T Nation

Thicker, Powerful Midsection

Bigger Stronger Leaner
#1

Ok I never post here but I figure its going to be about the best spot. Now this is going to sound absolutely stupid and just ignorant to some but, I dont really lift for looks but one thing I want and I don’t know why but, I want a thicker look more powerful mid section. Obviously I could just get fatter and it would be thicker but, I just want thicker blockier mod section. No freaking clue why but, could you point me in the direction of what tactics would increase my midsection thickness faster.

I train almost exclusively for powerlifting with some strongman thrown in and the closest thing to direct ab work I do is Squating and Pulling. I tried researching but 90% of all the results are how to make your abs look nicer I could care less about that. Tips please don’t kill me.

#2

If you want a bigger thicker mid section you need to train it.

Abdominal work, oblique work, lower back work… You get the picture.

#3

hypers with a bar on your back. hanging leg raises. L-sits.

#4

Pretty much already been said, but pretty much start training it weighted and heavy.

Standing rope crunches are a favorite for me when it comes to weighted ab work, as it seems that you can really load it up without involving the low back too much.

#5

eat lots of trans-fats so you get lots of visceral fat which will push your abdomen out

#6

I feel weighted side bends would be helpful. Heavy trunk rotations. I’m thinking things that really tarted the obliques to give the ‘wide.thick’ appearance.

#7
#8

I don’t think that conventional ab work will ‘help’.
Best way to go imho are tons of heavy carries: farmers walks, double kettlebell overhead carries, waiters walks, snatch-grip barbell carries etc.
I have been doing that every day, sometimes several times a day, for a while now.
It really changed my look to a more powerful one.

#9

I was just gonna say GH lol.

#10

-ditch all kinds of cardio
-dramatically increase intake of processed, simple carbs; before going to bed, have some fries with ketchup
-start the day reading about international politics, world hunger an so on; if you’re an atheist, try PWI
-HGH is probably the best supplement for the look you’re going after

#11

Is there any decent visual evidence that you can get significant abdominal hypertrophy WITHOUT significant (and typically PED-induced) overall increase in lean body mass?

#12

Landmine Rainbows to add a speicfic item to ParagonA’s list.

#13

Brutally honest, if youre already doing ab/core work (like woodchops etc) and heavy squating/deads, the usual stuff wont do much for you at this point.

I’d do some strongman-inspired work like log presses and loaded carries (overhead, side, farmers walks) and give it time. You SHOULD see a difference.

#14

-Weighted situps

-highbar squats/ highbar squats pausing In the hole for 5 seconds. Really works my abs anyways. Sore within 12 hrs.

  • wheel roll outs
#15

Aside from dedicated heavy ab work, do things with a front squat grip. So, walking db lunges with db’s at your side are now done racked. If you have access to kb’s, even better. Just recently started doing racked kb reverse lunges and they hit my entire midsection as much as anything I’ve ever done. You’re forced to “flex” the entire time or you’ll buckle. It’s awesome.

#16

[quote]Reed wrote:
… I want a thicker look more powerful mid section. Obviously I could just get fatter and it would be thicker but, I just want thicker blockier mod section.[/quote]
“Blocky” abs will be largely determined by genetics, with training and bodyfat being closely tied for 2nd. You might have the prettiest, most picture perfect 8-pack under there, and you won’t turn that into thick ab slabs like Konstantinovs. Are you currently lean enough to see any ab definition?

If you want better looking abs, whatever “better” means to you, and you don’t currently do direct ab work, then anything you do do will be an improvement.

Try to address the basic functions of the abs/core - flexion, rotation, anti-flexion, and anti-rotation - and you should get on track.

#17

get pregnant