21 December 2007
Get ‘ab’solutely flat!
Get ‘ab’solutely flat!
Getting flat abs is not a tough task
Here’s how to tuck in that tummy
FLAT AB TIP NO. 1
Improve Your Posture: Poor posture is a huge issue for many people. If people slouch, their stomach muscles slacken. For better posture while standing, align your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees, and knees over ankles. Keep the fronts of the shoulders open like a shirt on a hanger, instead of a shirt on a peg. Draw your navel to your spine and keep your weight even on the balls and heels. The result: Without doing any abdominal exercise, you can look much leaner by simply standing up straight. With your shoulders back and chest up, the abs pull themselves in. Your energy level improves when you have good posture. Your lung capacity is better. You’re open and more awake.
FLAT AB TIP NO. 2
Think Whole-Body Exercise:
When it comes to abdominal strength, you shouldn’t train the body in isolation. People have this misconception that the best way to strengthen the abs is to get on the floor and do a thousand crunches. If we could spot reduce, our jaws would be hollow. We probably work the jaw muscle in talking and eating more than any other, and none of us have hollow jaws. You have to see the abs as a 360-degree core, you want to develop strength and flexibility around that core. Fitness needs to be intelligent. Pilates is good because the focus is the core, but it doesn’t just work the abs in isolation. That means you’re using your abdominals, but you’re also using your arms and legs, back muscles, and glutes. Crunches are fine, at first, but relatively quickly, you’ll have to progress to something else to get that area worked. Pilates focuses on developing not just the rectus abdominis (top abdominal muscle layer) as a crunch does, but the internal and external obliques (the side abdominals) and the transversus abdominis (the deepest abdominal muscle). Work your core in 3-D, hitting the sides, back, and middle.
FLAT AB TIP NO. 3
Props Are Optional: Stability balls, straps and bands, even those fancy walking shoes are not necessary to achieve flat abs. Props are wonderful, and they may help you work your core more readily, elevate you to a different level or simply mix it up, but you don’t need them to meet your fitness goals. Gimmicks or fancy gym memberships aren’t necessary. You don’t need space, you don’t need sneakers, you don’t need fancy clothes. For instance, strengthen your abdominals when you’re at the park, raking leaves, taking a walk. Even while socialising at a cocktail party you can stand straight and exhale to draw the navel to the spine.
FLAT AB TIP NO. 4
Take Things Slow: There are no fast fixes. Even the promised quick fixes end up being temporary. It’s a goal. You have to plan on a slow and steady progression. Most people will experience setbacks, roadblocks, and utter frustration along the way. Rewards come with time and consistency. Just be patient.
FLAT AB TIP NO. 5
Set Realistic Goals:
Though it’s not an excuse to explain away a soft midsection, your genes do play a role. For better or worse, you stand a chance of inheriting mom’s thick wavy hair and her dark circles. Same goes for other parts of the body. Sometimes, even very thin people can’t get washboard abs. Genetically, their bodies want to hold on to the extra layer on the top. That doesn’t mean you can’t improve your appearance, but it does mean you need to set realistic expectations. Not everyone can look like Beyonce, but you won’t stand a chance if you’re still sitting around with one hand in the candy jar. TNN
