Canada AM fitness expert Libby Norris has tips, exercises and techniques to help you get the six-pack you've always wanted. And not the kind that comes in a can...

Quick Core Test

How to:

Assume a push-up position, except rest on your forearms and elbows, not hands. Keep your body as straight as possible, about half a foot over the floor. Hold it there.

 

Results

Where your Abs are at!

10 sec

You could use some work on your abdominal muscles/strength.  Don't give up, it shows you where your starting.  There are lots of progressions and options from here!

10-15

Your abdominal muscles are improving and getting strong

15-30

Your abdominal muscles are in good shape/strength

30-45

Your heading toward great abdominal muscles

45+

Your abdominal muscles are in great shape/strength

 

General Notes:

Myths

  • Ab work gives you a flat stomach
  •  You need to do crunches every day will flatten your stomach
  • Crunches are the best exercise

How crunches compare

  • study that notes crunch as a mean score and rates other exercises above and below
  • summarize how crunches rate as compared to other exercises

Get the hip flexors out!

  • What do hip flexors have to do with it

How do we keep them out of the equation

  • DON'T hook your feet under the couch - the MORE the hip flexors work, the LESS your abs work
  • Butterfly your knees with crunches
  • Do crunches on a stability ball - reduce hip flexor involvement
  • Co alternatives core exercises that don't crunch

Essential Ingredients

  • Healthy, balanced diet
  • Burning calories
  • Raising your MBR - increasing your metabolism - This happens by challenging and maintaining your muscles!

5 Top tips for Working your Abs

  1. Trade crunches for plank movements
  2. Grab a ball
  3. Let your back come OFF the floor
  4. Add resistance NOT repetition
  5. SLOW down

 

Crunch Free Core

 

Exercise

Description & Options/Progressions

Side Lying Lifts

Lie on your side propped up on your forearm with your elbow directly under your shoulder for support.  Bend your knees and stack both your knees and hips. 

Action:  lift your hips up toward the sky

Tips:  lengthen through your torso, keeping your shoulder away from your ears

·         From the knee - top hand down for balance

·         From the knee - top hand up to sky

·         From the knee - top hand reaching overhead away from the body

·         From the knee - raise and lengthen top leg

·         From the feet - repeat the above progressions

Planks

Lie face down resting on the forearms with your palms flat on the floor and your elbows directly under your shoulders.

Action - lift your hips from the floor and hold

Tips - keep abs and torso strong avoiding sagging or lifting hips

·         From the knee

·         From the toes

·         From the toes - raise one leg

·         From the toes - varied leg movements with

Bicycles

Lie face up on the floor.  Lace your fingers behind your head.  Bring the knees toward chest and lift shoulder blades off the floor.

Action - straighten the left leg out while simultaneously rotating the left should toward the right knee.  Switch from side to side.

Tips - focus on rotating the shoulders and avoid pulling on the hands behind the head

>V-Sits

Start in a seated position with knees bent, feet flat on the floor.  Lean back 10-20 and hold as your start position.

Action - lean back and up in a 2-4" range of motion

Tips - only lean back as far as you can keeping torso long and strong

·         Place a 6-10" ball behind the back for lumbar support

·        Vary hand position - out in front, hands our to side, behind head

·         Hold dumbbell at chest

Captain's Chair - the kitchen counter modification for home

Stand with your back to a 90°corner, placing your forearms or hands on the counter.  Raise body weight off your feet and hold.

Action - lift one knee or both

Tips - keep movement slow and controlled

·         Lift one knee or two

·         Place a light dumbbell between feet to pull up

Leg Drops

Lie on the floor face up and extend your legs up to the sky directly over hips.

Action - Lower legs downward

Tips - start with a small range of motion and gradually increase

·         Place a Pilates or Bender ball under your tailbone

·         Lower one leg at a time

·         Lower both legs

Partner Presses

This is a great way to add resistance to abdominal work - which can be a challenge!  Be gentler, though, it doesn't take much pressure to add a lot of intensity!

Resisting with Bent knee

Start with knees bent 90飩�, keep knees directly above hips

·         Partner tries to pull knees away toward feet - gently!

·         Partner tries to push heels toward head

·         Partner tries to push knees over to the right

·         Partner tries to push knees over to the left

Resisting with Vertical Legs

Start with feet up to sky directly above hips

·         Repeat the above progressions pressing on the feet

·         Add resistance with vertical leg drop - very slow - starting with a very light press and gradually increase

"Don't let me move you drills"

Start in a standing position with hands clasped and arms extended straight out from the chest.  You can also hold a small ball or light dumbbell for more of a visual.

·         Partner adds resistance on both sides of the hands - hold

·         Partner adds resistance up and down - hold

·         Partner adds resistance on angles - hold

"Let me move you slow" drills

Start in the same position as above, but add slow movement with resistance.  It doesn't take much!  Start gently and gradually add.

·         Repeat same as above

·         Start with a small range of motion and gradually increase