another abs question for CATHE!

[desertbriez]

hi cathe,

welcome back to your boards!

i have an abs question for you.. my lower abs are hard and it seems that the only thing i'm able to pinch is skin (i have a 4-pack on the upper abs and my obliques are quite prominent!) however.. my lower abs still stick/pooch out :-( am i stuck with a hard, poochie stomach? or do i still need to concentrate on more aerobics (and abs) work (my upper body is already at the least amount of body fat it can handle! i'm afraid if i lose much more weight i'll look sickly and emaciated!)




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cute work out clothes are good for AT LEAST an additional 10-15 calories burned!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Desertbriez! The lower ab muscle is the hardest to show. It is the area that is deepest under the skin. Also, when we store body fat it tends to lodge right over the top of this area making it feel poochie. The developed ab muscle is more cylinder in its shape and when the body fat is low, this will show up as a hard curve rather than flat. If you want to keep a flat ab look you need to use no weight, high reps, and up your cardio. If you want a 6 pack look or at least a look with some muscle "curve" (that's the look I personally love), you will need to train with weight and do some cardio to enhance and promote it's contouring effects.

Have you had children? If so, this lower abdominal area tends to want to stick out because it has been so overstretched, weakening the muscle wall. It takes a CONSTANT effort to retrain and not give in to this weakened muscle wall. Even as your child grows up, the contant carrying them on your hip thrusts that muscle forward without realizing it. You have to be aware of it in every way and contract your abs as you do things.

Hope this helps!

 

[Mic]

Whoa!! I would have never thought of that? The whole thing with how after your child is born you swing them up on your hip and your still jutting your abdominals out. Goes to show we should always be trying to consciously keep them in.