Your current avatar is quite fitting. Today I went out jogging on the trails with my dog. It's my replacement for cycling during the winter time. It was just above zero, warm enough to run without a coat, yet.still a bit tricky in spots with the refrozen snow and ice on steep hills.

Don't pull the sword out, use it to lift the stone ;)

I set up my pull up bar thingy at my mothers house and have been using it. Can only do 3-5 pull ups each rep, but ever so slowly it feels easier. Hope to get to 10-20 eventually.

1. I love walking dogs! The picture is from this holiday season when I got enough time off for a quick visit back home. The pictured dog is actually my mom's new pup that she picked up from the SPCA recently. I really wish I had the means to own one myself, but I know my working student lifestyle would be unfair to it so all I can really do is volunteer at the local humane society. Even then I get kinda sad since I can't give any of them a home. But anyhow one of my goals is to be able to keep a dog with me that I can take hiking and camping etc

2. You have a good point there..... that way I have a sheathe for it that I can carry around!

I likely will get some flak for this but I actually think I want to gain some weight.

I am 5 6 and under 100 pounds but not a flat frame either...

I do have strength in my legs and wonder how do you gain weight but not in fat?

I've just signed up for a half marathon, only about 12 weeks from now, and I'm overweight (about 14.5 stones), so got a lot to do;.....

No flak.

You gain weight via muscle by consuming healthy protein rich foods and then exercising with weight lifting. Most women I work out with have added weight eating foods such as fish and chicken, sweet potatoes, and various shakes. It takes time and always emphasize form to avoid injury, but you can add mass through muscle rather than fat.

Work out and eat good food!

Technically, anyone with a low enough bodyfat% will have visible abs, which is the reason a lot of skinny high-school dudez go "hurr-durr I have abs". Well yea, everyone has abs lol. Not everyone is lean enough to show them though.

But here is a second point I feel the need to share: the abdominal muscles function to keep a human being upright and straight (which is why planks are the best core exercise. Any ab exercise that includes hip flexion, like sit ups, actually hit your hip flexors more than abs). If you spend a lot of time sitting/lying down etc your abs will become weak through disuse, and relax/loosen at rest, while your hip flexors tighten. For example, an office worker who spends 90% of his life sitting or lying down does not use his abs - unless he makes a conscious effort to engage/exercise them as well as practicing good posture. There are a lot of professors and teachers in physical education who choose to have a standing desk or to sit on a ball so they can keep their core tight! Making a conscious effort to engage your core in everyday life by practicing good posture is the first step. Planking daily, even a minute at a time, will really help to correct your posture and strengthen your core. If you feel you have tight hip flexors I'd really recommend stretching them as well.

Having a weak core may cause back pain, anterior pelvic tilt, and a distended belly (a stomach that sticks out). It's really in EVERYONE'S best interest to take care of their core - whether or not they want a 6 pack. Those of us who have "sitting" careers need to pay attention to this the most.

Furthermore I think it's important that I point out the difference between flexed and unflexed pictures. Even the most ripped dudes on instagram don't look like that all the time. Not necessarily what you were asking but it's a good myth to dispel. Exhibit A from a Reddit thread.

And finally, to answer your second question, you can't spot reduce fat, and some of us are predisposed to hold our fat in specific areas.

If you're looking to make dem abs pop, I'd recommend doing ab strengthening work like planks as well as getting your diet in check. But really, if you're planking, you might as well start doing some other strengthening movements for your other muscles.

I could go even further into this but I'll refrain unless you have any further questions or need clarification!

PS: I should point out that humans with the strongest cores will also have the thickest cores. For example, a strongman. Functional, not aesthetic

Yeah, anyone I know who has a six pack mixes in plenty of cardio with movements to cut body fat percentage. Mix in running, rowing, jump rope, anything to get you moving and heart beat up.

Here is an ab work out plan can use

Day 1
30 sec flutter kicks
30 sec plank hold
x 3

Day 3
30 sec hanging leg lift
30 Sit ups
x3

Day 5
15 Back extension
15 GHDs (this is a sit up using a set up that allows for greater extension, can do regular if not available)
x3

Day 7
30 sec wall hold
20 plank wall touches
x3

Day 9
45 sec plank hold
20 side bends
x3

Day 11
30 sec plank mountain climbers
30 plate Russian twists (I use 25 lb plate, scale accordingly)
x3

Day 13
20 heel touches
30 sec superman hold
x4

Day 15
30 V sit ups
30 Medicine ball sit ups (I use 14 lb, can scale accordingly)
x3

Day 17
45 sec hollow hold
20 Toe to bar (lift legs as high as possible, if no bar available do reverse sit ups)
20 sit ups
x 3

Day 19
20 plank jacks
20 grasshoppers
x 4

Day 21
20 MB toss on GHD
20 Back extensions
x 4

Day 23
30 Russian twists (try to increase weight if possible)
15 weighted knees to waist (I use a 14 lb medicine ball)
x3

Remember to use rest days, progress doesn't come overnight, but if you do something like this and increase difficulty over coming months you should see a difference.

Good advice.

Doing 110kg (240lbs) squats and did a 10km run trying to get under 8 minute mile.

How do you do that without hurting your back?