6% body fat and no abs, please help

[elnino47]

hi guys, i'm 5"11 male and weigh 55 kgs ( i know it's a bit underweight) but i'm a long distance runner and i run around 70-80 km per week as training. i'm around 5-6% body fat but i don't have abs (i do but they show very lightly), can you guys tell me what i should do?

[musclenz]

You still need to train abs like any other muscle group, preferably with some weights. Core strength is not really a component in long distance runners. More so in sprinters where explosive strength is required. Get into the gym & do some core work. Most compound lifts incorporate this -squats, deadlifts etc. You can also do abdominal isolation exercises - crunches, leg raises ...

[Kalidane]

^^ Yeah what he said.

I've found deadlifts give me a mean core workout - pretty easy to see it in the mirror straight after any session incorporating that lift. I find squats help but nowhere near as much as deads.

You believe you are around 5-6 bf% because of ?

[Shutupandsquat]

You believe you are around 5-6 bf% because of ?

5 foot 11... 55 kgs... kinda speaks for itself?

Unless OP is female.

[elnino47]

You still need to train abs like any other muscle group, preferably with some weights. Core strength is not really a component in long distance runners. More so in sprinters where explosive strength is required. Get into the gym & do some core work. Most compound lifts incorporate this -squats, deadlifts etc. You can also do abdominal isolation exercises - crunches, leg raises ...

What are other exercises apart from squats/ dead lifts?

[elnino47]

^^ Yeah what he said.

I've found deadlifts give me a mean core workout - pretty easy to see it in the mirror straight after any session incorporating that lift. I find squats help but nowhere near as much as deads.

You believe you are around 5-6 bf% because of ?

i went to my gym and they took all the measurements down and calculated it. they said i was 5.4% according to the scale but when i did it manually using the body fat calipers i got 6 something percent so around that range

[elnino47]

You believe you are around 5-6 bf% because of ?

5 foot 11... 55 kgs... kinda speaks for itself?

Unless OP is female.

i know it's pretty underweight but i'm not a bodybuilder of anything like that. i burn a lot of calories because i'm a cross country runner and i run like 70 km per week at least for training. but anyways as i said i want to gain some weight what's the best way of going about it?

[Riccardo]

Eat more food. Stop running as much and lift some weights. It's a simple formula really. Depending on how serious you are about your running you may wanna look into some more muscular endurance type training which will help you put on some weight while keeping you fit and minimally affecting your running. Something like cross fit will be of benefit to you. However if you're looking to just pack on size you should start with a basic strength program like starting strength or similar. All depends on your goals.

[rigger]

For abs and to put some weight on, do a full body, weights workout 2 times a week. Train your abs directly 3 times a week with crunches, leg raises and situps. Change your diet to double the amount of calories your having now, stick to more potatoes and rice for carbs and eat lots of red meat and chicken for your protein. Always have a protein drink after training and cut back on your running, at least for a while until you get to where you want to be as far as body weight goes.

[elnino47]

For abs and to put some weight on, do a full body, weights workout 2 times a week. Train your abs directly 3 times a week with crunches, leg raises and situps. Change your diet to double the amount of calories your having now, stick to more potatoes and rice for carbs and eat lots of red meat and chicken for your protein. Always have a protein drink after training and cut back on your running, at least for a while until you get to where you want to be as far as body weight goes.

thanks if i double or just simply increase my caloric intake i should gain mass right? but where will that be? because i want to gain mass just not around my wasist/stomach..

[Merlin]

If you're serious about putting on some solid mass - Stop running, eat alot and train. Or if you don't want to stop running... plan on spending ALOT of money on food.

You can't really control where fat will go.. but if you're like majority of people, then it will more than likely go to your stomach/waist first.

Take my advice with a grain of salt... my knowledge is still a work in progress lol.

[tomleegolf]

You wont have to worry about gaining fat mate. I was 54kgs and like 7% then i started stuffing my face and ended up gaining 10kgs in 4 months. When I was 7% myabs were barely visible and I didnt know how to tense them because there was no mind muscle connection. After I put on weight, even though I went up to 10% or so, my abs were bigger and more defined now that I could tense them properly. Your body is so starved by a combination of excessive energy burning and insufficient calorie consumption that any gains you make will be mostly muscle at least until you get your weight over a BMI of 22-25 depending on your genetics.

[jimmybro1]

For abs and to put some weight on, do a full body, weights workout 2 times a week. Train your abs directly 3 times a week with crunches, leg raises and situps. Change your diet to double the amount of calories your having now, stick to more potatoes and rice for carbs and eat lots of red meat and chicken for your protein. Always have a protein drink after training and cut back on your running, at least for a while until you get to where you want to be as far as body weight goes.

thanks if i double or just simply increase my caloric intake i should gain mass right? but where will that be? because i want to gain mass just not around my wasist/stomach..

Asking the same question in three different forums isn't going to get you three different answers....

[jerryc8891]

You should stick to your schedule and also you should do cardio exercise and consult some good fitness trainers for good abs.

[tomleegolf]

You should stick to your schedule and also you should do cardio exercise and consult some good fitness trainers for good abs.

Do you even reading comprehension? He gets enough cardio bro

[tomsammce]

I agree do more cardio.

[JOSEF RAKICH]

Firstly you are most likely not 5-6% body fat, and secondly the reason you have no abs is because lack of muscle hypertrophy. You need to train your abdominals to build some mass in them, this will result in bigger abs and deeper cuts.

[pyro]

Firstly you are most likely not 5-6% body fat

Hes 55kgs at 5"11. When I was cycling I was around 8-9% @ 73kgs same height.

[The Legend Killer]

Yeah, at 55kg and 5'11" you can't see much fat being on that.

With that frame you could just about have a Somalian donate you $1 a day I think.

[train hard]

abbs are the least of your problems i would be more worried about your chicken legs and spagetti arms build up your muscles and i bet you start too see some abbs as a result

[hjp]

Asking the same question in three different forums isn't going to get you three different answers....

:nod:

[vracula]

Face the truth bro!!

[jimmybro1]

Face the truth bro!!

It's all about the abdominals!