Basic Yogilates Exercises For Your Abs

Yogilates or Yogalates (an exercise combo of Yoga and Pilates moves) offers many health benefits. Aside from helping you achieve a calm state of mind, it can also increase your core strength and flexibility. And speaking of core strength, this form of exercise can help you achieve that envy-worthy stomach you have always wanted! Check out these three Yogilates moves that will make your abs look better than ever.

1.) Hammock

This exercise is great for toning your abdominal muscles as well as your arms, chest, shoulders and buttocks. Sit tall and bend your legs. Your feet should be positioned flat on the floor. Put your hands on the floor behind you at about a 45-degree angle and lean back. Keep your arms straight. Inhale as you slowly lift your hips up to the front of your body. Your knees and shoulders need to be aligned in one straight line.

As you lower your hips to the floor, straighten your legs out in front of you as you assume a sitting position. Now place your hands next to your thighs and lean forward. Pull your abs in toward your spine. Push down using your hands to lift your hips off the floor. Hold this position for a couple of seconds. Beginners may have a little rough time performing this exercise but keep practicing until you get comfortable with it.

2.) Double Leg Stretch

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This low-intensity exercise will help strengthen and tone your abs. It also engages the muscles in your lower back, legs and arms. To get into the starting position, you need to lie on your back, bend your legs (90-degree angle) and elevate your bent legs in the air. Your legs should be parallel with your body and your toes should point outwards. Lift your head and keep it just a bit higher than your chest. Extend your arms forward towards your legs.

Now inhale and stretch your legs out until they are completely straight at a 45-degree angle with your body, at the same time as you extend your arms back by your ears. You should be able to form a wide "U" shape with your body. Hold this position while pressing your ribs down toward the mat. Bring your legs and arms back to the starting position and repeat the move for 5 to 10 times.

3.) Side Twists

The side twist is great for working all abdominal muscles, particularly the oblique muscles. Lie on your back and extend your arms out at your sides. Bend your knees and position your feet flat on the floor. Lift your bent legs to form a right angle. Make sure you keep both legs together and your shoulders should press into the floor. Now twist and drop your legs to the left and down towards the floor. Bring your knees back to the center, twist and lower them to your right but do not bring them all the way to the floor. Return to the center and repeat 5 times per side. Move slowly and with control throughout the exercise.

Video: 7-Minute Medicine Ball Core Workout

Medicine balls are a very versatile piece of exercise equipment, and they are particularly helpful for building core strength.

This short video shows you 7 quick exercises you can do to tighten and strengthen your core muscles using no equipment other than a medicine ball. One cool thing about using a medicine ball is it is a strength-training tool, so even when you're focusing on the core, you're also building strength in your back, glutes, arms, thighs, and throughout your body.

She only does 10 reps of each of these, so it's nice as a beginner workout, but feel free to add more reps as you progress, or repeat the sets again as she instructs in the video.

Check it out, and have fun getting a strong core and flatter abs for summer beach season!

MEDICINE BALL WORKOUT: 7 Exercises to FLATTEN and STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE | Autumn Fitness
Mountain Climbers, Push Ups, Squats, Sit Ups—Today we are working our CORE MUSCLES by doing 7 MED BALL EXERCISES!


Need A Medicine Ball? Get Yours Here:
    

Video - Menopause Core Exercises

One of the main things you may notice when going through menopause is that you tend to accumulate more fat in the belly region. This is due in part to decreased metabolism (see last week's posts for help with this), and in part to hormone fluctuations. Regular cardio exercise (especially of the interval kind), together with exercises for a strong core can help you keep that flat belly even after menopause. This short video demonstrates three great core exercises that will help build and maintain core strength. They won't take long to do, and can be incorporated into your regular workout routine, or alternated on different days. (See instructions below video for set/rep information.)

Menopause Weight Loss | My Menopause Fix Blog
Menopause Weight Loss For more Videos and menopause weight loss information visit http://www.mymenopausefix.com If you would like my FREE 7 Day Menopause Die...


3 Simple Exercises for Toning the Core:

1) Hip Bridge - 20 Reps 2 Sets
2) 1 Leg Static Hip Bridge with Knee Taps - 10 each Leg 2 Sets
3) Reverse Tabletop Crunch ( Slow ) - 20 Reps 2 Sets

Not Your Typical Ab Exercises...

Check out this article by one of our favorite fitness experts, Mike Geary, on the 3 best ab exercises - this unique ab workout contains no situps or crunches - it's not only not boring, but it's actually pretty fun - and gets great results!

3 Best Ab Exercises:

Instead of the typical ab routines that we see so often with crunches, situps, leg lifts, etc... I like to give my readers better options for metabolism-boosting high intensity workouts that work their entire body while also working their abs... thus building rock hard abs & core, but also creating a much better fat-burning workout than a typical ab workout.

I'm going to show you an example today of one of my favorite "ab workouts" that doesn't include any direct "ab exercises" at all. This is actually a full body workout that works your abs pretty hard indirectly, and stimulates a good metabolism boost!  It's in a tri-set format (similar to a super-set but alternating between 3 exercises instead of 2).

Here they are:

1a. Renegade Dumbbell Rows
1b. Front Squats with Barbell
1c. Mountain Climbers on Floor

Click Here for Exercise Descriptions & Pics...

 

Flat Tummy Tip: Exercises For The Transverse Abdominals

A group of muscles that often gets neglected in stomach exercise routines are the transverse abdominals, the core muscles that lie below the rectus abdominus. Most abdominal exercises target the rectus abdominus and the vertical abdominals, ignoring the transverse abdominals. Even crunches, the staple of most abdominal workouts, do nothing for the transverse abdominals. These muscles are actually the most important to target, however, as they connect to both the lower back muscles and the rectus abdominus and for a girdle for the entire abdomen. Any routine aimed at flattening the stomach should include the transverse abdominals as a focus. Using the following exercises, you can work out your transverse abdominals and really make progress on that flat tummy - as well as helping stabilize your torso and spine, improve your posture, and avoid injury. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.
     

Transversus abdominis muscle (in red) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pelvic Tilts
This stomach exercise requires lying on your back on a flat surface, such as the floor or a bench. Use a mat or towel to cushion your spine. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Raise your pelvis (and only your pelvis) off the floor, hold momentarily, and then lower it back down. Repeat for an entire set of 15-20 repetitions. Maintaining a controlled movement is crucial to this exercise. This will allow you to use your abdominal muscles, rather than your body's momentum, to do the work on the exercise. Also, be sure to keep your upper body on the floor throughout.
     
Crunchless Crunch
This exercise is fairly simple but can also be fairly difficult. Essentially, it involves trying to pull the belly button in towards the spine. This can be tricky, as it involves using muscles which you may not be used to activating. To start, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. You might want to try both ways and see which helps you feel the exercise better. Relax your body as much as possible, then try to use only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds. If holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you feel this, let the contraction out.

Scissor Kicks
This stomach exercise also requires lying on the floor. Position your hands under your butt, keeping your back pressed against the floor. Slowly raise one leg to a height of about ten inches, then slowly lower it back to the floor. As your lower one leg, raise the other. Repeat this motion for an entire set. Maintaining control throughout is important, not allowing momentum to get the better of you. Your upper body should remain on the floor through the entire move.
     
There are plenty of other exercises targeting the transverse abdominals, but these three ought to be enough to get you started. Stomach exercises like these are key to any tummy-flattening plan, and they are especially good for pregnant and post-partum women.

Work Your Abs With Core Fusion – Exhale Body Sculpt

Your core muscles are some of the most important muscles in your body. They are comprised of the muscles in your back and your stomach. When you have strong core muscles everything else you do comes easier.

What Are Your Core Muscles?

Transversus abdominis muscle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You know that your core muscles are the muscles in your back and stomach. However, they extend far beyond the basic “traps” or trapezius muscles and abdominals. Your core muscles include:

* Pelvic floor muscles
* Transversus abdominis
* Multifidus
* Internal and external obliques
* Rectus abdominis
* Longissimus thoracis
* Diaphragm
* Latissimus dorsi
* Gluteus maximus
* Trapezius.

The Importance of Strong Core Muscles
When you have strong core muscles you instantly have better posture. Better posture not only makes you look better, you actually feel better too. Your balance and stability are strengthened which makes it easier for you to perform both basic functions and also more challenging exercises.

Strong core muscles mean you’re less susceptible to injury. You may know that the single most common type of complaint or injury is back pain. The primary reason for this is weak core muscles. Most people sit all day this weakens the core muscles because they’re not engaged. Picture yourself right now sitting on the couch or at your desk. Do you have good posture? Probably not. When you strengthen your core muscles your posture automatically improves. However more importantly you also minimize the chance you’ll injure your back or suffer from back pain.

Strong core muscles also help you burn fat and calories. Your core muscles are a very large muscle group. When you focus on strengthening them you’re building muscle in your body. Muscle burns more fat and calories than fat does - hence, the more muscle you have, the more calories you're burning - even while at rest (sounds great huh?).

Finally, strong core muscles make you look great! You know what a great stomach and back look like, right? And your backside and hips are also part of your core. If you want rock hard abs and a good backside, strengthen your core!

Exhale Spa has a long history of providing top level fitness classes. Their core fusion class has always been one of their most popular classes. They’ve recorded the class so you can experience the results in the comfort and convenience of your own home. The Core Fusion – Exhale Body Sculpt DVD provides five focused workouts. Each workout is only ten minutes long which makes strengthening your core easily accessible and convenient. Even you have ten minutes a day, right?

There’s no special equipment to buy, and the video will cost you no more than a large cappuccino. The trainers, Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp, have more than fifty years of combined fitness training experience. If you don’t have an Exhale spa near you or you prefer the convenience and comfort of working out at home, consider the Core Fusion Exhale Body Sculpt DVD. You’ll gain strong muscles and a lean body - and have fun doing it!  And if you like this one, check out some of the other Core Fusion workouts - they are all designed to give you a great workout in a short amount of time that will fit into your schedule easily while giving you fast results.


   
   

Isometric Exercises for The Abs

When exercising, or thinking about getting involved in an exercise program, there may be some words that are thrown around that are new to you. This can cause confusion and may frustrate a person who is trying to understand and apply different aspects of exercising. For instance, what are isometric exercises? To make it simple, isometric exercises are simply flexing, or applying force to a particular group of muscles, and holding the position for a specified amount of time without moving. The reason many people enjoy this type of exercise is that it can be done anywhere because no special equipment is needed.

Holding an Isometric Crunch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Crunches is a popular form of isometric exercise specifically for stomach muscles. Besides being able to perform them anywhere, crunches are also a convenient form of exercise because they can be fit into practically anyone's schedule. The range of movement with isometric exercises is very limited and the amount of time to complete one set is such a short amount of time, usually between 6-8 seconds per repetition, it does not take too much time. However, these movements only work isolated parts of the body and therefore more than one exercise is needed to work out different muscle groups even within the stomach.

Breathing also seems to be a factor in isometric exercises for stomach muscles. As a person breathes slowly in and out, they are contracting the stomach muscles, which is the point of isometric exercises.
   
Besides crunches there are also other forms of isometric exercises for stomach muscles - a quick search on the internet can turn up some helpful and instructive information. Again, keep in mind that a well-balanced exercise plan combines several different types of moves that work different muscle groups within the stomach.

Video - 5 Awesome Ab Exercises On The BOSU Ball

Here is a short video with 5 amazing exercises that will get your core in shape fast. We love Yuri's workouts because they're quick and effective, and they work the whole body together as a unit. As you'll see when  you try these, these exercises target the core, but unlike static crunches or situps, they also challenge arms, shoulders, legs, buttocks, upper and lower back, and more.

The BOSU ball makes this more challenging, and also works on balance. If you're just starting out, you can certainly do all of these exercises just on the floor as well, and then work your way up to the ball when you're ready for something harder. As he mentions, this entire core workout will take less than 10 minutes, but you'll sure feel it!

And for more free exercises, be sure to visit the link below the video.

Ab Exercises on the BOSU Ball
www.myFitterU.com Core of Steel Ab Workout with Yuri Elkaim


Click Here to Visit MyFitterU.com for A Free 45-Minute IPod Workout

Why Do Stomach Exercises?

Exercises for the stomach muscles are among the most popular type of exercise done among people wanting to build a better body. When anyone plans a workout program to build and strengthen muscles, abdominal workouts are always included in the routine. Why is this? Why are more people concerned with their stomach muscles then any other part of their body?
   
Image via WikipediaThere are several reasons for this. The first reason should be for health reasons. It has been documented that people carrying around a lot of extra fat around their stomachs are at a greater risk of certain health conditions then people that may be carrying the weight in other areas of their body. This reason alone is enough to entice many people to exercise their stomach muscles, and a major reason why doctors suggest doing exercises for the stomach. 
     
The stomach is the core of the person's body, when the stomach is strong; it helps make the rest of the body look and feel stronger. This is another reason to do exercises for the stomach. Most people want to feel strong and be strong, whether it is so they can do their jobs, play with their children or just to feel better about themselves. Also, when the stomach is strong, it helps to take away pressure from several muscles in the back. Considering that back problems are a big problem with many people, this is another good reason to keep the stomach muscles strong by exercising them.   
   
The next reason, and usually the biggest reason for many, is looks. People tend to think that a flat, sexy stomach equals an overall good looking body. There are not too many people that find a bulging stomach attractive. When people look in the mirror, or someone passes by them that they want to impress, usually a natural reaction is to suck in their stomach.
   
Women that have just had a baby are usually extra concerned with their stomach muscles, and find themselves wanting to do exercises for the stomach as soon as they are able to. This is not only for appearance sake but also for health reasons since their stomach muscles really need to be strengthened after their bodies have been put through childbirth.
   
Image via WikipediaHealth and looks are the primary reasons to do exercises for the stomach, but people have many different reasons motivating them to actually do exercises for the stomach. Perhaps swimsuit season is coming up, which is usually the time most people really get interested in doing exercises for the stomach and they just want to look their best. Maybe a high school reunion is coming up and a person wants to look extra good, or a person is getting married which is another very popular time for wanting to tone up stomach muscles. Maybe their doctor has told them they need to or maybe it is just to have more self confidence in them. No matter what the reason may be, as long as the person is motivated enough to continue their program until they see results then the reason is a good one.

Be sure to check out other articles on this blog, and check back later this week for some great stomach exercises and a fun and effective ab workout!

Stomach Exercise All-Stars

There are plenty of stomach exercises out there for those who want to shape their core and strengthen their midsection. This may be both a blessing and a curse. It is easy to find plenty of exercises and routines that work the midsection, but how does one know which ones are any good?

Image via WikipediaWell, listed here are what appear to be some of the best around, according to recommendations by fitness experts. If you want to work on your stomach, but are not sure where to start, then this "all-star team" may be a good jumping off point. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.
     
Crunchless Crunch
Regular crunches are great for working the rectus abdominus (the muscles at the front of your stomach), but they do very little for the transverse abdominal muscles deeper in the midsection, plus they tend to put strain on your back and neck. This first exercise corrects that, working the transverse muscles with no back or neck strain. Essentially, it involves trying to pull the belly button in towards the spine. This can be tricky, as it involves using muscles which you may not be used to activating.

1. To start, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. You might want to try both ways and see which helps you feel the exercise better. 
2. Relax your body as much as possible, then try to use only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine. 
3. Hold for ten seconds. If holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you feel this, let the contraction out.

Image via WikipediaHip Lift
Remain on your back for this stomach exercise.

1. Put your arms at your sides with palms facing up to the ceiling. 
2. Put your legs straight up in the air so that the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling and your legs make about a ninety degree angle with your torso. Keep your knees unbent and as straight as possible. 
3. Now, contract your ab muscles so that it feels like your belly button is being pulled toward your spine, while at the same time gently lifting your hips off the floor. 
4. Raise your hips to height of a few inches, keeping your legs extended straight upward. 
5. Hold this position, then slowly lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat for an entire set.

Long Arm Crunch
For this stomach exercise, remain on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat.

1. Lie back and extend your arms straight back on the floor as though you are reaching above your head. 
2. Contract your abs and slowly lift your arms, head and shoulders off the floor to about a thirty degree angle. 
3. Hold it, then slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor. Repeat for an entire set. Be careful not to lead with your arms, keeping them straight and alongside your head.

Some other honorable mentions include the vertical leg crunch, torso twists, and any Pilates routine that emphasizes the core. Feel free to research some of these exercises more once you have mastered the three above. Now that you are armed with some of the better stomach exercises, you are on your way to a trimmer tummy!