Why are Abdominals Important?
June 21st, 2009, by Brian
You need to know the answer to "Why are abdominals important?", before you begin an abdominal workout program or routine. By knowing how your abdominal muscles function, you will be better able to target your routines and avoid injury or strain. This will make you better prepared to successfully achieve your fitness goals, whatever they may be.
You already know that sleek toned abs are sexy, but do you know what your abdominals actually do?
Your abdominals are located between your pelvis and your ribs, on the frontal midsection of your body. The abdominal muscle group is in charge of allowing a full range of movement for your upper body, and keeping your internal organs in place and protected. Abdominals are essentially made up of four main parts, and each needs to be healthy and strong for you to be healthy and to achieve the flat, firm midsection you desire.
Transversus abdominus
Rectus abdominus
External oblique
Internal oblique
Transversus abdominus
This is the innermost layer of muscle. It is charged with maintaining internal body pressure and stabilizing your body's trunk.
Rectus abdominus
This muscle group is located at the front of your pelvis, between your pubic bone and your ribs. It is responsible for the "six pack" shape of the abdominal group and is also responsible for side to side and up and down movements.
External obliques
Situated on both sides of your abdomen, the external obliques help maintain abdominal pressure and allow you to perform twisting motions.
Internal obliques
These are the middle abdominal muscles, located just below the external obliques on each side of your abdomen, inside of your hip bones. They aid in the performance of twisting and leaning motions.
The basic structure of your abdomen should be throughly understood before beginning an abdominal training program.
The final thing to learn is why you need your abdominals to function properly. Although many people think that the only benefit to having firm, toned abs is to increase your self-image and sex-appeal, they perform a medically necessary purpose, as well.
Strong, firm abs are necessary to help prevent back and neck injury and pain. This is because the abdominal muscles provide support to keep your body upright and well balanced. If your abdominals are weak, you are setting yourself up for possible injury down the road, as well as making it much less likely that you will achieve your goals.
Now that you know the answer to "Why are abdominals important?", you can begin your quest for stronger, fitter abs better informed, and thus better prepared. Good luck on your journey to a healthier, stronger, and more attractive you.
My 6 Pack Abs Work Out - How I Shocked a Gold's Gym Trainer!
June 20th, 2009, by Brian
OMG! I just got back from the gym and I'm geeked...I just started the 6 pack abs work out that I got from www.GetHotAbs.com; and I wanted to ask one of the top trainer's at my gym (Gold's Gym) what he thought about the program...After a quick moment, he looked up and said, "Wow, where did you get his?! This is what we're now using for our premium clients!"
I felt so great! I knew it was a good 6 pack abs work out program for me but I didn't think it was that good! I was proud for the rest of my workout...Corny but true story 
| 6 pack abs work out |
Abs Diet Recipes That are Fun and Easy
June 9th, 2009, by Brian
Abs diet recipes have something of a reputation for being dull. Ever gone to a restaurant and ordered the "diet plate", only to have your waiter bring you a plate of Jello and cottage cheese?
The hardest part of defining abs is finding them. In order to see your abs, you must lose the body fat. After your fat is gone, you still have to build up muscle tissue, and that requires protein.
A low fat, high protein diet doesn't need to be boring, though.
Here are a few fun, easy recipes to help you get started.
Tofu
Tofu is very high in protein and is great for building lean muscle. It is very common in Asian cuisine and is becoming popular in Western cooking because it can be a versatile, low-fat replacement for meat or dairy in many dishes. It can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
Tofu Strawberry Banana Shake
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 block silken or soft tofu
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup crushed pineapple (with juice)
- 1/2 cup skim milk or soy milk
- 4 strawberries
PREPARATION:
- Drain the tofu and cut it into chunks.
- Chop the banana and remove the strawberry stems.
- Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor.
Time to Prepare: 5 minutes
Makes 1 serving
Tip: Add protein powder for an extra boost.
Lentils
Lentils (both red and brown) are also a protein powerhouse. The following recipe looks so complicated, you'll impress your dinner date. But don't let the long ingredients list fool you - it's so simple that you can make it even if you have no cooking experience. Add the spices to your taste to make it mild or spicy.
Indian Curried Red Lentil Soup
(Taken from Vegetarian Times, March 2004)
- 1 cup red lentils (rinsed)
- 4 1/2 cups nonfat vegetable stock
- 2 Tbs. nonfat plain yogurt
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger (or powdered)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
Possible garnishes may be:
- Shredded coconut
- Dried peanuts
- Cilantro
- Diced red pepper
- Chutney
- Raisins
- Put lentils and vegetable stock in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
- Reduce heat to very low.
- Put 2 cups lentils and yogurt into blender, and puree until smooth.
- Recombine with soup in pan, and stir in seasonings.
- Heat and serve, garnishing each portion as desired.
Time to Prepare: 30 minutes
Makes 6 servings
There are many places on the Web where you can find free, simple recipes to lower your fat and build your muscle.
If you're bored of the same old thing, try Japanese cooking - it is typically low in fat and high in vitamins and protein. Also, even if you're not a vegetarian, check out some vegetarian recipes. Vegetarian cuisine has virtually no fat and a lot of health benefits.
Remember, abs diet recipes don't have to be dull and bland. Get creative with your cooking. Your abs and your taste buds will both thank you.
Make My Stomach Flat - My Personal Journey
April 24th, 2009, by Bernadette
I always wanted to make my stomach flat but somehow all the diets I have undergone and the exercise machines I purchased didn’t help me get the results I was aiming for. I did loose some excess weight however I didn’t fully achieve getting those sexy abs. Because of this, I dug deep into the abdominal truth and I found out that there are three best exercises for the abdominal muscles in order to achieve a flat stomach.
The three exercises target the three different kinds of abdominal muscles – upper abs, lower abs, and side obliques, otherwise known as love handles. To finally make my stomach flat, I did the basic crunch for my upper abs, the reverse crunch for my lower abs, and the oblique crunch for my love handles. By proper execution in three to four sets and doing the routine for at least five times a week, I made my stomach flat in less than a month. Of course I had to practice a well balanced diet together with my abdominal exercises to speed up the process of losing that stubborn belly fat I used to have.
If I don’t have enough time to do all the three exercises in one day, I simply make use of the bicycle exercise to target all the three muscle groups at the same time. My personal journey to make my stomach flat was certainly the best move I did and now, I do think it’s time for you to discover the wonders of these exercises too.
The Flat Stomach Workout - The Bicycle Exercise
April 23rd, 2009, by Bernadette
If you wanted to achieve a leaner and toner abs, you should have a regular flat stomach workout. The best and fastest way to get that flat stomach and target the three main abdominal muscles is by doing the bicycle exercise. What is the bicycle exercise anyway? It is a simple exercise done by lying down on your back while imitating the movements of cycling.
Grab your exercising mat and lay it down on the floor. Now lie on your back, place your hands behind your head, and slightly bend your knees while lifting them towards your chest. This is the starting position. Now, lift your shoulders off the floor using your abdominal muscles and straighten your right leg at an angle of 45 degrees. Slowly turn your body towards the left, making sure that your right elbow touches your bent left knee.
Now, switch sides, do the same cycle on your right, making sure that your left elbow touches your right bent knee, your left leg should be straightened this time. Alternate the movements simultaneously and you’ll notice that you’re doing a cycling motion. Do you feel the abdominals muscles working? You should feel the burn on your upper abs, lower abs, and side obliques while doing this flat stomach workout.
