Everyone wants flatter abs, and a lot of people try to “spot reduce” by doing ab exercises to try to get them. The problem is, you aren’t going to lose fat from your midsection by doing 1,000 crunches. It’s just not going to happen.
What I like to do instead is Core Exercises. You see, you need to achieve overall fat loss before you will see the results you want around your abs. In order to do this, you need more complete workouts. By doing core exercises, you will find that you are working more than just your abs, which are very small muscles compared to most others in your body. By working larger muscles, and muscle groups, you are far more likely to see the fat loss results you are aiming for.
7 Reasons Core Exercises are good for your personal training routine:
- Core exercises improve your balance and stability
- Core exercises don’t require specialized bulky equipment
- Core exercises can help tone your abs
- Stronger core muscles make it easier to do almost all other physical activities
- Core exercises can be done at your own pace
- Core exercises can be done from the comfort of your own home
- Core exercises can help you reach plenty of your other fitness goals
Now it’s time for the workout. Perform the following as a giant set. A giant set means you go from one exercise to the next with no rest between exercises. After the last exercise (double crunch), rest 1-2 minutes and repeat. Perform 3 total giant sets for as many reps as possible on each exercise.
Breathe freely and deeply during each exercise. Focus on tightening your deepest abdominal muscle — the transversus abdominis — during each exercise. This is the muscle you feel contracting when you cough.
Click on the exercise name to see a video demonstration of the exercise.
FITBALL CRUNCH
Start – From a seated position on the ball, walk your feet out until the ball is fully supporting your mid to lower back region. Cross your arms over your chest or place your finger tips lightly on the sides of your head.
Movement – Contracting the abdominals, raise your upper body about half way up until you feel a full contraction. Slowly return to the starting position.
Key points – Exhale while raising your body. Inhale while returning to the starting position. Be sure to keep your head and neck relaxed.
Caution – The ball should not roll forward and back – it should remain stationary. For added support spread your feet wide the first time you try the exercise.
REVERSE AB CURL
This exercise is for the lower abdominal region and is very challenging.
Place all your focus on the lower abdominal area contracting. It may be difficult to initially concentrate on the area, but once you master the movement with the correct mental concentration, you’ll really feel the area being worked
Start - Begin on your back on a mat with your back relaxed and your hands on the floor by your hips. Raise your legs into the air and focus on keeping your upper back pressed into the floor throughout the exercise.
Movement – Contracting your abs, raise your butt and gently roll your hips off the floor, stopping when you feel a full contraction of your abdominals and can no longer lift your hips. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
Key points – Exhale while lifting your hips. Inhale while returning to the starting position.
Caution – Do not swing your legs.
BICYCLE MANEUVER
Research consistently rates the Bicycle Maneuver as one of the most effective abdominal exercises.
Start – Lie on your back on a mat keeping your lower back in a comfortable position. Place your finger tips lightly on the sides of your head and lift your knees up to about a 45 degree angle.
Movement - Slowly go through a bicycle pedaling motion alternating your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee.
Key points – Your legs and shoulders should remain elevated from the floor during this exercise and the lower to the ground that your legs bicycle the harder your abs have to work.
Caution – Do not pull on your head and neck during this exercise. Do not perform this activity if it puts any strain on your lower back.
DOUBLE CRUNCH
I like the double crunch exercise because if performed correctly, you can isolate the lower and upper region of the abdominals. Please note, contrary to popular belief, we do not have separate upper and lower abs.
Start – Lie on the floor face up. Bend your knees until your legs are at a 45 degree angle with both feet on the floor. Your back should be comfortably relaxed on the floor. Place your finger tips lightly on the sides of your head or have your hands crossed over your chest.
Movement - Contracting your abdominals, raise your head and legs off the floor toward one another. Slowly return to the starting position stopping just short of your shoulders and feet touching the floor.
Key points – Exhale while rising up. Inhale while returning to the starting position.
Caution – Keep your eyes on the ceiling to avoid pulling with your neck. Your hands should not be used to lift the head or assist in the movement.
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Posted by vlc media player fRee download on November 11, 2010 at 4:13 pm
hello
Posted by kohl on August 27, 2011 at 1:23 am
there is no such thing as “upper” and “lower” abs. it’s all one single muscle…the rectus abdominus.
you should check an anatomy book…
you can’t isolate and exercise muscles that don’t exist. you’re misleading people.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on August 27, 2011 at 1:36 am
Please do read the entire article before you criticize
Posted by Mike on September 5, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Maybe in anatomy you are correct to say that. However, as a certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor I must stress that we need to concentrate on different exercises to target upper abs, lower abs and obliques.
There are very few exercises that target all 3 together and only intermediate or advanced fitness enthusiasts would be able to do a couple per set.
Posted by Maverick on November 8, 2011 at 3:33 pm
That’s bullcrap. Ever deadlifted? Front squatted? Back squatted? I daresay that those target the entire abdominal musculature. And if you think anatomy is unrelated to how you train the muscle… You probably have an IQ similar to the number of inches around your waist.
Posted by Mike on April 12, 2012 at 12:27 pm
lol… are you saying people with large waists have large IQ’s
Posted by Swag on March 26, 2012 at 3:31 pm
The abs are indeed one muscle group but you can focus a workout on your lower abs, like with every muscle you can you put more of an emphasis on any part of one muscle group depending on how you hold a weight or which plane of motion you use.
Posted by kaitlin on November 22, 2010 at 2:58 pm
great one
Posted by Arlene Miller II on November 22, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Thank you very much
Posted by Brad on May 17, 2011 at 1:52 pm
came across your post via stumbleupon. had some questions. where are these two abs. (upper & lower) you are referencing? i am familiar with the rectus abdominus being one continuous section from mid-sternal attachment to pubic bone insertion. there are however two separate nerves operating this muscle group, one that fires lower fibers and one that fires upper fibers.
shouldn’t we rethink this ‘core’ idea? most ‘core’ exercises i see tend to focus on the abs., when ‘core’ includes every muscle from the hips (inclusive) to the neck (your entire back side and front side). and we tend to emphasize exercises that hypertrophy (this does not necessarily strengthen)instead of strengthening with stability as the end goal.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on May 17, 2011 at 6:28 pm
I don’t know why we would rethink the core. Yes, some of the most popular exercises for core are ab exercises… but they also work parts of the back and the obliques to say the least. A truly extensive core workout would be much more than 4 exercises, and as you said would include a wider range of muscles. However, I fail to see how this should mean that anyone would “rethink the core idea”.
Maybe I am misunderstanding your intention behind that statement, I’m not sure.
Posted by JULIO ALAMO on June 13, 2011 at 6:42 pm
OK, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW. YES ABS EXERCISES DO WORK PART OF THE BACK AND OBLIQUES, BUT NOT AS A PRIME MOVER, IN THAT CASE IT IS NEVER IN FULL FLEX POSITION, AND THAT MAKE IT EXTEND MORE THAT IT FLEXES. IF U EXTEND YOU’RE BACK AND NEVER YOU’RE ABS, U WILL HAVE LOOSE BACK EXTENDERS AND TIGHT HIP FLEXSORS, MAKING A GREAT MUSCLE IN-BALANCE.
I WILL RECOMMEND 2 NEVER BREAK DOWN YOU’RE WORK OUT IN BODY PARTS JUST PUSH/PULL,(PUSH=PUSH UPS, BENCH PRESS, SQUATS, LUNGES, EXT./ PULL=PULL UPS, LAT PULL DOWN, RDL’S, REVERSE LONGES, ECT.) THAT WAY U WILL WORK EVERY MUSCLE AS 1 UNIT, THAT WAY YOU ARE ALWAYS TRAINING YOU’RE “CORE”(CORE IS ALWAYS WORKING OUT IF YOU DON’T HAVE SOMETHING 2 REST YOU’RE BACK). THAT WILL HELP INCREASING YOU’RE CORE WORK, @ THE SAME TIME DO “CORE” TRAINING EVERY DAY AS YOU WILL WITH THE REST OF YOU’RE BODY, THAT WAY U DON’T HAVE 2 ADD 2 MANY EXERCISES 2 YOU’RE DAILY WORKOUT, AND BY THAT BEING A MORE CONSISTENT CORE TRAINING WILL IMPROVE YOU’RE STRENGTH FASTER.
HOPE, MY COMMENTS HELP OUT, IF U GOT SOMETHING 2 CORRECT ME IN I WILL GLADLY READ IT…
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 14, 2011 at 12:52 pm
I post several different workouts here. Some of which are exactly what you are saying.
However, I do know that there are people that would like to add core specific moves tot heir workout routine. This post is for them.
Posted by Brad Middleton on June 14, 2011 at 1:48 pm
this is what ‘re-thinking the core’ is about. the core works with all moves if you are NOT trying to isolate your training. whole body movements are superior for ab. training, moreso than the isolative crunching. the core is just that…the core! work it synergistically with every movement and you will have hard tight abs. that know what to do when you are doing something hard or heavy in real life. you generally do not live your life in segmented activity, nor should you train in isolated movements.
Brad
Posted by Casey on August 10, 2011 at 6:25 am
Thanks
Posted by Ash on September 16, 2011 at 11:14 am
dude, caps lock off
Posted by weak sauce on June 9, 2011 at 3:14 am
dude…shut up.
Posted by Changes on June 21, 2011 at 5:52 pm
The problem is that your first post is wrong.
First of;
Rectus abdominisis made up from two parts (left and right). People say that it is divided into three parts (in some 4), because of the intermuscular tendons. This is what we see as the six pack.
There are not 2 nerves innervating this muscle but several, with some variation among people. Most common are innervation from the intercoastal nerves T7-T11, which goes forward to become the Thoraco-abdominal nerves, and some fibers from Vertebrae T12.
Just aced my practical anatomy exam, i know this.
This makes the rest of your post less creditable.
But aside from that i absolutely agree with you. The core is far from just det rectus muscle. And the importance of training back muscles such as the Eretor spinae, is highly under credited in its importance.
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Posted by Personal Trainer on March 27, 2011 at 9:04 am
Great exercises, I use them w/ my clients every day.
Posted by Charlie Mitchell on July 13, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Dose this really work?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on July 13, 2011 at 6:05 pm
That depends on what your goals are. These are intended to add to your workout to help strengthen your core.
Posted by fajas colombianas on April 5, 2011 at 1:50 pm
I always do the double crunch and find it the most effective of them all. It didn’t flatten my abs, but it did great on loosing waistline measurement.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 5, 2011 at 1:53 pm
A thinning waistline is a good sign you are strengthening your core muscles.
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Posted by leigh on September 17, 2011 at 2:12 pm
very funny, laughing at your website name strengthened my core
Posted by Hollie on April 5, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Great article. I would love to follow this routine everyday in video form. Is there any possible way?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 5, 2011 at 7:53 pm
If you click the names of the exercises, it will show you a video on how to do it.
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Posted by lipglossninja on April 7, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Awesome post – a stronger core has changed my life!
Posted by Morgan on April 8, 2011 at 11:45 pm
I have found that planks and side planks are more effective than all of these for flat abs!!!
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Posted by Toyin on April 9, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Great site, I must say. I would love to believe the double crunch would be best for me. But my question is – Will it work for me three years after the birth of my youngest child? I don’t like the way I am now.I’ve become so flabby all over and need tone up especially on the abs. Please help.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 9, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Exercise can always help. The thing about getting healthier is that the more you put in, the more you will get out of it.
I don’t think the double crunch will get you there on it’s own, but it is very effective. Try doing it with a few others you are comfortable with to create a full body workout. Even if it is light while you get used to being more active.
Posted by Erik Dalton on April 9, 2011 at 4:43 pm
Great point… good post. I constantly stress on the importance of strengthening the core.
Erik Dalton, Ph.D. – Freedom from Pain Institute
Posted by imaginethespirit on April 10, 2011 at 10:43 am
Hey Great Post for flatten abs can i share it on my Blog…!!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 10, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Feel free to use the share button to share it several places, or create a link of your own.
Posted by Trikkerguy on April 10, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Excellent recommendations. I do not use an exercise ball but plan to. I’m one of those 1,000 to 2,000 crunch guy’s but have gone another route to Trikking and recently the StreetStrider which is one of the best all around exercise machines I have ever used, albeit, for me the most difficult. However I am progressing slowly but surely and must say one of the best core exercise workouts I have ever done. This thing really kicks butt.
Posted by PureSong on April 11, 2011 at 2:38 am
How many do you suggest to do of each exercise?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 11, 2011 at 3:08 am
That depends on your personal capabilities, as well as the routine you are using to do them.
I, personally believe the easiest way to find out is to do them by themselves in a circuit. Perform each exercise up to your comfort level with short breaks of 30 seconds. Try to do 3 full circuits.
You will be able to determine a safe number of reps for yourself. Then as you work more on them, you can increase the reps.
It is especially important to do it this way if you haven’t done these exercises before, or if you are not currently used to a workout routine.
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Posted by Pete Lighthall on April 11, 2011 at 9:39 pm
This is a great series of ab exercises!
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Posted by Keyosha on April 14, 2011 at 4:24 am
Hey, These are Great But still way too Fit & Male for over 50-60′s
Who have back issues, other problems that are exacerbated by
Crunch’s. Also for someone NOT FIT These are So challenging and
many just give up before they get strong enough to do them correctly and enough. I have had both knees replaced,[more, than once] and i
got in the best shape of my Life, doing Planks. Starting out just 1
Second in each position, even using the easiest form like bent knees as opposed to straight legs on Toes and then one leg up etc.
At ANY Young Age, Cross Training, Fasting, Weight Lifting, I NEVER
got Abs. & waist and shoulders and chest well everything really
as I got just using a Timer and doing ALL the Planks!!! I see one
person wrote in to extol the benefits of Planks. I think it was
a Womoon as I am….I’d have to look to be sure…. But I would
say….If you a a WOMAN WHO works out hard has tried everything
Hit the Planks and Pilates for a Year and watch what happens!!!!!
OK> Just my 2 cents worth. I have multiple Herniated
Disc’s and can no longer do ANY KIND OF CRUNCH> F.Y.I> I did not
incur all of this damage working out, but rather being a Union
Commercial Industrial Construction Worker. Despite everything I
am very fit. You just have to work around your Injuries, Limitations, Liabilities. NEVER GIVE UP!!!! A Super Cool Doctor of mine, an Ex. Ballerina said to me….”If you want to be an athlete
sometimes it hurts, sometimes you just have to “”Dance on broken
Toes!!!!”"”" I can hear all the screaming now, But, for ME, I
LOVE this. I find it very Inspiring. Good Thing there are SO MANY
Ways to get Fit. One for each of us differing personalities. Yea,
DIVERSITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The MAIN THING is to “JUST DO IT!!!”
“DO SOMETHING, FOR GOD’S SAKE” & I say that with
all due respect and piety, Your Body is a Temple.
Thank You, all for your opinions…..
Broken Healer.
Posted by Trikkerguy on May 14, 2011 at 3:59 pm
I also have back problems and past 70. I’ve been into weight training for a number of years doing everything seated or on my back. Don’t do much cycling but heavy into trikking which doesn’t affect my knees or back which I can do for hours. The StreetStrider is another excellent source of total body conditioning, again a great core workout which has no negative affect on my back or knees but gives one of the best aerobic routines I’ve ever had.
Posted by Douglas Scott on April 14, 2011 at 3:47 pm
It doesn’t say how many to do or the duration of each workout?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 14, 2011 at 4:25 pm
that depends on your capabilities. Please see previous response if you need help figuring out how many you should be able to do.
Posted by Malaysia Tour Packages on April 15, 2011 at 12:51 pm
I m going to try this
Posted by Jake on April 16, 2011 at 6:37 am
these are good exercises I use twice a week with my football team.. I’ve heard from many experts that core workouts should only be done 2 times a week to get good results because it’s hard to increase strength after you reach a certain point. Is this true to the best of your knowledge?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 16, 2011 at 8:32 am
As far as I know, you can always increase strength. You just have to be careful not to hurt yourself, or push too fast.
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Posted by mike on April 17, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Great exercises that hit all the sections of the abs. Combined with proper nutrition and cardio work will help you succeed.
Exercise and Nutrition Tips
Posted by George on April 18, 2011 at 2:56 am
n their quest for ‘six pack abs’, the biggest mistake I see people making is wasting WAY too much of their time training their abs directly… pumping away with all kinds of different abs-specific exercises. Meanwhile, all of that wasted time directly training the abs could have been better spent on a properly designed full body workout program that would elicit a much better metabolic response and increase the fat-burning hormone levels in their body as well.
After all, losing the stomach fat that is covering the abs is the MOST important aspect for most people to finally be able to make their abs visible. Unfortunately, pumping away with hundreds of crunches and leg raises does NOT cause much of a metabolic or fat burning hormonal response.
Your best bet is to clean up your diet and focus on full body, resistance based workouts.
Posted by Isabella on April 18, 2011 at 9:32 am
Really nice post, thanks for sharing!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 18, 2011 at 1:23 pm
My pleasure, Isabella. Thank you for reading it.
Posted by baracabama on April 18, 2011 at 10:26 am
i am shocked!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 18, 2011 at 1:23 pm
why?
Posted by Bayport Credit Union on April 18, 2011 at 9:20 pm
I have been using this exercise video for over 15 years. It worked so well – I had to buy it again. I wanted the CD but it only seems to be on VHS. If you are trying to lose weight and you have cut down on your eating. “Great ABS Guaranteed!” is for you. It will help you tone your lower body. That is why I love it.
Keep in mind, you have to do the 20 minute session every day to see results. It is a hard work out, but it is worth it. As far as, six pack ABS. I don’t know the truth in the picture, but you will see a positive change in your lower body structure and in your clothes.
I have been working out since I was 10 years old. So, I know what works for the average person who just want to look good overall. Great ABS Guaranteed! is a good start.
Good Luck
Body Conscious – CAJ
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 19, 2011 at 12:13 pm
What a fantastic comment, thank you so much for sharing. It is always good to know what works for someone else!
Posted by julie on April 25, 2011 at 1:14 am
What exercise could replace the first one if you don’t have access to a ball?
Thanks!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 25, 2011 at 1:27 am
If you have access to a bench, you could do the same positioning. It would still give you the same general effects. The only difference is that you wouldn’t have to balance as much since the bench is more stable.
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I am very happy to hear that, thank you!
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Posted by Remonty łazienek on April 28, 2011 at 7:41 am
Hey Great Post for flatten abs can i share it on my Blog… thanks!!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on April 28, 2011 at 11:15 am
There is a share button at the bottom of the article :)
Posted by Ching Cardera on April 29, 2011 at 6:28 pm
I’d come to pass on with you one this subject. Which is not something I typically do! I love reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
Posted by dbhasin1 on April 30, 2011 at 1:17 pm
great article!!
Posted by Paul on April 30, 2011 at 1:22 pm
all you need for great looking abs is one thing, GOOD WORKOUT PLAN INCL. TONS OF RUNNING AND A FEW SIT UPS EVERY OTHER DAY OR SO AND LOTS OF H20 AND FRUITS/VEGIES! TRY ME…
Posted by FoxyReign on May 5, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Thanks for the tips. Ive been working on my core seriously.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on May 5, 2011 at 11:38 pm
You are very welcome
Posted by שף בבית on May 9, 2011 at 5:48 am
really not bad. worth a try.
Posted by mbaker on May 10, 2011 at 3:23 pm
i feel planks are a must, but great article overall…
Posted by Arlene Miller II on May 10, 2011 at 3:41 pm
Planks are very good. However, I have found that people who are not used to working out or have a weaker core tend to get discouraged if they can’t do them for long periods of time.
I’m glad you liked it. Thank you for stopping by :)
Posted by Wendy on May 11, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Great information! I’m always on the lookout for exercises that will help me make a difference!
Posted by Podiatrist in Charlevoix on May 13, 2011 at 7:12 pm
This is fantastic information, and definitely true about crunches not making a dent in abdominal flat. Been there, tried that. Thanks for the advice.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on May 13, 2011 at 7:17 pm
My pleasure, I’m glad you enjoyed your visit :)
Posted by Katie Gruber on May 13, 2011 at 9:06 pm
Looks like a great set of workouts. Is there a substitute if you don’t have a ball for the first one?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on May 13, 2011 at 9:19 pm
Yes ma’am. Please read previous responses :)
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Posted by Clearblue Fertility Monitor on May 22, 2011 at 5:12 am
These are some great tips to get that core stronger. If you are in sports you know how important it is to have a powerful core.
Posted by Fernando on May 23, 2011 at 4:59 pm
nice post… thanks
Posted by Arlene Miller II on May 24, 2011 at 2:47 pm
My pleasure. I’m glad you enjoyed it :)
Posted by Trikkerguy on May 24, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Great exercise routine, but the weather is conducive to getting outdoors now and moving either with HPV’s or without. Indoor exercise activities are great, outdoors IMO is the best, your not only doing what your body needs, your going places instead of just generating watts that are lost.
Posted by Michelle on June 1, 2011 at 2:02 am
Great post. Probably more important than training is ensuring spot on nutrition. Good stuff here.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 1, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Thank you, I’m very glad you enjoyed it.
Posted by joyogaau on June 9, 2011 at 6:32 am
Great stuff, i feel really good to kill fat in our body. i also strongly recommend to practice yoga every day that will reduce the fat and keep you fit in your body movements.
Posted by Trikkerguy on June 9, 2011 at 1:22 pm
3 hours or more on an HPV will help anyone burn calories then and later. Casual riding is great for socializing, but if your serious get out there and go for the burn. Nice to read about all of the different exercises that hope to make you look pretty, but if your far from home on a human powered vehicle, and want to get back you have motivation that surpasses anything stationary.
Posted by Ted on June 10, 2011 at 11:30 am
LOL an article about “core exercises” which just consists of crunches, in 2011.
Posted by Darvis Simms on June 13, 2011 at 11:15 am
You are correct in saying that you must reduce your overall bodyfat in order to get more definition in your abdominal area. However, this is done through a combination of diet, resistance training, and cardiovascular exercise.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 13, 2011 at 12:04 pm
I completely agree. That is why I make posts about all of these things. It is a combination of the lot of them that will get anyone to their ultimate goal.
Posted by Scot Hurley on June 17, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Excellent workout advice, but the bottom line is, you cannot lose weight around your midsection or anywhere else unless you burn more calories than you consume. Thats it. Fat-burning cardio workouts combined with core training will effectively create weight loss over time. Though of course, core exercise has many other benefits even if weight loss is not achieved.
Posted by Dirk on June 18, 2011 at 1:44 am
I agree on the calories in calories out comment just above. One way to do that is increasing the fiber foods which satiates and keeps you from overeating. The core comments above are interesting, particularly the debate over functional training vs isolation. I used to compete in bodybuilding in the 80′s and owned a health club for 14 years. We programmed hundreds of people (we also had physical therapists working with us as a sub tenant) so we used both isolation and functional training over the years. I found each has a place and time and can depend on the capabilities of the person you are working with. I later, and still, play racquetball competitively. Both functional training and some isolation has served well. Lots of great comments above.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 19, 2011 at 4:25 pm
I completely agree. Everything has a place and each type of training can be very beneficial.
Thank you for stopping by.
Posted by Alex on June 21, 2011 at 3:31 am
I truly loved reading this blog. Keep it up :)
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 21, 2011 at 11:01 am
Thank you so very much
Posted by Xenadrine on June 25, 2011 at 6:21 am
I agree on the calories in calories out comment just above. One way to do that is increasing the fiber foods which satiates and keeps you from overeating. The core comments above are interesting, particularly the debate over functional training vs isolation.
Posted by Peter on June 26, 2011 at 9:08 pm
BICYCLE MANEUVER doesn’t have a video, the link is broken. Thanks for the article!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 27, 2011 at 3:12 am
Thank you, I will look into that.
Posted by Pat on June 28, 2011 at 11:06 am
is there a diet plan dat i can follow irealy need to loose weight ASAPplease help.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 28, 2011 at 5:04 pm
There are a lot of diet plans that you can follow. The trick is to find one that you can stick with comfortably. People tend to get discouraged if something worked for a friend, but not them. Don’t let small things set you back, you can achieve your goals when you put your mind to it.
My first suggestion would be to keep a total of everything you eat and drink for a week to find your average calorie intake. Then try to reduce that number while adding exercise to your routine.
Posted by Arpit on June 30, 2011 at 1:35 pm
Great posts man.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 30, 2011 at 2:33 pm
thank you.
Posted by ejazahmed2609 on June 30, 2011 at 4:27 pm
very excellent and great tips for exercises. thanks
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Posted by Trikkerguy on June 30, 2011 at 5:09 pm
If all of you who want to look their best, not just your core, consider stopping using your motor driven vehicle for a period of time. All of the recommendation on this blog are excellent, however you all have to make time to do these exercises, and I assume everyone travels somewhere most of the time, why not use some of that travel time on a human powered vehicle, your accomplishing more than getting to your destination, especially if you want to get there fast.
Ever see a fat serious cyclist?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on June 30, 2011 at 5:26 pm
I agree 100%. Changing your form of travel, even if only a fraction of the time, will make a drastic difference in your results.
Posted by Doug Ledesma on July 1, 2011 at 8:56 pm
Fun! Now I can get rid of my beer gut that I acquired during college frat parties.
Posted by Donna Kleinfeldt-Rolls on July 3, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Thank you. Good stuff here!
BTW, Not much I find more annoying or unreadable than someone who appears to be yelling by using all caps.
Posted by Rich on July 4, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Found this website via stumbleupon. I’m so happy I found your blog, Im starting my journey towards weight loss and eating a healthy lifestyle. I’d probably be hanging out in your blog frequently.
Posted by Michal Szkolnicki on July 5, 2011 at 4:14 am
I’m currently working on getitng my lungs back after smoking for almost 20 years… Can’t wait to get going with my fitness and getting my body back! Thanks, StumbleUpon.
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Posted by asgar a on July 6, 2011 at 5:05 pm
i like it ,i like more video represetat
Posted by 4 Great Core Exercises To Help Flatten Your Abs « Don’t Eat Dirt | Fitness and Exercise on July 7, 2011 at 4:12 pm
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Posted by Murphy Jill on July 11, 2011 at 1:19 pm
If I were 60 years younger I might be interested but, I’m intrigued, what’s a ‘plank’? Think that’s OK for a healthy, soon to be 80 woman?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on July 11, 2011 at 1:34 pm
If you click the name of the exercise, it will show you a video demonstration. If it is healthy for you to do, I cannot say because everyone has a different fitness level. You will have to listen to your body, or consult your family doctor.
Posted by Jay Scott on July 11, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Great ab exercises! Love the article!
Posted by MBT on July 12, 2011 at 1:13 am
There are people who exercise are healthy people.
Posted by corset on July 15, 2011 at 1:56 am
Great article!Very excellent and great tips for exercises!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on July 15, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Posted by trikkerguy on July 15, 2011 at 3:08 pm
This is an interesting blog, I agree the core is an important part of our bodies, however when I workout, I schedule arms, shoulders, legs, etc. at different times, including the core. I realize many want to have a flat tummy, which is great, but it reminds me of a guy I knew many years ago who had very big arms, the rest of his body was average, but his arms were huge. Same can be said for those that refuse to work their legs, you get the idea.
Why not incorporate many exercises which in fact some will affect the core, I get the impression that many here want to be conditioned, fine, start with the basics, get motivated, find something that you like, you must like it or you will find excuses not to do it after a while.
The first step is the hardest, then it gets much easier.
Posted by Nathalia on July 16, 2011 at 4:24 am
A video showing how to do those exercises would have been great! But those are amazing tips! Thanks!!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on July 18, 2011 at 1:16 pm
If you click the name of each exercise, it will open a video demonstration :)
Posted by Mike Behnken Personal Trainer on July 18, 2011 at 3:28 pm
This is a great list, I want to send the link to my client’s emails but would it be okay if I print and hand it out to them before training sessions?
Posted by Arlene Miller II on July 19, 2011 at 12:21 pm
That would be fine with me. Just please give them the web address as well. I do not mind sharing, but credit is always appreciated.
Thank you!
Posted by Ivan Schiller on July 19, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Bottom line, all of the information on how to to exercise is just that, information. The real question is why you want to. Each has their own reasons which are many. Mine years ago was vanity, vanity motivated me, then it changed to accomplishment, then it just made me feel good.
So, stop and ask yourself why, and most importantly, how much your body means to you, it doesn’t have to be sacrifice, it just has to be part of your life to enjoy.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on July 20, 2011 at 12:26 pm
I completely agree. Every person has their own reasons to want to make changes. making health a part of your life is the only way to make these changes permanent.
Thanks for stopping by to read :)
Posted by Doug on July 20, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Great informative post. I am a retired competitive powerllifter and as I’ve aged I’ve rediscovered the value of bodyweight exercises and it is astounding the number of movements you can do without exercise equipment. No excuses for not doing your daily exercises!
Posted by Trikkerguy on July 27, 2011 at 8:45 pm
The old Charles Atlas exercises that was advertised in comic books many years ago work without equipment, it was called “dynamic tension”. Resistance using your body.
Like anything, results depend on motivation
Posted by Alena on July 21, 2011 at 2:03 pm
great information! Going to try these today!
Posted by Motivation on July 22, 2011 at 11:15 am
A perfect scientific solution. Thanks for sharing it.
Posted by get debt free on July 22, 2011 at 9:37 pm
Spot on post. Great read with my nightcap
Posted by Bigshanks BSc on July 23, 2011 at 9:28 am
Great read, a lot of people are neglecting their core during workouts and this can lead to a host of problems!!
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I’ve been reading a few posts and i’m adding your blog to my rss reader , thanks !
Posted by Doug At DailyHealthBlitz on July 28, 2011 at 2:03 am
I do the fitball crunch while watching TV. Great movement and I feel more muscle activated than crunches on the floor.
Posted by liberty reserve on July 31, 2011 at 9:12 am
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Posted by kescalera on August 6, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Great post. I look forward to adding them to my workout routines.
Posted by Donielle Schipper on August 8, 2011 at 5:50 am
These exercises are great for those of us mommy’s who have abdominus recti separation. With careful focus on keeping your entire transverse abdominal muscles contracted, all of the exercises you mentioned will help reduce the size of the separation without having to go through painful abdominoplasty.
I am currently working on closing my abdominal separation. After birthing my fifth child four months ago, I had a three and a half finger width separation. Now, after lots of careful sit-ups and crunches that focus on tightening the transverse abdominus first and then doing the crunches, etc., I have reduced the size of the separation to less than two finger widths. I hope to close it completely within another 6-8 months.
Thanks for these great abdominal workouts!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on August 9, 2011 at 5:43 pm
My pleaseure. I hope you come back and let me know how you’re doing :)
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Posted by chiru on August 9, 2011 at 6:37 am
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Posted by Ajay on August 9, 2011 at 4:00 pm
nice one
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Posted by Rehabilitation Physical Therapy on August 10, 2011 at 7:52 am
I think I need to do more of these instead of just looking at them…
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Posted by Psalmmie on August 11, 2011 at 9:28 am
great stuff man thank you, had become complacent i gotta resume to stay fit and in shape.
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Posted by vicky on August 13, 2011 at 4:57 pm
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Posted by Deborah Peters on August 14, 2011 at 5:27 am
Great advice, so true! As a Fit Coach, nutrition is key to melt fat and Core work make you stronger in general, reduce injury. Great article!
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Posted by Nick on August 14, 2011 at 6:41 pm
Bicycle crunches kick my ass but I love them. I feel like Liu Kang from Mortal Kombat everytime I do a set, hah. Never even heard of the double crunch but it’s on my list now!
Posted by Tatianna on August 15, 2011 at 1:39 am
I think hanging leg raises are one of the best abs exercises. Especially when you hold your legs up on the last rep for 10 sec. I also love planks, they are easy on your back but develop great abs.
Posted by Phillip Schiller on August 16, 2011 at 9:17 pm
I agree, many crunches is not the best ab exercise. However crunches is my first exercise to warm up before I hit the weights. I use the “precise” crunch device on a mat. Some times, as today, the machine for my second exercise routine was in use, so I killed time doing more crunches. I lift my legs and cross them,100 crunches, I also lift my legs extending them about 2′ off of the mat for 100 crunches, off and on. As time passed, I was passed a 1000 crunches, now I used to do 2,000, but it gets boring. However the crunches and the Precor ab machine with weights seem to do a decent job keeping my core in pretty good shape.
Posted by healthism on September 4, 2011 at 5:37 am
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Posted by NJ Personal Training Guide: Great Core Exercises « personaltrainingnj on September 9, 2011 at 12:49 pm
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Posted by M2Oh on September 22, 2011 at 1:27 am
Awesome blog. Love the videos connected to the exercise descriptions. I can’t wait to try some of these out.
Posted by HealthyAnswers Girl on September 27, 2011 at 4:46 pm
I love love love your blog. But please forgive me, I am having trouble visualizing the recommendations. Next time would you please consider putting in some pictures to go with the text instructions? would be nice :)
Posted by Arlene Miller II on September 29, 2011 at 6:16 pm
You can click the names of the exercises to see a video demonstration of each one
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Posted by daisy on October 7, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Fitball crunch ups are the best! They are my absolute favorite & most effective ab workout
Posted by Marnie on November 4, 2011 at 4:20 am
I love the bicycle, it works wonders! Thanks for these tips.
Posted by Kali on November 9, 2011 at 6:03 am
These all sound great! There is no better feeling than working out your abs. I don’t think there is a burn quite like it. I’ll have to take these into my morning workout tomorrow! Thanks for sharing!
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Posted by yoody on December 19, 2011 at 8:27 am
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Posted by Ellen (ellenmarie) | Pearltrees on December 26, 2011 at 11:13 pm
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Posted by Kimberly on December 28, 2011 at 7:32 am
Nice post and Thanks a lot for sharing your ideas. Its quite necessary to follow this type of exercise regime with nutritional food for sustainable weight loss. As abs is one of the area which certainly require more workout in most of the cases. Keep sharing !!!
Posted by ecovered on December 29, 2011 at 7:13 pm
great article… i must say you have a really good blog ;)
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Posted by Austin - the avengers workout on March 3, 2012 at 2:14 am
Too many people forgot about working out the core
Posted by T-rev on March 5, 2012 at 12:48 am
One must remember in order to get abs you can see you must lose weight as well as work your abs. This post mentions that but weight can be lost by exercise and diet. I advise doing circuit training which can work that area and get more cardio in the exercise, which would lose more weight and show off the abs more.
http://feelinggoodinthecollegehood.blogspot.com/search/label/Exercise
Posted by Arlene Miller II on March 11, 2012 at 3:54 pm
I absolutely agree with you about using circuit training.
Posted by Ivan Schiller on March 11, 2012 at 5:06 pm
I’ve been commenting as Trikkerguy which Is in fact is what I’ve been doing for almost 9 years, trikking. The trikke gets me outside, it takes me places while working all of my muscles, including the core big time. I also use weights, more specific, Hammer equipment which I started using January. The change IMO was needed after using all free weights for many years, the body needs to be stressed in different ways. Bottom line crunches and all of the other core exercises are great, but gets real boring quick, get outside, ride on something to the gym, or aywhere, but ride!
Posted by Arlene Miller II on March 13, 2012 at 5:11 pm
I absolutely agree. I think you need to change your routine/activities often in order to keep getting the desired effects. Plus, it helps to keep everything entertaining.
I have looked into getting one of the trikkes myself, but haven’t tried them yet.
Posted by Ivan Schiller on March 13, 2012 at 9:47 pm
There are thousands of comments on the trikke both positive and negative on what was “Trikke Talk”, now “Ridephoria”. Most agree that it’s addictive and doesn’t feel like exercise, it’s one of the few human powered vehicles that works all of your muscles including the core, IMO a great cross trainer that gets you out doors taking you places.
Posted by Arlene Miller II on March 26, 2012 at 12:31 pm
I got one last week. I’ll be posting about it soon, still getting the hang of it. But having a blast doing it.
Posted by Ivan Schiller on March 26, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Dancing and trikking have allot in common since your moving your whole body as opposed to sitting on a bicycle and just spinning your legs. The key is to lean with the trikke which demands trust of the machine, the more you lean and use your legs similar to skating, the faster you go. Follow the column with your body leaning the trikke, practice by pushing the handle bar down left and right which will lean the trikke, again trusting the trikkes ability to lean is the most important step. You’ll soon find your body responding without thinking about it as you go places by working all of your muscles, including your core big time.
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Posted by Ivan Schiller on April 11, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Anyone starting an exercise program should get a physical check up, once you get the OK, go for it. Do not let the age thing stop you, besides it’s an excuse like I don’t have enough time. Even after cancer most can improve their condition, you just need self induced motivation. Working out is the bodies youth waking up.
Posted by Mike on April 12, 2012 at 12:40 pm
in order to show your abs, a man needs to be around 9% bodyfat and a women around 14% bodyfat (men typically carry excess weight around their waist while women carry it in their lower body)… but core excercises are important and even if you can’t show the abs, you’ll be protecting your lower back from injury. If you want to get to a low bodyfat %, eat five to six meals per day 2 1/2 to 3 hours apart and eat protein (up to 50 grams per meal) along with veggies for three of the meals and you can substitute two of the meals with a protein shake. If you do this, you will supercharge your metabolism… on the other hand, if you only eat a couple meals per day, regardless of the quality of what you are eating, your metabolism will slow to a crawl and you will store fat. Finally, a big key is to drink plenty of water… 1 gallon per day is recommended to flush the fat! Obviously some type of physical activity is important!!
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Posted by Dave Bohr on April 23, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Great read nice job!!
Posted by godlikefitness on May 10, 2012 at 3:23 pm
It’s so funny that you mention people wanting to lose fat from their mid sections. I just wrote a blog post about that specific thing and how people think they can “target” the weight. However, it’s impossible to do that, you lose weight all over your body not just your stomach. It would be funny though to see a fat person with 8 pack abs, and a skinny mid section. How weird would that look? Anyways I just posted a killer blog post on how sunscreen causes skin cancer, it’s pretty interesting. Damn those free radicals in zinc oxide!