The Beginner’s Guide To Having Flat Abs

By on August 26, 2012

By today’s standards, a tight core is the centerpiece for any muscular physique — for men and women alike. Flat abs are not just sexy, they’re a sign of your health and strength too. No wonder why it is one of the most eye-catching features of your body.

Although tight, strong abs are what most people work hard at the gym for, not everyone will get to see the results they want — especially beginners. If you are a beginner who is looking for the best program that can help you achieve washboard abs, then follow this guide and you will have one in no time.

1. Be consistent in doing cardiovascular exercises.

Cardiovascular ExercisesCardio exercises have numerous benefits, and one of them is weight loss. You may wonder why you have to lose weight when all you want is flat abs. The truth is that it doesn’t matter how hard you work your core, you’ll never get a chance to see it flat and fabulous if there’s a layer of fat covering it.

To make flat abs visible, you need to get rid of fat in the belly. However, since it’s not possible to force your body to lose fat in just one particular area, you need to burn fat from all over the body, and the best way to do this is to perform cardio exercises.

A 30-minute jog or 20-minute run on the treadmill 3-4 times a week should be sufficient to lose belly fat and keep it off.

2. Be mindful of your eating habits.

To prep your body for killer abs, you need to watch what and how much food you eat. Refrain from eating junk foods and start adding fruits and green vegetables to your meals instead. If switching drastically seems pretty hard to do, you can enjoy a burger or a Coke float now and then but consume only half of what you normally do, or share them with a friend.

Cutting calorie intake in half will help stave off belly fat, thus giving your sculpted abs a chance to become visible.

3. Perform ab workouts.

There are countless of ab workouts you can do, but as a beginner, you can start doing crunches or sit ups. As soon as you become too familiar with these exercises, you can switch to other routines that work different muscles in your abdominal area.

To get the most out of abdominal exercises, you can wear an ab toning belt while doing them.

A key note to remember when it comes to getting toned, well-sculpted abs: One of the main reasons why a lot of people just cannot achieve washboard abs is that they give up too easily. As a beginner, some of these ab exercises may prove to be tough to perform, but they will get easier in time.

Do not stick to one program though. It is always best to vary your exercise routine to keep your ab muscles guessing and, more importantly, working.

Filed Under: ab belts, Ab workouts, diet, Fitness and Exercise, Health Lifestyle Tagged With: , ,

Exercises For A Firm Butt and Flat Stomach

By on August 4, 2012

Fitness instructors can attest to the fact that a flat stomach and a firm butt are what most women work hard to attain. There is no doubt that these physical attributes can be commonly found in a woman who has what most people consider a sexy body.

Unfortunately, not every one is blessed with good genes that make a firm stomach and a well-shaped butt. Countless of women have to work hard to avoid getting a flabby belly and behind.

If you are one of the many who like to have flat abs and a nice, firm butt, then here are exercises you can incorporate in your daily fitness routine that target your abs and glutes.

Exercises That Target the Butt:

  • Squats

If you have a flat butt, then squats are perfect for you. Aside from toning and shaping your rear end, this form of exercise will also help build lean muscles in that area, thus resulting in a plump butt.

How to do squats:

1.  Stand with hands on hips and your feet  more than shoulder-width apart.

2. Bend your knees until they are about 90 degrees parallel to the ground, making sure to tilt your body slightly forward as you go down.

3. Contract your butt muscles as you push your heels into the floor as you come back up.

To get maximum results, you can rest a barbell across your shoulder all throughout the exercise.

  • Lunges

Lunges are great for strengthening all the major muscles of the hips, glutes, and thighs. If done properly, you will notice amazing results in just a short period of time.

How to do lunges:

1. Stand with your back straight, hands on hips, right foot forward, left foot back, and knees slightly bent.

2. Bring your left knee as close to the floor without touching it and keep your right knee parallel to the ground at a 90-degree angle.

3. Push the front heel of your left foot into the floor as you return to the starting position, making sure to contract your quadricep muscles as you go up.

To make this exercise more effective, you can rest a barbel on your shoulders or simply hold weights in each hand.

Exercises That Target the Stomach:

  • Vertical Scissors

Vertical scissors are excellent as they workout your entire abdominal area without the help of any equipment.

How To do Vertical Scissors:

1. Sit on a bench with your hands under your butt for balance and your legs straight out in front of you.

2. Contract your abdominal muscles alone to lift your right leg and lower your left leg.

3. Reverse the positions of each leg.

As a bonus, you butt and hip muscles will get quite a workout too if you remember to squeeze them as you move your legs up and down.

  • Vertical Leg Crunch

The vertical leg crunch is a slight variation to the popular crunch exercise known to give you fit and firm abs.

How To Do a Vertical Leg Crunch:

1. Lie flat on your back with your hands together behind your head.

2. Cross your ankles and lift both your legs into the air as you curl your head and upper back off the floor.

3. Return to the starting position.

Take two exercises (one for the stomach and one for the butt) and incorporate them in your daily workout routine. Do the remaining two on the second day. Perform three sets of 15 reps of each exercise.

Filed Under: Ab workouts, Fitness and Exercise Tagged With: , ,

3 Yoga Poses For A Flatter Stomach

By on July 28, 2012

Yoga is a fitness activity that originated in ancient India but is now very popular in almost any part of the world because of the physical and mental benefits it provides.

Unlike traditional fitness programs, Yoga does not provide intense cardiovascular workout or body building exercises meant to lose a significant amount of weight or bulk up muscles. Rather, it focuses on uniting the body and mind to improve a person’s overall well-being.

Although it’s not necessarily the most efficient way to lose a significant amount of weight, Yoga can complement your daily exercise regimen to help you become as physically and mentally fit as you can be.

If you are on your way to having a smaller waistline because of cardio exercises, you may want to strengthen abdominal muscles by doing specific fun and exciting Yoga exercises, instead of neck breaking crunches.

Here are 3 Yoga poses for a flatter stomach:

1. The Bow

You start by lying face down on a mat. Curly your legs up and grab your feet a couple of inches below your toes. Keep your thighs about 5 inches apart and take a deep breath before you kick your legs up behind you, lift your torso and look up.

Stay in this position for about 10 seconds with your toes pointed up before you slowly lower down your feet and relax your hands on your side. Repeat 3-5 times.

 

2. The Cobra Pose

Lie on your belly with your legs aligned properly and all toes are touching the mat. Place your hands right under your shoulders with your palms down and your elbows up. Take a deep breath and lift your chest up and stretch all the way out as far as you can comfortably go.

Hold this position for 10 seconds before slowly bringing your upper body down. Repeat 3-5 times.

3. The Reclining Twist

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. With your hands extended out to your side, inhale as you lift your feet off the floor and draw your knees towards your chest. Exhale as you drop both your bended knees towards your left. You can hold your knees down with your left hand and turn your head towards your right. Keep your knees at a 90 degree angle or less from your body.

Stay in this position for about 30 seconds before your lift your knees back to center and slowly bring them down towards your right side. Hold your knees down with your right hand and turn your head towards your left. Repeat 3-5 times.

These 3 are just some of the several Yoga poses for a flatter stomach. Make Yoga a part of your daily fitness routine and you will see and feel amazing results.

Filed Under: Ab workouts, Fitness and Exercise, Health Lifestyle Tagged With: , , , ,

3 Exercise Equipment That You Can Invest in to Get a Smaller Waist

By on June 25, 2012

A small waist is not only a sign of attractiveness in women – it is also a sign of good health. According to research, a slim waist can provide significant health benefits that are not commonly enjoyed by individuals who carry excess fat on their bellies. Not only is stomach fat unpleasant to look at, but it is also known to be potentially dangerous to your health as fat cells stored in this part of the body release harmful chemicals that can mess up the insulin system and increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Keep life threatening diseases at bay by working out your body to get a smaller waist. No doubt, diet plays an important role in having a small waistline. However, when complemented with the right kind of waist exercises that will tone your abdominal area, you will not only feel good, but also look good at the same time.

There are plenty of exercises that you can do to help trim down your waistline. Sit ups, crunches, and Pilates are just some of many activities that are great for working out your core muscles. While you can perform these exercises without the need for specific exercise gears, results from doing them with the right equipment usually come in faster, if not better.

The problem with many exercise equipment, however, is that they are far too expensive for most people to afford. Good thing there are a couple of exercise gears that you can invest in to still get that smaller waist even without going to the gym.

Here are 3 exercise equipment you can afford to help you get a smaller waist:

  • Dumbbells

Dumbbells are the one of the most basic equipment used for weight training. As they’re great for working out just about any part of the body, they come in various weights ranging from 5 lbs up to 150 lbs. When using dumbbells to trim down your waistline, go for the lighter ones (5 – 10 lbs) to avoid straining your back but still have enough resistance to make the exercises more effective.

Side bends, sit ups, seated torso twists, and squat with overhead press are examples of waist exercises you can perform using dumbbell weights.

Watch this video on the correct way of  doing side bends while using dumbbells.

  • Stability Ball

One of the best exercise equipment you can use to get a smaller waist is the stability ball. Although it can be used while doing activities to help tone other parts of the body, the exercise ball, as it is oftentimes called, is designed to target abdominal muscles. Its effectiveness lies in its ability to make any exercise more challenging since it requires an individual to engage many more muscles in an effort to remain balanced while on the ball.

Constant and proper use of stability balls will not only result in a smaller waist, but in overall body weight loss as well. The more muscles you work, the firmer your body will become. A firm body will shed excess pounds faster and more effectively.

  • Ab Toning Belt

An ab toning belt is perfect for those who can’t go out to the gym regularly. When you find yourself too tired to tied up with work and other activities to work out, strap an ab belt around your waist. It may not give you a complete body work out, but it is enough to stimulate core abdominal muscles to make your waist slimmer and firmer.

You can wear an ab toning belt while cooking, cleaning your home, at the office, and even while working out.


Filed Under: ab belts, Ab workouts Tagged With: ,

Best Pilates Moves For Six Pack Abs

By on June 16, 2012

For most fitness enthusiasts, having more than just flat abdominals is not enough. If you are one of the many looking to get six pack abs, then you should know that core training is a must. Today, Pilates is one of the most popular physical conditioning programs that focus on strengthening the muscles of abdominal walls and core – resulting in six pack abs.

Though Pilates is also known to help improve muscle control and flexibility, endurance, and overall body strength, there are a few Pilates moves that targets the abdominal area to finally get six pack abs to come out from under a layer (or layers!) of fat.

Here are the 3 best Pilates Moves for Six Pack Abs:

The Hundred

The Hundred is a classic Pilates move that got its name from the 100 short breaths you inhale and exhale (5 ins and 5 outs for 10 sets) while doing the exercise. It’s the perfect warm up exercise as it gets your blood moving and your breath going strong.

1.  Lie on a mat with your feet off the floor and knees bent together at a 90-degree angle.

2.  Inhale as you bring your chin down and curl your neck and upper spine off the mat. Exhale as you extend your arms straight but just a few inches of the floor with your palms facing downward.

3.  Pump your arms up and down in a controlled movement in time with 5 short inhales and 5 short exhales.

After 10 sets, bring your knees in to your chest while keeping your spine still curled off the mat. Then firmly grasp your knees as you roll your head gently back to the floor.

Watch this YouTube video on how to do The Hundred the right way.

The Roll Up

The Roll Up is another classic Pilates mat exercise that is said to be so effective that one roll up is equal to at least six regular sit ups. If you are bored with other core strengthening exercises like sit ups or crunches, do the Pilates roll up.

1. Lie on a mat with your legs a few inches apart and your hands extended overhead with palms facing each other.

2. Inhale as you lift your head and shoulders off the floor and exhale as you move your outstretched hands towards your feet until your body is in a C position.

3. Inhale again as you begin to roll back down and exhale while as you roll down one vertebrae at a time.

Repeat up to six times.

Criss Cross

The Criss Cross is a challenging exercises that will get you those six pack abs. It targets the obliques, helping define the waist and achieve postural stabilization.

1. Lie on a mat and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle over your hips.

2. Inhale as you lift your head to your chin, scoop the abdominals, and interlock your fingers behind your head.

3. Exhale as you extend your left leg at a 45-degree angle and rotate your torso so that your left elbow is reaching for your right knee.

4. Alternate extending your legs and rotating your torso, making sure to inhale when bringing your trunk through center and exhale as you rotate your upper body.

Repeat up to six times.

Remember, doing these Pilates exercises alone will not get you the six pack abs you want. Get the most out of your core strengthening program by also doing cardio workouts, eating healthy, or perhaps wearing an ab toning belt while doing your exercises. It will take time and a lot of effort before those six packs will show up, but they will all be worth it.

Filed Under: Ab workouts, Fitness and Exercise Tagged With: ,

Take These 5 Steps to Avoid Abdominal Overtraining

By on June 2, 2012

Personal trainers once advised their clients to train their abs six days a week. With the advancement of sports medicine and kinesiology, these experts later realized that this is not the case. There is a risk of overtraining the abdominal muscles when they are overworked.

There is, as the trainers realized, a limit to how much strain abdominal muscles can safely take. In this case, more is much less. Here are steps to take to ensure you are training your abs safely and effectively:

1. Balance Your Workout
The ideal way to set up a weekly workout routine is to train the upper body and lower body on alternate days while training core muscles just two days a week. One day a week should be completely dedicated to rest.

Abdominal exercises should never total more than two-hundred reps in total. That means that if you do five different abdominal exercises, the total number of repetitions performed in each exercise cannot be over two-hundred.

2. Learn how Core Muscles Work

The core is made up of four muscles groups. These groups include:

  • Internal obliques
  • External obliques
  • Transverses abdominis
  • Rectus abdominis

Each muscle group must be worked individually to create a true six-pack look. Just as the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps and buttocks require individual attention, so do the different abdominal muscles.

3. Twice a Week Maximum

Working each of the four muscle groups just twice per week is all it takes to have a flat and toned core. The best way to space these two days out is by allowing the optimum amount of rest in between each day. If you work out on Monday through Saturday, perform abdominal exercises on Tuesday and Friday. Resting in between each core session will give you greater strength and energy during each workout.

Cardio is Key

The best way to work all four abdominal groups at once is through cardiovascular training. A stair climber, elliptical or aerobic class is the most effective way to work all of these muscles in unison with each other.

Calories In v. Calories Out

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that an extra ten minutes on the treadmill will make give you the green light to pig out. Proper eating and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to results.

No one wants to spend unnecessary time at the gym. Take full advantage of the time you spend sweating. Working out hard isn’t the same as working out smart.

Filed Under: Ab workouts, Fitness and Exercise Tagged With: ,

Your Alcohol Consumption Could be Hold You Back From Amazing Abs

By on May 31, 2012

Losing weight can be a challenging goal for many people. While diet and exercise play an important role in any weight loss plan, it’s also essential to understand how lifestyle can impact one’s weight. For example, even moderate alcohol consumption can result in significant weight gain. The following guide explores how alcohol consumption can hold one back from amazing abs.

Many people know that drinking too much beer can result in a beer belly. However, it can be challenging for some people to understand the true impact that alcohol can have on one’s calorie consumption. For example, a 12-pack of full beer contains the same number of calories that one should consume over the entire day.

Harder alcoholic beverages also contain a high number of calories. For example, a single shot of vodka can contain up to 140 calories. When mixed with sweet juices or other drinks, the calorie count can increase significantly. For example, a white Russian vodka with cream can contain over 300 calories per serving.

It’s also important to understand how alcohol can reduce one’s motivation. While a small amount of alcohol isn’t harmful, larger amounts can have a significant impact on an individual’s judgement and perception. While most people understand that drinking driving can be dangerous, they may not be aware of the hidden dangers of drinking and eating.

Many people make very poor food choices when they have been drinking. In addition, most healthy restaurants are not open when bars are closing. For example, many people will get a burger, hot dog, pizza or kebab after drinking. Each of these food choices contains saturated fat, cholesterol, lots of calories and sugar. While they can sate one’s hunger, they can have a very negative impact on one’s waistline. In many cases, food consumed after drinking is one’s fourth meal of the day.

In addition, alcohol can leach important nutrients from the body. Excessive drinking may have a negative impact on an individual’s metabolism. For example, many people feel horrible the day after drinking. Since the body is recovering for excessive amounts of alcohol, it can be difficult to feel energetic enough to exercise. IN many cases, any exercise plans can be delayed for up to 48 hours after drinking.

While moderate drinking is acceptable, heavy binge drinking can have a negative impact on one’s waist and one’s liver. However, The Ab Flex Belt can be a great way to improve one’s midsection after drinking.

Filed Under: Ab workouts, diet Tagged With: ,

3 Myths About Getting a Flatter Stomach and Six Pack Abs

By on May 30, 2012

Getting a six pack is no easy chore, and there are a lot of myths out there about how to do it. With so many ab gadgets on the market, you’d think acquiring rock hard abs would be rocket science. The basic idea is pretty simple, however; work hard, and the results will come. To help you in your quest for a flatter stomach, here are three popular myths about getting a six pack.

1. It’s all about the diet.

People who think they know a thing or two about how to get abs talk about how it all comes from a proper diet. They are right about one thing; a proper diet is incredibly important in your search for a flatter stomach. Without a proper diet, you simply won’t be able to have your abs show through to their maximum ability. Diet is probably the most important aspect of acquiring abs.

However, your diet isn’t the only thing that matters. A strict workout regimen is also important. The harder your work out, the more you can cheat on your diet.

2. The easiest way to get abs is to do ab exercises.

You can do ab exercises all day, and it won’t matter if you have a layer of fat covering them. Your ability to burn fat is what determines the visibility of your abs. If you do 100 sets of crunches but eat poorly and skip cardio, your chances of having a six pack are slim to none.

Ab exercises should be part of your workout routine, but they shouldn’t be the crux of it. Focus on full body exercises that burn a lot of calories, and thus a lot of body fat. Weight lifting is important, as is high-intensity cardio.

3. You need weights to develop great abs.

You don’t need weights, an ab roller, a belt, or any other gadget to get a flat stomach. You can acquire amazing abs simply from a solid combination of body exercises, cardio, and strict diet.

Overall, there is a lot of false information out there in regards to getting abs. No matter what products you buy, there is no substitute for hard work. If you want a flat stomach and six pack abs, you’ll need to work hard in the gym and in the kitchen.

Filed Under: Ab workouts, Fitness and Exercise Tagged With: ,

How to Achieve Optimal Results When Using an Ab Belt

By on April 12, 2012

get the most from an ab beltAb Belts can train your abdominal muscles ,making crunches and situps a thing of the past. In conjunction with proper nutrition and physical activity, an Ab Belt can be a highly effective piece of fitness equipment that can yield quicker results of a more toned and tightened mid section than the use of diet and conventional abdominal exercises alone. When incorporating the use of an Ab Belt into your daily routine, there are a few tips to keep in mind in order to achieve maximum benefits and results.

Be Consistent

First and foremost, consistency is key. Failing to wear the belt properly and/or frequently as needed will not allow you to achieve optimal benefits. It is also highly important to adjust the intensity level of the belt to ensure that your abdominal muscles are being challenged correctly. Several ab belt models offer complimentary workout plans that you can follow to maximize the benefits. The Flex Belt comes with a comprehensive manual that contains an entire program extended over the course of several weeks to help guide you through intensity adjustments to ensure that you are getting the most out of your belt.

Not For Weight Loss

It is important to understand that Ab Belts are not weight loss devices and will not magically “melt fat” off of your abdominals. The use of your belt must be accompanied by a proper diet and reduction of your daily caloric intake. “Clean eating” that consists of Fresh produce, slow burning carbohydrates and lean meats should all be staples in your diet in order to increase your metabolism and reduce body fat so that your ab muscles can become more predominant. Processed food high in fat and sugar will not only increase bloat, but will also generate toxic waste in the intestines causing your stomach to protrude even more. It is also important to increase your water intake to assist the body in flushing out excessive stored water weight, as well as reducing your sodium intake.

Cardio Exercise is Key

To speed up results, it is best to engage in a cardiovascular activity to increase your metabolism. The ab belt will tighten and tone your abdominal wall, while cardio exercise will assist in burning fat not only on your midsection, but your entire body. Cardio exercise will also improve your sleep and increase your energy levels. Swimming, jogging, walking and biking are all excellent forms of cardio that can get your heart rate up and help burn off excessive calories. 30 minutes to an hour of cardio exercise, 3 to 5 times a week in combination with your proper diet is sufficient enough to burn off a noticeable amount of fat from your abdominal muscles that you are diligently working to develop through your ab belt.

Ab Belts are undoubtedly revolutionary pieces of fitness equipment that enable you to pursue your fitness goals while carrying on with daily activities from running errands to watching TV. Following these diet and exercise tips and incorporating them into your Ab Belt regimen will melt the inches from your stomach in no time.

Filed Under: ab belts, Ab workouts, Fitness and Exercise Tagged With: ,

The Ab Coaster – Is it The Right Ab Machine For You?

By on April 6, 2012

Ab Coaster Ab MachineIf you’ve been researching ab machines for any length of time then you’re likely no stranger to the ab coaster. The official website for the ab coaster boasts that it’s used in over 4000 fitness facilities, but what we want to know is, is the ab coaster the right home ab machine for you? After reading this review you’ll be able to answer that question. We’ll let you know how the ab coaster works, if it provides an effective ab workout to help you get a flatter stomach and stronger abdominals, plus we’ll take a look at the nitty gritty details of the price, warranty and guarantee offered with the product. So lets get started.

3 Ways to Work Your Abs

Unlike many ab machines which focus on only one movement, the ab coaster offers three different ranges of movement to help you strengthen your core and flatten your stomach. There’s the forward lift, side lift and free-style motion. Each one of these movements works a different area of your core muscles and ensures you’re developing not just your central abs (aka rectus abdominis) but also your obliques. A secondary benefit to wide range of movements you can do on the ab coaster means you’ll burn more calories which helps shed belly fat.

Your body weight is what’s used as resistance when you start using the Ab coaster, but there are weight plates just below the kneeling pads where you can add up to an additional 20 lbs of free weight plates to challenge yourself and progress your abdominal fitness even further.

Well Constructed and Comfortable

The ab coaster is a complete steel frame that supports up to 300 lbs. Compared to other ab machines there’s nothing built quite as well. You can feel confident that you’ll probably have this machine for the rest of your life.

All movements you make during your workout on the ab coaster are smooth thanks to the steel bearings used in construction. Comfort during your workout is assured thanks to the molded foam pads you rest your legs on and comfortable arms rests, and all details about your current workout are readily available at eye level thanks to the digital workout counter located between the handles.

What Consumers Think of The Ab Coaster

The majority of consumer reviews we were able to find were from satisfied customers who have achieved good results using the ab coaster. Something that we did come across in some reviews and is worth noting here is that the ab coaster is an ab strengthening machine and not a weight loss device. So it’s advised that to achieve optimal results you also follow the included Ab Coaster reduced-calorie eating plan and the Ab Coaster cardio workout.

Warranty and Guarantee

The ab coaster comes with a 1 year warranty and all purchases made directly from the manufacturers website include a 60 day money back guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied with your purchase of the ab coaster you can send it back for a full refund.

The ab coaster sells for just under $200 dollars and on the official website they offer a 4 easy payments plan of $49.99. Shipping is extra, and unfortunately isn’t the fastest. Since the Ab Coaster isn’t a small device it can take upwards of 3-4 weeks for shipping. There is a priority processing option available for $19.99. This will cut your shipping time down to 7-10 days and could be worth it for those that are motivated to get started now.

Buy or Don’t Buy?

In conclusion, while the Ab Coaster isn’t the least expensive device on the market it appears to be one of the most effective. With three different motions to work your abs and the ability to add additional free weights you should achieve some great results if used consistently. It’s also a device you should have for quite sometime thanks to the sturdy steel construction. Since Ab Coaster offers a 60 day money back guarantee you really don’t have anything to lose except for a little belly fat if you give it a try.

Filed Under: Ab machines, Ab workouts Tagged With: , ,