It’s November- once again the holiday season is upon us! How did that happen? This may be an opportune time to talk about abs- haha!
You may have great biceps, but do you feel comfortable with your shirt off, and showing a tight abdominal wall? The abdominal wall (core) are the key to long lasting fitness, and fundamental to many sports, running, jumping, and everyday living. Exercises are only going to give you the results you want, If they are combined with a calorie controlled diet.
The following exercises are optimum for abdominal wall stimulus.
1. Upper Abdominal
Ab crunches: Lying on your back with your legs bent at the knees at a 90 degree angle, put your hands behind your head,slowly raise your head and shoulders off the ground. Lead with your chin pointing upwards- come up as much as you can, putting the focus on slow, consist ant repetitions, flexing the abdominal wall throughout the movement- slowly lower without letting your shoulders touch the floor & repeat.
2. Lower Abdominal
Hanging Leg Raise: Put/place arm harnesses shoulder length above your head, on a bar or another devise so that your feet are not touching the floor when they are straight. Hang in the harness and bring your knees up to 45 degrees, in a slow, controlled movement. To increase intensity bring your legs up keeping straight until they are parallel to your hip in height. Always exhale on the way up – inhale down.
3. Obliques/side
Cross crunch: To be performed like Ab crunches- with the difference that when you come up to contract you bring your elbow up to the alternate thigh,ie; right elbow to left knee/left elbow to right knee. This will engage your suratis/intracostil and oblique area , helping to tighten the waist from the side, giving a more tapered look.
These exercises performed 2/3 times per week together with optimum nutrition will help you to your goals.
In conclusion there are many ways to engage the abdominal wall, but you will know if they are executed correctly , as 20 -30 reps per set will give you a deep burn – if you can do more and feel it in your neck or hip flexors , you are doing it wrong! Start Again.
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Remember we can only get better one day at a time and the best is yet to come!
