| These are in my opinion the TOP 5 Questions asked | | | | muscles, but to reduce abdominal fat takes more than |
| regarding core workouts for strengthening and firming | | | | just ab exercise. You need a balanced fitness routine |
| your abdominal muscles. | | | | that includes cardiovascular exercise, resistance |
| Question: Can You Exercise the Upper and Lower | | | | training, and a sensible diet. |
| Abs Separately? | | | | Question: What Is the Best Abdominal Exercise? |
| Answer: Although it may feel as though you can | | | | Answer: One study that looked at the best and worst |
| "isolate" the upper and lower abs (the rectus | | | | ab exercises concluded that: |
| abdominis), you actually can't contract one section | | | | 1) The Bicycle Crunch Exercise was the best for |
| independent of the other. Research that looked at the | | | | strengthening the rectus abdominis |
| muscle activation while performing a basic crunch | | | | 2) The Captains Chair Exercise is the best for |
| exercise found that you may feel more contraction in | | | | strengthening the internal obliques and the external |
| the upper abdomen because the muscle fibers in the | | | | obliques |
| upper part of the rectus abdominis shorten more than | | | | However, it's important to keep in mind that there is no |
| in the lower part of the muscle, but the entire muscle is, | | | | single abdominal exercise that challenges all the |
| in fact, activated during the movement. | | | | abdominal muscles in the most effective way, and the |
| When you perform a reverse crunch (lifting the hips), | | | | best way to work the abs is with a variety of |
| the opposite happens; you feel more contraction in the | | | | abdominal exercises. |
| lower part of the rectus abdominis even though the | | | | Question: Does the Order of Ab Exercises Matter? |
| muscle fibers in the upper rectus abdominis are also | | | | Answer: Although some programs insist that the order |
| contracting. | | | | of abdominal exercise is the key to getting results, |
| Additionally, when you stabilize the hips and only lift the | | | | there is no research that backs this up. In fact, |
| torso during the crunch, there is greater muscle | | | | research shows that the opposite may be true. The |
| involvement in the upper rectus abdominis as well as | | | | Principal of adaptation explains how our body |
| the internal obliques. When you perform reverse | | | | constantly adapts to new training routines. Over time |
| crunches, there is more activation in the lower part of | | | | and with practice we become very efficient and |
| the rectus abdominis and more involvement of the | | | | master these techniques. If you continue to do the |
| external obliques. | | | | same exercise, in the same order in a few weeks or |
| Question: Can I Lose Belly Fat by Doing Lots of | | | | months the routine becomes ineffective and we hit a |
| Crunches? | | | | plateau. To break this cycle, modify your routines |
| Answer: Unfortunately, no. Simply doing lots of | | | | every 1-3 months. To modify your exercise routine, |
| crunches won't reduce belly fat. The belief that you | | | | change one of more of the following: |
| can lose body fat in a specific area by exercising the | | | | 1) The Specific Exercises Performed |
| muscles just beneath that fat is called "spot reduction." | | | | 2) The Number of Repetitions or Sets Performed |
| Spot reduction is a myth that has been disproved time | | | | 3) The Order of the Exercises |
| and time again. | | | | 4) The Number of Exercises Done Each Session |
| In 1984, researchers at the University of | | | | 5) The Amount of Weight or Resistance Used |
| Massachusetts concluded that abdominal exercises do | | | | 6) The Speed, or Tempo of the Exercises |
| not decrease the amount or size of belly fat. In this | | | | Question: Can I Use Weights When Exercising the |
| study men did the equivalent of 5,000 sit-ups for 27 | | | | Abs? |
| days. The researchers measured body fat in the | | | | Answer: Yes, but before you add resistance with |
| abdomen, buttocks and upper back during the study. If | | | | weights you should be able to perform the exercises |
| spot reduction worked, the men should have lost fat | | | | properly with good technique. The most effective ab |
| only in the abdominal area because the buttocks and | | | | exercises start with proper body position, controlled |
| upper back are not worked during sit-ups. However | | | | movements and focus on contracting the specific |
| there was no change in the thickness of abdominal fat | | | | muscles you want to work. Better results come from |
| or waist size. Biopsies showed there was no | | | | slow, controlled repetitions. Once you have good form, |
| significant change in the diameter of abdominal fat cells | | | | you can begin adding small hand held weights or a |
| either. | | | | medicine ball to increase the resistance. |
| What ab exercises can do is tone and firm the | | | | |