Holiday is gone and so is your trim waistline. You don't have time to fool around with silly ab routines now. You need something that works.
So how about the best ab exercise known to man?
It's called a combination swiss ball pike and roll-out.
Sounds like a medieval torture device. But it's actually easy to learn and extremely efficient. In fact, you can probably get a killer ab workout by doing this move fewer than 10 times.
"If someone was looking at one exercise and wanted to make sure he was getting the most abdominal work done in a way that makes him look better and function better," says trainer Nick Tumminello, "this is the exercise to do."
To start the pike/roll-out, simply hold yourself in a pushup position with your feet on a swiss ball. (To make the exercise easier, move the swiss ball towards your belly button) With your body in a plank (straight) position, keep your legs straight and push your hips towards the ceiling while keeping your back flat. After straightening your hips and coming back to the start position, push your body backwards on the ball until your arms are fully extended in front of you and your legs are fully extended behind you.
Here's the video, courtesy of Nick Tumminello:
Why does this work so well? As the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy states:
"The roll-out and pike were the most effective exercises in activating upper and lower rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, and latissimus dorsi muscles, while minimizing lumbar paraspinals and rectus femoris activity."
Translation: The exercise forces your abdominals to work the hardest while your lower back and hip flexors -- areas that can take over in other traditional ab exercises -- are almost completely left out. So while a crunch works your abs but only with help from other areas, the roll-out pike isolates your abs much more effectively.
When standing face to face with your naked self in the mirror, do you think “Wow, I look good!” Or no? If you’re anything like the majority of women (and many men), the answer is, “um, no.” So what are you going to do about it? Apparently what you have been doing isn’t doing the job or you wouldn’t be reading this. Which is why I have found an 8-week,10-Pound Slimdown Workoutand Food planthat will help you drop some serious poundage by Summer… well, that’s if you stick with this exercise program.
ExerciseTV fitness trainer Chris Freytagcame up with the 10-Pound Slimdown system that includes 5 intense workouts (get them online atExerciseTV on demand for FREE)- each with a different body part focus and movement style, plus a food plan. Watch the Slimdown Lower Body on ExerciseTV.
You’re no doubt doubting that you actually can drop 10 pounds in 8 weeks, and I get it. But you can. According to Chris, “If you actually workout for 20 min, 5 days a week and WORK at a HIGH intensity, you’re active on the other 2 days of the week and try to be more movement-minded all the time (ie: walk more instead of driving), and watch what you eat and follow the 10 lb Slimdown meal guidelines” you will trim down and tone up.
These fitness workouts include combination of cardiovascular exercise and body sculpting to keep you burning calories maximize results. Because the plan rotates between 5 intense 20-minute sculpting, slimming, and stretching workouts, you won’t get bored, you won’t have the “I have no time” excuse, and you will constantly be challenging your muscles. The idea, Chris says, is “If you do legs on Monday and they are sore, then work the upper body on Tuesday. By switching muscle groups each day you don’t have to miss a day (rule of thumb is that sore muscles need 24-48 hours rest in between strength training sessions).”
The diet plan helps you determine what to choose and what to lose when it comes to what you do and don’t eat, plus the skinny on fats, carbs, fiber, protein, and clean eating. It’s more than a diet or exercise program. It’s a lifestyle lesson that, 8 weeks later and 10 pounds lighter, you will easily be able to get in shape and stick to it long term.
Wait, you’re still reading? The clocks ticking… Get up and get slimming now!
