Body Fat % for 6pack?

thebob

Don Juan
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
I know it depends a lot on genetics and stuff but what bf% would you estimate most "average" people can start seeing a 6pack? Or at what % did you get your 6pack (whether your genes are good or bad)?
 

JT47319

Master Don Juan
Joined
Jun 23, 2002
Messages
667
Reaction score
0
Location
Hermosa Beach, CA
Mid teens.

People who brag about single digit body fat are morons or don't know how to measure BF%. Even physical fitness models have trouble maintaining single digits and if they do, they're more likely to succumb to sickness since you need a certain amount of BF% to have an effective immune system.
 
Joined
Dec 14, 2003
Messages
293
Reaction score
0
Location
kingdom of latveria, central europe
Originally posted by JT47319
Mid teens.

People who brag about single digit body fat are morons or don't know how to measure BF%. Even physical fitness models have trouble maintaining single digits and if they do, they're more likely to succumb to sickness since you need a certain amount of BF% to have an effective immune system.
This is so wrong, it's ludicrous. At mid teen bodyfat % you have a slight jelly roll around your gut when you sit down. FYI, the minimum b.f. you need for an effective immune system is around 2-4% bodyfat.

The only moron here is you, making such an uninformed statement.
 

JT47319

Master Don Juan
Joined
Jun 23, 2002
Messages
667
Reaction score
0
Location
Hermosa Beach, CA
Originally posted by victor von doom
This is so wrong, it's ludicrous. At mid teen bodyfat % you have a slight jelly roll around your gut when you sit down. FYI, the minimum b.f. you need for an effective immune system is around 2-4% bodyfat.

The only moron here is you, making such an uninformed statement.
Whatever. Single digits are usually achieved by professionals for competitions and such. Otherwise, normal people saying they have single digit BF% is like people bragging about 20 inch guns or 12 inch ****s.

You only need mid teens BF% to see your abs; your mileage may vary depending on genetics.

http://www.heartmonitors.com/tanita_fat.htm

MALE
Age RISKY EXCELLENT GOOD FAIR POOR VERYPOOR
19-24 <6% 10.8% 14.9% 19.0% 23.3% >23.3%
25-29 12.8% 16.5% 20.3% 24.4%
30-34 14.5% 18.0% 21.5% 25.2%
35-39 16.1% 19.4% 22.6% 26.1%
40-44 17.5% 20.5% 23.6% 26.9%
45-49 18.6% 21.5% 24.5% 27.6%
50-54 19.8% 22.7% 25.6% 28.7%
55-59 20.2% 23.2% 26.2% 29.3%
60+ 20.3% 23.5% 26.7% 29.8%
or

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm
General Body Fat Percentage Categories
Classification Women (% fat) Men (% fat)
Essential Fat 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese 32% plus 25% plus
*American Council on Exercise
or some unscientific, yet freaky, comparison pics at
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?threadid=200802&highlight=bodyfat+percentage
 
Last edited:

thebob

Don Juan
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Originally posted by victor von doom
At mid teen bodyfat % you have a slight jelly roll around your gut when you sit down.
Then what's the typical bf% for a 6pack?
 

Runna13=)

Don Juan
Joined
Dec 14, 2003
Messages
120
Reaction score
0
Location
California
I would say the average would be around 6 to low teens. I have a 6-pack with between a 7-8% body fat.
 

Ian1983

Don Juan
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Messages
83
Reaction score
0
Age
41
Location
UK
Same here.
I got a six pack, don't brag about it, doesn't really mean much, just you know how to look after your self...that and your an athlete and train a lot :p
 

DonJohn83

Don Juan
Joined
Jul 25, 2002
Messages
182
Reaction score
0
Location
Australia
As far as i know its 12%.

Under 15% and you can start seeing abs dial in, until you hit the 12, where they typically all show.
 

jakethasnake

Master Don Juan
Joined
Nov 13, 2001
Messages
3,011
Reaction score
5
Originally posted by thebob
Whoa, is it just me...Or do those pics start to look a little freakishly ugly starting around the ripped/shredded area...?

OMG, I just about crapped my pants at the last pic. LOL! :D Disgusting.
 

madgame

Master Don Juan
Joined
Jun 23, 2003
Messages
860
Reaction score
1
I think it`d be stupid to say theres like an exact number of percent bf at which u start seein a 6pack lol man thats so ridiculous. Somebody on here said midteens..I think thats right, cause if u got nicely developed abs ull definetly see a 6pack. You might even see it at 20% or so and it`ll be attractive to the opposite gender, but if u sit down u could tell that that person has too much body fat. period.
I think you should aim for a number under 10%. If u can reduce your bf by like 2 or 3 percent u can also reduce it by a few more perecent. It just takes some more time. but think about it like this: it takes years to bulk up but only a few months to bulk down. Id say like a week for 1 lbs of fat.
 

bogman2121

Don Juan
Joined
Aug 21, 2003
Messages
159
Reaction score
0
Age
39
Originally posted by JT47319
Mid teens.

People who brag about single digit body fat are morons or don't know how to measure BF%. Even physical fitness models have trouble maintaining single digits and if they do, they're more likely to succumb to sickness since you need a certain amount of BF% to have an effective immune system.
thats the most retarded thing ive ever heard. i run track and all the middle distance and long distance runners have single digit body fat % and they are in fantastic shape and rarely get sick. i know one kid who has 4% and has been sick twice in the past four years. most of the sprinters are in the upper signle digits or low double digits and again they are all in fantastic shape.
 

California Love

Master Don Juan
Joined
Jan 2, 2004
Messages
659
Reaction score
0
Location
The Bay Area
Originally posted by bogman2121
thats the most retarded thing ive ever heard. i run track and all the middle distance and long distance runners have single digit body fat % and they are in fantastic shape and rarely get sick. i know one kid who has 4% and has been sick twice in the past four years. most of the sprinters are in the upper signle digits or low double digits and again they are all in fantastic shape.
thats just wrong. You cant survive with 4 percent bf. IFBB pros average 6-7 among the most cut.


Just because someone is skinny, it doesnt mean they have a low bodyfat. Conventional measuring methods are also inaccurate by up to a few percent.


Usually abs are very visible under 12 percent bf.
 

JT47319

Master Don Juan
Joined
Jun 23, 2002
Messages
667
Reaction score
0
Location
Hermosa Beach, CA
Originally posted by bogman2121
thats the most retarded thing ive ever heard. i run track and all the middle distance and long distance runners have single digit body fat % and they are in fantastic shape and rarely get sick. i know one kid who has 4% and has been sick twice in the past four years. most of the sprinters are in the upper signle digits or low double digits and again they are all in fantastic shape.
4% is Paris Hilton left out in the sun to dry.

The most accurate method would be water submersion. Barring that, bioelectrical impedance. And lastly measuring via calipers (which is the most inaccurate method). I've heard people look in the mirror and "judge" their %BF. Now that's just plain stupid.

Bruce Lee had 5% BF. You think the majority of people who post single digits look anyway NEAR as ripped as him? That's bull. Even fitness models have to train and diet specifically to achieve that kind of physique and only for a limited amount of time.

The average male will be somewhere in the high teens to low twenties. The athletic and above average are in the mid to low teens. And the freakishly obsessive compulsive are in single digits. That's a realistic distribution of peoples BF, not the bull**** that people will brag about having 25" guns, 13" ****s, 2% body fat and bagging that HB10 supermodel/actress with her bisexual HB10 rooommate.
 

Zircon

Senior Don Juan
Joined
Apr 11, 2002
Messages
433
Reaction score
0
5'11 156 pounds...track sprinter, measured bf through electric conductivity: 8.2%, through calipers 9.4%. Going through a very tough training session of maybe 4 weeks I can lower it to about 7%.

Some road cyclists after the Tour de France are just below 4%.

Under 10% is low. But far from impossible as you say.
 

Charisma

Master Don Juan
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Messages
593
Reaction score
0
Originally posted by jakethasnake
OMG, I just about crapped my pants at the last pic. LOL! :D Disgusting.
Omg man, why would you want to look like the last couple of pics there, woooow hahaha :D The last one is good to scare the kids with halloween though, he doesn't have to buy a costume, just take his shirt off :O Then again an adult taking his shirt off in front of children is always scary :D
 

FIRE

Don Juan
Joined
Jan 6, 2004
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
For males ideal BF is 6-12%, normally you'll have to get your BF to 8% or below for your abs to appear (that is the general consensus, they can be visible at higher levels also). I myself have 9% BF and they are slightly visible.
 

bogman2121

Don Juan
Joined
Aug 21, 2003
Messages
159
Reaction score
0
Age
39
Originally posted by California Love
thats just wrong. You cant survive with 4 percent bf. IFBB pros average 6-7 among the most cut.


Just because someone is skinny, it doesnt mean they have a low bodyfat. Conventional measuring methods are also inaccurate by up to a few percent.


Usually abs are very visible under 12 percent bf.

he had it checked at the doctor with calipers and it came out to be 4.75%. you can survive with 4% becase the kid is surviving and perfectly healthy. so tell me i'm wrong about one of my best friends being alive come on lets hear it.
 

HypeR

Don Juan
Joined
Nov 25, 2003
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
How smaller your abmuscles are, the lower your bf % has to be to show a 6pack.
Going below 6% bf is really an unhealthy thing to do.
 
Top