| "Crunches. He's going to tell me to do lots of stomach | | | | don't know how to train it. |
| crunches isn't he? Man if I hurt my neck doing another | | | | Well here's how.... |
| pointless crunch I swear I'm gonna...." That is what | | | | The 7 Second Stomach Flattener |
| many people think when they first hear someone telling | | | | 1. Stand or sit tall and straight. 2. Breathe in and as you |
| them the secret to flat toned abs. And I'm right there | | | | do so pull in your stomach. 3. Keep this tense and held |
| with you. Crunches are boring, unproductive and | | | | in place 4. Contact the abs as hard as you can, you rib |
| shockingly ineffective compared to the two techniques | | | | cage will dip down slightly and your pelvis may rotate |
| I'll reveal later in this article. | | | | upwards 5. Breathe out making an "sssss" - this will |
| The truth is the most effective abs exercises are | | | | cause inter-abdominal contraction 6. Continue this for 7 |
| performed Standing Up. But no gym instructor or | | | | seconds. 7. Once finished keep the stomach in tight |
| personal trainer will tell you that and the reason is, most | | | | and repeat ten times. 8. Do NOT relax the stomach |
| don't know. Pilates and stability ball instructors are | | | | until completely finished all 10 reps. |
| perhaps closer to the secret of the six pack than | | | | The All Natural Tummy Tucker *Do this ONLY on an |
| anyone else. In both, you are taught basic pelvis and | | | | Empty Stomach* |
| abdominal tension, but they never get further than that. | | | | 1. Stand up straight with your feet wider then shoulder |
| They never get to the good stuff. | | | | width. 2. Exhale all the air form your lungs 3. As you do |
| The secret to a well toned waist, a firm trim tummy, | | | | so bend over as though trying to touch your toes 4. |
| and strong sexy six pack - is all contained in 1 word - | | | | Once you are as low as you can bend and have |
| Isometrics. Isometrics, defined as the contraction of a | | | | breathed out all the air you can, pull in your stomach as |
| muscle without moving the joint, is the scientifically | | | | much as you can 5. Hold this tension and slowly stand |
| proven fastest way to build strength and muscle. | | | | up 6. You want to keep you stomach in as tight as |
| Before I explain step by step how to perform an | | | | you can 7. Tense your stomach keeping it in tight. 8. |
| isometric contraction for the waist I wasn't to explain a | | | | Hold for ten seconds. 9. Slowly relax and capture your |
| little bit about the actual muscles you will be working. | | | | breathe 10. Repeat 10 times. |
| One you will be familiar with, and it's the less important | | | | That's it. You just need those two exercises and they |
| of the two. The other, well it's crucial for developing a | | | | can be performed virtually anywhere. You can |
| flat stomach. | | | | practice in the shower, in the car, in the office, |
| In the following exercises we will be working the | | | | anywhere. |
| Rectus abdominus and the Transverse abdominus. | | | | Now I will mention one thing - you won't see visible |
| The Rectus is commonly called the six pack. It's a | | | | results if you have a high body fat %. You will of |
| sheet of muscle running from the base of the rib cage | | | | course feel the results and quickly too. Your stomach |
| (sternum) the pelvis. It gets the six pack look from the | | | | will naturally begin to pull inwards, and become firmer. |
| tendons running across it. Here's the thing though - the | | | | But guys you need your body fat % close to 8% and |
| rectus naturally curves outwards when developed - | | | | gals you need it about 12% to really see chiselled |
| meaning you get a muscle belly! | | | | definition. |
| So how do you keep it in tight and flat and develop the | | | | The best way to do this is enjoy a nice walk, first thing |
| coveted washboard look? That is where my friend | | | | the morning before breakfast. Refreshing, invigorating |
| the transverse abdominus comes in. He connects the | | | | and slimming, and combined with these two exercises |
| rectus to the lower back and effectively pulls the abs | | | | which will improve digestion and fat burning you'll be |
| inwards, towards the spine. The problem is very few | | | | trim and slim in no time. |
| people even realise they have one, and those that do | | | | Copyright 2006 Paul J. |