# Building muscle/ becoming more fit



## Triumvirate (Jan 24, 2015)

There's a very popular saying in the bodybuilding and fitness world: "A six pack is made in the kitchen". All a six pack means or a four pack three pack or whatever is that you have a low body fat percentage. For men it's about 10% and for women it's about 17% body fat for abs to show. Therefore, you can do ab exercises to the moon and back and have a very strong core but never have those "abs" you desire. 

To be honest, I don't recommend just doing ab exercises for a six pack. I highly highly highly recommend compound barbell exercises but you said you don't have access to a gym, so, oh well. Look into calisthenics routines online and good body weight drills. Push-ups and pull-ups are good compound body weight exercises and the stronger you get, the more complicated and advances body weight exercises you can do.

HOWEVER if you do not have the proper nutrition you will never get those abs. What I do for mine are cut and bulk cycles along with a strength routine. But what you should do is calculate how many calories you need to eat for maintenance and then eat at around a 200-400 kcal deficit depending on how you feel and what you can manage. Download an app like myfitnesspal and track your foods and calories and make sure you hit your macros (carbs, protein, fat). If you don't get enought protein, you won't build the muscle needed for those abs. Drink lots of water and unless you generally eat an insane amount of food, there's really no reason why you should feel like you're starving if you're eating correctly.

Also, there's absolutely no telling how fast it would be for those abs to show. I know people who come off they're bulk with no defined abs and look even a little fat but get they're sick pack back in a month or two. However, they're very experienced in fitness and nutrition and lift heavy weights very regularly with a strict diet plan. I can't even give you an estimate without knowing your body fat level, age, gender, diet, fitness plan, etc. 

But good luck! It's so rewarding when you finally see progress start to show. I'm in a bulk right now so I've lost a lot of definition. And I know you said no gym but highly highly recommend it. It will make those abs show if you have a solid weightlifting routine ( and no I don't mean 5 lb Dumbbells). You can ask me any time for more info, I'm very passionate on this subject.


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## Roanwatch (Apr 1, 2014)

If it helps you any, I am almost 17 years, 130ish lbs, 5'7 feet, and a girl. 

Do you agree with these workouts?
Avoid the Gym by Using Calisthenics | Military.com


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## bekahragsdale (Oct 14, 2015)

My husband will tell you this over and over, the best way to build abs isn't to be doing crunches or sit-ups etc because they build the muscle up underneath the "fat" layer he swears the best way to get abs is to be doing cardio, i.e. running biking etc. once you feel you have defeated the "fat" layer then you can work on everything else, he's in the army so he does a lot of cardio and not much of anything else.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

There is no bad workout, unless it stresses your bones or you do not stretch slowly and methodically before each workout, and once more before you go to bed.
Flexibility is so very important.
You will get far more out of regular working long distances, along with some jogging. Working your leg muscles, which is the support system for your whole body is the best way to get into shape. It also loosens up your spine and works your arms.
Grooming your horse and cleaning stalls works your arms and your abs.
The WORST exercises throw your body around and strain your muscles by pulling them beyond their ability to spring back.
It is always harder to do an movement slowly than to throw yourself quickly. Horses do this all of the time, when they run up a slope, because it takes less effort than walking slowly, which is WORK.


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## Triumvirate (Jan 24, 2015)

For what you've said, if you're strict with your diet and have a great workout routine, I could possibly see you have very defined abs anywhere from four to six months. You already sound relatively slim for your height. Also, strict does not mean starve. If you eat at your deficit and hit all your macros, you will be sticking to your diet and shouldn't be starving. Doing a two week keto diet can really cut out a lot of body fat but I don't really recommend it to a beginner because you will most likely either 1.) not enter into ketosis, or 2.) hurt yourself. But that's what most people do after a bulk to shed most of the fat off.

As far as the routine you posted, it seems alright. The thing with a lot of calisthenics and bodyweight routines you find out there is that they are WAYYYY too easy and simply do not challenge you like they should. The human body is capable of many many wondrous feats and to limit yourself to just a few sets of really simple things won't challenge at all after a bit. I know NerdFitness has a beginner and advanced bodyweight routine you might want to check out. Muscle & Fitness has a bodyweight routine that looks downright scary, challenging wise. I'll post some websites you might want to check out.

I don't really recommend doing nothing but cardio. I know quite a few people who are dedicated runners but are still fat because they do not EAT right. HIIT is really good for fat loss though. I would recommend that over steady state in terms of calories burned. I do agree with Corporal and that you should work on flexibility because a lot of exercises require flexibility for you to be even able to work the muscle property. However, I DO NOT recommend stretching before a bodyweight or strength routine. That greatly increases your likelihood of muscle tears. Instead, do cardio like running or bike riding or jumping jacks, anything like that. But stretch after your workout. I do this and have never had a problem.

http://hundredpushups.com
^really recommend this and entirely doable even for a 17 year old girl. Plus how would you like to be able to brag you can do a hundred pushups??

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/ultimate-bodyweight-workout-bodybuilders

Also, train like a man! Don't go for anything that says "for women". Most of the time it's too easy!


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## Roanwatch (Apr 1, 2014)

Thank you all very much! I do run cross country in school (typically run 4-6 miles, no walking) even though the season is over, it would not be very hard to keep running regularly. My parents may also let me run Track in the spring, and at that point I should have access to the school's weightroom.


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