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I'm sure the question's been asked before but haven't come across the post. What can I do to get built, more 3D abs? Not talking about just shedding the fat to make abs visible at all, but really making the ridges more apparent (hope he doesn't kill me for this, but using BWG77 as a reference for what I'm talking about). Additionally, any advice on getting a more prominient linea alba/line down the middle of the abs?

I know weighted exercises might be good, but I don't want to have a midsection that sticks out like a barrel due to overdoing resistance ab exercises.

First, you should email BWG77 and ask him for advice.

Secondly, check out the ab exercises in the Muscle Building program, they're pretty good, and take a look at the ab vacuum article, it's amazing how effective that one exercise is.

1) It was just an example

2) Seems like the vacuum is more for the transveralis to keep the stomach pulled on it, not so much for the rectus abdominus.

When you reference great abs, you must always provide a URL: http://www.realjock.com/profile/?id=93957.

I'm not yelling at you. I'm just feeling sad that I have to stare at BWG's abs again and again. And again. Someone stop me from staring.

About the barrel look:
Keep your posture. That gut hangs loose on guys who slump to contract their pecs, abs.

Also, doing an ab crunch without a lower ab pelvic tilt tends to exacerbate this.

One thing that hasnt been mentioned is defined abs and great muscle tone is about genetics.

Not everyone can get that nice ripple effect of the abs no matter how low their body fat is or how many crunches/ab workouts they do.

Genetics play a role in how defined one can get and to some extent limitations of what one can do. Thats not to say dont try, it just means you will see much better results or results you want if you have the genes.

weighted excersises work the best, try em'

The function of the abs are to bring the rib cage and the hips closer together. Ergo, the spin must bend! Too may people think their abs are connected to their legs, they are not!
So what ever exercises, weighted, unweighted, done horizontally or vertically, prone or supine will work the abs.
And then there are the genetics one possesses.

Remember, the wise man built his house upon a rock. Which is my cryptic way of saying, abdominal building works best with a regular and complete full body approach. I think with the right core and full body exercises (bench, squat, deadlift), the abs will start building on their own. I never touched my abs on purpose until they made their own appearance. After that, I just religiously offer them sacrifices to show my gratitude. They like weighted situps, crunches, virgins, roller work (buy an ab roller), suspended leg raises, and ofcourse, benched leg raises (legs extented works bottom abdominals, legs up and out:back and forth work top).I can't tell what's under that shirt, but if you are new to this, start with the ab machine at the gym and free situps. After you start to rock up, the sky is the limit with abs, although, they love to get sore and cramp up. Depending on your threshhold for pain, I suggest you work them every other day, sometimes taking a day or more off in between.

Damn, just read you don't want barrell abs. Disregard everything I said then, or not, barrell abs are hot as fuck on a man. LOL, you can't even get close to your friend's look without weights. Although, I suspect, the sort of construction the abs have once you put the work in has more to do with genetics. It is my experiance that pushups, lots of them, tend to push the abs in, but that is all I got.