When To Do Stomach Exercises

There is no question, people want flatter stomachs. Whether it is a woman who just had a baby, or a man who wants to impress someone, or anyone in between. While most people have good intentions when it comes to building their 'six pack" not as many people can find the time or dedication to really follow through to see real results, and usually give up. To remedy the problem there are several ideas that can help a person wanting to get a flatter stomach but cannot find the time or energy to do intense stomach exercises.

For as many people that want to do stomach exercises, there are just as many people, probably more, that like to watch television. This is a perfect time to do stomach exercises. During commercials, or every ten minutes if there are no commercials, try lying on the floor and doing as many stomach exercises as possible during the break. If you have not done stomach exercises in awhile, it is best to start slowly, but eventually make it a game, and try to get more repetitions in each time. By following this simple plan, it will help your body in several different ways. First of all, there is no extra scheduling involved, for most people, watching television at some point in the day is natural so no extra time is taken out of the day to do stomach exercise. The second thing this strategy helps with is that the human body should not remain motionless for more then thirty minutes anyway, by getting up and doing stomach exercises every few minutes it really boosts up the bodies metabolism.

Another good time to do stomach exercises is first thing in the morning. Try rolling out of bed, maybe literally, and lie down on the floor and do as many repetitions as possible in a set amount of time, even just five minutes. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that exercising first thing in the morning may be more beneficial to a person then trying to exercise other times of the day. While there are many reasons for this, one valid reason is that it gets the metabolism going for the day after a nights sleep. Since most people are extra concerned about the appearance of their stomach, it seems logical to start the day with a good set of stomach exercise.

Of course, for those that are able to dedicate time each day to exercising, their routine should include stomach exercises. There are some reports that say that muscles need time to rest, so only exercise a particular group of muscles every other day, while other reports say that stomach muscles are ok to exercise everyday. One way to answer the question on when to do stomach exercises, every day or every other day is first listen to your body. If the stomach muscles are sore, rest them, if not then maybe one day work on them more intensely then the next day, but try to include at least one set of stomach exercises daily.

There is good reason for wanting to develop strong stomach muscles, besides for appearance sake. This is the core of your body. If it is not strong, the rest of your body will suffer. The good news is that most stomach exercises can be done anywhere with absolutely no machines or gadgets. With a little diligence and some creativity, there are plenty of times throughout the day to sneak in stomach exercises

Abdominal Exercise

Many people are bothered by lower back pain. The pain can be the result of an injury, arthritis or poor posture. No matter why the pain is there it is often debilitating. The thing that people who are not in constant pain do not realize is how much energy is taken from the person that is suffering from the pain. The pain can cause sleep deprivation which leads to the inability to concentrate and the feeling of being tired. There are many things that can be done to help with back pain. One of the most effective is abdominal exercise.

Many people do not realize how much the abdominal muscles help to support the lower back. By keeping these muscles strong the back is supported more. Exercises that stretch and strengthen the abdominal area can greatly alleviate the pain. Abdominal exercise is usually done lying on your back. For some people with severe back pain getting off the floor from a laying position can be quite difficult. For these people they can begin to strengthen the stomach muscles by performing the abdominal exercise in bed. This is not as affective as doing them on the hard surface of the floor, but it can begin the strengthening process so that the person can get to the point of lying on the floor.

Another effective and joint friendly way to begin the process of strengthening the stomach muscles is through deep breathing exercises. These are exercises that can be done in any position and at anytime throughout the day. Simply sit or stand very erect and pull in the abdominal muscles as you take in deep breaths of air. Hold the breath and slowly exhale, keeping the stomach muscles held firm. Repeat this procedure several times throughout the day. The deep breathing will also help relax tense muscles that may contribute to the pain level.

A more advanced abdominal exercise is doing belly crunches. This involves lying flat on your back with your knees raised and you feet planted firmly on the ground. Place your hands behind your head and lift the head and shoulders a few inches off the ground. Hold that position for a few seconds and go back down. Repeat this for a number of times. The deep breathing can be added to the abdominal exercise by inhaling and exhaling as you rise and fall. There are many variations that can be done with this basic exercise, such as reaching your arms out in front of you between your knees as you rise. If you alternate one arm than the next over your stomach as if you are climbing a rope you will work the abdominal muscles that are higher. Repeating these simple moves in the morning and evening will help to warm your back muscles as you prepare for work or sleep. Warming the muscles through stretching also helps to alleviate the pain.

Lower Stomach Exercises

An important and sometimes neglected step in stomach exercise routines is isolating particular muscles within the abdominal group. One such set of muscles which needs isolation in order to be exercised properly are the muscles in the lower stomach. There are a number of stomach exercises which isolate and work these muscles. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.

Crunchless Crunch This first exercise is fairly simple but can also be fairly difficult. Essentially, it involves trying to pull the belly button in towards the spine. This can be tricky, as it involves using muscles which you may not be used to activating. To start, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. You might want to try both ways and see which helps you feel the exercise better. Relax your body as much as possible, then try to use only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds. If holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you feel this, let the contraction out.

Alternating Toe Touch You will need to lie on a flat surface for this stomach exercise. The floor works best, using a mat or towel to cushion the spine. Lie on the floor and put your feet up in the air. Extend your right arm and use your lower abdominals to lift your shoulders off the floor. Touch your left toes with your right hand, then lower yourself back down. Switch hands and repeat. Keep your knees straight throughout and maintain a space between your chin and chest.

Sit-Up Hold While you are still on the floor, try this stomach exercise. Bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor and position your hands behind your head. Keep your elbows back so you cannot see them-- do not put them alongside your head. Use your lower abdominals to lift your shoulders off the floor. Hold for ten seconds. You may increase the number of seconds you hold as it gets easier. Be sure to lift with your abdominals and not with your arms or neck.

Lower Back Flatten This stomach exercise is a good natural progression from the sit-up hold, as it starts from the same basic position: lying down, knees bent, feet flat. You may have noticed when you did the previous exercise that there is a natural space between your lower back and the floor, created by the curve of your spine. In this exercise, you want to use your lower abdominals to push your lower back toward the floor and eliminate this space. Try to focus on pushing with only your lower abdominals and not your legs. Your pelvis will rotate slightly, which is fine so long as the lower abdominals are doing the work. Once you have got your back flat to the floor, hold the contraction for ten seconds. Again, you should continue to build on this time as your stomach muscles gain strength and endurance.

Yoga For Women_ How To Gain A Shapely Waist Through Yoga

The size of the waist is an indication of overall fitness for many people. Most health experts agree that a smaller waist is healthier than a big one. The reasoning behind this is that increases in fat around the waist usually result in increased health risks such as diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure.

In evolutionary and biological terms, a small waist signifies youth and vitality. But doing endless workouts of crunches alone will not allow you to achieve that Venus-like waist of your dreams. You will need to supplement specific waist-orientated exercises with ones from various disciplines.

Specifically you will need to work the inner girdle of muscles - commonly known as the core muscles - with slow abdominal exercises that work very deep into these muscle groups.

While usually associated with building flexibility, some specific exercises from yoga-based workouts also target the underlying core muscles around the waist.

Six Pack Abs_ Abdominal Exercise Equipment

Six pack abs are desired by almost everybody. Getting those washboard abs are becoming a necessity because of long and convincing infomercials that we see a lot. There are numerous abdominal exercise equipment in the market nowadays like abdominal belts, abs-rockers, abs-lounges and many more.

When choosing for the correct equipment you would need to consider some things first. You should not be deceived into buying fancy equipment which you do not really need. You can do some research about abdominal exercise machines and workout equipment before you buy them. The selected equipment must be easy to move and easily detachable.

Before attempting any rigorous fitness schedules at home with the newly purchased machine, consult with a doctor first regarding injuries and medical conditions. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for maintaining the machine. All said and done, the bottom line is any piece of exercise equipment is a good choice if one uses it.

So what are the benefits of having an abdominal exercise machine at home? This would allow you to focus on hard on the target. Some abdominal exercise equipment is poorly designed or made from weak, undependable materials; some can even be dangerous to use. Strained or torn abdominal muscles are incredibly painful, and can put you on the shelf for a long time. Buying poorly designed abdominal exercise equipment is a risk you don't have to take.

There are steps to ensure that you are choosing the correct abdominal equipment for you:

(1) Choose the equipment based on how much space you have and how intensely you plan on working out. If you live on a small apartment, you may wish to opt for smaller devices.

(2) Make sure to adjust your abdominal equipment so that you are comfortable throughout your exercise. Lay your towel where you can easily get it to absorb your sweat.

(3) When picking up or using weight, make sure that it is not too heavy or it will injure you and will make you fall.

(4) You can interlock your feet, ankles, or knees in the abdominal equipment you are using. This would give you added support and stability while working out.

(5) Begin by inhaling , tightening your abdomen back toward your spine and then raising your neck and head a few inches off the ground. Exhale as you roll up. Support your head with your hands so you don't strain your neck.

Some great pieces for your workout include:

(1) Stability Ball (Exercise Ball)

The stability ball is a great piece of equipment. In addition to increasing range of motion for crunches and other abdominal exercises, the stability ball also improves your balance and coordination. You can start with the basics such as regular crunches or oblique crunches.

(2) Medicine Ball

The medicine ball is simply a weighted ball. Although some people may think that medicine balls are only for boxers and athletes, medicine balls can really enhance your core workout.

(3) Ankle Weights

Ankle weights can increase the intensity of reverse crunches and leg raises. When regular leg raises become really easy, you can add ankle weights to increase the muscle work in your abs.

(4) Cables or Resistance Tubes

Here is another way you can add resistance to your abdominal muscles to break through strength. You can perform cable crunches from a low cable tower by lying on the floor and holding the resistance behind your head. Or you can perform cable crunches from a kneeling position.

There are number of equipment in the market that you can use to get yourself six pack abs. Your just have to choose the correct one and the one that suits your needs the best.

The Importance Of Working Your Core Muscle

Suppose that at a distance you see a short, stooped figure walking with short, slow steps. Most likely, you will conclude that the person is old. The hunched posture gives you the clue.

Why does aging contort so many bodies in this way? The reason is that many people, throughout their lives, never extend the neck to its full range, and so the muscles shorten. Long hours of reading, sewing, typing, or standing at a workbench take their toll. Eventually deposits of calcium salts in the joints complete the process of immobilization. Once this calcification takes place, nothing can be done to reverse it.

Fortunately, older persons can take action before it is too late. The best action is regular exercise that stretches the muscles and improves flexibility, with special considerations on the core muscles. This kind of response is relatively important for a number of factors that when taken for granted will only lead to serious health problems.

What Are Core Muscles?

Core muscles pertain to the muscles found at the obliques, abdominals, lower back, and the glutes. These four areas of the body are the ones that usually frame the posture of a person. Hence, a good posture reflects the good condition of these muscle areas.

What people do not know is that core muscles are actually the "core" or the central part for all the strength that is needed to boost carry out different physical activities. This only means that if an individual's core muscle is physically powerful, it will maintain equilibrium on the body and will stabilize the system every time the person is working out and moving.

Strengthening Core Muscles

The main responsibility of the core muscles is to provide enough power to the body in order to enable it to cope up with the dynamic challenges of every physical activity that a person encounters.

For this reason, many health and fitness experts have realized that it is relatively important to strengthen the core muscles than with the other muscles in the body. Through some series of experiments and research, they have found out that having a stronger core can lessen a lot of health problems concerning posture.

For instance, a well-conditioned core muscle can project good posture. It can also improve the endurance of the back all the way through the day.

Why? Because muscles that are included in the group of core muscles are actually the ones that initiate the proper stabilization of the whole upper and lower torso.

So, for those who wish to know and understand why it is important strengthen the core muscles, here is a list of some of the benefits that you can use as references:

1. Strengthening core muscles will improve posture and prevent low back pain of the muscular origin.

This means that as you incorporate stretching exercises in your routine, taking a particular focus on the muscles of the upper and front part of the trunk, including the abdominal and trunk muscles, the activity has the tendency to strengthen the muscles of the back that extend to the spine.

2. It will help tone the muscles, thereby, avoiding further back injury

Exercising your core muscles will strengthen and tones your lower back muscles and buttocks while stretching the hip flexors and the muscles on the front of the thighs.

Achieving this state will deter you from any serious lower back injury.

3. Improves physical performance

Exercising the core muscles with slow, static stretching is just as effective in relieving stiffness and enhances flexibility. Once the flexibility of a person has improved, it follows that he will be able to perform his physical activities at a better state.

4. They do not cause sore aching muscles

Static stretching for core muscles is best for the muscles and connective tissues. And because it employs slow stretches only, it will not cause any soreness, as do the quick, bouncing exercises that rely on jerky muscle contraction.

5. Lengthen muscles and avoid unbalanced footing as you get old

Core muscle exercises lengthen the muscles that have contracted as a result of pain. It also prevents pain from vigorous exercise if they are included at the end of each workout.

Health and fitness experts highly recommend starting core work out immediately and repeating the routine at least 2 times a week. The process can be done after the workout or even during the activity, for about 10 to 20 minutes only.

Indeed, core muscles are absolutely important in determining the good posture of the body. Strengthening them can absolutely eliminate those nuisances of back pains.

Six Poor Stomach Exercise Habits

As with all things, there is a right way to go about working for a flatter midsection, and several wrong ways. Working out the wrong way can lead to no physical improvement or worse, serious injury. When doing stomach exercises or any other exercise, be sure to consult a professional, warm up properly, and remember the following tips.

Keep Your Knees Up When doing crunches, you want your knees to bent and your feet flat on the floor so that your knees are centered and pointed upward. Keep them centered and up, not to one side. If you drop your knees to one side, you are unnecessarily compressing your vertebrae, which can lead to a painful back injury.

Sit-Ups Traditional sit-ups actually do very little for the abdominal muscles. Even when done properly, the strain is mostly on the hip muscles. There is also the tendency to pull the torso up with the arms, which of course is not the point of the exercise. Further, when sit-ups are done very quickly, as people have a tendency to do, it is momentum that mostly forces the torso up and down, rather than any muscle groups. The crunch is a good alternative to old school sit-ups.

Straight Leg Lift Another traditional 'stomach exercise," this move actually works the lower back more than any muscles in the midsection. This is also another way to put strain on your back, possibly leading to injury.

Too Many Reps There is never a need to do more fifty reps of a stomach exercise. If fifty reps is not giving you results, doing more than that will not help wither. As you build strength, if you feel the need for a bigger challenge, try a more difficult exercise as an alternative to adding reps.

Sleeping Believe it or not, how you sleep has an effect on your stomach exercise routine. If you sleep in a position that cause back pain, it will make it much more difficult to work on your midsection in the morning. Sleeping mostly on your stomach is one of the best ways to cause back pain, as it forces your back to arch, often resulting in annoying back pain. The best way to avoid this is to sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. This will help keep your vertebrae in line, prevent back pain and allowing you work out pain free in the morning.

No Resistance All stomach exercises need resistance to be effective, whether it comes from a resistance band, an exercise ball, or just gravity. Exercises that do not use any resistance, such as standing broomstick twists, will not be beneficial to your midsection. The good news is that this particular exercise will not do any harm and is actually a good warm up for your trunk. Just do not expect it to flatten out your stomach.

Proper exercise technique is important. These are just a few tips to help you avoid wasting time and potential injury. Be sure to research thoroughly before beginning a new exercise, and always consult your physician before beginning any physical fitness routine.