BF 11%, No abs! Need help!

[Homey]

I am a 6'0" male who is an ectomorph. I am 39 years old, was skinny growing up, but had allowed lots of weight gain in my 30's.

I weighed 180+ in the Fall of 2009. I got serious about diet, weightlifting, and cardio in January 2010. I am now down to 157 pounds.

I got to use an expensive body fat caliper last night for the first time. If I did my measurements correctly I am at 11% body fat.

My problem: I still have a small roll around my lower abdomen. You can't see any six pack. You can just start to see some muscles in my upper abdomen possibly.

Did I measure incorrectly? Or will it just take less body fat to see my abdominal muscles?

What percentage will I need to be to see my abdominals? How long to get there? Like I said I have the correct diet. Lots of lean protein, fruits, vegetables and fiber. I am counting calories at every meal.

Your help and info is greatly appreciated!!!

Homey

 

[Rodja]

Did you do it yourself?

 

[Homey]

I had someone do the measurements for me. I entered the data into a online BF calculator. I did the measurements multiple times.
I did triceps, abdominal, thigh, chest, subscapula, suprailliac, midaxilliary.

Homey

 

[Rodja]

There's always a 3% error in calipers. Also, there is not a magical BF% where your abs shall become visible.

 

[TimberLakers]

Some people store bodyfat in unfortunate places... you may also have some loose skin...

Also, 157 pounds is like Mogadishu skinny for a 6'0'' tall guy. Limited muscle mass to stretch out the skin - and push thru whatever fat you do have.

Shouldn't really be concerned with BF% anyway as a gauge of how you look... Take some progress pictures every few weeks and make adjustments to your training regimen and diet.

 

[youngandfree]

Do you do any Ab work? It sounds like you need to build up your abs if you aren't seeing them at 157lbs.

 

[cleanEG]

Some people store bodyfat in unfortunate places... you may also have some loose skin...

Also, 157 pounds is like Mogadishu skinny for a 6'0'' tall guy. Limited muscle mass to stretch out the skin - and push thru whatever fat you do have.

Shouldn't really be concerned with BF% anyway as a gauge of how you look... Take some progress pictures every few weeks and make adjustments to your training regimen and diet.

:goodpost: I agree....progress pics help out alot....

 

[EasyEJL]

Whew, a couple inches shorter than you, and I haven't been 157 since I was 14 or so....

Definitely though if you had relatively excessive body fat at any point (over 30%) or had high estrogen levels you could have moderately uneven fat distribution after having lost a lot. So it may take you going a fair bit lower to really get your abs to show for the first time, but then if you add some fat back slowly afterwards they likely will stay around (as the fat will be evenly redistributed on your body).

 

[votum]

157 and 6 feet tall I would say do more ab work, like a ton more. And also bulk up, you need some muscle there man!

 

[ronnin]

What was your abdominal caliper measurement?

I find that you need to be around 5mm to see defined abs.

 

[bigzach1234]

i only had a 4 four pack at 11 percent.. not even that great .. once i got sub 10% i could see a pretty defined six pack.. but i still have to flex to see them.. theyr not just sitting there yet..im 5'9-5'10 @ 204 or so.. between 9-10% right now.. working abs alot more helped get them to pop alot