Archive for January 4th, 2010
Abdominal Exercise Equipment
There is a ton of abdominal exercise equipment out there! So buyers beware and do your research. The main thing about abdominal exercises is that you don’t need any equipment or gym. As long as you perform the exercises CORRECTLY! That is ensuring you have the lower back ALWAYS pressed into the mat. Another thing, is to pull your belly button into the spine. If you are not mindful of this, eventually you will train those abs to pop out instead of staying in. Unfortunately, that’s what I was doing early on in my years of exercising. I didn’t have the guidance and/ or the knowledge I do now. I am presently retraining my abs and it’s not easy.
Here are some of my favorite pieces of abdominal exercise equipment:
- The Stability Ball- Can be used for a whole body workout and not only for abs!
- TKO Ab Trainer- I had one of the originals back in the 90’s and I used it daily. I like this piece of equipment because it too, is versatile. The big claim was taking stress off your neck. It does that.
- BOSU- What can I say about this? This, is one of my favorite abdominal equipment. It can be used for a full body workout, cardio workout, balance workout and of course abs. Don’t be afraid to turn the BOSU over. There are some extremely challenging exercises that can be done with the flat side.
Other abdominal exercise equipment that deserve honorable mentions are: The Pilates Ring and 
little ball, the ab wheel, using the roman chair, and incline/decline benches! If you can start taking Pilates classes, this will work wonders on your abs from the inside out. That is for another day.
I hope this helps you make informed decisions!
How to Feel the Burn
Everyone is always on the lookout for the best exercise routine around. They want to know what will burn the most fat, shed the most pounds, and best tone muscles. Unfortunately, there’s no magic exercise routine that can promise these results without a lot of personal work and dedication. After all, losing weight (when done in the safest way possible) is a gradual but steady process.
Although it will require effort on your part (including workouts and diet changes), it is true that some types of workouts are smarter than others. The best fat burning workouts, for example, are usually of particular interest to people.
The simple thing to remember about fat burning workouts is that increasing your heart rate is essential. When you get your heart rate to a target point, which varies for each person, you can actually increase your metabolism. This, in turn, helps you burn fat effectively.
It is also important to note that any type of exercise can help you burn fat so long as your heart rate is elevated. For some people, that means walking can be an effective fat burner. For others, it will be jogging or basketball or cycling.
Also remember to switch up the routine. If you get bored with your workout, you simply won’t stick to it.