Can someone give me advice on abdominal muscles?

Question

Okay I'm 5'2", about 110 pounds. My body fat percenage is low but I can barely see my abs. Does my body fat percentage have to be lower (its around 11%) or do I just need to do more ab exercises?

16 years old

Answer 1

5'2", 110 lbs, 11% and male? This means that you are most likely an adolescent boy. People are not born with bulging muscles. Muscles naturally start off as long, smooth tissues. Puberty (hormones) and exercise causes changes in muscles, so that they develop into bulkier, more defined groupings.

At your weight and body composition, you probably have a flat stomach but not a "ripped' six-pack. Actually, it would be a bit unnatural for you to have that. If you want to accentuate this part of you, then do exercises for your upper abdominals (crunches, sits ups) and lower abdominals (leg raises).

However, don't worry about it too much. You have plenty of time to work on it and are probably far too young to have an obsessive compulsion yet.

You don't want to go below 11% as this is unhealthy for someone of your size. If anything, you need to gain some fat. 11% is very lean.

Answer 2

If your body fat % is low, and you still are having trouble seeing your abdominal muscles, then you should do abdominal exercises in sets. For example, you should probably start out doing about 3 sets of 25 crunches (situps). Each week, you should increase your reps by 5.

Answer 3

Ab exercises and watching your diet. NO SUGAR!!! That makes a HUGE difference on the abs.

Check out my 5 fave ab exercises here http://www.healthandstrength.net/abexe.htm I noticed the most results from those.

Good luck!

Answer 4

uh i would say do more ab exercises because having less fat is good but have to have built up abs also so that it shows well.

Answer 5

that's normal actually, but if you want more ab muscles, exercising would help..a lot =]