Diet is key to achieving goals

[Sgt. Hartman]

Thanks for the kind words guys - it helps motivate me that much more. Don't know how to repost someone's response so I will comment to each.

GB - I hear ya on the abs thing. I used to hear everyone say that everybody has abs underneath their layer of fat - so I never did much ab work. Then, I stripped away the fat and big disappointment, no abs!! I have been killing them the last few months but have made very little progress.

Fireguy - 25 lbs is my ultimate goal and 10 lbs will be my immediate goal on my upcoming bulk. I do realize that I probably can't achieve either naturally.

Charcold - Not to sound arrogant, but I feel like I am coming fairly close to reaching my genetic potential which means that every pound gained of LBM will be a real struggle. I think that 1 - 2 lbs per month would be amazing results and really don't see me putting on more than 10 or so naturally. That's why my clean bulk will definitely include AAS.

Machines - Unfortunately, "you are what you eat" is such an overused phrase that most people fail to realize the truthfulness of it.

Goode - I was just estimating at 12% - I have been tested with calipers when I was at 18% and then at 15% and figured with no lower abs and some pinchable fat at my love handle area, I couldn't be lower than 11% - 12%.

[gbrice75]

GB - I hear ya on the abs thing. I used to hear everyone say that everybody has abs underneath their layer of fat - so I never did much ab work. Then, I stripped away the fat and big disappointment, no abs!! I have been killing them the last few months but have made very little progress.

I hear you bro, I was always told the same thing, never worked them either, and am suffering the same consequences as you are right now! One tip though - when you say you're 'killing them', how much are they getting worked? People have this idea that they need to do 500 crunches and a million leg lifts - abs are still a muscle group, only need to be stimulated enough to grow and then need time to repair, just like any other muscle group. I wouldn't recommend more then 2x a week, short intense sessions.

[Sgt. Hartman]

I hear you bro, I was always told the same thing, never worked them either, and am suffering the same consequences as you are right now! One tip though - when you say you're 'killing them', how much are they getting worked? People have this idea that they need to do 500 crunches and a million leg lifts - abs are still a muscle group, only need to be stimulated enough to grow and then need time to repair, just like any other muscle group. I wouldn't recommend more then 2x a week, short intense sessions.

I guess "killing it" is a relative term when my previous ab routine was nonexistent. I work abs Mon and Thurs. Mon is mostly weighted sets in the 8 - 12 rep range and Thurs is just body weight with high volume and high reps. Neither routine lasts more than 15 minutes total.

I would love to hear someone chime in that has actually had success at adding muscle tissue to their abs as what I'm doing currently obvoiusly isn't working.