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Ab workout for weight loss ?
- Thread starter candleman
- Start date
There is no way to spot burn fat. There are products claiming otherwise but the only way to guarantee fat going from the stomach alone is surgical.
If you are burning more energy than you consume within a sensible range you will burn fat from all over your body, proportion will be dependant on many factors and the stomach is one of the slowest to go in virtually all cases.
If you are burning more energy than you consume within a sensible range you will burn fat from all over your body, proportion will be dependant on many factors and the stomach is one of the slowest to go in virtually all cases.
Just to add to what Tony (Oldie) said above, debunking the spot reduction myth is actually really good news. A lot of people feel defeated when they hear that spot reduction doesn't work, because they falsely think: "Great, now I'll NEVER get rid of this fat!" But we should be excited to hear that spot reduction is a myth, because what it actually means is that what it takes to lose fat off your belly will cause you to lose fat everywhere. So instead of killing 2 birds with 1 stone, you get to kill about 20 birds with 1 stone.
Candleman -
As others above told you --
NO, NO, NO
Working ab muscles with crunches, rollers, etc.. is NOT a fat burning activity
These movement are muscle strengthening exercises.
Training muscles is a compound or isolation activity
Fat loss it a global thing.
Diet first and cardio to a lesser extent is how you address fat
Resistance training is how you build and shape muscle (and to a far, far lesser extent the energy spent aids in fast loss)
Confusion continues today over diet -vs- activity in weight loss.
People still think they can BURN away the fat.
But they forget how energy dense foods are.
For example, 6 Lance snack cracker look like almost nothing, but they contain over 200 calories
But in order to burn 200+ calories, you may need to walk on a treadmill set to a 9 degree incline at 3 mph for as much as 20-25 minutes to "burn" those same calories from just these few crackers.
Real weight control and overall fitness comes down to the 3 part plan of .......
1) Lean protein -complex carb diet
2) Resistance training (3 times per week is enough)
3) Cardio (30-40 minutes - 3 times per week in the THR zone is enough)
That's really the bottom line.
Michael Spitzer - author - FITNESS at 40,50,60 and BEYOND
As others above told you --
NO, NO, NO
Working ab muscles with crunches, rollers, etc.. is NOT a fat burning activity
These movement are muscle strengthening exercises.
Training muscles is a compound or isolation activity
Fat loss it a global thing.
Diet first and cardio to a lesser extent is how you address fat
Resistance training is how you build and shape muscle (and to a far, far lesser extent the energy spent aids in fast loss)
Confusion continues today over diet -vs- activity in weight loss.
People still think they can BURN away the fat.
But they forget how energy dense foods are.
For example, 6 Lance snack cracker look like almost nothing, but they contain over 200 calories
But in order to burn 200+ calories, you may need to walk on a treadmill set to a 9 degree incline at 3 mph for as much as 20-25 minutes to "burn" those same calories from just these few crackers.
Real weight control and overall fitness comes down to the 3 part plan of .......
1) Lean protein -complex carb diet
2) Resistance training (3 times per week is enough)
3) Cardio (30-40 minutes - 3 times per week in the THR zone is enough)
That's really the bottom line.
Michael Spitzer - author - FITNESS at 40,50,60 and BEYOND
that was really great!
Bicycle
This will strengthen all of your ab muscles. Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head and your legs slightly bent just above the floor. Move your legs as if you were pedaling a bike in slow motion. Draw your left knee and right shoulder toward one another and repeat on the opposite side.
Captain's Chair
This movement is great for the transverse and rectus abs. Use the captain chair or hanging ab machine for this exercise. Stand in the center of the machine with your back facing the back pad. Jump up or push yourself up so that your forearms are on the arm pads and your legs are hanging. Keep your legs together and slowly lift your knees toward your chest. Slowly lower your legs and repeat.
Standard Crunch
The standard crunch strengthens your rectus abdominis and the transverse muscles. This can be performed on the floor, an incline bench, an exercise ball or a weighted machine at the health club. You can also hold a weighted plate or dumbbell on your chest for extra intensity. Lie on your back, bend your knees, plant your feet on the floor and place your hands behind your head. Tighten your abs to lift your shoulders off the floor. Crunch your body upward as high as you can, hold for 1 second and slowly return to the floor.
Reverse Crunch
The reverse crunch is great for the transverse and rectus abdominals. Lie on the floor in a standard crunch position. Place your hands next to your body or under your butt for support. Lift your feet and cross your ankles. Tighten your abs, pull your knees in toward your chest, slowly lower your legs until your feet almost touch the floor and repeat.
Oblique Crunches
Much like the standard crunch, you can add a weighted plate to this movement for added intensity. Start on your back with your knees bent and your hands behind your head. Tighten your abs, lift your shoulders off the floor and twist to crunch your left shoulder to your right knee. Lower your body to the floor and repeat with your right shoulder and your left knee.
Finger-to-heel Touches
This movement focuses on the obliques. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Keep your arms at your sides just above the floor. Tighten your abs and lift your shoulders off the floor. Reach with your right hand toward your right heel and then reach toward your left heel with your left hand. Continue alternating heel touches for desired number of times.
Ab Rolls
This can be done with a barbell or an ab roller. This movement will work your transverse and rectus abs. Start on your knees with your hands on the barbell or ab roller. Position the equipment out in front of body. Slowly roll the barbell or ab roller away from the body until your arms are almost straight. Slowly pull back in to the starting position. Use your abs to control the entire movement, not your arms or legs.
Dumbbell Oblique Side Bends
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Tighten your abs and keep your arms hanging at your sides. Bend to the right and allow the dumbbell to slide down toward the ground. Bend as far as you can and return to the first position. Repeat on the left side. Continue to alternate side bends for eight to 10 repetitions. Increase the weight of the dumbbell after you master the movement and no longer feel a challenge.
Long Arm Crunch and Twist
This movement is designed to work all of your ab muscles. Lie on your back with bent knees and your arms above your head. Use your abs to raise your shoulders off the floor. At the same time, raise your arms overhead, reaching toward your knees. Keep your abs tightened and your shoulders off the floor while you turn your arms to the left and back to the center. Relax your body down to the floor. Repeat the steps, but this time turn your arms to the right.
Flutter Kicks
This movement helps your entire rectus abdominis but focuses greatly on the lower part of your rectus abdominis. Lie on your back with your legs straight and your hands under your butt for support. Lift both of your feet 6 to 8 inches off the floor. Raise your right leg 4 to 6 inches and lower your left leg until it almost touches the floor. Switch the positions of your legs. Continue to rapidly "flutter" your legs. Remember to keep your abs tightened during the exercise.
This will strengthen all of your ab muscles. Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head and your legs slightly bent just above the floor. Move your legs as if you were pedaling a bike in slow motion. Draw your left knee and right shoulder toward one another and repeat on the opposite side.
Captain's Chair
This movement is great for the transverse and rectus abs. Use the captain chair or hanging ab machine for this exercise. Stand in the center of the machine with your back facing the back pad. Jump up or push yourself up so that your forearms are on the arm pads and your legs are hanging. Keep your legs together and slowly lift your knees toward your chest. Slowly lower your legs and repeat.
Standard Crunch
The standard crunch strengthens your rectus abdominis and the transverse muscles. This can be performed on the floor, an incline bench, an exercise ball or a weighted machine at the health club. You can also hold a weighted plate or dumbbell on your chest for extra intensity. Lie on your back, bend your knees, plant your feet on the floor and place your hands behind your head. Tighten your abs to lift your shoulders off the floor. Crunch your body upward as high as you can, hold for 1 second and slowly return to the floor.
Reverse Crunch
The reverse crunch is great for the transverse and rectus abdominals. Lie on the floor in a standard crunch position. Place your hands next to your body or under your butt for support. Lift your feet and cross your ankles. Tighten your abs, pull your knees in toward your chest, slowly lower your legs until your feet almost touch the floor and repeat.
Oblique Crunches
Much like the standard crunch, you can add a weighted plate to this movement for added intensity. Start on your back with your knees bent and your hands behind your head. Tighten your abs, lift your shoulders off the floor and twist to crunch your left shoulder to your right knee. Lower your body to the floor and repeat with your right shoulder and your left knee.
Finger-to-heel Touches
This movement focuses on the obliques. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Keep your arms at your sides just above the floor. Tighten your abs and lift your shoulders off the floor. Reach with your right hand toward your right heel and then reach toward your left heel with your left hand. Continue alternating heel touches for desired number of times.
Ab Rolls
This can be done with a barbell or an ab roller. This movement will work your transverse and rectus abs. Start on your knees with your hands on the barbell or ab roller. Position the equipment out in front of body. Slowly roll the barbell or ab roller away from the body until your arms are almost straight. Slowly pull back in to the starting position. Use your abs to control the entire movement, not your arms or legs.
Dumbbell Oblique Side Bends
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Tighten your abs and keep your arms hanging at your sides. Bend to the right and allow the dumbbell to slide down toward the ground. Bend as far as you can and return to the first position. Repeat on the left side. Continue to alternate side bends for eight to 10 repetitions. Increase the weight of the dumbbell after you master the movement and no longer feel a challenge.
Long Arm Crunch and Twist
This movement is designed to work all of your ab muscles. Lie on your back with bent knees and your arms above your head. Use your abs to raise your shoulders off the floor. At the same time, raise your arms overhead, reaching toward your knees. Keep your abs tightened and your shoulders off the floor while you turn your arms to the left and back to the center. Relax your body down to the floor. Repeat the steps, but this time turn your arms to the right.
Flutter Kicks
This movement helps your entire rectus abdominis but focuses greatly on the lower part of your rectus abdominis. Lie on your back with your legs straight and your hands under your butt for support. Lift both of your feet 6 to 8 inches off the floor. Raise your right leg 4 to 6 inches and lower your left leg until it almost touches the floor. Switch the positions of your legs. Continue to rapidly "flutter" your legs. Remember to keep your abs tightened during the exercise.