Q: What is the best way to not only get a defined stomach/abs, not to get abdominal muscles that instead of curving outwards like a beer belly - actually curve inwards so that they are smaller than your hip size. Some advisors say it it about being having very low body fat. I ask this, as the abs seem very tough to train as compared to the muscles in your leg. Do you have to very lean like a youth or do you need to be very muscular to have defined abs?

A: Any kind of definition on the abs (often called the 'six-pack') requires very low body fat levels -- less than 10% usually. Without low body fat level, you will not see the abdominal six-pack no matter how much you train your abs. Body fats levels that low are very possible for many younger guys, in fact many have it naturally without even eating/training specifically to lower body fat levels. But for guys who are older than 30 or start out very overweight it is more difficult to lose enough fat to reach the six-pack. It is also extremely difficult to reach for women. I describe the approach to lowering body fat here.

What you are asking is that the abs be not only defined but also curve inwards into the stomach. This is a lot trickier since curving in is not a natural tendency for your abdominals. For one, you'll need the low body fat levels, of course. For two, you'll have to suck the stomach in at least slightly. For three, your stomach and digestive track must be relatively empty -- too much food or fluid in it will naturally create a outward bulge. For four, you cannot have too much muscle mass in your abdominals -- though this is rarely a problem.

There's one 'trick' you can use to your advantage to create the appearence of small or even inward-curving stomach if you are a guy -- have a well-developer upper body! A large broad chest and wide shoulders will create the illusion of smaller stomach and waistline. On the whole though, what you are asking is pretty much impossible without at least some 'cheating' (such as sucking in the stomach).