So apparently I have the genetics for an 8-pack?

[darkxshade]

I've never had any packs before this... approximately a year ago, I had a 34-35in waist/gut. Fast forward a year of hard work, now I'm at 30in and my abs are now beginning to show at roughly 13%bf. Except I noticed something odd when comparing to normal six packs that I've seen. I have 2 smaller bumps roughly half the size of your normal ab packs between my top 2 normal bumps and my chest. They aren't uniform either. I never gave it much thought but as of late it's starting to become more defined as I try to get my 5th & 6th bump which is currently still under a layer of fat. I always thought an 8 pack was the result of getting 2 more to show under the last 2 in the pelvic region but after some googling, apparently some people are gifted with 2 from above?

Not sure what to think of this but it sure does motivate me to try harder for the bottom 2 of my normal 6 pack since it might mean I get 2 free resulting in an 8.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Yep, genetics really dictate the shape of abs. I was blessed with the 4-pack, which is relatively unimpressive, lol.

 

[zCypher]

When I was disgustingly skinny, I used to think it was cool that I could "see my abs" even though I never worked out at the time.

Now my metabolism is finally slowing down, and I've been working a job sitting down all day, not exercising, and drinking "enough" beer. Yep, the abs are long gone. well, I can soooorta make out the top ones but barely.

sigh

 

[Lamont Burns]

I'm not sure what I got yet. Definitely no 8. I'm working on a 2 expanding to 4 atm.

 

[Deeko]

I have a 1 pack. Maybe a 2.5 if I became aneorexic.

I've been down well below 10% bf with no real ab definition. Damn genetics.

 

[skace]

I think I might be able to see my abs for the first time this summer. It definitely is a curiosity / interest. When I resumed my routine this year, seeing my abs was not even in my list of goals, I just wanted to continue to get stronger and more serious. But I've been dropping the body fat left and right and it kind of shocked me.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I have a 1 pack. Maybe a 2.5 if I became aneorexic.

I've been down well below 10% bf with no real ab definition. Damn genetics.

Man, I just don't understand you. Lol. We're exact opposites. In the future, you may have to be more careful than the average person. Abdominal fat is much more dangerous in large amounts than peripheral fat. I don't anticipate you getting fat anytime, but it might be a bit of motivation to keep at it

 

[allies]

I'm down to ~5% BF right now and I have a pretty decent 4 pack with the outline of 6. Genetics is right.

Edit: I mean, if I had different genetics I'd have a rippling 8 pack at this BF%

 

[mchammer187]

I have a 1 pack. Maybe a 2.5 if I became aneorexic.

I've been down well below 10% bf with no real ab definition. Damn genetics.

Even when flexing?

 

[KoolDrew]

I'm down to ~5% BF right now and I have a pretty decent 4 pack with the outline of 6. Genetics is right.

Edit: I mean, if I had different genetics I'd have a rippling 8 pack at this BF%

What makes you think you're at 5%?

 

[purbeast0]

What makes you think you're at 5%?

if he was really down to 5% he would have a chiselled 6 pack and probably an 8 pack.

 

[PingSpike]

darkxshade, how much weight did you lose do get from 34-35" down to 30"? I always wonder how that stacks up...I'm sure its different for different people.

 

[Barfo]

I'm down to ~5% BF right now and I have a pretty decent 4 pack with the outline of 6. Genetics is right.

Edit: I mean, if I had different genetics I'd have a rippling 8 pack at this BF%

I was under the impression that less than 5% BF was unhealthy.

 

[allies]

I was under the impression that less than 5% BF was unhealthy.

I think it's about 3.5% or so before you start really taxing your essential fats, but you're right; anything under 5 gets kind of sketchy. I probably could do with a little more fat, but it's pretty damn hard for me to gain weight, let alone fat.

 

[Deeko]

What percentage that is varies a lot from person to person. What's important is that you still have the essential fat.

 

[allies]

What makes you think you're at 5%?

if he was really down to 5% he would have a chiselled 6 pack and probably an 8 pack.

5 point caliper test had me estimated at 4.5%, impedance scale (THIS one - my mom teaches health and nutrition and does executive physicals and the whole shebang) generally reads right around 5%. I know there's some error in the tests, but when it's always reading 5% +/- .2% or so, I feel it's probably pretty close. Hence I said in my original post "~5%"

And I don't have a "chiseled" six pack. Well defined 4 pack. Passable 6 pack, get the right lighting and you can count 8.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

You might just be retaining water.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

5 point caliper test had me estimated at 4.5%, impedance scale (THIS one - my mom teaches health and nutrition and does executive physicals and the whole shebang) generally reads right around 5%. I know there's some error in the tests, but when it's always reading 5% +/- .2% or so, I feel it's probably pretty close. Hence I said in my original post "~5%"

And I don't have a "chiseled" six pack. Well defined 4 pack. Passable 6 pack, get the right lighting and you can count 8.

I'm not challenging that you're 5% body fat, but I will challenge the methods used. Calipers are notoriously bad for males. Why? Because we tend to store our fat on the back side of our upper legs and lower back. The 5-site and 6-site caliper tests I've seen don't ever test this site (only the anterior part of the thigh and the upper back). This gives a significantly decreased reading compared to women. I measured a guy the other day and we compared his results to hydrostatic weighing. I consistently completed the same 6-point test twice and got the same results. His reading? 6% BF. His tank reading? 13% BF. On top of that, impedance can have huge sways of standard deviation. I believe they estimate +/- 5-10% most time. If you want to say you have 5% body fat, you should either find a caliper test that includes a lower back/butt measurement or get a bodpod, hydrostatic weighing, or DEXA done. You can't conclusively say much with having only use calipers or an impedance scale.

EDIT: I was calculated at 5.92% body fat using $500 calipers two weeks ago. I'll tell you I'm not ~6% BF. I was probably around 10-11% when I got the reading.

 

[BlackTigers]

A caliper test measured me at 11%, the bod pod measured me at 14.1 on the average of two trials. (14.1 and 14.2)

I dont trust caliper readings.

 

[darkxshade]

darkxshade, how much weight did you lose do get from 34-35" down to 30"? I always wonder how that stacks up...I'm sure its different for different people.

I'm 5'8 and was roughly 200 lbs back in May of 2009. As of today I'm floating around 170 but I was down to as much as 165 during winter. The extra 5 might be from creatine but I'm off it now. I was pretty nuts when I started and got hooked running 5x/week and 3x/week of lifting(SL 5x5).

Now my routine is:

Mon: SL 5x5 variation during lunch hr, 30min-1hr walk or equiv after work
Tue: HIIT after work
Wed: SL 5x5 variation during lunch hr, 30min-1hr walk or equiv after work
Thurs: HIIT after work
Fri: Rest
Sat: SL 5x5 variation before lunch, 30min-1hr walk or equiv afternoon
Sun: Steady state cardio run 45mins-1hr as time permits.

 

[Whisper]

A caliper test measured me at 11%, the bod pod measured me at 14.1 on the average of two trials. (14.1 and 14.2)

I dont trust caliper readings.

I've had my issues with them as well, although at this point, I don't worry too much about body fat %. The last time I was calipered (~seven years ago as part of an undergrad weightlifting class requirement), I believe the reading was 8%. I don't notice much of a difference between my overall physique then and now, so this apparently is what "8%" looks like on my frame.

I believe that number might've incorporated a reading of the back of my upper leg, but I honestly don't remember exactly.

I've seen people who say they've been measured at <5% who aren't highly-defined, and I've seen those at 10-15% who definitely are. I don't doubt the veracity of their claims, just the accuracy of the measurement method.

Then again, if nothing else, calipers (much like those at-home impedence scales) allow you to quickly and cheaply monitor progress if you're trying to thin down.

 

[BlackTigers]

I'm 5'8 and was roughly 200 lbs back in May of 2009. As of today I'm floating around 170 but I was down to as much as 165 during winter. The extra 5 might be from creatine but I'm off it now. I was pretty nuts when I started and got hooked running 5x/week and 3x/week of lifting(SL 5x5).

Now my routine is:

Mon: SL 5x5 variation during lunch hr, 30min-1hr walk or equiv after work
Tue: HIIT after work
Wed: SL 5x5 variation during lunch hr, 30min-1hr walk or equiv after work
Thurs: HIIT after work
Fri: Rest
Sat: SL 5x5 variation before lunch, 30min-1hr walk or equiv afternoon
Sun: Steady state cardio run 45mins-1hr as time permits.

How do your lifts look doing all that running? I know when I was doing 5/wk cardio, I couldn't keep my lifts up to save my life.

 

[darkxshade]

How do your lifts look doing all that running? I know when I was doing 5/wk cardio, I couldn't keep my lifts up to save my life.

Are you talking about then or now?

Pehaps my history was a little oversimplified... I didn't start SL5x5 until around Sep when I decided to be more serious about it. So for the summer it was pretty much hardcore cardio/running ~25mi/week. I wouldn't be able to honestly tell you if I could keep up with my lifts because I was doing some noob self worked out routine at the time until I started coming to here to H&F and learning more. By the time I started SL I had already cut down on running... By then, I lost about 20 lbs and down to 180ish(also when the first 2 bump on my abs were starting to show)... The initial 10 I would attribute to water weight, so I effectively only really lost 10 lbs in the back of my mind. I'd say I was roughly 20+&#37;(guesstimate) bf when I began in May. It was also during May when I began taking fish oil which helped signfiicantly... Also take daily multivitamins and whey protein. I take creatine when I feel my lifts are starting to wane. I try to do without if I can which is why I'm off it now.

But as of now, I do struggle with my lifts from time to time, I'm not really able to stack up more weight and get stronger as fast as I would have like the others on this board but strength isn't my only goal. I've made several threads here about other things when I need the help like my squats. Would be nice if I started a journal but I sorta stumbled into this lifestyle, it wasn't by choice.

As of present time I'm putting up:

Benchpress: 230
Deadlift: 345
Overhead press: 125
Squats: 195(My weakest link)

Also doing grease the groove on improving quantity and quality of pullups at home and also on the 100 consecutive pushup challenge which I completed but I'm still pushing out 4x~75(half assed-nonperfect) at the gym after SL. Have also started on a noob stretching routine but I am becoming more flexible which is a great thing.


edit: If I have time, I'll try to take some pics so everyone can critique where I'm really at, admittedly I'm probably overstating my gains.

 

[purbeast0]

5 point caliper test had me estimated at 4.5%, impedance scale (THIS one - my mom teaches health and nutrition and does executive physicals and the whole shebang) generally reads right around 5%. I know there's some error in the tests, but when it's always reading 5% +/- .2% or so, I feel it's probably pretty close. Hence I said in my original post "~5%"

And I don't have a "chiseled" six pack. Well defined 4 pack. Passable 6 pack, get the right lighting and you can count 8.

im telling you ... if you don't have a chiselled 6 pack or 8 pack, you are not at 5% body fat, regardless of what tests you took.

the readings are wrong.

 

[Deeko]

How do your lifts look doing all that running? I know when I was doing 5/wk cardio, I couldn't keep my lifts up to save my life.

I never really bought into the whole "if you do cardio you'll lose muscle/strength" thing....