After months of work, I have a six pack. My only problem now is some bulging just below the belt line which makes my lower abs look bad. I hear this is a common problem but other than lower ab workouts, I dont hear of any solutions. What else can be done to eliminate the "bulging"? BTW, cool web-site!

Hello,

The lower abs are always hard to get that last bit of fat off!  You have done well up to this point so I will give you the boring answer of keep doing what you’re doing!  It just takes time to get this area to respond.  However, there might be some other things coming into play here.

What you are describing as bulging in your lower abs could also be something called Lumbar Lordosis or in your case, Hyperlordosis.  It’s also called having an Anterior Pelvic Tilt (APT).  It’s a postural issue that can be caused by tight hip flexors, as well as tight lumbar (lower) back and thoracic (middle and upper) back muscles.  And, even though you have been training your abs to get that six pack there may be some deep abdominal muscle groups that are actually weak!  This all causes postural positions that make your abs have the appearance that they are sticking out.  It’s actually very common and hopefully you are not experiencing pain as is sometimes the case.  I would recommend checking in with a good Physical Therapist that can teach you the nuances of posture and deep core muscle firing that will help get you back into a good pelvic and spine position.

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