How to Get Great Abs

Video Transcript

"We all want great abs. This is Alice Monsaert with some tips on how to train your abdominal muscles. It is a misconception that you can just do abdominal training and lose the belly fat. Losing the belly fat and having great abs comes from proper nutrition and exercise but I would like to demonstrate some of my favorite exercises to increase the muscle strength in the abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles run from the sternum down to the pubic bone as the rectos abdominos. We also have oblique muscles that criss cross and a transverse abdominal muscle so it is more than just doing crunches. I brought out two tools that I would like to use while doing my crunches or resistance training for my abdominals and the first is the stability ball and I can demonstrate a proper crunch technique. Roll yourself forward and let your hips drop down. You can place your hands over your chest or behind your head but it is important not to leave the movement with your neck or your head. You want to decrease the angle form your rib cage to your hip bone so it is a very small movement and this is for the rectos abdominos. If I now add a twisting motion I have incorporated the oblique muscles that run criss cross through the core. You can also make that more intense by having more of your body off the ball and increasing the intensity plus your range of motion. Another great little tool is the bender ball and this ball would be placed behind your back to do your crunches and your twist crunches. It takes out the hip flexor so that you really concentrate on those abdominal muscles so you can roll back over the ball and exhale when you lift. Arms can be on front, behind your head, across your chest and you can also do that in a rotation exercise again to get those obliques. So it is not all about the crunch on the floor, it is about using some resistance tools or tools to help put you in the proper position to get those great abdominals but remember it is more than just doing crunches or twist crunches it is about doing your cardiovascular activity as well as having some proper nutrition. This is Alice Monsaert encouraging you to stay active and healthy."