The Five-Minute Flat-Abs Workout

By Anonymous -

Not only do traditional crunches target just one of your main core muscles, but after a few minutes of the repetitive motion, that muscle fatigues and other areas (like your hip flexors and neck) take over to compensate. “The exercises below are better–they activate your abdominal wall from all angles, targeting your entire core in fewer moves,” says Michele Olson, Ph.D., a professor of exercise science at Auburn University at Montgomery.

Do it: Starting with the first exercise, complete the given number of reps, then immediately continue to the next move. Repeat until you’ve finished the entire workout.

Move 1: Stability-Ball Rollout

Kneel in front of a stability ball with your knees hip-width apart and your forearms on the ball (a). With a flat back, brace your core and slowly roll the ball forward as far as you can without dropping your hips (b). Pause, then bend your elbows to roll the ball back to start. That’s one rep. Do 10.

Move 2: Stability-Ball Pike

Start with your shins on top of the ball, arms straight, hands shoulder-width apart on the floor (a). Brace your abs and keep your legs straight as you raise your hips toward the ceiling, drawing the ball toward you (b). Pause, then slowly roll back to start That’s one rep. Do 10.

Move 3: Lying Leg Extension

Lie on your back with your knees and hips bent to 90 degrees, hands outside your shins and shoulders lifted off the floor (a). Straighten your legs in front of you and bring your arms back next to your ears (b) Pause, then reverse the move. That’s one rep. Do 10.

Move 4: Rotating Side Plank

Start in plank position (a). Rotate your body and roll onto your left forearm, stacking your right foot on top of your left in a left side plank (b). Hold for one or two seconds, then return to start; pause, then repeat on the other side. Alternate sides for 30 seconds.

Published on April 18th, 2013
Written by: Jessica Cassity
Women's Heath Magazine

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Ways to Burn 200 Calories (*based on a 135lb woman)

By Anonymous -
Try these out and in case you couldn’t guess after reading….number 6 is my FAVORITE!! 1.        Get into the swing of things .   Take your stress out at the driving range.   Just 62 minutes at the driving range burns those calories away.   Ready to take on 9 or 18 holes…skip the cart and walk.   You’ll burn 50% more calories per minute. 2.        Meet in a dark alley.   Bowling Alley that is.   In 90 minutes of fun with your friends you’ll roll off 200 calories, skip your light beer-you can do it in an hour! 3.        Go Green.   Ride your bike to run your errands.   In just 23 minutes of peddling or 4.6 miles you burn off those 200 calories! 4.        Strike a pose.   Try Vinyasa yoga.   This type of yoga moves you fluidly from pose to pose, burning more than 7 calories per minute.   29 minutes….200 calories GONE! 5.        Rub-a-dub-dub.   Take a 2 mile walk with you puppy (about 40 minutes), come home and give him a 10 minute bath, then treat yourself to a 15 minute bubble bath and
Read more

How To Get Started On An Exercise Program

By Anonymous -
So, you ask yourself…How do I get started?  Everyone has good intentions to exercise on a daily basis, but you need a game plan to make it work.  Here are some suggestions for when you’re beginning to think about an exercise program: Consider what you would like to achieve.  What are your goals?  Are you trying to lose weight or maybe train to participate in a 5K for the first time? Make a reasonable exercise plan.  “No pain, No gain” should not be your plan.  Everyone needs to ease into exercise at their own pace.  Whether you are trying weight training or cardio…ease in… you’ll get to that 5K. How will you fit your exercise program into your day?  Pick the time of day that you feel that you have the most energy and you can commit to your workout.  Schedule your workout time like an appointment you can’t break.  Look at it as “me time”. Try a variety of different exercises.  Don’t do the same exercises all the time, if you do, your body will acclimate over time.  Cross training is
Read more

Speak up for yourself

By -
Image
A simple, effective way to sidestep sabotage (well meaning or not). "Another slice won't hurt, you don't need to lose weight, but you've always looked like this-it's who you are."  Do any of these sound familiar?  If so, you've faced sabotage at some point along the way and it can undermine your weight loss journey. Something to keep in mind, is that most often, sabotage is not intentional.  Often it's the people that love you the most say or do things that could derail your weight loss and maintenance efforts.  These people don't even realize they're doing it.  They think they are helping you.  Many people associate food with love. The bottom line is not to assume that friends and family are trying to harm your weight loss journey.  Take the time to explain to them how you feel sabotaged and let them know how they can better support you and your goals.  after all, they won't be able to change their behaviors unless they know how th
Read more