[soozeebg]

I can not get down on the floor and do sit ups. I am looking for something to use to help with my abs. I have a fair sized stomach above my belly button and a small bulge below. I have to be careful of my bad back and my scar area.

I really want to get rid of the tummy. I do walk, use a mini ski machine as well as the treadmill.

Any suggestions is greatly appreciated....Thanks!

[mkat321]

I'm trying to figure this out myself. I know there are alot of exercises on the new Firm videos {the ones with hand weights} that work the abs. Some of the oblique exercises are kind of hard for me to *get* though.

subbing cause I need some new moves as well

[kgood2005]

At the gym a friend had me try crunches on a ball. It was hard but my back didn't hurt.

[WaterRat]

You can do lots with crunches on the ball. I like it because I don't have to get down on the floor - which is no problem - and worse, up off the floor. My knees hate that! Another thing I find really works my abs is doing pushups - not on the floor but with your arms on something about breast or hip level depending on your fitness. I started on the wall, moved to a bar on some unused gym machine, and am now down to low - groin level - window sillls in my gym. Works great on your arms too! Just be sure to use really good form and act like you're doing them on the floor!

[RoseTears]

A great way to trim the midsection and tone your abs is latin dancing...not only does it give you a fantastic cardio workout, but you use your abs alot so it tones too. I have Zumba on dvd so i can do it at home, but there are classes at the YMCA i heard from somewhere

[Depalma]

Flexion is just one function of the abdominal muscles. However, for some reason many people automatically think of flexion exercises such as situps and crunches when abs are brought up. The abdominals are used much more for stabilization than for flexion. They are also vital for any movements involving trunk rotation.

If your primary concern about working abs is due to the fair sized stomach, then you have the wrong focus anyway because working the abs is not going to do much in speeding up the loss of that stomach. Spot reduction has been repeatedly debunked and the few studies that support it show that the amount of extra attention results in extremely minimal gains as to make it a nonfactor.

For your flexion exercises, you can do crunches on the ball as previously suggested or you can do cable crunches if you can at least get down to your knees. These can be similated with resistance bands if needed.

For stabilization, I would suggest that you start out doing various planks. If you cannot get down on the floor at first to do them, you can do them with your upper body supported on a bench, aerobic steps, etc. A stable surface that allows you to adjust the height would be preferable. Start out a the height needed for you to perform the exercise. Work up to holding the planks for 60 seconds (front) and 45 seconds (side). When you do, adjust the height lower. Do this until you are doing your planks on the floor.

For the rotational aspect of the core, I like woodchoppers. If you don't have access to a cable station, you can similate these at home with resistance bands. I also love medecine ball work here. If you have access to a brick wall or other hard, undamageable surface, a circuit of side throws (both sides) and front throws will not only give you an intense ab workout, but a cardio workout as well.

I notice you said you are doing ski machine and treadmill but mentioned nothing about weights. Don't forget, almost every free weight exercise is an ab exercise as well. In fact, the best ab exercise of all just may be squats.