how to get a toned ab?

t-ha

DubWireless wrote:

would not be in any way interested (or i expect practically capable) in getting that big ... so not really a solution for me?

well I was really referring you more to his abs - and then pointing out that he does no ab specific training. His overall size is irrelevant.

Anyway it makes no odds, if people want to do direct training on their abs I have no problem with it - but there is a common misperception out there that you need to do countless crunches and sit-ups to get abdominals when they can be perfectly well developed by stabilising your trunk during other lifts. Also, a low enough bodyfat is essential to having a six-pack. For many people who seek a six-pack but don't have one, the answer is to assess their diet.

flywheel

jsb wrote:

that wasn't t-ha's point...

nah... didn't read that as his point

flywheel

t-ha wrote:

well I was really referring you more to his abs - and then pointing out that he does no ab specific training. His overall size is irrelevant.

ok so there is no correlation to the fact that as he is massive, lifting large weights would work his core enough he doesn't need to do specific ab exercises? i mean being that big i take it he lifts a lot, i don't so that's why i didn't think that solution would work for me

t-ha wrote:

Anyway it makes no odds, if people want to do direct training on their abs I have no problem with it - but there is a common misperception out there that you need to do countless crunches and sit-ups to get abdominals when they can be perfectly well developed by stabilising your trunk during other lifts. Also, a low enough bodyfat is essential to having a six-pack. For many people who seek a six-pack but don't have one, the answer is to assess their diet.

think we covered the "many people" thing earlier... the OP was (as i understood) looking to improve the definition (or tone :eek:) of his existing abs - well i am anyhow hence my interest in the topic

thanks for the input t-ha, only you and Dragan gave any more indepth info than watch your diet, i'll stick to that book and see how i fair after a couple of weeks (and yes i'll be paying attention to the diet before that get's mentioned again)

Idbatterim

heys guys, looking for some advice, i am another one looking to get toned, i am 6 foot in height and weigh 75 kilos. Have a little more body fat than i would like particularly around tummy area . Started proper routine in the gym about 3 weeks ago, however have been using the gym for several months frequenting on average 2/3 times per week. So i want to lose bodyfat and gain muscle, so the only things thats going to get rid of the fat for me is cardio? doing weights wont burn the fat and turn it into muscle? i dont want to lose weight just body fat and replace weight with muscle. should i be taking proteins shake, if yeah how often and how much? i go to gym every second day... thaks for help

amazingemmet

My advice to you is to not worry about getting toned til you hit 100-105kg so when you lean out you'll look like you got some serious muscle and not look like some anerexic metrosexual. So eat good food like a b@stard, lift weights and do a bit of cardio.

jester77

Idbatterim wrote:

heys guys, looking for some advice, i am another one looking to get toned, i am 6 foot in height and weigh 75 kilos. Have a little more body fat than i would like particularly around tummy area . Started proper routine in the gym about 3 weeks ago, however have been using the gym for several months frequenting on average 2/3 times per week. So i want to lose bodyfat and gain muscle, so the only things thats going to get rid of the fat for me is cardio? doing weights wont burn the fat and turn it into muscle? i dont want to lose weight just body fat and replace weight with muscle. should i be taking proteins shake, if yeah how often and how much? i go to gym every second day... thaks for help

75kg is way too light for your height. You should really hit the weights really hard and get plenty of protein into your diet. A good heavy weights program with a 4 day split (I like Max-OT but there are other good ones) with some light cardio will add mass and at the same time will reduce your BF. You would look like a skeleton if you just dropped BF. The more muscle you have the more fat you will burn, so yes definetly do weights. 80 - 85 kg would be a decent weight without looking anyway big. Oh and of course diet needs to be spot on.

justsomebloke

Idbatterim wrote:

So i want to lose bodyfat and gain muscle, so the only things thats going to get rid of the fat for me is cardio? doing weights wont burn the fat and turn it into muscle?

ok just a couple of points on this one, one you can't turn the fat into muscle, i think jesus did it once, but hell that party animal was always doing crazy sh1t like that, like his turning water into wine trick, man i miss that dude:D .
anyway doing weights will actually help get rid of soem of that fat on you as it takes more energy to sustain muscle so as long as you are lifting big and eating well teh weights would actually benefit you with the weight loss. That said now do some cardio aswell, just make sure you aren't doing HIT training, i.e. the running for as long as you can as fast as you can, instead do some LIT exercise i.e keeping your heart rate at around 60% of max, or even better some HIIT e.g. sprint for 30 seconds then walk for 30-45 secs then sprint and so on do around 6-12 intervals. This with a good diet with help you get that "toned" look.
Oh with the protein shakes it just depends on whether you are getting enough protein into you from natural sources chances are no so it may be a help to supplement your diet with a protein shake on weight days

Dermington

I'm currently at 17% BF (6'3", 105kg's). How the hell do you get down to required levels through diet? What I mean is it sounds like major life changing diet changes to acquire that at my level.

justsomebloke

well what is your current diet and exercise plan (both cardio and weights). it mightn't be as big a change as you think.

abetarrush

My bf% is 12

I think under 10 is when ye start t notice definition, so im not far off

Dermington

jsb wrote:

well what is your current diet and exercise plan (both cardio and weights). it mightn't be as big a change as you think.

Day 1 is chest, shoulders and triceps, 35 mins fat burning 15 mins cardio.

Day 2 is legs, back and biceps, 35 mins fat burning, 15 mins cardio

Day 3 is abs, 35 mins fat burning and 15 mins cardio.

I am taking pro X protein, animal pak, glucosamine, omega 3+6+9 oils, licorice root every day.

Current diet is not stable. I just cant get what I am looking for at work besides sandwiches and salad. I need to start buying stuff on Saturdays and freezing it etc (tuna steaks, veg etc). No idea where to start though. I dont drink or smoke.

Idbatterim

you know when you look the way you want to after alot of hard work, say going to gym several times per week, good diet etc, how many times do you have to go to maintain figure, just looking for a guesstimae, like half the amount when your building or what? thanks

justsomebloke

Dermington wrote:

Current diet is not stable. I just cant get what I am looking for at work besides sandwiches and salad. I need to start buying stuff on Saturdays and freezing it etc (tuna steaks, veg etc). No idea where to start though. I dont drink or smoke.

you already know what is holding you back here and it is your diet. If you can't get what you want in work to eat, best bet is to then start bringing in your own food. Also if you are counting on getting food in work chances are that you are going quite long periods without eating and only having 3 meals a day where as you should be looking to have 5-6 meals having food every 3 hours or so.

Dermington wrote:

35 mins fat burning and 15 mins cardio

also just as a matter of interest what is the break down of this cardio, i am gathering the fat burning is LIT, however what is the other 15 mins i.e. is it just HIT that is running as fast as you can for the 15 mins

Dermington

jsb wrote:

also just as a matter of interest what is the break down of this cardio, i am gathering the fat burning is LIT, however what is the other 15 mins i.e. is it just HIT that is running as fast as you can for the 15 mins

my fat burning is low intensity, cardio is high intensity.

through experience I learned about muscles and weights etc so I adapted that side of my program accordingly because I wanted to improve on the stock program I was given, so far so good.

the fact is I know absolutely nothing about anything else so at this point in time I myself am unable to do anything but add/remove time/intensity etc. I am not a fan of cardio and fat burning because I find it boring but I realise it's utterly critical, in conjunction with diet, in order to lower BF % and increase overall health which is my eventual aim.
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The whole diet thing is really pissing me off. I have the basics, ie protein carbs etc, but I lack any experience or insight into nutrition. I know I can bring food into work but the truth is I have no idea what to bring. I dont know what I can buy that is good for me. I guess I'm lacking inspiration diet wise.