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TheBrain
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Acme Lab
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 Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Get some muscle on those bones. Muscle looks better than a too thin 32 inch waist. |
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venus
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Location: Near Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: 2 really quick questions about health - working out |
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| SuperFly wrote: |
OK so I'm a 32 inch waist now, been working out for a few weeks. I'm up to 140 situps in one hour, 70 + 70. Simple question...how long and how many situps do I need to be doing to achieve the elusive six pack stomach? I've also been doing weight training, but I don't have any questions about that right now. Thanks for your help in advance...will check in later to see if anyone answered my question.
Oh, right - one more quick question...who the hell is Andre Kim??  |
Doing lots of sit ups will not make a six pack alone. Well not for those over 20 yrs old anyway. Diet and cardio is equally if not more important. You see your sit ups are strengthening the muscles (actually that amount per day is weakening them and merely building muscular endurance rather than strength and hypertrophy.) You'd be better off doing a fewer ammount of inclined weighted sits if you have the facilities to do so. Either way this will not build the 6-pack alone as no matter how big your ab muscles are, if there's a layer of subcultaeneus fat covering them, you still wont ever be able to see them. Thus you also need diet and cardio to burn the fat that's covering them.
so - resistance trianing + good diet + moderate cardio = six pack. |
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Gamecock
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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HERE'S THE TRUTH!!!
You can do a billion sit-ups and crunches a day and not get a six-pack. EVERYONE can have a six-pack, to say that it is impossible for some is NOT TRUE. What you will never read from workout gurus (because it is such a daunting challenge to the average Joe- especially the overweight average Joe) is that to have a six-pack your total body fat percentage must be under 9%.
This involves a serious training regimen (total body weight and cardio, not just specifically focusing on abs) as well as a strict nutritional plan. |
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Chillin' Villain
Joined: 13 Mar 2003
Location: Goo Row
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Gamecock wrote: |
What you will never read from workout gurus (because it is such a daunting challenge to the average Joe- especially the overweight average Joe) is that to have a six-pack your total body fat percentage must be under 9%.
This involves a serious training regimen (total body weight and cardio, not just specifically focusing on abs) as well as a strict nutritional plan. |
Boom. Quoted for emphasis.
Diet (by that I just mean what you eat, not acutal dieting) is so key. Everything counts. It's not to say you can't sneak in a beer or some fries once in a while, but the twice-weekly booze sessions are gonna forever keep the 6-pack carrot dangling in front of you. It's all up to decisions.
I've been on a major health kick for about the last six months, and for the last two I've especially focused on cutting down the BF%. I started at about 14%, which is pretty average, and am now down to ten with about 5 weeks of semi-strict control over what I eat, and a decent resistance/cardio workout. Thing is, even though I'm busting my ass, I've also been surprised at how easy it was once I got rolling- especially the eating part. Simply put, no food tastes as good as being lean feels. My abs are pretty clearly defined now for the first time in my life, and I'm 30. I'm still going for more, because it really shouldn't just be a "once-a-year-in-time-for-summer" thing; it should be more of a lifestyle change.
Ah yeah, anyways, for ab training I do 25-30 minutes non-stop, without counting reps. I rotate exercises for 15-20 reps: Hanging leg raises and reverse crunches for lower abs, then regular crunches, then oblique crunches and cross crunches, then weighted rope crunches. Because it's done giant-set style with no rests (but at your own pace), there's just a good continuous tension in your core that feels (and has been working) a lot better than just standard sets. Start by just doing it 15 mins a session, then work up as your core gets stronger. Oh yeah, and follow it up with a decent 30-minute treadmill session (decent = not just fast walking). It's best to do this stuff first thing in the morning if you can, maybe on a cup of coffee and an empty stomach (eat after)... Works for me!
It may totally suck for the first couple weeks, but once you make it routine and once you start seeing some results, you may even start getting excited for your gym sessions. Good luck! |
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Rapacious Mr. Batstove
Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Location: Central Areola
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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What people have said so far I generally agree with.
What hasn't been mentioned and almost always fails to get mentioned with regard to building ab's is OVERLOAD.
Abdominal muscles are no different to other muscles. If you want to build your biceps, quads or pecs you do bulking sets (80-90% of your 1 rep max in reps of 3 - 8 ).
Doing a high number of situps will do stuff all to bulk your abdominal muscles . SUPERFLY you are doing 2x70 reps with no resistance, these are toning sets and and useful for improving muscular endurance and burning fat NOT BULKING.
If you want to get a 6 pack you need to add muscle bulk AND cut fat as others have mentioned.
So....how to you add resistance to an ab workout. Here are a few ways.
Declined sit-ups (lying on a bench with you feet higher than your head)
Resisted knee lifts (in a hanging position, tie a weight to your feet - a dumbbell weight with a cord works well, proceed to bring your knees up to your chest.
Resisted sit-ups (hold a weight over you chest with straight arms - like the starting position of a bench press, proceed to crunch while holding the weight)
There are many BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS OVERLOAD.
Use a high resistance and a low number of repetitions and gradually increase the resistance over time.
It is fine to use endurance sets on other days to mix up your workout also.
IF you want a SIX PACK, you need big abs, not just a skinny body. |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 6:07 pm Post subject: Re: 2 really quick questions about health - working out |
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| SuperFly wrote: |
OK so I'm a 32 inch waist now, been working out for a few weeks. I'm up to 140 situps in one hour, 70 + 70. Simple question...how long and how many situps do I need to be doing to achieve the elusive six pack stomach? I've also been doing weight training, but I don't have any questions about that right now. Thanks for your help in advance...will check in later to see if anyone answered my question.
Oh, right - one more quick question...who the hell is Andre Kim?? |
we all have 6 packs. If you didnt have one you would have reall difficulties in life. They are called your abdominals, they stabilize your body. People withiut them would have trouble standing up, walking or moving at all. The problem isnt your lack of abdominals its the layer of fat covering them. Go below 10% body fat and they will show up. |
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Yo!Chingo
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: Seoul Korea
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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Hey check out this website
Fitday.com
It's fabulous! You log in everything you eat and it's such a big help and great motivator. I've been working out 5 days a week running 20 minutes everyday and walking 20. I've also been doing progressively higher weights with more reps. I wasn't seeing a difference on the scale. I started meticulously logging in what I'm eating and it really opened my eyes. You start seeing what you should and shouldn't eat along. You also become extremely mindful of your portion sizes. I kinda look at the site as Big Brother. You're gonna have to fess up and I personally don't like the mental spankin when I stray.
You probably aren't eating the way you should. Join the club. You can do all the cardio and weights you want but if you want that 6 pack you're gonna have to watch the calories and increase the protein. No questions.
When you see someone with a 6 pack it ain't because he was born with it. It takes alot of discipline and work. Are you willing to put in the time between your veterinarian visits and flea treatments? |
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crash
Joined: 22 May 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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Lot of good info so far posted about the elusive six pack. Just be sure that you're also adding lower back exercises for some balance as well. I liked the suggestion about doing supermans. Pretty tough IMO...
Oh, and Andre Kim is a Korean fashion designer....wears a Raelian-esque type jumpsuit most of the time. |
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Rapacious Mr. Batstove
Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Location: Central Areola
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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I forgot to mention
THIS IS SPARTA!!!!!!!!! |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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Rapacious Mr. Batstove said:
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| THIS IS SPARTA!!!!!!!!! |
That was great man. |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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merkurix
- I'm going to start slow, maybe with a 5K weight and work up to 20. Thanks...
Thunndarr
How can I measure my body fat? As far as I know, the only place on my body that has any fat whatsoever is around my stomach. Not a lot either...
JAWINSEOUL
What about jumprope? Is that workable for the same purpose?
venus
I started the inclined weighted sits yesterday. I am in pain.
Gamecock
9% understood. How do I measure my bodyfat? I can pinch 1/2 inch right now around my waist. I am pretty slim the rest over. Help.
Chillin' Villain
-Great information, I will try some of the ones you mention.
Batstove
-"build your biceps, quads or pecs you do bulking sets (80-90% of your 1 rep max in reps of 3 - 8 )."
I'm going to tell you the truth. I don't really understand the terminologyhere, but I did understand completelty everything else you wrote.
Can you break it down to me the way you would talk to your dog...simple. Please. Thanks for helping me out.
Yo!Chingo
-Great site. I'm going to start using it, will pm you results and etc.
crash
-Supermans are where you lay down on your stomach and stretch up your upper and lower body, no?
BS.Dos.
Thanks for the great advice. I Tried dips yesterday and I don't even want to tell you how bad it was. I'm hurting today.  Leg raises I'm ok with, did plenty of those before and I know how to do them. One poster gave a website on abs and I read it - basically I have to learn how to do the "Captains chair" and the bicycle manuever, which I've never done before. Those two excersizes and the added weight to the situps and crunches that someone else mentioned...
seoulsucker
Thanks. I saw one of the engineers doing them day before yesterday and I thought to myself, "what if that foot holder thing breaks?" Understood. |
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Thunndarr
Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| There are a few different ways. Google the phrase "body fat calculator" and check out a couple of the sites. Typically you'll need a tape measure at the very minimum. The results won't be completely accurate but they should give you a general idea what your BF% is. |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Yo!Chingo wrote: |
Hey check out this website
Fitday.com
It's fabulous! You log in everything you eat and it's such a big help and great motivator. |
The problem is that there's no Korean food on that site. |
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crash
Joined: 22 May 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, supermans are when you lay on your stomach and raise your arms and legs of the floor in a superman like pose. Try working up to about 60 seconds at a time....really good for your lower back and abs.
Hope your workout goals are coming along nicely. Cheers. |
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theatrelily
Joined: 03 Jun 2004
Location: Haeundae-gu, Busan
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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Not sure if anyone has answered yet, but Andre Kim is a Korean fashion designer.
He usually has this weird white jumpsuit on, with hair that is slicked back and painted. He also favours black lipstick.
Last time I saw him at Costco in Yangjae I could not stop staring. He definitely stands out in a crowd.... |
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