I really need to lose weight especially around my mid-section. But it seems that all of the ab workouts are done on the floor. I have back problems. Are there any ab workouts that don't involve getting on the floor?
2006-10-14 02:49:39 · 6 answers · asked by cocoalabean 2 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
Walking and biking will help burn the calories you need to start reducing. There are ab exercises that can be done standing up, and some on an exercise ball.
The big key for you, is to also do exercises for your lower back. If you work your abs and not your lower back, as you strengthen your abs, your lower back will get worse...
Strengthening your abs makes those muscle stronger which will pull the back...
So you have to work both.
2006-10-14 03:00:40 · answer #1 · answered by Kaia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sure..if yoo go to the gym you will see all the machines that you can use for your abs that don't involve the floor...try searching google for ab workouts that dont involve the floor....
Do your ab workouts without lying down...
Most people do their ab workouts on the floor, using a variety of movements to exercise their abdominal muscles. What's not so common is to include movements in your ab workouts that are done in a standing position.
The standing cable crunch, for example, is just one exercise that you don't need to do on the floor. It does, however, require the use of pulleys and cables, which are usually only found in a well-equipped gym. Yet there's one standing exercise you can do for your stomach muscles without the need for any equipment.
Ab workouts
The movement—known by some as the vacuum—activates several abdominal muscles. These include the external and internal obliques and transverse abdominis. The obliques run down either side of your waist, while transverse abdominis acts a little like a corset, helping to hold your abdomen flat. You can't actually see transverse abdominis, as it "hides" away underneath the other abdominal muscles.
The vacuum isn't, however, a very effective way to exercise rectus abdominis, which is the muscle responsible for the "six-pack" look.
To perform the vacuum, take a deep breath in while lifting your chest. Then, keeping your chest elevated, breathe out while attempting to "suck in" your belly button as the lower part of your stomach flattens. You'll begin to feel some of the muscles in your waist feel tighter. Hold this position for a few seconds, then relax. That counts as one repetition.
Start with five repetitions every other day, with each one lasting 2-3 seconds. As you progress, you can increase both the number of repetitions and the length of time you hold each one.
The vacuum is more than just sucking in your stomach. It demands concentration and mental focus to make it work. If you've never done it before, try it in front of a mirror (sideways on) so you can actually see what's happening. Of course, if you have a large belly, you won't be able to see much, so you'll need to rely on "feel" alone.
The benefit of the vacuum is that it takes very little time to perform, and you can literally do it anywhere — sitting in your car or standing in a queue — even lying in bed. If you want something different from the curling or crunching movements that form a part of most ab workouts, the vacuum is definitely worth a try.
2006-10-14 09:53:55 · answer #2 · answered by Cassie T 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have lost 15 pounds in 2 months & all I do is walk 2 miles a day & drink 2 glasses of water before each meal the I won't eat as much. I f that don't help see if your doctor can give you some meridia. Once you loose some of the weight then your back won't hurt as much also try some hamstring stretches tight hamstrings can cause back problems.
2006-10-14 10:03:29 · answer #3 · answered by beer30_somewhere 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The healthiest way to prevent a fat stomach is by ensuring that your weight is normal for your height. If you have stubborn belly fat, the only way you can reduce your fat is by doing aerobic exercises. During activities like swimming, rowing and walking, enough oxygen is supplied to the body to burn fat. Fat is burned from all over the body, including the stomach. More information available at http://tinyurl.com/jax5h
2006-10-17 23:54:51 · answer #4 · answered by Seema R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First understand this..... SPOT REDUCTION IS ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Diet and exercise is the way to go, which could include an ab workout. You can try a hanging leg lift - that might not hurt your back.
Best of luck. Hang in there and you will look great in no time.
2006-10-14 09:59:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Buy an exercise bike and do knee-ups standing by something to hold on to.
2006-10-14 09:54:55 · answer #6 · answered by EC 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋