photo by Tom Barwick ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2013
Hold it, don’t put away your bikini or surf shorts just yet! Don’t let your abs get soft just because the weather may be changing where you live. No fat pants coming out the closet or lose fitting sweats. No way.
I am here to say there is no magic pill or secret magnet waist band that you wear or iPhone app to give you absolutely amazing abs. This is the exercise I choose first to get super cut abs and I feel is the most effective ab exercise to work the lower and the upper abs at the same time. I LOVE this one. I have seen fabulous results when I do about 200-300 every other day.
I actually call it a ab “chest lift” to fool those who hate performing ab exercises because you actually lead with the chest to get to the abs. It’s a great trick. Hey, whatever it takes right?
Training tip: “when” to perform abs in a workout? I suggest at the very end because they support and hold you up all throughout your workout.
Diet is also very key if you want sleek abs. No alcohol is a must as alcohol slows your metabolism to a halt. Then, no sugar. Carbs are okay as long as they aren’t processed. Whole wheat pasta with an ounce or two of organic chicken on top is one of my favorite meals.
Cardio training that burns fat, like interval training will also help you get to your abs as you need to shed the fat that lays on top of them.
So as you can see there is not one exercise or doing one thing to get to this. It’s a total body approach.
Preparation: Tilt pelvis forward to make lower back flat. Extend either leg and lift slightly off floor. Any lower back discomfort, one should raise extended leg higher. Bend knee of opposite leg.Note: If you REALLY want to make it harder, scoot your foot that is on the ground cloeer to your bottom.
Hands behind head, DO NOT lock fingers. Gently support head in nape of neck with finger tips.
Imagine a pulley on your chest lifting you to the ceiling. KEY Make sure you are looking above your eyebrow to avoid elbows from falling forward.
Lift chest / shoulders off floor and enforce your abs to contract. As you lift, hold that contraction for a count of 2, breath out. DO NOT allow your shoulders to come back to floor, but keep the abs taught at all times.
If you notice your elbows winging forward, look up and flatten them out, otherwise your neck will become sore and the exercise will have little affect.
Please be sure to do your best and get through the burn. Press your fingers into nape to help support your head. Focus on the breath and keep going.
The shaking is normal it will get less and less! Keep at it and always add 10 more at finish! Make it more fun and find a song you like and do it to the beat.
Remember, all training is accumulative so don’t kill yourself at first and get discouraged, but maybe this time try getting more used to be uncomfortable. That is when I promise your body will change.
Suggest reps: Beginner 25 Intermediate: 50-100+ Really fit: 100-200
Also, keep in mind, if you want to add some fun to your workout, you can SKYPE me worldwide and we can train together live via the magical world of the internet. It’s a blast. Contact me through this website for details.
Good luck and let me know how you’re doing!
Aloha,
Suzie Cooney, CPT
Owner of Suzie Trains Maui, LLC
Hi Suzie, not sure I fully understand. Do you just hold the contraction, for the count of 2, for one rep? Do you do leg lifts, up and down, or change legs, after the count of 2? And for the chosen number of reps, keep the chest/shoulders up the whole time? Thanks, I do want to try this, and get it right!