Lately, there have been some very eye opening and thought provoking discussions around the topic of attaining six pack abs… thanks to several fitness professionals and enthusiasts who have been speaking up about how they “felt like shit” while striving for what some believe to be the pinnacle of fitness… ripped abs.
Believe it or not… Carving out chiseled six pack abs didn’t make them any happier… and their life didn’t magically improve.
I applaud this kind of transparency from my colleagues and friends. The insights from each individual transformation experience are absolutely priceless… and sharing them can make a VERY positive impact on a great number of people around the world.
To quote Alan Aragon from a recent MOVE seminar I attended, “I don’t think everybody can get a six pack… and I don’t think everybody should get a six pack.”
Allow that to sink in for a moment… absorb it… process it… now… what are the thoughts and feelings?
Do you feel liberated? Are you experiencing a sense of relief? Are you confused? Are you upset?
All are VERY acceptable feelings… after all… they are your feelings and unique to how you personally handle each and every experience.
It’s fair to say not everybody wants a six pack. Not everybody has the drive, dedication, time, or genetics to achieve a six pack. Maybe even more important… Not everybody finds a six pack attractive.
…and thank goodness… because diversity is what makes the world go round.
“Do You”… Be Happy… Carve Your Own Masterpiece
I wholeheartedly appreciate the fact that many of my colleagues have no desire to get ripped abs… and they are much happier focusing on performance goals instead.
The passion and enthusiasm they bring to the gym is contagious. They experience joy in every moment. They are doing what ‘feels’ right to them… not what ‘feels’ right to someone else… and not what the magazines and Interwebz claim to be the best fat burning workout. They have their own vision for what their personal masterpiece looks like… and feels like. They are simply being true to themselves.
This is what’s lacking from the lives of many gym goers. They are trying to be like someone else and look like someone else… even though it’s fighting against everything that feels natural to them.
I’ve been there… I know what it feels like.
For years I got caught up in the short burst mainstream fitness workouts. Bodybuilding workouts were labeled as ‘out-dated’ and ‘a waste of time’… Interval Training was the trendy thing to do… so I rode the wave… and some good did come from it. The quick workouts suited my crazy hectic lifestyle at the time… and I did burn off some fat. I looked decent… had some muscle and some definition.
Yet, something was missing. All I could think about was rapidly firing through my workout and getting on with my day. There was no joy… there was no passion… there was no enthusiasm. Working out had become a chore. A short chore mind you… but a chore nonetheless… and it was like a little part of me died with ever session.
Until one day…
…When I decided to do an old school bodybuilding workout.
Instantly I felt invigorated… I felt strong… I felt every contraction… I felt every ounce of blood pumping through my veins… I felt focused… I felt present… I felt like a bro… I felt like ‘ME’.
I LOVE natural bodybuilding. I LOVE the synergy between strength training and hypertrophy training. I LOVE performing both compound and isolation exercises. I LOVE incorporating a variety of exercises and training protocol into my workouts. I LOVE being a ‘bro’… a ‘meathead’… a ‘muscle head’. I LOVE training for aesthetics and performance.
My wish… is that everyone who enters their gym of choice… experiences this level of love, excitement, and passion.
Find your serenity through the gym doors. Each training session is an opportunity for self-discovery and self-growth. Unleash your greatness with every rep… and allow that confidence… that sense of empowerment… to spill over into the rest of your day.
Cool Story Bro… But What About Them Abs?
The vision I have for my personal masterpiece involves having six pack abs. I love having abs. Wait… let me rephrase that… I abso-freak’n-lutely LOVE having abs.
…Yes, people do treat me different when I have six pack abs. I receive daily compliments from both men and women.
…Yes, I enjoy hearing women tell me that I’m looking buff.
…Yes, I enjoy my wife feeling my muscles and telling me I look ROCK Hard!
…Yes, I enjoy hearing my buddies at the gym tell me I’m looking JACKED, vascular, and cut.
…Yes, you better believe it was waaaay freak’n cool to see my pictures in IronMan Magazine when I grabbed it off the news stand.
…Yes, it is a boost to my ego… and it skyrockets my confidence, which carries over into all areas of my life. I’m not arrogant about it… but I do feel proud.
…and YES my life does improve when I have six pack abs. My business definitely picks up when I’m ripped. I feel like I’m walking on cloud 9. I’m energized. I’m vibrant. I have an incredible zest for life and a strong desire to strive for my full potential as a human being.
…More people approach me… mainly to ask fitness related questions. Although few people take action on the advice I share during these spontaneous conversations… those few people go on to create positive change in their lives… and their positive change impacts others around them.
This didn’t happen when I was carrying around an extra 35-40 pounds of fat.
…So, in other words… me… having ripped abs may not solve world peace… but it is making a positive impact on the world.
I receive emails from people all the time… telling me that my transformation inspired them to transform their body… and how it boosted their confidence… causing them to crawl out of their shell and experience more of what life has to offer… who knows what their new vibrant outlook will lead to. Maybe their new found confidence will lead to a big positive change in the world.
For some people… that confidence is going to come from improving their performance… developing a strong, healthy, vibrant physique. For others… like myself… that confidence comes from both performance and having a six pack.
Abs and Performance Do NOT Define Self Worth
My abs and your 600 pound deadlift do not define who we are. Frankly, I think about my abs very little throughout the day… just as I’m sure others aren’t thinking about how much they can bench press while they are talking with their co-workers around the office water cooler.
…But, something magical does happen when you hit a ‘personal best’ on a lift. There’s an overwhelming sense of achievement. It’s empowering. Achieving a six pack is more of a gradual process… but something magical does happen when you feel comfortable and confident in your own skin… whether you are at a pool party, the beach, or a family trip to a water pack.
Squatting a shitload of weight in itself isn’t going to make a positive difference in the world around you… but how that PB and the process it took to achieve that PB impacts you mentally, emotionally, and at the core of your being can make a very positive impact on the world.
…The same can be said for carving out six pack abs.
What I have realized about myself, is that I have a 10 pound comfort zone. At this point in time, with the amount of muscle mass I have on my physique… I have a faint six pack when I weigh 160lbs. When I weigh 150lbs I have carved out six pack abs.
Here’s a video capturing my physique at 160lbs with a very faint outline of a six pack. Basically, it’s a four pack. In the video I share how I feel happy, confident, and proud when I look like this….
…and here’s a recent picture of me weighing 153lbs… pretty darn caved out. I could push this a little further, down to 150lbs and look freak’n phenomenal.
That’s a 10 pound cushion of extreme happiness. I can go on a cruise and not feel guilty about indulging in treats. I can party on the weekend with my friends and family… letting loose and ‘living a little’… and not feel guilty.
I’m not concerned if I gain 5 pounds on a vacation or 2 pounds over the weekend. I know I can keep it in check.
When I am living in this 10 pound range I simply ‘feel right’. I don’t quite know how to explain it any other way. It’s just where I ‘feel’ I’m meant to be.
I am naturally a VERY positive, optimistic, happy-go-lucky guy. Some of my friends and family refer to me as “Tigger”, because I remind them of the Winnie the Pooh character.
That’s a big part of who I am… and how people define me… whether I have a six pack or not.
…But, when I’m within that 10lb comfort zone… these positive characteristics become AMPlified!
…I tend to do more activities which can make a positive impact in the world. I record more health and fitness videos… I write more… I get involved more… I reach out more.
When I start to creep outside of the 10lb range I tend to close up a bit. This seems kind of silly. I’m still the same guy… but the extra fat does something to me mentally. Something just doesn’t seem congruent to me.
I don’t consider this as something bad… or a body image problem… I simply believe it’s a sort of ‘thermostat’ that is regulating my body weight at a point that is optimal for me… personally.
This isn’t just an excess fat thing either. When I dip below 150lbs to get in contest ready shape… I’m not as happy. I don’t like the way my face appears… and I feel small.
I think that’s why a few months ago… when I was thinking about doing another natural bodybuilding contest… I asked myself “why?” Why do you want to get that crazy ripped again? …and I didn’t have an answer… so I said, “fuck it!” I’m just going to achieve a vibrant and healthy physique, which I can maintain for the long term… which still includes a six pack… just not crazy ripped.
I immediately felt at peace. No pressure… no stress… no trying to please or impress anybody else… just ME doing ME.
Answering Those 3 Questions…
I would really love to hear your responses to the 3 questions in the title of this post. Your thoughts and insights can make a very positive impact on many lives.
1) Do you want six pack abs?
This is very personal. As I’ve mentioned, not everyone wants a six pack and not everyone considers six pack abs attractive.
I certainly want them… and it’s not because of what I see in the magazines or in the media. It’s not because I’m trying to be like someone else or look like someone else… it’s just who I am and my personal preferences.
Whether you want six pack abs or not… it’s all good. We’re all good. Just be you… and focus on what makes you happy.
2) Can You Get Six Pack Abs?
That’s an interesting question with many factors, which come into play.
Carving out six pack abs requires a strong desire and a great deal of dedication to achieve them… and even if you have both… your lifestyle may make it very challenging to achieve them.
For example… during my mid to late 20’s I owned a health club. I had a strong desire to have six pack abs… and I was surrounded by everything I needed to achieve them… yet because I was working 16 hour days and had two young kid under the age of two… I had absolutely zero time to dedicate toward my goal. My lifestyle sucked and was not conducive to my goals.
Then there’s genetics. I consider myself to possess average genetics when it comes to burning fat and building muscle. Where I did win the genetic lottery is in bone and abs structure.
I have very broad shoulders naturally… thanks to being born with long collar bones. This helps to create the illusion of a smaller waist… and for me… my waist is already naturally pretty small.
I have three rows of abs in perfect alignment… creating an aesthetically pleasing six pack.
Some people are even more genetically blessed than I am and were born with 4 rows of abs in perfect alignment… creating an impressive 8-pack.
No matter how ripped I get… I can never get an 8-pack. You can’t create an extra row of abs.
Some people were born with a 4-pack. No matter how ripped they get… they’ll never carve out six pack abs.
Some guys have all three rows of their abs above their belly button. The advantage of this… is that your abs will appear sooner… at a higher body fat percentage than someone who has their third row of abs below their belly button… because for most guys carry their last bit of fat in their lower belly.
Some guys have worked hard to build thicker abs… and in many cases their abs will appear to pop out sooner. On the other side of the coin… I’ve witnessed some guys become crazy ripped yet their abs aren’t very visible, because there’s no depth to them… since they haven’t put in the time to build them up.
Some women carry the majority of fat in their lower body. They can develop crazy ripped abs at a higher body fat percentage than other women who have a more even fat distribution or women who are top heavy. In cases like this… most of these women are very happy with their upper body, but very unhappy with their overall appearance… and feel like they need to always cover up their butt and thighs.
…and there are other genetic factors when it comes to hormones, metabolism, etc…
The lesson… work with the gifts you’ve been granted. Focus on your own personal masterpiece.
3) Is it worth it?
I can’t wait to hear your insights into this question. I’ll share my response in two parts..
a) It depends on what you do with it. If you are trying to ‘fit in’… to look like someone else… if you’re only doing it for the attention… if it’s all about YOU YOU YOU… then it’s not worth it. But if you are trying to achieve six pack abs, because it ‘feels’ right… because it’s congruent with the vision you have for your personal masterpiece… and to somehow… someway… use your journey to positively impact the lives of others… then yes absolutely it’s worth it.
b) It depends on the process you go through to achieve it.
It took me 5 years and several attempts before I finally reclaimed my six pack abs. During many of those attempts I was trying to maintain a ‘perfect’ diet… and I definitely wasn’t happy throughout the process.
Other times I was spending waaaaay too much time on the stairclimber. Although I was burning a lot of calories in the gym… I had no energy to do anything else outside of the gym… and I wasn’t happy… and it wasn’t worth it.
I have a feeling this is why some of my colleagues are kinda against setting a goal of achieving six pack abs… because the process they went through was way too aggressive and restrictive. This is especially the case for those who are very performance based… because their strength and performance suffered big time during these strict times.
I totally relate to what they experienced. During one of my cutting phases I was very restrictive with my diet and aggressive with cardio. My resistance training workouts suffered BIG TIME… and that really sucked. Worst of all… I thought this was to be expected… the price to pay for six pack abs.
This couldn’t be further from the truth.
During this cutting phase I have been performing next to no cardio… Just walking my dog (something I REALLY LOVE to do). I’ve only reduced my calories by 300-500 below maintenance most days… and some days I bump it up to maintenance.
It’s been a slow and steady process… but I’ve actually been making strength gains while improving performance throughout this process. I’m having loads of fun… have loads of energy… and don’t feel deprived. I feel absolutely freak’n awesome!
Maintaining my physique will be simple… I’ll be consuming maintenance level caloric intake. In my opinion… if you can maintain your weight with a 2-pack, or a 4-pack… I see no reason why you can’t maintain a six pack… if your genetics and lifestyle allow you to achieve a six pack. In each of those cases you should be consuming the same amount of calories.
I’m not talking about a stage ready six pack… I’m referring to a moderately chiseled six pack. When you get crazy freak’n ripped and your body fat percentage legitimately dips below 5% (as measured through DEXA or hydrostatic body composition analysis)… your body will begin to fight back… and you will experience intense cravings… even when eating at maintenance.
Getting six pack abs and maintaining six pack abs is worth it… only if you enjoy the process.
For me, personally… enjoying the process requires a slow and steady approach with a small to moderate deficit… allowing me to be flexible with my diet. It means following a training program that resonates with me… that has me fired up throughout the day in anticipation of the session ahead of me. It means participating in fun activities outside of the gym and having an absolute blast with my family.
It means becoming ‘In-Tune’ with what really makes me ‘tick’. It means discovering new things about myself and growing as a person. It’s about making the most out of the gifts I’ve been granted… my body, my health, and every second of every day. The process is a lifestyle that allows me to live my life to the fullest.
For me… a six pack is worth it, because I experience all of these amazing outcomes. It’s when I’m at my best… and everyone around me receives the very best I have to offer.
For others… it’s not worth it… because they experience this joy in the process without attaining a six pack.
You simply need to know yourself… understand what makes you tick… and what allows you to give your very best to everyone around you.
I hope you enjoyed this message and find great value in it. I am certain I will find great value in your response to the above three questions… as you share your experiences with us.
Embrace your unique greatness!
Sculpt your own personal masterpiece,
Scott Tousignant.
About The Author
Scott Tousignant, BHK is a Physique Coach and Elite Natural Bodybuilder with the UFE.
Scott specializes in helping regular men and women sculpt their body into a chiseled work of art.
Viewing training as an art form and your body as a sculpture is a simple shift in mindset that brings out the beauty in your ongoing body transformation.
The art of molding and chiseling an aesthetically pleasing physique with spectacular symmetry, proportions, and carved out detail is one of life’s most rewarding and fulfilling experiences…
…It’s an opportunity for self growth and self discovery that will impact every area of your life.
Learn more about Scott’s physique-focused training programs:
AMPlify Aesthetic Muscle Gains and Strip Away Stubborn Sacks Of Fat with AMP – Aesthetic Muscle Plan
Get a taste of Scott’s hardcore physique training programs with Physique Phreak
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