Advice on getting a toned stomach...

[angel_bright05]

I've been doing some crunches lately but they get so boring. Does anyone have any good exercises that will help tone up my middle section? What do you do or what have you heard that will work?

 

[AKL_Megs]

I've always heard that you can do all the crunches in the World, but you won't see any results unless you do cardio on top of the crunches, and lower your calorie intake.

Crunches suck, I do them also, but I also run about a mile (which sucks more!) and try and eat healthy, and it does take about a month and a half to really "see" results, but you can feel them sooner than that. It it helps me to watch T.V. while I do my crunches. I do them at the same time every day, so it has become routine. It's tough, but I wish you luck!!!

 

[LadyyRedd]

It depends.....are you toning an already fit stomach so that you can get muscle definition? Or do you need to lose any in your stomach?

If you need to lose any, toning your muscles won't help get rid of the extra, it will only tone the muscles already there. You need to do cardio to get rid of excess weight.

Kimya

 

[Miss Jasmine]

You might want to check out the Ab Diet book. I started applying those things to my diet and it was working, I was seeing definition. Unfortunately I fell off the wagon. Hmm maybe I should take my own advice and get back on the wagon. Surprisingly not much cardio involved, more strength training, but cardio should be incorporated (in my opinion), especially interval training.

 

[cryssi]

I definitely agree about the cardio...

A very good move to strengthen is the Plank. It strengthens your core, improving your posture. As a result of better posture, your body will look slimmer.

 

[momof2inPA]

You can build your ab muscles, then "cut" your body fat. There's no harm in doing them simultaneously or in whichever order. Other than crunches for abs, use machines, balls, and other types of crunches-- inclined, with weights, etc. You could take an ab class, yoga, or something similar, but you'll never escape the crunches.

Oh, and regular old crunches aren't effective for lower abs, you need an incline bench and some lower ab exercises, and you should exercise your back muscles if you are working your abs.

 

[MAKmom]

I'm down 10lbs & have been walking a mile a day. I just started doing crunches tonight! I have to be careful I have Osteoarthritis. This thread is a sign for me, Thank you.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I use the ball for my crunches, it's way easier on my back and I feel like I work my muscles better that way. Another exercise my trainer taught me is to lay on my back with my legs straight out in front of me and my arms at my sides. I lift both legs together until my heels face the ceiling, and I do 3 reps of 15. It really works your abs and it's easy to do, sort of like reverse crunches.

 

[jama]

I had a tummy tuck...

 

[SillyMe]

I use the ball for my crunches, it's way easier on my back and I feel like I work my muscles better that way. Another exercise my trainer taught me is to lay on my back with my legs straight out in front of me and my arms at my sides. I lift both legs together until my heels face the ceiling, and I do 3 reps of 15. It really works your abs and it's easy to do, sort of like reverse crunches.

That's a GREAT one for your lower abs, the baby pouch.

 

[grlpwrd]

I think getting your abs in shape involves all 3: toning exercises, cardio, and diet. The best ab exercises to me is Pilates, yoga, and using the exercise ball.

Then again my dh who is a bodybuilder who trains with powerlifters (and he has been a trainer before) say heavy strength workouts will get you good abs and they don't do much cardio. I am studying to get my fitness certification and I say you need cardio for a healthy heart and for other fitness benefits, like fat loss.

It also helps to change your routine often to keep from getting bored and for muscle confusion which will only help you make improvements. Not just cross training, but you also need to do different kinds of exercises to hit your abs with different intensities and angles. I mix it up with different routines, from exercise DVDs like Power 90, Taebo, Cathe Friedrich, Windsor Pilates, different cardio and strength workouts, and so on.

GL!

 

[Snow_White]

Cardio. The cross trainer is excellent for this (use your arms). It will require very little ab work if you are fit cardiovascularly. The ab ball is what I recommend for your crunches.

 

[stevenpensacola]

just watch late night tv....every other channel is an ad for boogy booty abs, or hip hoppin abs or turbo-jam abs....

it's apparent that all the folks in the ads are professional dancers....they do not look they way they look after 3 weeks of booty turbo hip hop jams ballet...

I like the small print they briefly flash on the screen:
results not typical....the "system" also includes a low-fat diet plan....wow, who would have thunk it?....eat less and exercise to lose weight? what will they think of next?

 

[jenr812]

Thanks for the info

 

[angel_bright05]

Thank you! I think I'm going to try get into running. See if that works along with still doing the crunches.

 

[MAKmom]

I love this thread any advice for someone who has to be careful with over using joints. My right hip & left knee are my problem joints. I have been walking a mile a night for the last 3 nights. So far so good.

 

[Snow_White]

If you're having problems with joints, you might want to try th elliptical. It is VERY low impact (less than walking) and a great work out.

 

[oxfordcircus]

Cycling is a fun, diverse (as in "not monotonous") way to work your abs without even noticing it. Your legs and lungs get the most attention, but your core definitely gets work. It's also very low impact.

 

[MScott1851]

If you're having problems with joints, you might want to try th elliptical. It is VERY low impact (less than walking) and a great work out.

Yep. I can only run so much...my hips are NOT my friend. The elliptical is a nice change. I try to do it for at least 30-45 minutes, then run just a little, then walk,then cool down. Even when I'm lifting weights, I'll jump on the elliptical for 3 minutes or so to get my heart rate back up.

I love the ab balls, and I try to make sure that my core muscles are being involved in almost every exercise I do..even when I'm on the elliptical I concentrate on how my abs/lower back are contracting.

 

[Cool-Beans]

CPR!!! Seriously, never a better work out than that. Geesh, my muscles let me know the next day when I did it the day before.

If you don't happen to have a person coding in your living room, you could just pile some pillows on the floor and do it that way.