Six-Pack Abs and Genetics
Can everyone get a six-pack? Researchers now think, probably not.
You may never get the abs you want. There’s some remarkable research that can now tell us why.
I've been a personal trainer for more than 20 years, and I know that diet and exercise can reshape bodies in rather remarkable ways. But there are limitations on what genetics will allow anyone to achieve. A program that can help one person get defined six-pack abs might barely lower the belly fat of another.
I’ve spent the better part of two decades trying to figure out what causes the differences.
Then I was introduced to the research of Dr. David Teplica. When the AIDS crisis first came about, he started working with patients who lost fat in different parts of their bodies (called lipoatrophy). As a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Teplica noticed areas or “pads” of fat that could be readily identified in these patients.
When he mapped the fat pads, he discovered they followed a regular pattern. Look at an animal like a dog. They typically have 8 to 10 nipples that follow a pattern down their stomach. The fat pads on people match that same pattern. Over time, for the most part, we’ve lost all but two of those nipples. However, the fat pads distributed around the rest of our torso are still there.
Here’s where it gets really interesting. If you’re born with fat pads that aren’t ideally placed, virtually nothing you do will ever let you get a six-pack. You can see it in my simplified illustration.
Image A shows a body with the abs highlighted in yellow. B shows some of the fat pad locations on the front of that body. In image C, I’ve combined the two, and you can see the fat pads are neatly placed on top of the muscle groups. As this person loses fat, the valleys between each muscle group show up, and the abs look super defined.
Model AA shows the same body and abs. The BB image shows the location of their fat pads. In image CC, the fat pads lie OVER the valleys between the muscle groups. The fat smoothes out the appearance, and even if this person loses fat, because of the location of the fat pads, they will never appear cut or defined.
This phenomenon also explains why some people can only get lower abs that are defined or upper abs that are defined. The location of the fat pads may be ideal for one part of the abdomen, but they obscure the rest.
There are a couple of important takeaways from this discovery. At some point, researchers will map out where all the fat pads are on people. Then they’ll be able to scan you and figure out what your maximum potential would be through diet and exercise.
If you didn’t win the genetic lottery, there are a couple of options. You can work on emphasizing other areas of the body to shift focus away from what you don’t like. For example, adding mass to your chest can give the illusion of a smaller waist.
Some people may consider plastic surgery. However, it's important you think about all the implications.
Let’s say you have a problem with “love handles,” and you want them reduced. Your surgeon has to make sure there is an appropriate reduction in the entire fat pad AND any linked pads. If you miss a section or don’t deal with the whole area, you can see unsightly bulges or protrusions that begin to happen as fat cells in surrounding tissue grow larger to compensate for the cells that have been removed.
The distribution and size of these fat pads are also responsible for making someone look more masculine or feminine. So while reduction might be needed in some places, your surgeon will also have to map where it might be appropriate to add or transplant fat cells into. All of these removals and additions will have to be coordinated to give you the overall masculine, feminine or gender neutral appearance you desire.
Remember: The SIZE of your body is changeable through diet and exercise, but the SHAPE is determined by genetics.
Whatever path you choose, it’s essential you learn and understand your genetic limitations. Then work with a trainer (or surgeon) to maximize your potential.
Reference Links:
Newly Identified Gross Human Anatomy: Eight Paired Vestigial Breast Mounds Run along the Embryological Mammary Ridges in Lean Adults
David Teplica, Grant Kovich, Jamey Srock, Robert Whitaker, Eileen Jeffers, David A Wagstaff
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open, 2021 Oct 14;9(10):e3863. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000003863. eCollection 2021 Oct.
Anatomy of Flank Adipose: The Y Configuration and Hip Extension and Their Effects on the Perception of Gender
Bank, Jonathan M.D.; Teplica, David M.D., M.F.A.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, December 2020 - Volume 146 - Issue 6 - p 836e-838e doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000007380
Morcellized Omental Transfer for Severe HIV Facial Wasting
Teplica, David MD, MFA; Bohorquez, Marlon BA; Podbielski, Francis J. MS, MD
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open, November 2013 - Volume 1 - Issue 8 - p e73 doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000000006
[The importance of mapping before surgery.]
Cartography and Topographic Mapping: The Historical Basis for the Standardization of Anatomical Analysis and Surgical Mark-Making to Improve Outcomes in Body Contouring
Teplica, David M.D., M.F.A.; Cooney, Emmett; Kirklys, Marit M.S.; Jeffers, Eileen B.A.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, July 2022 - Volume 150 - Issue 1 - p 67-79 doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000009259
Heparin-enhanced Harvest and Decanting for Autologous Fat Transfer
Teplica, David MD, MFA; Robinson, Brent MD
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open, February 2018 - Volume 6 - Issue 2 - p e1690 doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000001690
[How to make scars less noticable.]
Irregularly Irregular Incisions - Proactive and Nongeometric Scar Camouflage
Teplica, David M.D., M.F.A.; Goyal, Vinay K.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, June 2013 - Volume 131 - Issue 6 - p 945e-946e doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31828bd93a
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12/31/2021
