Is it possible to get an eight pack

Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. In other words, what determines who has a 4 pack vs a 6 pack vs an 8 pack? I have good and bad news. Behold, the dude below: This guy is a pretty good example of what 4 pack abs look like. This is just a simple stock photo that I was able to find to illustrate the point. Having a 6 pack vs a 4 pack is not inherently better!

Eight pack abs example OK, OK. The Holy Grail of abs! When you really study 6 pack vs 8 pack abs, the difference is kind of subtle. But everyone is different and a lot of people seem to want to strive for the coveted eight pack.

What determines a 4 vs 6 vs 8 pack? And speaking of common… How rare is an 8 pack? Can you have more than an 8 pack, like a 10 pack?

Are 10 packs real? Can women have 6, 8, or 10 pack abs? People of any sex can have anywhere from distinct ab muscles. The transverse abdominis is located deep within the abdomen.

It extends from the front of your abdomen to the sides of your body. It helps provide stability and strength to your entire core, back, and pelvis. The internal and external obliques help control the twisting and turning movements of your body. Along with the transverse abdominis, they provide a stabilizing girdle for your back and pelvis. The external obliques are a large muscle group located at the sides of the rectus abdominis.

The internal obliques are located just underneath, inside your hip joints. Working your obliques adds definition and tone to your abs. You need to be born with a rectus abdominis that contains five bands of connective tissue running horizontally across it. You also need to regularly work out these muscles and follow a healthy diet. Of course, what you eat and how you exercise also play large roles in how your abs ultimately look. The rectus abdominis muscle has bands of connective tissue fascia crossing it horizontally.

These bands give the appearance of multiple packs stacked on top of each other on either side of your abdomen. Your genetics also determine their symmetry, length, and size. A person with an eight-pack has four bands. A person with a six-pack has three bands. A person with a four-pack has two bands. This means that if most people worked at it, they could achieve a six-pack. One of these people is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, even during his bodybuilding days, sported a four-pack. Both sexes have a genetic predetermination for the number of packs they can achieve.

However, women require more body fat than men. This essential body fat is needed for:. Because of this, it may be more difficult for women to lose enough abdominal fat to define their abs while staying healthy. Having too little body fat for your body type can lead to various complications in women, like:. Men have around 61 percent more muscle mass than women due to their higher testosterone levels. Men require less body fat for optimum health, too. So, they can more readily lose enough fat to show their toned rectus abdominis muscles underneath.

While your genetics help determine how your abs look, you can still build a strong core. A strong core protects your back and spine, preventing injury. These exercises can help strengthen your abs and build muscle mass. With your hands behind your ears, crunch forward. Method 3. Lie on a bench. You will need a flat bench to perform this exercise.

Lie flat on the bench. Make sure your legs are parallel to the floor and that the ends of your legs are off the bench. Position your hands. Next you will need to place your hands on both sides of your head.

Grab the top edge of the bench with your hands. You will continue holding on to the top of the bench while you do the leg raises. Use your abs to raise your legs. While keeping your legs as straight as you can, use your abdominal muscles to slowly raise your legs. Raise your legs as high as is possible, while making sure your back is completely flat on the bench. Slowly lower your legs down to the start position. You can also do 3 sets of 10 leg raises each.

Method 4. Prepare your workout space. Grab an exercise mat and place it on a hard flooring surface like tile, wood, or linoleum. Alternatively, you can place a towel on a carpeted or hard floor. Make sure you will have enough room to fully extend your legs on the towel or mat. Sit on the mat or towel.

Sit on the floor with your legs and knees extended in front of you. Your legs should be straight and your toes pointing toward the ceiling.

Make sure your toes and knees are aligned in a straight line. Place your hands under your buttocks. Bring your knees to your chest. Slowly bring your knees to your chest while keeping your legs together.

Then slowly extend your legs back to your starting position. Make sure your back remains straight while you are doing the knee-ins.

Repeat 12 to 15 times, and then do a second set of seated knee-ins. You can also do 3 sets of 10 knee-ins each.

Method 5. Stay hydrated. As you build and tone muscle, it is important that you keep your body hydrated. Begin each day with ounces 0. Throughout the day make sure you are consuming water regularly, aiming for at least 64 ounces 2 liters each day. Eat a balanced diet. Good nutrition is an important part of getting 8 pack abs.

Make sure your diet includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Stay away from fried foods, processed foods, and sugar. Start each day with breakfast. Aim for a breakfast that contains at least calories but ideally no more than calories.

Try to eat within an hour of waking up each morning. Great breakfast options include Greek yogurt with berries and granola, scrambled eggs with fruit and whole wheat toast, or oatmeal with a scoop of whey protein.

Avoid happy hour. Drinking alcohol can slow down your metabolic process, which can make it difficult to strip away the fat covering your 8 pack. Alcohol can also increase your appetite, which can lead to consuming more calories than you are burning. Monica Morris.