Ab Basics

Those Stubborn Abdominals
The 6 pack is the prize most of us want more than anything in our quest to achieve the great body. To show a 6 pack is like a trophy you can carry round showing off to your friends/family/competitors of your hard earned work.

 

To cash in on our obsession with creating a lean mid section there's been plenty of companies who've tried to make us part with our dollars to buy these gimmicks, and some are making some are making a mint!

 

The truth is, no amount of abdominal equipment or exercises will reveal well toned muscles if you're padding them with an extra layer of fat. If you're still hanging on to a some extra kgs, this is the area where a few of them can most certainly be found. First work on reducing your total body.

The abdominal muscles are very stubborn. Other parts of your body, such as your legs, will reveal your training efforts and muscle tone much more quickly, since they are much less prone to storing fat.

If you're like most women, fat around the midsection is one part of your body that is major struggle and it's usually the last thing to go. As cruel as the truth may be, the fact remains that as women, we are designed to store fat in the abdomen. It's not easy to achieve a perfectly flat abdomen, and in some cases, it's impossible. But you can greatly improve your abdominal area and can end up with a sexy midsection that suits your body type just fine.

Here are some tips on how you can shape your mid section:

Exercise. A combination of strength training and aerobic training is key to reducing body fat.

Circuit Training is an effective and time efficient way to combine both elements into one workout.


Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Keep in mind, calories do count. Eating too many calories - whether they are fats, carbohydrates or proteins, will keep you well padded in the midsection area.

Limit beer and other alcoholic beverages. They have been associated with a rise in cortisol, a hormone that seems to steer fat toward the tummy.

Increase repetitions. If you've lost the extra body fat, and still don't see well-toned abdominal muscles, increase your repetitions when performing abdominal exercises. If your abdominal muscles are not fatigued with 20 or 30 repetitions, add another 10 or 20 more. Just keep in mind, 10 or 20 well executed crunches are more beneficial then 50 sloppy ones.

Eating habits are just as critical to leaning up your midsection. Replace sodium, sugar and preservative laden foods with fresh whole unprocessed foods high in protein and complex carbohydrates instead of refined sugars..

Focus. When you perform your abdominal exercises, focus on the exact area that is being worked. If you don't really focus on what you're doing, it's very easy to allow other muscles to do some of the work. If you allow your neck or hip flexors to help you out, your abdominal muscles won't get fatigued or toned.

Practice proper breathing technique when working your abs. This is done by exhaling on the exertion, which is when you lift up. This decreases internal air pressure, allowing you to fully involve the abdominal muscles.


Train your abdominal muscles by simply keeping them contracted when performing all your other exercises, when sitting, standing or driving. Consciously holding them in can reduce back strain and help to flatten your entire mid-section.


Our next update will focus on ab exercises for you to try!
Lisa