Many people who go to the gym like to have visible veins over their muscles. For many people, this is a sign of a lot of discipline and dedication. That’s why it can be very disappointing if those veins don’t show themselves.
In this article, we’ll help you show the veins in your lower abs. The lower abs are a popular spot for getting visible veins, but they’re also one of the most challenging spots.
Table of Contents
- Step 1: Understand the location of your veins
- Step 2: Lower your fat percentage
- Step 3: Build strong lower abs
- Step 4: Consider taking l-arginine
- Step 5: Accept individual differences
- Conclusion
Step 1: Understand the location of your veins
To understand how to make your veins more visible, we first look at the location of your veins. To better explain this, we use the following image for clarification:
In this image, you can see a side view of the pelvic area. We have indicated the approximate location of the veins with light blue dots (you can see them within the red circle). Keep in mind that there are many anatomical differences between different people; this image is for general purposes only.
The yellow layer where the veins are located is a layer of fat. Under this fat layer, you can see the abdominal muscles; in this case, the lower abs are relevant. These 2 ‘layers’ are very important to understand the next steps.
Step 2: Lower your fat percentage
The next thing you can do is lower the fat percentage of your body. In step 1 we saw that your veins are located under a layer of fat. Logically, by reducing this fat layer, you will see your veins better.
The bad thing is that you can’t specifically reduce belly fat. You will simply have to reduce your fat percentage in general. In many cases, veins will show between a fat percentage of 8 and 12%.
On the internet, you can find many ways to determine this percentage. Keep in mind that you specifically measure the lower abdominal area.
Step 3: Build strong lower abs
The second thing we saw in step 1 is that under the fat layer is a muscle layer; your lower abs. If you make this muscle bigger, it will ‘push’ your veins more to the surface and make them more visible.
By doing strength training with a focus on your (lower) abs, these muscles will become larger. On the internet, you can find many exercises that specifically focus on your lower abs.
What you have to take into account is that having a low-fat percentage has more influence than having larger lower abs. Strength training for your lower abs will certainly help, but if you have a high percentage of fat, your veins will not show.
Step 4: Consider taking l-arginine
L-arginine is a supplement that can be easily ordered online. Now of course the question follows; why can l-arginine help make your veins more visible? This is because l-arginine acts as a vasodilator in your body[1]; it widens the blood vessels.
You can imagine that if your blood vessels widen, you will be able to see them better. Always do research first whether it is wise for you to take l-arginine because it does have several possible side effects if you take too much.
In addition, it is often unwise for asthmatics and diabetes patients to take the supplement. In this case, always consult with an expert before taking l-arginine.
Step 5: Accept individual differences
This last step is perhaps the most important; accept individual differences. Don’t compare yourself too much with others, because the differences between individuals are big. Maybe you know someone whose veins are already visible at a fat percentage of 14%, while this only happens at 8% for you.
Everyone has veins, of course, but in some people, they will just show themselves faster. The anatomy that we discussed in step 1 differs from person to person.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are mainly 2 things you can do to make the veins in your lower abs visible: 1) Reduce your body fat percentage and 2) Build stronger lower abs. In addition, it may also help to take the supplement l-arginine.
So know that there is no magic formula; you will have to work hard to make your veins visible. A good diet in combination with a lot of sports will help. Be aware that in some people the veins show themselves much less quickly.
Lifestyle coach [5+ years of fitness experience]