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The Two Biggest Hoaxes
About
Abdominal Training
If you have ever read a fitness magazine...
If you have ever watched TV ads about latest machines that will
magically reveal your abs...
If you have ever gone to a gym and saw tens of people lying on the
floor doing crunches....
then beware because chances are you are a victim of the two biggest
abdominal training hoaxes!
Hoax # 1
Just doing some midsection exercises can reduce your "love handles".
Fact
You cannot reduce fat from a certain targeted area of your body just by
using exercise alone.
And the abdominal area is no exception.
So if you want to get a flat stomach and to reveal your abs, losing the
fat covering them is the way to go.
And the only way to do this is to lose fat proportionately from your
entire body by burning more calories than you consume.
How? By doing these two things:
1) Have a healthy and balanced permanent diet: dark green
vegetables, fresh fruits, whole wheat and whole grain products, non-fat
dairy products, fish, poultry breast, lean red meat, egg white.
Yes, you should cut out all sugar, soda, non-whole grain products
and saturated fats: these aliments should only be a reward for
achieving a goal, not a habit!
2) Start exercising
Aerobic and weight training will raise your metabolic rate. In result,
your body will burn more calories.
* aerobic exercising
3 times per week, practice an exercise that keeps your heart rate
elevated for at least 30-45 minutes (ex: walking, running, cycling,
swimming, aerobics, etc)
* weight training
Alternate days of aerobics with weight training. You will build muscles
that will burn more calories, even when at rest!
Hoax # 2
You have to do tons of crunches.
Fact
Overuse of crunches will only shorten your abs, pull your head
forward and gives you a bad posture. Do you really want to looks like
Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame?
Any standing exercise that will contract your abs will do but you
should specifically target your lower back to strengthen the muscles
that support your spine.
The easiest exercise is sucking the gut in, also known as the "stomach
vacuum" :
1. Exhale. Suck your gut in.
2. Maintain the contraction for 10 to 20 seconds.
3. Repeat 10 to 15 times, as often as you like throughout the day
(for example while in the shower, sitting at your desk, while driving
or in the bus).
Time now for YOU to take action!
PS: do not forget to consult your doctor before starting any diet and
exercise plan.
Author: Arnel
Ricafranca
More
Fitness Articles by Arnel Ricafranca
© Copyright
2005
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