Abs lacking presence

[mousetraps]

Ok, so my abs dont show themselves because my bodyfat is not quite low enough... but it IS low enough where i should begin to see them peeking out a tad, and i'd like to discuss it further. I have never trained abs like i do chest or legs, or arms... religiously. i have a tough time coping with aoreness in that area, as well as how weak my abs are. Subsequentially, I have the same vascularity and definition in shoulders, arms, legs, etc... as some other people i know, but they have 4 or 6 abs showing (not carved or anything) and i do not. Now get this: i can deadlift 405 for 4, but i can't do more than 30 crunches... this needs to be taken care of. I'm not looking for an Ab program persay, but can you guys throw out some general principles on the subject of Abdominal training that can make it easier to regularly incorporate into my training? I need to pair my lower back with a nice front, even if it is a bit buried... my bodyfat is at the maintainence point where if developed, abs would increase my physique probably tenfold. thoughts?

[Timm1704]

i have the same problem. although i do train my abs 2-3 times a week most weeks as of late. veins in my delts and arms, i look pretty cut, until you see the abs

[edgarr]

this is what works for me, it may be different for you. I train them as hard as any other body part. meaning I use weights and only train them once maybe twice a week. I feel like they are a just like any other muscle and should be treated the same way. Do what works for your chest, arms, delts, etc. I train all those body parts with heavy weights and low to mid reps once a week and balls to the walls. That is how I train my abs as well. Oh and keep that body fat down.

[~fuelforfire~]

could be genetics, or maybe your holding a little more fat around your stomach than some people normally do.

[mousetraps]

its both underdeveloped abs and thicker bodyfat in that region... see attached picture:

[rodosman]

It sounds like we have/had something in common. I look at your picture and see similarities in our body types. What worked for me is getting bigger, LBM not Fatter, to the 205-210 range at 6' tall. THen I cut down a little and bam the abs came out. I feel in my case I just didn't have enough muscle mass to have that muscular look I wanted weighing 180-190. My next plan is to bulk up to 220-225 or so and cut to even better abs.

If your mass is up to where you want it, then Id have to tell you morning cardio and diet.

[taiboxa]

ur core should be trained at a whole, if u do heavy compound movements it will be trained.. ur bf is a lil high to see abs which is the exact reason they are not visible u can train them if u like but worse thing is when they become large and purtrude