Thanks and Lower Abdominals

[onemorep]

Dear Cathe,

First, I want to say :7 Thanks!! for creating workouts that have managed to get me (a self described bookworm and non-athlete) actually enjoying exercise. Your tapes and show have gotten past my main objection to working out--that being complete boredom after 20 minutes of anything. Your enthusiasm and routines have inspired me to make exercise a daily ritual. Keep going!

Please address what options there are for those of us with little to no lower abdominal strength when confronted with reverse crunches. I've done a search on your site, but haven't seen any specific exercises recommended for that area (alot of women seem to lose strength there after c-sections, etc.).

If anyone has come up with an alternative or modification of these, please let me know!

 

[JulieL]

Bicycle's work upper and lower VERY good
Planks definately work lower
Pikes work lower as well

Cathe has all of these in her abdominal workouts. AbHits has several workouts that include these. HTH!

 

[2121]

I have a lot of trouble with my lower abs. One move that has helped me a lot is called vacuum. While sitting (so, I try to do it everytime I'm in the car), pull everything in below the belly button as much as you can for a count of 30. I will actually use all muscles below the belly button, including inner thigh and rear. Then exhale and repeat a few times in a row. Sorry the description isn't better. This has really worked for me. Melissa

 

[amybajamy]

I really feel it in my lower abs when I do the long lever ball exchange on Core Max. You lie on your back holding the stability ball in your hands and then you sit up and lift your legs at the same time and put the ball between your legs and lie back down. Then you sit up again, lift legs at the same time and exchange the ball back to your hands and then repeat. I do this exercise with bent knees to modify and I still feel it in my lower abs.
Hope this makes sense and helps!

Amy

 

[2121]

I just looked at my lower abs in the mirror, and it is an entity to itself. I try not to think about it, but after my post, I had to take a look. Melissa

 

[onemorep]

Hi there!

Thanks for the responses and suggestions. I hope that I can get to the point I can do reverse crunches without having to throw my legs over my head.

Melissa, I do those vacuum things too but I call them 'wishful thinking'. The good thing is that with the exercise I've gone down from 3 rolls to 2.5!!

The only one I'm not sure about is the Pike. How is that one done?

Have a great weekend!