My belly sticks out more than my chest, how do I fix that?

Question

Hi guys. I'm naturally very slim, but my belly has always stuck out more than my chest, sometimes by an inch or more. This was true even when I weighed 130 lbs at 5'11". How do I fix it? It makes me look like a slob. It's like a milder form of the pot bellies you see in starving African kids.

Right now I'm guessing I either have a sunken chest or weak core abdominal muscles that would normally "hold in" my stomach, or both. Weak core muscles are probably also causing me to have an exaggerated "lordotic" curve (the lowest curve of the spine) making my butt and my belly stick out and giving me bad posture. I've been doing bicycle crunches and some basic "core" building exercises (like lying on my back and lifting my pelvis and holding it there) for a month now, and I don't see any noticeable improvement.

Do I need to build up my chest to Mr. Olympia proportions to simply look as good as a regular slim guy who's never worked out a day in his life when I have a shirt on?

Answer 1

I agree that you need to work on your posture, but if you have lordosis, then strengthening your lower back wouldn't help it too much. In fact, it would probably exaggerate your lumbar curve.

But I think it isn't really that much of a problem. Many people's bellies stick out a little. It isn't a "too-fat" thing, it is just how the body is constructed. Being skinny can make it look even more prominent.

You don't have to be Mr. Olympia, but getting up to 170-180 pounds at 5'11" and getting a larger upper body will definitely help.

Answer 2

I was a personal trainer for 7 years. I am now in retail sales for a LARGE nutrition and supplement company.

Here's the scoop: Any type of crunches will ENLARGE your abdominal muscles. Bicycle crunches are by far the best choice for abdominal strength. Your problem is not with weight but rather your posture. You need to strengthen your back muscles. This will help you hold your posture correctly. Some people think that it is "sucking your gut in" but actually it is simply standing up straight!

Also, get a pilates ball and use it as your chair. It helps strenghten the core as well as force you to maintain proper posture.

Answer 3

I'm guessing that you also need to work on the muscles of your lower back in order to improve your posture (slumping when you stand might make your belly protrude). Hire a personal trainer for an hour and get him to show you some exercises that might help your figure.

For your chest, do bench presses or dumbell flys.

Answer 4

Just build up the body you have, doing cardio vascular exercise could help you overcome this by breathing hard.

Answer 5

try situp
http://www.best-diet-food.com

Answer 6

taebo