area of abs ?

[iris]

I have been doing Cathe's crunches for about 7-8 months now. My upper ab area is very tight, but my lower still has that flabbines to it. I was wondering if my body is telling me to do another type of excerise to challenge that area. Could anyone that has advice on how to tighten that area up please help me out. It's not all that bad, but sure could use some help. I had two C-sections,but I know that is not the reason it is there.

Patty
In NC

 

[starbuck]

Hi

If I remember rightly (and I know members of the Forum will correct me if I am wrong)when I started ready Callen Pinkeny Callentics book (just before doing the workouts) she stated that you will notice when you start doing ab work that the top half of your abs will start to tone up first. The lower half will take longer.

I found that the intensity I would feel when working my abs would start at the top work it way down to the mid and lower abs and then start at the top. This is that you work through all the ab muscles and the varies layers.

I would suggest you keep going one of the things to remember when we work out we often work muscles some of which are used often during the day others which are so intensly worked throughout the day, ie when stepping keep an eye on your legs as with all the walking you may do during the day and stepping you may do as a workout could lead to you legs getting bulky (and you may not want this, you may want lean legs)

Additionally I would suggest that during the day you could try pulling in and up with your stomach holding it like that (breathing normally don't hold you breath) hold muscles for 10 seconds and let go you can do this to augment your ab routine.

The up shot being don't stop now your abs are working keep at it and you will get the abs you desire.

I leave it to the rest of you guys to correct me if I am wrong and to give additional advice.

Babs :-jumpy

 

[Aquajock]

RE: PLANKS

Hi, Patty!

I do think you could benefit greatly from adding plank work into your abdominal routine, which not only recruits the abdominals but also the lower back muscles. Plank exercises as part of abdominal / "core stabilization" routines can be found in Cathe's CTX Kickbox, CTX Power Circuit, Power Hour (I think), one or more of the Slow and Heavy Series workouts, and a very brief one on Circuit Max. ALSO, consider getting Cathe's new Ab Hits DVD or video (DVD for me - more routines, more combinations)!

Plank work, which focuses on using the core muscles to hold the trunk stable and straight as opposed to the spinal flexion action of supine crunches, is the other half of ab work because it recruits these muscles to perform the other major function of abs - stabilizing the spine - against the resistance of gravity. Further, plank work recruits the oft-neglected (and misunderstood) transverse abdominus, a cummerbund-like muscle that wraps horizontally around the trunk nearer the hips and acts to hold in the internal viscera and assist in forceful exhalation as in coughing or laughing. It is NOT "the lower abdominals"; in fact there is no such thing as a discreet set of "lower abdominals". The transverse abdominus also has NO motor function, so dynamic crunches like you've been performing will probably do them no good at all.

I only brought in plank work about 2-3 months ago, after years of supine crunching, and noticed a difference in about 3 sessions.

Hope this helps!

Annette Q. Aquajock