abs crunches

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.

3 Steps to Getting Six Pack Abs for Women

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Women from all walks of life are reminded every single day about their physical imperfections. It does seem like six pack abs for womenare unattainable unless you’re a supermodel or hot Hollywood actress. But the truth is, even the most average Jane can get sexy abs.

Just like men, women have struggled for years to lose weight and define their midsection. Unlike men, however, women are required to exert a little more effort to build muscle. Even though women need to push a little further than their male counterparts, it doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

Don’t be discouraged by all the pessimism going around. You may not be a hot rising star or the new cover girl for a magazine, but six pack abs for women ARE attainable — that’s the most important thing you need to know.

You also need to know HOW you can achieve a great body. Setting these three central and realistic goals will help you get your fitness program in gear:

  1. Get rid of belly fat;
  2. Build a cardiovascular workout routine; and
  3. Zero-in on those abs!

Dieting has had a perceived negative connotation, especially for women. When in fact, all it requires is regularly eating (take note: not STARVING) the right kinds of food. Forget about fad diets, artificial food supplements, and extreme “zone” regimens for a second, and concentrate on getting the essential macronutrients by eating well-balanced meals.

This is the first step to getting six pack abs for women.

The female anatomy is designed to store more fat in preparation for childbirth and rearing, but don’t let that get in the way of your goal. If you’ve been used to eating on the go (e.g. fast food and take-out), it is high time you re-evaluate your eating habits. Changing the way you eat and what you eat can improve your metabolism considerably.

A little planning and a whole lot of determination can go a long way when it comes to your diet. By eating small, balanced meals frequently, you allow your body to stay nourished and “full” so you don’t over-eat at any given time. Sticking to lean proteins, a small amount of healthy fats, and whole grains is ideal.

The next step to getting six pack abs for women is a well-rounded cardiovascular routine. Regularly performing a variety of fun, blood-pumping exercises, such as aerobics classes, jogging, and swimming will help condition your WHOLE body.

These holistic exercises will also prepare your abdominal muscles for your next and final goal – abs training and sculpting.

Really getting in there with regular crunches, sit ups, or other ab-specific exercises will help define and sculpt your obliques, and lower and upper abdominals. Increasing your reps and frequency is crucial in developing six pack abs fast.

If you really think about, getting six pack abs for women isn’t complicated at all. Six pack abs don’t discriminate, and so shouldn’t you. Get right on your fitness program and start working on those abs today!

Women Abs – The 3 Things You Need to Know!

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Why don’t women absrespond instantly to exercise? Go to a gym and you will see women with well defined, sexy abs. But how did they get them? And why isn’t exercise enough?

Well, three primary things go into developing your abs:

  1. Diet Plan
  2. Exercise Program
  3. Genetics

Diet is often the thing most lacking. Exercise plays a large role as well. The rest, sadly, is genetics.

Whatever kind of diet you are on, including none, can probably be improved. If you want to see those abs that you’re developing, you will have to strip away your layer of abdominal fat first.

To build muscle and strip fat, your diet needs two things: high protein, and low fat. To keep everything going smoothly, you will need the right amount of carbs, and try not to get too much sugar.

Fast eating can be a big problem. Eating too fast results in often eating too much. Try eating with a light distraction, such as some soft music, to help you to relax and enjoy your food.

Your brain won’t tell you that you are full until 15 to 20 minutes after you start eating. Slow down and chew your food longer. Your digestion will be better, and you will feel more full, on less food.

Cook at home? Try taking your portion – before – you dress or sauce it. Put the fatty stuff, such as gravy, on the side. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be mixed into every meal. You and your culinary cohorts will be on the right track to fitness and health.

Motivation is a powerful tool. If you have a problem visualizing those sleek women abs, or refraining from those rich deserts, you may need something more concrete.

Carry a picture of what you consider the perfect abs. You can put copies where you need them most, such as the exercise area or the kitchen. They will help to remind you what all the dedication is about.

Double check your exercise program with an expert. A short run through with a local trainer can make a world of difference. Find out if you are working all of the areas you need to, and how to work what you’re not.

And now, the genetics. Was your mother athletic? How did she look at your age? With a regular exercise plan, you probably look more in shape than she did.

There is the possibility that buff women abs don’t run in your family. You may have to work like an athlete to look like an athlete. This often involves changing your whole lifestyle to accommodate the stringent requirements.

This may be more than you’re willing to commit to. But, even if it is, exercise and diet will provide you with a leaner, toned look.

By changing your lifestyle, starting with a different outlook about food, and a regular exercise routine, you are already on your way to great women abs.

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.

The Best Exercise for Lower Abdominals

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What is the best exercise for lower abdominals? I’ll tell you right now, the secret doesn’t lie on the “what.” Instead, you should be asking yourself this: “HOW can I maximize my lower abdominals workoutso I could get six pack abs fast?”

The physical fitness industry rakes in so much money, it’s not even funny. Why? Because people like you and me will do almost anything we can to look good, and that includes spending money on gym memberships, dietary supplements, workout tools, and exercise equipment.

You’ve probably been so focused on your midsection that you’ve neglected other parts of your body. Any successful fitness goal – whether it’s building upper arm muscles or, in this case, toning the abdominal muscles – requires you to work your WHOLE body. That’s why some abdominal workout equipments don’t give the best results when used alone.

A complete fitness plan cannot only involve the best exercise for lower abdominals. To ensure well-rounded progress, you need to integrate all three aspects:

1. Low-fat diet;

2. Regular cardiovascular exercise; and

3. Core-specific exercises.

The way you eat will always affect the way you look and feel. If you exercise but eat fatty foods and neglect the essential nutrients your body needs to build muscle, you’re only setting yourself up for failure. This is why a low-fat, healthy diet is very important.

Eliminate or at least limit your intake of unnecessary carbs and fats. Instead, pack your diet with vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains. Stop obsessing about the best exercise for lower abdominals for a second and think about eating frequent yet small and healthy meals.

It is a fact that following a low-fat, low-carb diet alone is also not enough. You need to work out 3 times a week for about 45 minutes to an hour for you to increase your metabolic rate and, ultimately, build muscle.

Cardiovascular workouts, such as jogging and swimming, are vital to a complete fitness plan. I, myself, pop in a fitness video and workout from home if the weather isn’t ideal. You can easily do the same.

After considering your diet and your cardio workout, you are now ready to put those abdominal muscles to work. What then is the best exercise for lower abdominals?

Leg raises have been tried and tested by people from all walks of life. It’s very simple to do AND you can get so much out of it; it’s unbelievable.

All you need to do is lie flat on the floor, place your hands on each side, and raise both legs gradually until you reach a 45 degree angle. Then, lower your legs back down to your original position. Remember to tighten your abdominal muscles all through out the exercise.

To add a little variation, you can either push upward with your hips when your legs are completely perpendicular to the floor, or grip a ball in between your shins as you perform those raises.

Remember these 3 steps – diet, cardio, and the best exercise for lower abdominals – and you will surely get a solid fitness plan that WORKS.