Hey Ladies (and gents),

I just joined a gym last week and I've been sticking to cardio because I'm a bit afraid of the machines and the free weights. I don't want to get injured and I don't know how to work the things properly. I know how important good form is. I just don't know how to do it so well.

I had orientation and they set me up on a routine on about 9 machines. They call the program "Quick Fix" and basically I'm doing between 15-40lbs depending on the machine for 12 reps and the moving on. I don't know much at all about lifting weights except what I've read in the stickies over the past two days.

One of the things I found really difficult was the AB MACHINE. I carry most of my weight on top and fitting on the machine and the pads of the machine at my chest is really uncomfortable. I had the machine adjust for my fit but I still didn't like it. So I said forget it and did about 30 crunches. Is that really enough? It felt like a good deal at the time but then after a minute or two I thought I should do some more.

What can I do in place of the ab machine? I need to build my ab muscles since I haven't done ANYTHING since I had my daughter 15 months ago and I do have back pain from poor posture.


Thanks a million!

I personally dislike the ab machines because it's too easy to just use your upper body to move the machine and not even realize that you aren't engaging your abs.

Crunches are fine. Planks are a good ab and lower back exercise. Lying on your back and raising your kess up to your chest is a reverse crunch. a more advanced form is to keep your legs straight and raise your hips up so your toes point towards the ceiling. Do you have a stability ball? You can do crunches, Russian twists, walkouts, hold the ball between your feet and do slight leg lifts, etc.

Just doing free weight exercises sitting or lying on a ball forces you to use your abs.


If you are haven't exercised since you had your daughter, make sure that you are working your lower back , your obliques (the muscles that you use when you rotate), as well as the frontal abs which get worked in a regular crunch.

Mel