Awhile ago I saw this electric gizmo advertised on late night television that was supposed to stimulate the abdominal muscles to contract without any effort on the part of the exerciser. My response is: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
A similar device may be available for folks who are disabled, but even if an electronic device can do something toward strengthening your abdominal muscles, it doesn't do much about the body fat that may be layered over those washboard abs like a down comforter. They don't hire fat people to do those infomercials. They don't even hire normal people!
Keep in mind that to get rid of one pound of fat, you have to expend 3500 calories. If your doctor agrees that your health is up to it, let’s explore some options for abs.
You asked for it.
When performing any kind of abdominal exercise you must protect your lower back. Remember not to arch it—concentrate on pressing your stomach against your spine and your spine against the floor or mat. Breathe out as you contract the muscle and breathe in as you relax it.
If you have access to an exercise ball, you may try a leg lift. Lying on your back, place the palms of your hands flat on the floor or mat near the bottom of your buttocks so that your pelvis is tilted and the lower back is flat against the floor. You don't want any space between your lower back and the floor if you can help it. Grip the ball between your knees and ankles and lift it about twelve to eighteen inches off the floor.
To increase the difficulty of the movement, you may raise your shoulders off the mat as though you were trying to do a crunch as well, but keep the chin pointed toward the ceiling. Lower the ball to within six inches of the floor and repeat. Perform each part of the movement slowly and with complete control over the ball and your body. Going faster is not better.
Learn from my experience: Don't try to lift the ball too high in the air or you might drop it on your nose. I promise you that this does nothing to develop the abs, though your colorful vocabulary may surprise your neighbors.
;-)
Posts
