tightening abs

ayeshasi

anyone have any idea how to tighten the lower abs....got a bit left after kids.....dont need to lose weight, just need to tighten...been trying sit ups and all sorts...nothing is helping much. Any thoughts?

cardtart_2

Are you sure you are doing the sit ups correctly,if not you can exersise your stomach into a barrel shape. Can you go to a class or the gym to have an expert show you?My aeorobics teacher has us doing crunches as well as sit ups and also we do pelvic tilts to help the lower muscles.I have been going for over three years now and it takes quite a while to work,mind you thats probably all the cream buns!Swimming is also a good exersise for all the muscles.I try to hold my stomach in at all times as posture can make a big difference and flatten out the tummy (just imagine Robbie Williams has walked in on you when you are stood in your bikini!)

ayeshasi

hehe, lol. Robbie Williams...............

Anyway, yeh, im sure i have been doing it the right way as i have this detailed video what to do and what not to do....I used to do them wrong b4 that. Also, i have to aerobics classes too and have bene taught there too. If i had a flatter lower tummy, i would give my body 10/10 lol........its just that wee bit!

melancholly

try something like pilates - that's sorted out my stomach (although still work to do before the summer!)

or spend some time concentrating on leg raises - they really work at the lower abs.

belfastgal

HONESTLY ?
Is pilates good for flattening the tummy....that is my worst flabby area....i may try a class at the gym ...i thought it was a bit of a lightweight class....

ayeshasi

ok, will do them now, thanks for your help guys

eddie_2-2

Pilates is good for strengthening tummy muscles. It will also improve strength in the overall 'girdle' region, i.e. tummy muscles, lower back, oblique tummy muscles.
A lot of people find that they experience good results around the lower abdominal region since pilates exercises tend to focus on the lower abs which traditional exercises such as sit ups don't target so well.

If you want to focus on strenthening then Pilates is great (it's also good for flexibility). However, if you also want to be able to see your ab muscles then you have to burn off the excess fat lying on top of them. In this case, pilates is not in the same calorie burning league as aerobic based activities such as running, cycling, swimming.

needmoney

From June 1st Lidl have an abdominal trainer £9.99 looks quite good.

ayeshasi

wow, thnx for all the info eddie. I didnt know anything about pilates. See, i dont think there is any fat on my tummy really cos i can see the muscles on my tummy in the mid and above region......i think its just the lose musle that needs tightening which now pilates should help. Do u think libraries will have a video on pilates?

melancholly

belfastgal wrote:

HONESTLY ?
Is pilates good for flattening the tummy....that is my worst flabby area....i may try a class at the gym ...i thought it was a bit of a lightweight class....

it can be lightweight - but the lady who takes out class is quite hardcore! i come out out of breath and can feel the muscles the day afterwards!! if you hold yourself in 'the plank' (holding your body up on your elbows and your toes in a completely horizontal position - no bums in the air!) for a minute solid, and find that easy then you're a much stonger person than me!

i've found that i now have some noticeable vertical lines on my stomach - i'm never going to get a 6 pack, but there is a hell of a lot more definition!

melancholly

ayeshasi wrote:

wow, thnx for all the info eddie. I didnt know anything about pilates. See, i dont think there is any fat on my tummy really cos i can see the muscles on my tummy in the mid and above region......i think its just the lose musle that needs tightening which now pilates should help. Do u think libraries will have a video on pilates?

i started in a class, then got myself a couple of videos and a mat on ebay.... worked out as very cost effective!!