Cathe: Ab 911 for a Desk-Bound Baldie

Aquajock

Cathlete
Hi, Cathe! I know you're just lollygagging around knitting and eating bonbons, so I thought I'd give you a bit of a question:

I normally work abs/core 4 times a week, once in the pool (mostly supine work with hand buoys and some standing core work) and thrice on land, the land ab/core work always a mish-mosh or your floor or stability ball planks and floor supine work. It's a fairly productive schedule.

HOWEVER

I'm a paralegal by profession, which usually means I spend about 85% of my work days in the dreaded seated position, and I do believe that excessive amount of sitting has the effect of keeping The Dreaded Pooch alive.

Question:

Would it be beneficial, or counterproductive, to do some brief but effective plank work on the "off days" in addition to my regular ab/core workout schedule? Planks seem to tighten that area much more than supine crunch work, but I don't know if there is the "a little is good a lot is better" myth going on in my head.

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

A-Jock
 
bump!

And I do mean, I have quite a belly bump, and also sit at a computer most of the day :) so would love to hear the reply to this!
 
Hi, Cathe! I know you're just lollygagging around knitting and eating bonbons, so I thought I'd give you a bit of a question:

I normally work abs/core 4 times a week, once in the pool (mostly supine work with hand buoys and some standing core work) and thrice on land, the land ab/core work always a mish-mosh or your floor or stability ball planks and floor supine work. It's a fairly productive schedule.

HOWEVER

I'm a paralegal by profession, which usually means I spend about 85% of my work days in the dreaded seated position, and I do believe that excessive amount of sitting has the effect of keeping The Dreaded Pooch alive.

Question:

Would it be beneficial, or counterproductive, to do some brief but effective plank work on the "off days" in addition to my regular ab/core workout schedule? Planks seem to tighten that area much more than supine crunch work, but I don't know if there is the "a little is good a lot is better" myth going on in my head.

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

A-Jock

Hi,

Not Cathe, of course. The problems I've noticed with slouching over in front of the computer too long has been a loss of lower back strength. Instead of working my abs more, I prefer stretching them with yoga (warrior 1, upward dog) and strengthening my core with chatarungas, supermans on the stability ball and floor.

I'd love to hear Cathe's thoughts as well.

Wendy
 
Hi, Cathe! I know you're just lollygagging around knitting and eating bonbons, so I thought I'd give you a bit of a question:

I normally work abs/core 4 times a week, once in the pool (mostly supine work with hand buoys and some standing core work) and thrice on land, the land ab/core work always a mish-mosh or your floor or stability ball planks and floor supine work. It's a fairly productive schedule.

HOWEVER

I'm a paralegal by profession, which usually means I spend about 85% of my work days in the dreaded seated position, and I do believe that excessive amount of sitting has the effect of keeping The Dreaded Pooch alive.

Question:

Would it be beneficial, or counterproductive, to do some brief but effective plank work on the "off days" in addition to my regular ab/core workout schedule? Planks seem to tighten that area much more than supine crunch work, but I don't know if there is the "a little is good a lot is better" myth going on in my head.

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

A-Jock

Hi A-Jock! Just in case you didn't catch this in my other thread I'm posting it here too:

Not at all bad for you A-Jock. These exercises are what I consider part of a maintenance program for a healthy back and core region. They are great for bringing you a lifetime of improved posture as well as a healthier spine. Another thing you can do, if you aren't already, is use a stability ball in place of your desk chair for an hour or two a day. This will keep your spine aligned properly and keep you sitting taller, which in turn lengthens the core giving it a leaner appearance. Have Fun!
 
Cathe, thanks so much for your response. I'll probably get started doing some brief plank work on the "off" days immediately.

Re your suggestion to use a stability ball in place of my desk chair: believe it or not, my employer has forbidden this practice; too many klutzes think they can do this, and they either can't work while "on the ball" or they squirt off the damn thing and then make noises about suing the employer for . . . something, I don't quite know what.

Thanks again!

A-Jock
 

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