Be fit, healthy, and happy forever…
PART ONE
GETTING READY
Never underestimate your power to change and improve!
You can do it!
Twelve Easy, Effective Ab Exercises
My tummy is flat and firm, and my secret is consistency. Working the abs and back at least three times a week or a few minutes each day—particularly after the age of forty—is the key to keeping them fit. And the great thing about the ab muscles is that they respond quickly to toning no matter your age.
1. Warm Up
Get those stomach muscles warmed up to work!
KNEE-UPS: Stand up straight with your abs pulled in tight and feet hip-width apart. Bend your elbows and place your hands behind your head. Alternate lifting your knees up to your chest. Time: 30 seconds.
Continue alternating lifting your knees, but bring your opposite elbow to the opposite knee. Time: 30 seconds.
2. Waist Twist
Lose an inch—or two—around your waist!
Holding a weight or two vertically in both hands, stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and toes pointed out.
Keep your upper body upright. Hold the weights in front of your chest, contract your abs and twist from side to side, really rotating your upper body. Time: 1 minute.
3. Ab Pull-Down
This works similar to the ab machines at the gym.
Stand straight with your legs together. Hold a weight in each hand and bend your elbows so your hands are by the sides of your head.
Bend your right leg as you lift it off the floor and bring your elbows toward your knee. Then do the same with the right knee. Continue to alternate. Time: 1 minute.
4. Weighted Roll-Ups
Tone your abs from top to bottom.
Lie on the floor with your legs bent and just your heels on the floor. Hold one weight in both hands and extend your arms straight above your head.
Lift your arms so they’re extended straight in front of you as you engage your abs and roll your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor.
Continue to roll all the way up until you’re sitting up straight and extend your arms up above your head toward the ceiling. As you come up, really elongate the spine and stretch it up. Roll back down one vertebra at a time using your abs. Time: 1 minute.
CHALLENGE:
Lie on the floor with your right leg bent and the foot on the floor, and your left leg bent so your left calf is under your right knee. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and extend your arm straight above your chest. Place your left arm on the floor next to you.
Roll up to a seated position, keeping the dumbbell extended toward the ceiling.
Using your abs, lift yourself all the way up to standing with the dumbbell still reaching toward the ceiling. Then roll yourself back down to starting position. Time: 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
5. Oblique Toners
Twist your way to an hourglass waistline.
Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abs and lift your upper body so that the shoulder blades are off the floor. Hold a dumbbell with both hands and bend your elbows so your hands are in front of your chest.
Twist your upper body to the left side as you pull your abs in. Really feel the rotation as you crunch and twist to the side. Time: 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
CHALLENGE: Lift your legs off the floor with your legs at a ninety-degree angle.
6. Lower-Tummy Toner
This targets the lower abs as well as the thighs!
Lie on your back with your legs bent in the air at a ninety-degree angle and put a rolled-up hand towel between your knees. Place your arms by your sides with your palms on the floor.
Lift your hips up off the ground. Pull your belly button in and press your inner thighs together. Use your abs—not momentum—to lift your hips. Time: 1 minute.
CHALLENGE: Straighten your legs as you lift your hips off the ground.
7. Double Crunch
I love this because it’s a “complete” ab workout.
Lie on your back with your legs bent at a ninety-degree angle in the air with a rolled-up hand towel between your knees. Bend your elbows and place your hands behind your head.
Bring your lower and upper body in toward each other and crunch. Make sure you’re pulling in your abs. Time: 1 minute.
8. Knee Twists
This one is great for carving out a trim and slim waistline!
Lie on your back with your legs bent at a ninety-degree angle off the floor, and place a rolled-up towel between your knees. Extend your arms out to the sides on the floor.
Keeping your legs together, lower your knees to the left side. At the same time, keep your upper body still and your abs engaged.
Switch sides bringing your knees to the right side. Alternate sides repeatedly. Time: 1 minute.
9. Flutters
Blast flab from your abs and inner thighs in one move. A total core exercise.
Lie on your back with your legs extended straight up toward the ceiling. Place your arms by your sides, with your hands underneath your buttocks—this will really work your lower abs. Point your toes.
Lift your head and shoulders off the floor, and alternate crossing your legs in front and back of each other, progressing to a forty-five-degree angle. Then slowly crisscross back up to start position. Time: 1 minute.
10. Plank Pull-Ins
This move zeros in on the transverse abdominis muscle, the one that keeps your tummy tight. Keep your body straight from head to toe!
Position your body in a plank, balancing on your toes and palms. Keep your abs pulled in, back straight, and head extended so that your body forms one long line from the top of your head to your heels.
Bend your right leg, bringing the knee toward your chest. Straighten the leg and bring your left knee toward the chest. Continue alternating. Time: 1 minute.
CHALLENGE: Bring the knee to the opposite side of the body.
11. Upper Back Extensions
Strengthen your back muscles that line your spine and prevent injuries.
Position yourself on your hands and knees. Extend your left arm out to shoulder height. At the same time, extend your right leg straight out behind you. Alternate arms and legs. Time: 30 seconds.
Lie with your stomach on the floor, legs extended straight out behind you, and arms extended overhead.
Look to your left side as you extend the left arm back behind you and the right arm out to the right side. Time: 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
CHALLENGE: Add light weights.
12. Cool Down
Stretching feels so good…
Sit up straight with your legs crossed in front of you. Place your right hand on the ground and extend your left arm toward the ceiling. Lean over to the right side. Time: 15 seconds.
From the above position, round the back forward and extend your left arm toward the right. Time: 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat both stretches.
BONUS EXERCISES: TACKLE YOUR PROBLEM AREAS
Inner Thigh Toner
http://www.deniseaustin.com/exercises/inner-thigh-toner.aspx
Torso (Abs) Toner
http://www.deniseaustin.com/exercises/torso-toner-rotation.aspx
Upper Back Firmer
http://www.deniseaustin.com/exercises/double-arm-rear-fly-upper-back-firmer.aspx