Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Best exercise to lose belly fat

Who doesn't want flat abs? People desperate to lose weight will willingly starve themselves, take expensive supplements or do the latest fad diet that promises to give them that flawless figure in 30 days. Thankfully, belly fat is metabolically active and easier to lose. However, if proper nutrition is not observed and the resort is made to low calorie diets, weight loss may not happen within the desired time frame. Hunger and calorie deprivation will eventually kick in and dieters confronted with that favorite food they have been avoiding will have the tendency to binge at the first opportunity. The likelihood of gaining more weight than they originally lost is not far-fetched.

According to Christine Rosenbloom, a nutrition professor atGeorgia State University, eating a calorie-controlled diet and 60 minutes of daily moderate exercise activity will result to weight loss and can even help with the desired weight maintenance. In fact, according to Professor Michael Jensen of the Mayo Clinic, intense aerobic exercise will result to being leaner around the abdomen.

It is important to remember that keeping the body's metabolism up and running so that the body continuously burns calories prevents it from going into the fat-storing mode that causes unnecessary weight gain.

Why exercise is necessary

Most people involved in weight loss believe that it's all about the calories. If you burn calories more than you take in, you lose weight. If you take in more calories than you can burn, the body gains fat. While this piece of logic may make sense, it is only partly true. What burns calories nonstop is actually the lean muscle mass underneath body fat that allows more intake of calories without weight gain.

The body actually adapts to the changes it undergoes. Losing weight without exercising increases the risk of losing lean body mass, slowing the metabolism and putting the body into fat-storing mode. People who have lost body fat and muscle mass may notice that they don't have the muscle mass they once had. Worse yet, once they overeat even a little bit, they start filling up on body fat once again.

Building up muscle mass

An important thing to remember when undergoing a weight loss program is to understand what needs to be done. Realistic and achievable goals can help in building the confidence needed to make the necessary leap for the achievement of a desired weight.

Researchers at the Biomechanics Lab atSan Diego State Universitytook a look at some popular abdominal exercises and ranked them. Results of the study revealed that exercises that require constant abdominal stabilization and body rotation resulted in the most muscle activity in the abdomen.

Below are the top five belly exercises as ranked by the study:

1. The Bicycle Exercise- best for targeting the six pack muscles and the obliques. To do this exercise, get into a supine position with hands at the back of your head. Bring knees to the chest while lifting shoulders off the floor. Slowly bring your right elbow towards your left knee as you straighten your right leg. Switch sides and continue in a pedaling motion. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

2. The Captain's Chair Leg Raise- This exercise requires a captain's chair, a rack with padded arms allowing for the legs to hang free that is commonly found in gyms or health clubs. To do this exercise, stand on the chair and grip hand holds. Press back against the pad then raise knees to the chest to contract the abs then lower them back down. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

3. Exercise Ball Crunch- For this exercise, an exercise ball is necessary. In this routine, the abdomen does more exerting but will still need the entire body to stabilize it throughout the routine. To do this exercise, lie on the ball with your lower back fully supported. Place hands behind the head. To lift the torso off the ball, contract the abs to pull the bottom of the rib cage towards the hips. Keep ball stable as you curl up, then lower back down to stretch the abs. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

4.Vertical Leg Crunch- Performing this exercise is similar to doing a leg crunch except that the legs are straight up, forcing the abs to work and adding intensity to the routine. To do this, lie on the floor with the legs straight up, knees crossed, and place the hands beneath the head for support. Contract abs lifting the shoulders off the floor and keep legs in a fixed position to crunch. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

5. Long Arm Crunch- This is a variant of the traditional floor crunch where the arms are held straight behind you, adding a lever to the move and making for a challenging exercise. To do this, lie on the floor or a mat then extend arms straight behind, keeping them clasped and next to the ears. Slowly contract abs and lift shoulders off the floor carefully to keep the arms straight. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

The best strategy to weight loss is to observe a healthy diet coupled with exercise of at least an hour a day. Although there is no sure fire way to deal with belly fat, there are a number of activities from which to choose and enjoy. As long as you're having fun, you can lose weight without realizing it. It is important to look for an exercise you enjoy. If the suggested exercises above do not suit your taste, taking a hike, swimming or biking are just as effective in burning fat and toning muscles.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/035071_belly_fat_exercises_fitness.html#ixzz1x2QlF4FL

Truth About Abs Book

Mike Geary's Truth About Six Pack Abs is currently the most sold fitness ebook on the Internet. Is it the ultimate program to finally get rock-hard six pack abs or just another scammy "miracle" flat abs system? The first impression of the website is the same as for similar products: hyped up and pitchy. But if you read a little further he explains the five biggest myths about getting ripped six-pack abs. It’s well explained and I experienced the same problems on my journey to a flat stomach. Who is Mike Geary? Mike is certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist. So he’s expert in his field and I found some articles from Mike in reputable magazines. By the way Mike is a very helpful guy! I asked him some questions by email and he responded instantly. Why is the Truth About Abs program so much different than other fat loss or abdominal workout publications? In my opinion it’s the fact that Mike combines diet and meal suggestions with highly effective workouts – no not crunches and sit ups – and the right doses of cardio training. I’m a busy guy and can’t spend 60 minutes a day with exercises. Truth About Six Pack Abs does not require this. 30-45 minutes workouts 2-3 times a week should do the trick.


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The long arm crunch

The long arm crunch is ranked the 6th most effective ab exercise, changing the traditional floor crunch by straightening the arms behind you. This adds a longer lever to the move, adding a bit more challenge and difficulty. This move also emphasizes the upper part of the abs, although it's important to remember that your rectus abdominis is actually one long muscle that travels from your lower chest to your pelvis. While you can emphasize one part, any exercise you do will work the entire muscle.
How to:
  1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
  2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
  3. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.
  4. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
  5. You can add intensity by holding a light dumbbell if you need more of a challenge.
View this exercise in the Best Ab Workout.

The vertical leg crunch

The vertical leg crunch is another effective move for the rectus abdominis and the obliques. It's similar to a regular crunch, but your legs are straight up, forcing you to use your abs to do all the work and adding intensity to the exercise.
How to:
  1. Lie on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
  2. Place your hands behind the head for support, but avoid pulling on the neck.
  3. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
  4. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
  5. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
View this exercise in the Best Ab Workout.

Exercise Ball Crunch

The exercise ball is an excellent tool to strengthen the abs and is the third most effective move for targeting the rectus abdominis. What makes this move a bit more effective than crunches on the floor is that the legs are often involved in floor crunches. On the ball, the abs do more work, but you still involve the entire body to help stabilize you throughout the movement, a nice bonus that floor crunches don't always offer.
How to:
  1. Lie on the ball, positioning it under the lower back.
  2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head.
  3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips.
  4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., the ball shouldn't roll).
  5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
View this exercise in the Best Ab Workout.

The Captain's Chair exercise

The Captain's Chair exercise (vertical knee raise) came in second on the list of best exercises for the rectus abdominus. This is the conclusion of a study at San Diego State University that compared 13 common abdominal exercises in order to find which ones really strengthen the abs. Each exercise was ranked for muscle stimulation (measured with EMG) in the rectus abdominus and the internal and external obliques.
The captain's chair exercise was one of the few ab exercises on the "most effective" list that requires gym equipment. You will generally find a vertical knee raise machine in health clubs, or shop for one designed for home use.

Bicycle Crunch Exercise

Bicycle Crunch Exercise came in at the top spot in the research done to find the best exercises for the rectus abdominus.
A study done at San Diego State University compared thirteen common abdominal exercises in an effort to determine the best. Each exercises was ranked for muscle stimulation--measured with EMG--in the rectus abdominis, the external obliques and internal obliques.



Videos for Bicycle Crunch Exercise: