abdominal muscles

The Best Way to Work Abs

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Focusing on just doing targeted abdominal exercises isn’t the best way to work abs. I’ll tell you why…

Back in the day, modern conveniences did not exist. There were no computers, no heavy-duty equipment, and hardly any desk jobs. “Hard labor” was just what the phrase implied – HARD LABOR.

As the early inhabitants of this world went through their day, they would do heavy lifting, travel great distances on foot, harvest the fields of their crops with their very hands, and rely on nothing but their own physical strength to get things done. They weren’t aware of abdominal exercises back then, were they? And yet, many of them had such toned bodies and ripped abs.

Have you ever asked yourself what their secret was?

The best way to work abs back then was to get full body workouts while doing their everyday tasks. They might have broken their backs from all that hard work, but, clearly, it gave them such well-formed physiques.

I’m not suggesting you go back to primitive ways for you to get fit. However, the idea of performing a more holistic workout routine can actually push you toward the right direction.

A complete abs workout is made up of two very important elements:

1. Full Body Fitness. Core-specific exercises are quite beneficial, especially if you want to get ripped abs. But doing exercises that target other parts of your body is also essential. Your abs make up just one part of a whole, and the best way to work abs is by involving the rest of your body.

Athletes need to build muscle and train hard for their particular sport, but you don’t see them performing only one specific exercise. Incorporating a variety of exercises into your routine will get you a complete workout. Only then can you start to get a body as fit and as toned as your favorite athletes.

2. Fast Motion. Keeping a fast pace during your workout will get you to your goal quicker. Therefore, it is the best way to work abs.

You work your muscles and you keep going for as long as you can. Doing your exercises in a continuous, flowing manner will maintain your momentum and push you to greater heights.

Keep in mind, however, that you can’t just throw caution to the wind. You need to be consistent with your workout routine, but not careless. This way, you get the most out of your training without incurring any injuries.

Indeed, the best way to work abs is to constantly work the whole body. Always incorporate these two important elements in your fitness plan and you’ll do just fine.

What other methods do you have to work your abs? Share your secrets below.

How to Get Sexy Abs – Use Side Stomach Crunches

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Side stomach crunches unfamiliar to you? Have you decided that it’s finally time for you to get on top of things, and start developing your abs into the muscle packs that you have always wanted? It’s certainly a noble goal, and there is nothing to keep you from achieving it. There are many ways to develop flat and muscular abs, and some work better than others.

One of my favorite exercises for the abs is the stomach crunch and side stomach crunch. It doesn’t require any workout equipment or trips to the gym, but if you stick with it for any extended period of time, you’re sure to make the desired improvements.

You’ve most likely seen the stomach crunch performed before. All it takes is lying on your back with your hands behind your head, then curling at the stomach and bringing your face and elbows upward. Essentially you are crunching your abs together.

After you have performed your amount of initial stomach crunches, you should do side stomach crunches to effectively hit not only the front of your stomach muscles, but both sides as well. Instead of pushing your elbows straight forward, you will rotate to one side as you lift off of the ground, and put more emphasis onto that cluster of muscles.

This exercise is so simple, yet is the most fundamental ab movement, and therefore extremely effective. The movement of contraction then expansion will rip your muscles to shreds (which, remember, is a good thing) and leave you feeling extremely sore. And with the side stomach crunches thrown in to boot, your ab muscles will be screaming.

The effective number of reps depends on your personal shape and goals. Do you want to go from chubby to lean and mean in just a few months? Well, you had better do crunches until you are physically incapable of doing them any more. Repeat this every day, and you will see maximum results.

But if your goals are a little less extreme and you just want to tighten up the stomach area, you can get by with slightly less rigorous amounts of ab exercises. If you do 50 normal crunches and 50 side stomach crunches, you won’t be off to too bad of a start.

If you want to really improve your abs quickly through stomach crunches and side stomach crunches, then it all depends on finding what a comfortable amount is for you, while still pushing yourself closer and closer to your personal upper limit.

Top 3 Male Yoga Exercises for Abs

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You think male yoga exercises for abs are too…ho-hum and mild for your taste?

Most men have this notion that fast-paced, highly-intense full body workouts and backbreaking targeted abs exercises are the only forms of physical activity that can be done to result in six pack abs. Although there is some truth to that, it’s not necessarily a hard, fast rule. Laid-back fitness routines such as stretching and yoga can also get you great abs without having to constantly gasp for air.

There’s a good reason why yoga has been around for centuries. It promotes good posture, flexibility, builds strength, and conditions your whole body for maximum performance. Similarly, male yoga exercises for abs can target your core muscles, rendering them lean and tough

During yoga, your abdominal muscles, along with other hard-to-define muscle groups, are stretched, elongated, and conditioned. Performing yoga regularly will help sculpt your midsection and tone the rest of your body. It truly is a complete body routine.

There are many yoga positions you can incorporate into your fitness program, but the following are proven to be the most effective in developing abs and other muscle groups as well.

1. Yoga Crunches. Regular crunches have been a popular choice among ab builders and enthusiasts. They can also be adapted as male yoga exercises for abs.

To perform these, simply lie on the floor as you would with conventional crunches. Slowly pull in both knees toward your chest. Straighten your legs until they’re completely flexed and perpendicular to the floor.

Carefully bend your knees close to your chest again while keeping your abs taut. Be very aware of your abdominal muscles because even as you use your leg muscles for this exercise, your abs should also be working hard. Also, avoid arching your back at any time; this would isolate your midsection better. Do at least 10 reps of this exercise in a row to really work your abs.

2. Mountain Tilts. These standing male yoga exercises for abs will greatly define your abdominals, improve your posture, and lengthen your physique.

You must stand up, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, and relax your arms on each side. Lift your right arm above your head and bend to the left. Reach our as far as your fingers will go and hold it there for about 5 seconds. Go back to your starting position and do the same on the other side. Do at least 5 reps of this exercise.

3. Triangle Pose. Like the previous male yoga exercises for abs, the triangle pose requires you to stand on your feet. With your feet further apart than in mountain tilts and planted securely on the ground, point your left foot forward and turn your right foot out 90 degrees. Extend both arms on your sides and slowly bend to your left at the waist. Remember not to pivot so that your torso and head are still facing the same direction as your left foot. Rest your left hand on your leg and stretch your right as high up as you can. Hold it there for around 10-15 seconds then come back up. Switch sides and feet and do the same on the other side. Doing 3 poses on each side should be more than enough.

Male yoga exercises for abs are definitely far from drab. Give them a try today!

Have you tried any of these? Share your experience by posting your comments below.

Workouts For A Flat Stomach

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If you’ve been looking at workouts for a flat stomach, you know that there are a lot of them. Not all are sensible or even possible for many people just starting an abs exercise routine. If you are having problems figuring out where to start, here are some things to keep in mind.

  • Your general health – age, weight, overall health
  • Injuries or conditions – back problems, fatigue, or pregnancy
  • Where you can exercise and the time available

Don’t know where to begin? Try making an appointment at a gym. Most larger gyms want to give you a tour with their sales pitch, and that will include a discussion with a trainer. Ask questions specific to your situation.

  1. What can I do safely, with my back condition?
  2. What is a good beginning program?
  3. How late or early do you open?

If they offer a free trial, take it. It will get you started, with enough instruction to make sure you do your exercises properly, without strain. Most gyms offer equipment that you don’t have at home.

Try it out to see if it’s comfortable for you. You may decide to stay with it for awhile, or discover that you can do this all at home and save yourself both time and money.

If you are pregnant, or have other health conditions, many hospitals and therapy facilities offer programs specifically for you. Ask your doctor, therapist, or fitness professional to see what’s available in your area.

There is also the question of active versus passive exercise to consider.

Most active programs include weights, crunches, bicycles and curls, which can be hard on your back. Passive exercise includes, isometrics, yoga, stretching, swimming and water exercises. These are all less straining on other parts of your body, but can take longer to perform.

Time can be a factor, if you’re on an offbeat schedule. However, most larger cities now have late hours or 24 hour gyms that you can use. The benefit of going later or very early is that you never have to wait to use something. The drawback is not all gyms that are open around the clock offer group exercise during their off hours.

Sorting through exercise programs becomes a little easier, after you figured out what you are capable of doing. Once you have gotten started on a program, let your intuition take over. It won’t take much to realize you are overdoing it. Soreness is alright, but pain is a sure indicator that you need modification of your program. Cut back and try something less strenuous.

Remember to eat healthy, and drink lots of fluids along with those workouts for a flat stomach. You’ll get faster results and feel better while your are getting it. Good hunting.

Toning Stomach Muscles

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If you are working on toning stomach muscles, here are a few things to think about.

  1. Not everyone is born with the same set of abdominal muscles.
  2. Toning muscles involves stretching as well as exercising.
  3. Swimming is the best single exercise for toning stomach muscles.
  4. It is easy to strain your back doing abdominal exercises

Abdominal Muscles:

That’s right. Some of us simply don’t have a pyramidalis muscle. This means that no matter how hard you go for the washboard effect, you will not have the same number of bulges. You’ll get the six pack, but not the 8 pack.

Why are abdominal muscles different in some people? Doctors simply do not know. Consider that this will not just influence the all over number of toned muscles, but the lack of a pyramidalis will influence your ability to strengthen lower abdominals, as well.

Stretching:

Building exercises and toning exercises are not exactly the same thing. While you won’t get toned stomach muscles without a workout that isolates this muscle group, you won’t get the tone without doing a lot of stretching, as well.

People often neglect this as part of a routine. These are some of the easiest and most rewarding exercises to do. They are great for warm ups. As any athlete or aerobics instructor will tell you, they keep you from straining. Arm stretches, leg stretches, bending and twisting are all good ways to limber up before you hit the weights or machines.

A little Yoga added to your routine, with its exaggerated movements, can save hours of discomfort with torn or strained muscles, later.

Swimming:

The best addition to any routine that has focus on toning muscles is swimming. It is not only an all over good workout, with fantastic cardiovascular benefits, but it stretches and works those stomach muscles like no stationary exercise can. Almost every muscle in the body is used in swimming.

If you think it isn’t what you want or you don’t have time to add it to your routine, just look at those professional swimmers’ bodies. They all have long, lean torsos, with well defined abdominals and v shaped bodies. They got those bodies by swimming!

Not only is swimming really good for you, it won’t hurt you. Swimming is considered passive exercise. That means less strain on muscles and organs.

Risk of Injury:

Most crunches can be brutal on your back muscles, so don’t add more than 2 additional repetitions to your current routine at one time. That is repetitions and not sets. When you add a new set to your abs routine, do it by adding 2 reps until you fill it out.

If your back hurts, use a brace, or switch to just ball exercises. You don’t have to stop completely, just modify. Check to see that you are doing your exercises correctly, as this can lead to strain faster than anything.

A little common sense and effort will keep you toning stomach muscles till they look great. Just keep these 4 important things in mind.