I absolutely HATE doing abs. I'm not sure why as I like everything else, even cardio. Anyone have any suggestions to make it more "fun?" Like a good video or some different exercises you enjoy?
I keep raving about it, but I adore fitball ab workouts. There are so many exercises, and the three year old part of my brain thinks playing with a big ball is fun not working out!!! If you want some ideas, pm me!
I'm afraid I'm with you Stacy. I don't do abs nearly enough. I do however do them on the ball and it helps. I also do them as part of a body pump class - many more than I can force myself to do on my own. Something mildly competitive I think - just keeping up with everyone else in the class.
Omigosh! I just came on 3fc to rave about a new video I just got and this is just the thread for it!
It's a hula hoop cardio workout from Gaiam called "Dance Hoop Workout". It's so much fun, and very very challenging. The hoop snaps together, it's padded and weighted...so it's not flimsy, like the kiddie ones. The workout has you hooping *while* doing dance moves! I was laughing so hard, my sides hurt!
You definitely get a great core workout as well as the cardio, and there's not a single move that looks remotely like a situp or crunch or whatever you want to call it to pretend it's not a situp.
The only drawback is that the hoop is huge! So you need a lot of room, or have to go outside.
Since it's from Gaiam, I'm sure you can order it from amazon...or get it wherever they sell yoga videos, like barnes & noble or borders.
PILATES!!!! I ubbely LOVE pilates! There's all kinds of ab stuff and tons of different methods so it stays interesting. Well, I'm a dancer and I was forced into pilates by my teacher, but I still love it. Any yoga or excersize store has it.
There is a move we used to do when I was on swim team (you need a partner):
One person lays on the floor, the other stands with their feet just under the person who is laying down's head. The person on the floor raises their legs until the make a 90* angle with the floor, then the standing person pushes them towards the ground. The person laying down has to keep them from hitting, then raise them again.
I don't know if I described it all that well, but it is an amazing workout, doesn't feel like crunches, and brings out my competetive streak, which helps me do more. And it really targets your lower abs.
Oxycise - 15 minutes a day and it helps a lot! It does get boring - but it does work! It is lots of isometric type exercises with deep breathing (but NOTHING like BodyFlex - which I despise). Try this to get an idea - and you can even just do lots of these and not get the video and it will work -
Put your hand over your lower abdomen/belly area - breath from that area deeply through your nose taking a full deep breath, then force in three more quick breaths. Next do a pelvic tilt (sort of tuck your buns in) and tighten your abdominal muscles and breathe out somewhat forcefully through your mouth, then do three more puffs out. You should feel your abs contracting with every puff. It really does work and it helps with lots of inch loss. There is a web site under the Oxycise name. It's a pretty cheap program if you decide to try it. Hopefully I was able to explain what they call the "basic breath" good enough that you could see what I am talking about. It's not nearly as difficult and tedious as doing floor ab work.
My sister and I toss the medicine ball to each other (I think it's around 10 pounds) while we're doing abs. First one to puke loses! OK, just kidding there, but I do hurt the next day.
Ab Workouts
I don't do abs nearly enough. I do however do them on the ball and it helps. I also do them as part of a body pump class - many more than I can force myself to do on my own. Something mildly competitive I think - just keeping up with everyone else in the class.
