Posts Tagged ‘Pilates’
There are many flat stomach exercises, in fact, all the abdominal exercises are designed to achieve a flat stomach. I am a big fan of Pilates, which offers training to the abdominal muscles in a different manner. Pilates offers flat stomach exercises focused on the ab muscles from the inside, by always maintaining an imprint spine.
Single leg toe taps and double leg toe taps are perfect flat stomach exercises for the lower area of the abs. If you have a sore back, you can place your hands under your butt to support the back.
- Bring your knees to table top.
- Lower leg so toe can tap the floor. The toe should TRY to touch the floor. However, if you arch your back, don’t bring the toes so low until your abs get stronger.
- Then repeat with the other toe.
- Do about 12 reps each leg.
- Followed by lowering both legs at the same time. Be mindful about the arch in your back,if it begins to arch, don’t lower the toes too deeply.
- Repeat 12 times.
Find a good Pilates class near you because they offer a good variety of flat stomach exercises!
Exercises For A Flat Stomach
With summer just around the corner, everyone wants to show off their flat stomach. There are exercises for a flat stomach that you can do. The most basic, simplest, mindful way to achieve the flat stomach is understanding the concept of pulling the your belly button (navel) in to your spine. Keep it there and the lower back pushed into the mat for the entire duration of any abdominal exercise and you will get that flat stomach that you seek.
I wished someone had given me this same advise when I first started working my abs. Like any other muscle, the abdominal muscles have a a memory and can be trained with bad form. Pilates 101, or the beginner’s level of Mat Pilates reinforces this fundamental principle of any exercises for a flat stomach. It is called the imprinted spine, lower back into the mat, pelvic and pubic bones tilt up, while the belly button is drawn toward the spine. When you maintain this form, any abdominal exercises you work on, will be helpful exercises for a flat stomach!
As promised, I’ll go over a list of low back exercises to keep the muscle balance between the abs and low back. There are plenty of yoga and pilates moves that are an excellent choice for the low back.
A good low back exercise taken from yoga is the Cobra.
- Place your hands directly under your shoulders, while laying on your stomach
with your legs fully extended out behind you. - Pull your belly button into your spine and inhale.
- As you slowly push up and lift your upper body off the mat, exhale and push your pelvic bones into the mat.
- Push up as far as you can comfortably go without lifting the pelvic bones off the mat.
- Keep head and neck in align with your spine, by keeping your chin parallel to the mat/floor looking forward.
- Hold the pose, and then lower the upper body on the mat and repeat 3-5 times.
The Double Leg Lift is an excellent exercise to strengthen the lower back.
- Lay prone(on your stomach), rest your forehead on the backs of your hands, one on top of another legs are extended out behind you with your heels touching.
- Pull belly button to your spine and inhale.
- As you exhale and push pelvis into the mat, lift both legs off the mat, heels stay together, legs are straight and remain extended.
- Hold the lift for 10-20 seconds while continuing to breathe.
- Lower both legs back to mat, and repeat 3-5 times.
A more aggressive move for the low back is the Bow Pose from Yoga.
- Lay prone on the mat, legs extended behind you, and arms by the side of you body, palms up.
- With each hand, reach for the foot behind you, bending your knees.
- Right hand holds right foot, left hand holds left foot.
- Exhale, and lift upper and lower body off the mat, pushing the pubic bone into the mat and hold 10-20 seconds.
- Lower body and repeat 2-3 times.
All of the above low back exercises will help strengthen the low back so there will be limited muscle imbalance between the abs and low back. Practice these moves, every other day and your lower back will get stronger. Then you can add more to your routine. Good luck and keep that low back strong!
Abdominal Exercise Equipment
The thing that is great about abdominal exercises is that you really don’t need equipment, and you can do them anywhere even if you are on vacation. Those of you who feel, that you need abdominal exercise equipment to get a more intense workout, let me help.
One of my very favorite abdominal exercise pieces of equipment is THE BOSU. Then again this is a multi-functional unit. It can be used for a full body workout, not just your abs. The Bosu is one of your more expensive items. No matter where I shop, they are always at least $99. I have them for sale on my website at www.fitnessfromthepro.com. The Bosu does come with a DVD which gives you ideas on exercises.
Another fabulous abdominal exercise equipment is the stability ball. This too can be used
for a full body workout, from your abs, to your glutes, to your calves. Stick with the 65cm size ball if you are between 5′3-5′10 ish. If you are 6′ or taller go with the 75 cm ball. The petites should use a 55cm ball. Keep in mind, the firmer the ball, the harder the exercises will be, use that challenge!
Then you have the Pilates Ring, another excellent piece of equipment. You can hold the ring between your hands, or place the ring between your legs, or feet. They are not that expensive and do come with instructions.
A chin up bar with straps are a great way to target the lower portion of your abdominals. You can buy the bar and place over a door frame, and attach the straps to it, or not.
Finally, the use of a good ‘ol dumbbell or plate, placed in between your chest and collar bone is another way to add resistance to your abdominal workout. However, my suggestion to you is master the abdominal basics first before moving on to equipment. I always, always say in my classes, that it’s better to do a few good abdominal exercises, than alot of bad ones. As you probably already know, I’m a real stickler about using proper form. Tomorrow I’ll review, proper abdominal exercise form.
Lower Abdominal Exercise
When laying supine any leg lift exercises will strengthen the lower abdominal area. You have to be really careful, because if you lower your legs too low, you will arch your back and release the abs from working. So the key is to lower the legs just low enough before the arch. You can always put your hands under your butt for some low back protection.
The lower abdominal exercise I’ll talk about today is actually a Pilates move, but very effective.
- Lay supine on the mat.
- Bring your legs with bent knees to 90 degrees.
- Option, place your hands under your butt.
- Plantar flexion (point) your toes, then lower your leg so toe touches the mat. If you begin to arch your back, don’t lower so low.
- Exhale, and bring the leg back toward you.
- Alternate your legs.
After about 12 reps each leg, then:
- Keep the knees together, with toes pointed, and lower both legs and try to touch the mat with your toes. Or lower as far as possible with out arching the back.
- Do 12 reps of these.
Another option for you:
- Cross one leg over the other above the knee.
- Hands behind head, not pulling on it.
- Lift head, neck and shoulders plus the legs, contracting the ribs toward the pelvis like a crunch.
- Then lower legs and try to tap the toe on the mat, being mindful of the arch.
- Do 12 reps on each side.
This option will work the entire abdominus rectus region. Both ways are challenging. Always begin by pulling the navel to your spine.
Exercises For a Flat Stomach
Now is the time to start working on those abs for a nice flat stomach for Spring Break and beyond. I just want to remind you that a Pilates Mat class is most excellent for abdominal work. Also remember, any abdominal work has to be balanced with lower back exercises so there is not an imbalance of the abs being stronger than the back.
A really great exercise from Pilates is the Ab Roll Up. Lay with your back on the mat with
legs fully extended and arms extended above your head on the floor. As you inhale, tuck your chin into your chest, lift the head neck and shoulders off the floor. Exhale, pulling the abs in tight and gently roll forward where your arms reach for your toes. Inhale and sit up tall, and as you begin to exhale, pull the abs tight and slowly roll back down one vertebrae at a time so your shoulders, neck, head and arms are back down on the floor. If you have a hard time rolling up, bend your knees and grab behind the thighs to gently assist you with the roll up.
Do this about 6-8 times. Keep the abdominals engaged the entire time. Tomorrow we will talk about the Teaser. You need to learn thisexercise first before we add on difficulty. Keep it here for more exercises for a flat stomach!!