfat percentage and enough muscles? otherwise itsb ull**** if u got the muscles and not too much fat ull see a 6pack. period.

 

[Charisma]

Originally posted by madgame
'Note that some of you will never .. genetics .. sorry' etc...

Maybe this is supposed to mean that some will never be able to have a little bodyfat percentage and enough muscles? otherwise itsb ull**** if u got the muscles and not too much fat ull see a 6pack. period.

yeah that's how it works I think, I'm not an expert, I just read alot. And from what I understand of it, it's basically that you can be unfortunate in the way your fat gets stored. I think they explain it in a rational way in one of the article links. Ask any personal trainer if it's true or not. Just don't start claiming I'm talking out of my ass, when you're just being ignorent. It's supposed to be a well known fact among fitness and bodybuilders though, didn't know I'd start this kind of scepticism :O Then again this is not really the greatest forum to post this anyway, search for some bodybuilding fora and ask the same question there, I'm not gonne try anymore to convince you :O Take it or leave it. Now don't tempt me again to reply

 

[victor von doom]

Originally posted by Charisma
yeah that's how it works I think, I'm not an expert, I just read alot. And from what I understand of it, it's basically that you can be unfortunate in the way your fat gets stored. I think they explain it in a rational way in one of the article links. Ask any personal trainer if it's true or not. Just don't start claiming I'm talking out of my ass, when you're just being ignorent. It's supposed to be a well known fact among fitness and bodybuilders though, didn't know I'd start this kind of scepticism :O Then again this is not really the greatest forum to post this anyway, search for some bodybuilding fora and ask the same question there, I'm not gonne try anymore to convince you :O Take it or leave it. Now don't tempt me again to reply

1. most fat storage patterns will not determine whether or not you will have a six pack. 98% of all people out there will get the sixpack with adequate training and proper dieting. That's the well known fact you are trying to refer to. Most real bodybuilders don't make excuses for their genetics. They overcome them.

2. most personal trainers don't know shyt. most of them don't look like they even train seriously. Having some bullshyt certification does not mean you know what you are doing.

3. I don't see what's the difference between posting here and another forum. The same amount of misinformation appears in all training forums. It's just that the level of most of the posters here is elementary at best, which is why you get so many retarded, repetitive questions, most of which could be answered by either reading the stickies on the top of the page or by doing a simple search.

So the debates, while not as esoteric, are still mostly wrong and full of shyt none the less. The only thing those forums have on this one, is the frank discussions on steroid use, that's all.

4. Yes, you're still wrong, for the most part.

5. And that's ignorAnt, not ignorEnt

 

[MetalFortress]

If you got no ab muscles, you can't have a six pack. Build the size of your abs they way you build other muscles - train HEAVY, don't just do two million crunches and call that an ab workout.

 

[FitnessGuy]

Originally posted by Thoroughbred
I've always been on the lean side but I don't think I can get a 6 pack. Am I wrong?

Yes you can get a six pack, as was stated above training with heavy ab work and lowering your body fat is the key to getting the six pack. If you are already on the lean side I suspect you simply need some hypertrophy in the abdominal area.

 

[semag]

Let me say that the most important thing in this entire discussion that should be emphasized is getting that EXCUSE outta this guy's head, and giving him some encouragement to go try for that.

Regardless of whether or not he'll "be able to see his abs" as everyone's arguing about, "lean" is not "big muscle bound ripped bodybuilder dude." haha... .the specific choice of words there is someone that needs to go and work out, needs to get that routine and diet set up, and needs to overall do work. What he does NOT need is an excuse to never start because "oh yeah... I just don't have the genetics."

(I used that excuse several years ago, and I've very glad I saw the error in my ways.)