You may be able to strengthen the muscles in your core, including your abdominals, with a combination of static and dynamic exercises, cardio, and a nutritious diet.

It’s no secret that getting a visible six-pack is a common goal for many gym-goers. For better or worse, popular culture often frames a shredded set of abdominal muscles as the epitome of fitness.

In this vein, phrases like “toning up” or “torching belly fat” are often the one-line pitches for the latest workout or diet fad.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with setting aesthetically based fitness goals, training for a strong core and developed six-pack goes beyond appearances. The same can be said for eating a healthy, whole-foods diet.

Having a strong and well-trained core allows you to safely stabilize your spine and torso during functional movements, ultimately contributing to a healthier lower back, reduced risk of injury during activity, and overall improved health and well-being.

When coupled with healthy strategies for reducing body fat, you can reveal your stronger, defined six-pack and have those coveted visible abs.

However, understand that training your six-pack as a component of a strong core and bringing your body fat levels low enough for visible abdominals are two separate goals — and they should be thought of as such.

This article breaks down everything you need to know about six-pack abs, including what they are, what factors affect abdominal development, how to think about ab-related goals, and a few tips for building a strong, functional core.

Finally, you’ll learn a few overall strategies that may help reveal your hard-earned six-pack abs.

What makes up the six-pack?

The term “six-pack’” typically refers to the rectus abdominis muscle.

This long, relatively narrow muscle runs from your sternum to your pubic bone and is responsible for dynamically flexing your spine forward (1Trusted Source).

Studies have shown, though, that this muscle is not necessarily effective as a stabilizer of the spine (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

The moniker “six-pack” comes from its appearance of visible rows of 4–8 distinct muscular segments that you can see on individuals with relatively low body fat.

Although many additional important muscles comprise your core, the rectus abdominis is the most superficial one.

As such, it’s the muscle that gives chiseled abs their distinct appearance. Likewise, because it’s the outermost layer of ab muscle, it does not do much in terms of stability of the spinal column.

What makes the six-pack visible?

The strength and appearance of your six-pack are influenced by a variety of factors.

In terms of having a strong rectus abdominis, regularly training this muscle directly through core exercises can help your six-pack be more effective at moving your spine.

Subcutaneous belly fat

The biggest underlying factor regarding six-pack visibility is how much subcutaneous body fat you store around your stomach.

It’s important to know that not having visible six-pack abdominals doesn’t mean your core is weak, or even that you are carrying excess weight.

Generally, visible six-pack abs require a body fat percentage much lower than that needed for general health benefits.

One study suggested that a normal range for body fat percentage is 17.6–25.3% in males and 28.8–35.7% in females (4Trusted Source).

While there’s no universal body fat percentage at which six-packs become visible, typical ballpark ranges are 10–12% body fat for men and 16–20% body fat for women.

These numbers are well below those needed for optimal general health and fitness despite the popular association between visible abs and optimal fitness.

Additionally, a recent Harvard Health article stated that excess visceral fat, which is located deeper in your abdomen and surrounds your organs, is far more dangerous to your health than excess subcutaneous fat, which lies just under your skin and coves your muscles from the outside (5).

Greater levels of visceral fat may not affect the visibility of your six-pack to the same extent as subcutaneous fat, despite the fact that excess visceral fat is a greater health concern.

Genetics

Your genetics also play a big role in where you store body fat, which greatly influences the specific body fat percentage at which your abs will be visible. If you tend to store more fat in your hips, your abs will be visible at higher body fat percentages and vice versa.

Lifestyle factors, such as sleep and stress levels, also affect fat gains, which will affect the visibility of your abs.

For example, one study found that regularly sleeping fewer than 7 hours was associated with greater rates of obesity and weight gain (6Trusted Source).

Suggested reasons for this include sleep deprivation’s negative effects on ghrelin, leptin, and insulin, which are key hormones for regulating hunger and fat storage in the body.

Another study found that higher stress levels, as reflected by greater glucocorticoid activity, were also associated with increased rates of obesity (7Trusted Source).

Beyond the above factors, a surplus calorie intake will typically lead to fat gains over time, which will decrease the visibility of your six-pack — independent of any other factors.