Pot belly but low bf%

Vegeta

Ok so what is the deal with this? Although my bf% is currently higher than it ever was in my life(trying to gain LBM), I have always had a pot shaped belly.

About 4 years ago I was very thin and had very defined abs but I still had a pot shaped belly. When abs were flexed the belly would flatten but when relaxed back to pot shape.

So I am asking can this be changed. Started liftng weights more seriously about 2 months before xmas and I can now squat, bench and deadlift more than i ever could but still pot belly.

So can it be changed and what exercises should I work in to the routine?

justsomebloke

what exactly is your BF%

layke

Body Fat.

Veg i'm the same and I demand an answer! Although even when I was practicing a lot of sports I had this. I was never skinny or fat, in between.

t-ha

Does your pelvis tilt forward? Do you do much ab work?

jester77

What's your posture like?
Perhaps you have an anterior pelvic tilt? (guessing)

Boru.

Funnily this is quite common and is a result of muscle weakness and imbalance. The rectua abdominus - the wall of muscle that is commonly called the six pack works like any other msucle in your body when trained - it rounds out. Your bicpes, triceps, pecs, quads, all of them when trained and developed round outward. Your abs are no different. The problem however lies in an another muscle - the transverse abdomonius, or TA.

The Ta in connect the rectus to your spine. Very few people actaully train their abs properly, concentrating on the rectus with crunches etc, and totally neglect the TA. The function of the TA is to pull the abs in flat, creating a strong core of muscles that work with each other to promote full body strength and flexability.

A great exercise to develop the TA is the old school vaccum. Teach your body to use the TA correctly and you will naturally deveop a flat stomach. Both Pilates and Balance Ball training promote this type of TA contraction throughout all movments.

Karen Sessions has a great article on bodybuilding.com about this. You cna read it here - http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

Hope that helps.

Vegeta

jsb wrote:

what exactly is your BF%

once upon a time it was 10%, but still had the same problem. Had abs of iron at the time too. Was doing kick boxing and we did quite a bit of ab work to take shots to the body

now that i've started to bulk I haven't measured it but abs are still visible but just

eatsloads

Pilates would definitely help correct this

davyjose

Boru. wrote:

Funnily this is quite common and is a result of muscle weakness and imbalance. The rectua abdominus - the wall of muscle that is commonly called the six pack works like any other msucle in your body when trained - it rounds out. Your bicpes, triceps, pecs, quads, all of them when trained and developed round outward. Your abs are no different. The problem however lies in an another muscle - the transverse abdomonius, or TA.

The Ta in connect the rectus to your spine. Very few people actaully train their abs properly, concentrating on the rectus with crunches etc, and totally neglect the TA. The function of the TA is to pull the abs in flat, creating a strong core of muscles that work with each other to promote full body strength and flexability.

A great exercise to develop the TA is the old school vaccum. Teach your body to use the TA correctly and you will naturally deveop a flat stomach. Both Pilates and Balance Ball training promote this type of TA contraction throughout all movments.

Karen Sessions has a great article on bodybuilding.com about this. You cna read it here - http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

Hope that helps.

I would say this is probably your problem - people think yuor abs ARE your stomach muscles and that's all they work, for definition!