New Web Site Provides Helpful Exercise and Nutrition Tips
Announcing a new Web site that provides powerful resources to help anyone seeking improved health and wellness. Learn how to improve the look and strength of your abdominal muscles and improve overall health. Get rid of abdominal fat and enhance your physical appearance with information provided on this new Web site.
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Hanging Leg Lift
The hanging leg lift is an intense variation on your average suspended leg lift. While you are hanging from a…
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by maklawitter

3 Abs Workout Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Copyright (c) 2008 Ed Scow

I have logged thousands of personal training sessions over my career and everybody wants to know more about abs workouts and abs exercises.

My clients want to know how to lose stomach fat and get a six-pack, or at the very least they just want to lose stomach fat so they have a firm abs that look good in their clothes (and naked).

I can’t blame them. Who doesn’t want a nice looking midsection? Who doesn’t want to get firm abs or get lean enough they can say they have a six-pack.

The problem is that 99% of them all have the same misconceptions about abs workouts and abs exercises and how to really lose stomach fat and get firm abs.

I’ve narrowed down the mistakes, myths and misconceptions surrounding abs workouts and abs exercises to my top 3.

These 3 abs workout mistakes are made by just about everyone I’ve ever trained, designed a program for, or consulted.

Are you making these same mistakes?

1) Spending too much time doing crunches – I’m just going to come right out and say it…you don’t need to do crunches to get six pack abs and you sure as heck don’t need to do crunches to lose stomach fat or even get a firm abs.

Crunches simply don’t work enough muscle and don’t burn enough fat calories to be thought of as a worthwhile exercise in order to lose stomach fat, let alone get firm abs or a six-pack.

Spending 20 minutes a day doing hundreds (or thousands) of crunches is like electing Big Bird or Elmo president.

Sure they may sound good and have all the answers, but it just doesn’t make much sense electing a puppet to such a high office (sorry, that was my attempt at a joke).

Doing hundreds, or even thousands, of crunches will strengthen your abdomen, that’s for sure, but what does it matter if you still have a layer of flabby goo covering up all the hard work?

Instead you need to focus on full body workouts and full body abs exercises in order to lose stomach fat fast and get the firm, toned stomach or six pack abs you’re after.

Take for instance this abs workout, using only full body abs exercises, I designed for a client. Do this mini-circuit before your regular workout, when you’re still fresh, so you can really hit your abs hard.

1A) Dumbbell Overhead Squat – 10 reps
1B) Mountain Climbers – 30 seconds
1C) Reverse Plank – 30 seconds

Do that in a circuit format, resting 20 seconds after the final exercise before repeating it again 2 or 3 times. Do that for a few week and you’ll definitely see a difference in your abs and you will lose stomach fat.

2) Throwing all your hard work out the door by eating poorly – What good does it do to work so hard in your fat loss workouts only to come home, or leave your home gym, and eat junk?

What sense does it make that after all your hard work, you ruin it with poor eating habits on a daily basis? This is quite possibly one of the dumbest things you could do. I don’t mean to be rude, I’m just trying to put it bluntly.

If you want to lose stomach fat and get firm abs, or even six-pack abs, you need to clean up your diet and stop eating so poorly. You need to quit eating processed junk found in boxes and bags like crackers and chips, stop eating things like bagels and processed breads and start eating more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, legumes and healthy fats.

You also need to start eating multiple times throughout the day, and this especially means eating breakfast. It also means cutting out the late night snacking and cutting down on alcohol.

You know what to cut out, so do it.

Remember what your goals are. You want to lose stomach fat and you want to get firm abs. Eat like it!

3) Not actively flexing, or bracing, your abdominals in every exercise – It’s sad that I have to say this, but all too often, people don’t actively flex their abdominals while doing an abs exercise.

I don’t know why. You’d think that because you’re doing an abs exercise that you’d be flexing your abs hard every repetition, but too many people just go through the motions and to way too fast.

You need to slow down and actively flex your abdominals when you’re doing an abs exercise. And for every exercise that’s not an abs exercise, you need to brace them like somebody is about to punch you in the stomach.

Doing so will ensure that you learn to “control” your abs and make sure that when you do lose stomach fat that you’ll have a defined and toned midsection worthy of praise.

I also want you to think of it this way…every exercise should be an abs exercise. If you brace your abs during every single exercise in your fat loss workout, you’ll essentially turn every single exercise into an abs exercise. Doing a chest press, brace your abs. Doing a lunge, brace your abs. Every single exercise you do, whether you’re working your abs specifically or not, should be turned into an abs exercise.

If you stop making these vital abs workout and abs exercise mistakes, and start doing full body workouts with full body abs exercises, I guarantee that you’ll begin to lose stomach fat and get firm abs (and maybe even that sought after six-pack) in no time.

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TORONTO — When Danny Biega returns to school in September he might have a new nickname on campus: The Harvard Hulk. While Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin did most of the talking as the highly-sought-after top prospects at the recent NHL draft combine, it was Biega who did the heavy lifting. The 18-year-old was one of the best performers, having finished first out of a 100 other prospects in most …
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‘Suspension Training’ Takes Workout To New Level
When exercising, we often depend on machines, bikes, treadmills and other pieces of equipment to help us get in better shape. But there is a device that uses nothing more than gravity and your muscle power to achieve a surprisingly difficult workout.
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Proform treadmills come in many kinds of styles and for several specialized uses. You can purchase them for a few thousand dollars or under five hundred dollars, depending on what features you want to have. Some of these Proform treadmills are used for cross training, that provides you with a more complete exercise since you are exercising your arms along with your legs, thus working off more calories. In case you are in need of personal exercise machines, you should think about investing in any of the Proform treadmills which you’ll find in stores. Another great model to consider is the Proform 650 Treadmill.

The Proform treadmills all contain a program which can track your pulse as well as a console which enables you to program the machine for a individualized workout. Several of Proform’s treadmills come with individualized workouts while others come with built in workouts. One of the most conveinent benefits of the Proform treadmills which provide a programmable workout is that you are able to key some personal data into the console and then do the workout which will be programmed for you. When you exercise with Proform treadmills, you will enjoy several options regarding exercise sessions.

If you are looking for reliable residential exercise machines, you should think about the Proform treadmills. These machines could allow you to enjoy the same type of workout that you might experience in the gym, except that you are able to exercise in your home. If you intend to make the most use of any of the Proform treadmills, set your alarm 30 to 45 minutes early and wake up to go on this treadmill. By accomplishing a cardiovascular exercise immediately in the morning, you accelerate your metabolism. This causes you to burn off more calories throughout a day. A nice option is the Proform 690 Treadmill.

The best way to use the Proform treadmills is to exercise with them when your day starts. If you cannot manage to use them at daybreak, you can then use them during lunch hour or right after work. Most trainers recommend avoiding the use of these Proform treadmills, or for that matter, any cardiovascular exercise machines, directly before bed or after dinner.

When you follow the fitness courses made for the Proform treadmills, you will be successful in the struggle for losing weight.
Even if you never decrease your calorie intake and you just step up your physical activity by working out with the Proform treadmills, you can work off those unwanted pounds.

You are able to run, fitness walk or stroll as you are using Proform treadmills, to recieve either a high or low intensity workout, subject to your abilities. All of the treadmills sold by Proform can help you to slim down or maintain your weight as you only need to use the program on the digital display which will help you burn off calories and tone your body. You might also want to look into the Proform 650 & 690 Treadmill.
 

Training to get a firm abdomen means to extend and exalt flaccid stomach muscles and force them to work again. You stomach became flabby due to a number of reasons some of which have been associated with childbirth, age, abdominal surgery, or simply because of fat junk food you’ve been constantly consuming. But we all want to look our best, especially in summer on the beach, so it's time to get to work to return that flat belly back.

If you live near a gym or have a gym membership, then it is a very good time to go use it. The day to start training your abdominal muscles has come.

If you are more honest with yourself and know that you will not be able to keep your twelve months gym membership and decided that walking is more close to your style, good for you! You can simply go and enjoy your walks once or twice a week, preferably if you can hide away the scales for the next month. If you insist on their use you may be discouraged too easily and not get the very abdomen you always wanted to have. Believe scales are not your friend when you are at the very beginning of your training program.

If you've been going to the gym, then you have been probably working with the gym instructor and have already made many of the exercises to flatten and tighten your ab muscles. It is not a secret that you can do these exercises at home. An additional set during the day will only make you stronger and it will definitely help you to flatten your stomach.

If you've been walking, then it's time to do some floor workouts. Straight leg lifts is undoubtedly one of the best exercises that gives the best results it is also the exercise that a lot of people also use to strengthen their thigh muscles and the lower abdomen. Start with a series of ten and work your way up to three sets of ten.

There is one more effective exercise. To perform it lie on your back, lift your knees and place your feet flat on the mat, put your hands along your body with palms down and lift your buttocks off the floor as high as you can. Hands should be placed on the mat, palms down. Performing the exercise you must feel how your hips, back and abdominal muscles are doing the work. Do not press too hard as you can easily pull a muscle. Simply lift the back and stomach in the air, doing the exercise more intensively every time you are training.

Consistency is the main key to obtaining a flat abdomen.

Wanna get flat stomach? Then you should find out more about abs workout.

Surely abs workout are not some sort of magic against all issues, but if you take care of abs workout seriously – then it will help you for sure.

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That is why if you are properly armed with the info in your topic you can be sure that you will in any case find the way out from any bad situation. So, please make sure to track this web site on a regular basis or – the least time consuming way of doing it – sign up to its RSS. Thus you will have your hand on the pulse of the freshest informational updates here. Blogs can be helpful, you just need to understand how to use it.

If you’re like the rest of us, then you’ve been on a quest to figure out how to get great abs. What most people don’t understand is that learning how to get great abs entails much more than just churning out thousands of crunches.

In fact, that isn’t a recommended strategy at all. Getting great abs means making changes to your workouts as well as your meal plan, giving you a chance to lean out and build muscle at the same time. Follow these 5 key tips to master the strategy and finally get those great abs you’ve been dreaming about.

1. Making Smarter Food Choices:

You can have the strongest, most solid abs in the world, but if they are buried underneath layers of fat nobody will ever see them. To first step in learning how to get great abs is therefore really about mastering your nutritional program. You need to make smarter food choices that provide more nutrients and plenty of protein, while cutting back on empty calories from snack food and foods high in saturated fats.

Click Here for the ultimate six pack abs guide

2. Use Interval Training:

Study after study continue to prove that interval training is more effective for burning calories and torching fat than standard cardio training is. The different paces of interval training forces your body to continually stay on its toes, as you stimulate different muscles in different ways. The end result is that you accomplish more in less time, and you’ll be that much closer to a lean physique and great abs.

3. Incorporate Weight Lifting:

Weightlifting can be used for many different purposes, and it’s not all about getting biceps the size of bowling balls. When you lift weights, you not only promote muscle growth but you simultaneously increase your metabolism due to the demands that muscle growth places on your body. As a result, you will actually be helping yourself lose excess fat when you weight train, which will bring you even closer to figuring out how to get great abs.

4. Staying Hydrated:

Proper hydration is very important, regardless of what your individual fitness goals may be. Water helps all of your body’s processes, including your metabolism, work as efficiently as possible. Plus you will have more energy for your workouts, and all of the nutrients you eat will be evenly and quickly distributed throughout your entire body.

5. Getting Your Shuteye:

Many people forget that part of the process of how to get great abs is ensuring that you get plenty of rest. A consistent sleep cycle is important because it’s when you’re sleeping that your muscles grow and repair themselves. It’s also when your entire body recuperates and gets you ready to tackle the upcoming day. So don’t forget to get plenty of sleep each and every night.

If you follow these 5 tips you’ll be on your way to getting great abs in no time. Learning how to get great abs doesn’t have to be rocket science, and anybody can accomplish the goal once they are armed with the proper knowledge.

Click Here for the ultimate six pack abs guide

One of the biggest complaints most people have when trying to get in shape is the stomach area, specifically belly fat commonly known as ‘love handles’. Not many people love these fatty areas that accumulate on the sides of the stomach around the external obliques.  Here I explain 3 of the best exercises to lose love handles…

The problem is that the standard stomach exercise won’t eliminate ‘love handles’, crunches and sit-ups have no effect on them. The only way to eliminate them is to use exercises geared at working the oblique muscles.

Click Here for the ultimate six pack abs guide

Before beginning this or any fitness routine consult with a fitness professional to avoid injury and always warm up before starting a work out.

Exercises to Lose Love Handles Fast

The Side Bend

Although this is a simple exercise, don’t doubt its effectiveness in helping to lose those love handles fast.

To start, stand tall and straight with the feet shoulder width apart. Bend the knees slightly then lower the upper body to one side and then to the other side.

Do not lean forward or backwards, only side to side.

The Torso Twist

This is an excellent exercise to follow the side bend as you are already in the standing position. The torso twist is also quite effectual at eliminating those ‘love handles’.

From the standing position, with feet still shoulder width apart, twist the torso in a slow motion from one side to the other side.

Be sure to use the torso to twist, not the hips or the exercise won’t work. Keep the upper body straight and don’t bend. Focus on using the oblique muscles to do the twisting.

Side Crunch

For this exercise and the one following it you will need to lie down on the floor, use a mat or towel to soften the floor if necessary. Lie on one side, either one is fine as you will switch to the other one later on.

Using the right side as a starting point put the right arm across the waist area – the right hand should wind up resting on the left side of the body. Now, bring your left hand up and touch the tip of your ear, the elbow will now be pointing straight up.

Next, raise your left leg up about twelve inches while at the same time lifting your shoulders off the floor.

Squeeze the oblique muscles as you are lifting and hold the position for a few seconds. Slowly lie back down. Do a set then switch to the other side.

Seated Knee Drop

While still on the floor seat yourself on your hipbones. This is different than sitting on your butt. Use your hands to stabilize your body by putting them on the floor behind you. Next, put your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent and ankles together.

Next, let the knees move down to the right, although your feet will roll as well, they should stay on the floor. Continue to lower the knees until they are around six inches above the floor.

Hold this position for one or two seconds then move the knees back upright and to the left with the same procedure.

The key to this exercise is to focus on using the stomach muscles and not the body’s natural momentum to lower the legs, a slow, deliberate pace will help accomplish this.

While these are some of the best exercises to lose love handles fast you must also remember that your diet and fitness regime must also be aimed at burning fat, otherwise no amount of exercise to your external obliques will give good results.

For further information on how to lose love handles fast, I suggest you checkout the best guide I've read so far on the subject by clicking the link below:

Click Here for the ultimate six pack abs guide

People who are trying to obtain a flat stomach have many different options, many that are wrong and many that are right. Choosing the wrong abdominal workout routine can lead to poor or no results or even pain and injury to the back or other muscles.

Before doing any fitness routine be sure to consult a fitness professional, stretch and warm up and keep the following titbits of important information in mind:

Knees Should Be Kept Up

To prevent injury to the back, the knees should be kept bent with the feet flat on the floor. The knees should be center aligned and pointing up. If the knees are not centered and are slanted to one side, the vertebrae become compressed which leads to back injury and pain. Any exercises that cause pain and can lead to injury should never be included in your abdominal workout routine.

Click Here for an amazing six pack abs guide

Traditional Sit-Ups

Many people don’t realize that the traditional sit-up has little or no effect on the stomach muscles and it often included in their abdominal workout routine. Regardless of how it is done, the hip muscles are absorbing most of the strain and the arms are usually doing most of the work, which is useless in obtaining flat abs.

In addition, most people do sit-ups in a very fast motion, which means that the body’s momentum is actually doing the work, not the stomach muscles. Rather than wasting time with sit-ups, do crunches for much better results.

Leg Lift- Straight

The straight leg lift is another ‘old school’ stomach exercise that I would not include in my abdominal workout routine. They offer little if any benefits to the stomach. Instead, the back muscles do all the work and in the end can be strained or injured.

Over Exertion

More than fifty reps of any stomach exercise is futile. If fifty reps don’t garner the results desired, then one hundred reps won’t either. If the exercise is becoming too easy, move to a more complex one that works even more muscles.

Sleeping

Sleep plays a large part in an abdominal workout routines. The sleeping position at night affects the exercise the next day. If you sleep in a position that makes you wake up with pain in the back, chances are you aren’t going to be able to work the abdominal muscles the next day.

Avoid sleeping on the stomach, this position makes the back arch and hurt the next day. Try sleeping with a pillow between the knees while lying on the backside. This will keep the back in alignment and help prevent back pain, which in turn allows for working out the next day without pain.

No Resistance

Abdominal fitness routines require some type of resistance in order to produce results. Resistance can come in the form of an exercise ball, a resistance band or even gravity. Exercises that do not have any resistance produce little or no results. For example, standing broomstick twists have no resistance, while this is a good warm up exercise; it is not directly beneficial to a flat abdomen.

Proper Technique

When it comes to exercising, technique is very important. Improper techniques can lead to pain and injury which prevents further exercise. Investigate and learn about new exercises before diving into them and always consult a fitness professional before starting a new program.

If you take all these points into consideration when choosing a new abdominal workout routine then you will see much better results.

Click Here for an amazing six pack abs guide

Often exercise routines for the stomach neglect to work individual abdominal muscles in addition to working them as a group. A targeted lower abdominal workout, for example, is often needed for individual attention to the lower abs in order to develop them to the full potential.

There are many exercises designed specifically for working the lower stomach muscles. Before beginning these, be sure to consult with a professional and make sure to include a warm up to avoid injury.

Lower Abdominal Workout Exercise #1 : Crunchless Crunch

The crunchless crunch sounds simpler than it is. When done properly, this can be a difficult but effective exercise for toning the lower stomach muscles.

The muscles used in this exercise are not used often and it may take some getting used to in order for it to work.

Click Here for the ultimate six pack abs guide

The goal is to try to pull the belly button inwards toward the spine. Lie on the stomach on a flat surface or kneel on all fours, whichever is most comfortable.

Relax and the let body become as fluid as possible. Using only the stomach muscles attempt to pull the naval in towards the spine.

Hold for a period of ten seconds. If ten seconds is simple, increase the time.

The position should be held until it can’t be felt or it feels like other muscles are doing the work, once this is achieved, released the contraction.

Lower Abdominal Workout Exercise #2 : Alternating Toe Touch

For this exercise, lie on a flat surface, such as the floor, and use an exercise mat or towel to support the spine.

While lying flat, the feet are put into the air. Use the stomach muscles to lift the shoulders off the floor with the right arm extended. Touch the toes with the right hand and then lower back to the starting position.

Repeat using the left arm extended to touch the right toes.

During this exercise, the knees should be kept in alignment and a space should be held open between the chin and chest to insure that the stomach muscles are doing the work.

Lower Abdominal Workout Exercise #3 : Sit-Up Hold

Remain on the floor for this abdominal exercise. Place the hands behind the head and bend the knees while keeping feet flat on the floor. Elbows should not be seen, keep them behind not beside the head.

Lift the shoulders off the floor using the lower abdominal muscles. Hold the position for at least ten seconds or even longer if ten is too easy. Do not use the arms or neck to help lift, make the stomach muscles do the work.

Hold for ten seconds and then repeat.

Lower Abdominal Workout Exercise #4 : Lower Back Flatten

This exercise is an evolution of the sit-up hold. It starts from the same position – flat on the floor with bent knees and flat feet.

In this exercise the goal is to push the lower back into the floor, closing the natural gap that is created by the curve of the spine. This should be done using the stomach muscles, not the legs.

The pelvic area may rotate which is not wrong as long as the stomach muscles are doing the work.

After getting the back pushed down to the floor, hold for ten or more seconds, the time held will gradually build as the stomach muscles strengthen.

This entire lower abdominal workout should take no more than about 10 mins and should be performed about 3-4 times a week for the best results.  

Click Here for the ultimate six pack abs guide

A six pack ab workout is the talk of any local gym or fitness center and a perfect six is the goal that many bodybuilders strive for, it is also the goal of many people who are just striving to have that rippled body that completes their physical appearance.

The concept might seem simple, lose body fat while strengthening the abdominal muscles, however, making those words a reality are another story all together. It can be done, with the right amount of dedication, willpower and some serious patience, a six pack of abs can become your reality.

The following 6 pack ab workout and advice will help get that six pack of abs by building muscle. Remember that you must also lose fat so follow a proper diet to burn calories. Also remember to warm up before starting any exercise routine and consult a professional for advice.

Click Here for the most comprehensive 6 pack abs guide available

Intermediate Six Pack Ab Workout Exercise #1 – Crunches

Lie on the floor, if necessary use a mat or towel to soften the floor. Place your arms across your chest, not over your head – this makes is harder to use them for leverage.

Raise the shoulders and upper torso off the floor and towards your knees using your abdominal muscles. Keep in mind that you need to focus on keeping the abdominals tight during the crunch.

Also do not let the head touch the floor when returning to the lying position.

Repeat for 10-15 reps and for 3 sets.

Intermediate 6 Pack Ab Workout Exercise #2 – Leg lifts

Lie down on the floor with your legs straight out and your hands at your side. Keeping the body in a straight alignment, lift both legs straight up in the air until they are as close as possible to ninety degrees.

Next, lower the legs slowly but do not let them go all the way back to the floor. Again, concentrate on pulling the abdominal muscles in tight during the move and move slowly.

If you are in the gym, try the same exercise using the equipment there that allows you to pull yourself up and extend your legs out. A pull-up bar will also work.

Repeat for 10-12 reps and for 3 sets.

Intermediate Six Pack Ab Workout Exercise #3 – V-Ups

Lie on the floor again in a straight out position with your arms extended up above your head. Raise both the torso and the legs at the same time to form a “V”.

Hold the position for five to ten seconds while concentrating on keeping the abdominal muscles contracted.

Try reaching your feet with your hands. Relax and return to the starting position.  As this exercise gets easier you can add weights to your feet to make it harder and increase the workout on your muscles.

Repeat for 10-12 reps and for 2-3 sets.

Intermediate 6 Pack Ab Workout Exercise #4 – Static Hold and Side Statics

Position yourself in the pushup position; however, put your elbows on the floor and the rest of the body flat.

This is what is known as the static hold and it trains the core muscles to hold the body in the position you put it in. Hold the position as long as you can at least 45 -50 seconds for beginners.

The side static hold is similar. Roll over onto one side of the body and lift into the same position as you did for the static hold. The free arm should be pointed upwards into the air and the leg that is not bearing weight should be resting on top of the other one. Again, hold as long as possible.

There are many other six pack ab exercises that you can do, but this six pack ab workout should get you good results. Do this routine 3-5 times a week.

Click Here for the most comprehensive 6 pack abs guide available