[Jen]

Hi all. I decided that I needed some help kicking my exercise up a notch. I am borrowing an idea another group uses or used (I don't visit them any more so I don't know if they do it or not). Every month we focus on exercising and toning a particular area. I thought this month we might try abs. I hate my abs with a passion. I've always had a belly but since the baby it is about a zillion times worse. I've got to start toning it up. If I hear it wack against my thighs one more time I'm going to sign up for liposuction!!

Okay so my challenge to everyone is to do some ab work in September. doesn't have to be every day, you decide what you want to do, but let's just do it!!

For me I am going to do at least 50 crunches every day, not just the plain garden variety crunches either. I'm going to try and work up to doing some of those more difficult ones, where you have your legs up in the air. I can do about 2 of those right now.

Who wants to do some ab work with me??

[bella23]

I'm with ya, I need to work my abbs as well! I want to do at least 50 a day as well. I will do 5 different versions.

bella23

[muelledk]

I'd love to give it a whirl! Last time I worked out my abs (last week) I had trouble sleeping because I hurt so darned bad! I'm gonna try, but I'll do 25 crunches a day and try to finish my eight minute abs tape!

[Jen]

Way to go ladies!! Glad you are joining me in the quest for a less flabby tummy.

I did 55 crunches this morning already, I am pumped!

[Sandi]

This is cool!! I have some ab exercises that I laminated at home with the intention of doing them every night. It's about time I dusted them off and actually did them!!!

[Charbar]

silly me... I had to ask dh what crunches were!
My guess was they were something like sit ups... he told me to be on my back, knees up, ankels crossed, hands behind my head and roll forward - he said I didn't have to reach my knees. I did 25 tonight..
what other kind of crunches are there? are there web sites that you know of Jen that would teach me about these?

thanks,
Dana

[nasus40]

Jen i am in. i can do those but they are killers. I love the idea of spoting an area every month great idea!! count me in my abs is the area that i still cringe to see. if only i could just take a knofe to remove the apron i have haning . i would just love to look in the mirror and be able to see somthing other than gut if you know what i mean.

[bella23]

Nasus,

I now what you mean!! As my weight comes off (and it's not coming off that fast) the lower my tummy goes. A lot of it is due to my kids and I'm worried that it will never go away. It's also starting to sag in the back. That is frustrating.

I told my husband that if it doesn't go away by the time I loose all the wieght then I'm going to have it cut off. He said ok, lol. Something to look forward to!

Bella23

[PNG 2]

I've been doing pilates based ab work, in the Denise Austin workout, killer,KILLER stuff, but I'm already siting straighter, and holding my muscles tight, as a habit...so even that is something (I know Denise Austin is an annoying creature, but she comes on tv, all free, and she works the heck out of you, with some serious variety!)

[lorelei1]

Count me in! I dont know if I can do 50 crunches but I will try! Maybe I will do groups of them for a total of 50. My stomach is definately my "problem area". I have an apple shape so hopefully this will help. I also want to start walking and/or doing my walk aerobics tape to pump up my weight loss. I was watching a local half marathon on tv this morning and it got my psyched. Maybe I could do the haf marathon next year (as a walker anyway) what an accomplishment it would be to do that!!
laura

[bella23]

I did my 50 last night and tonight. My abbs feel GREAT!!! lol

Good luck girls!

Bella23

[lorelei1]

I did some crunches yesterday but forgot to count them-duh!! I didnt have a sore tummy this morning though so I guess it wasnt that many. I did walk one mile though! I will try to get in a mile or two today as well as count my crunches.
happy labor day!
laura

[KittyMilk]

Fantastic a challenge on abs!! Have actually been looking for a challenge on Abs to keep me honest : I started doing mine most days about 2 weeks ago to try and firm them. After having my baby my tummy is so soft it's unreal I have been doing 10 reps of 5 different exersizes a day . I been choosing the exersizes from this page..http://www.atkinsfriends.com/exercise/abs2.shtml .Some are so hard I donno if they I will ever be able to do them but they also have all the ordinary tummy crunches and the different versions of them, they have pictures of how to do each exersize. Hope this helps anyone not sure where to begin,

Kitty

[Jen]

I've been hanging in there with my crunches except for yesterday which wasn't a good day all the way around though I did get a walk in and managed to drink my water.

Dana - I don't know any web sites to direct you to, I've gotten most of my info from fitness mags. I've also got a book about abs called The Crunch.

Everyone make sure that they are focusing on holding their stomach muscles IN. Try practicing just pulling them in without doing any other ab work so you know what it feels like. I've heard conflicting reports that you can tone your ab muscles so that they stick out! I'm not sure about this as I've read some articles that say it isn't possible but then I've heard people say that yes it happened to them. Still no sense in taking that chance!

[snowball1]

Okay, Jen, after stewing over this challenge for days now, I've decided to give it a go! (I hate ab work, so thanks for nothing! ) I'm so flabby that I know I need to get toned up. So, I'm just going to add this to the toning exercises that I'm doing.

Anyway, yesterday, I devised my little ab workout plan. I've heard it's best to do ab work that works the lower muscles first & then moves up the abs. So, here's what I'm going to do to begin with:

~Bend knees and lift legs to chest (or as close to the chest as I can! ). Do 10 of these.

~Bend knees; cross one leg over at ankle (not sure if how I'm wording this makes sense). Lift legs towards chest. Cross other leg over & repeat. Do 10 of these.

~Crunches. To make sure all the abs are being worked, as well as the sides, when I'm laying on my back, I pretend I'm looking at a clock, where straight ahead is 12:00. Working from 10:00 over to 2:00, I will 5 crunches towards each imaginary number in the clock. (Okay, I'm fairly certain the way I'm wording this makes no sense whatsoever!!! )

~Lying on back, lift legs straight up into the air (so your waist is at a 90 degree angle). Lower legs, keeping them straight, as slooowly as possible. Do 10 of these (This is a HARD one!!!!!).

So, that's Kayla's little modified ab workout. I don't think I'm going to be able to do this every day at first, but hopefully by the end of the month I will be able to. I also want to increase the number by the end of the month. Perhaps so I'm doing double what I'm doing now.