Thursday, September 30, 2010

Question by aphrodisiacxx: What are some good abs exercises to get fit abs?
I have good abs already. But i want to improve myself more…before the new year begins. I need tips or fun exercises on youtube or something.

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Best answer:

Answer by chastel22
contradictory to popular belief you have to do cardio to burn that excess flab off your abs, then your core exercises will show results. if you work out your abs, they will get stronger, but the layer of fat just sits on top of your muscles and prevents them from looking good.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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Elliptical workout machines focus on leg muscles and the lower body, including the quads, calf muscles and hamstrings. Better understand this workout machine with thesetips from an experienced personal trainer in this free video on fitness and exercises. Expert: Aaron Hill Bio: Aaron Hill is a professional fitness and health instructor at Fitness for Life in Wilmington, North Carolina. Filmmaker: Reel Media LLC

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Selecting Right Abdominal Exercise Equipment

Both men and women long to have a flat and trimmed stomach which can be achieved through proper regular diet and abdominal exercises. Some people, who are overweight and are embarrassed to go to the gym to cut their weight, can opt to purchase abdominal exercise equipment and try them from their home.

There are many equipment that are specifically designed to tone the muscles of the abdomen but they have to be practiced regularly to achieve good results. Before starting abdominal exercise, walking can be done to warm up. Balance ball is abdominal exercise equipment that is perfect for those who want to sweat out to reduce abdomen fat from the comfort of their home.

A balance ball is an oversized ball made of rubber and to get the proper way of utilizing it, an instructional video can be followed. Medicine curbs are other kind of abdominal exercise equipment that is almost similar to balance ball and balance trainer is an equipment that strains the entire body to keep the body agile and balances it as well. There are many kinds of exercises that can be performed using the balance trainer.

When done with good coordination, this equipment yields good results. Since exercise equipment have undergone many modifications in course of time, there are a variety of machines like abdominal exercise wheels, abdominal crunch machines and for less industrious people, there are stools that rotate to flatten the stomach.

The burst resistant body ball is an abdominal exercise equipment that is claimed to be better than floor sit-ups and also helps in sculpting legs and gluts. A wheel is for those who enjoy getting down on the floor for a work out and is simple equipment. It also helps to work the internal and external oblique and firms up the abdominal area.

Abdominal crunches machines give a feeling of working out in the gym which has bars with handles to offer up and down motion. Some may also have a weighted harness to give a pulley kind of action that reduces the fat in the abdomen. But for those who want to workout without such ado, watching their favorite television programs, fitness Quest Red XL exerciser offers a rotating stool to sit on and gripping the handles and while rotating, offers a good exercise to the abdominal muscles.

But of all the equipment, the good old method of sit ups and crunches combined with a healthy and proper diet are the best way to get rid of the unwanted muscles in the middle region. A flat stomach cannot be achieved over night and it is necessary to maintain a regular schedule of exercising, followed by good diet to achieve the desired result.

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Overview Of Commercial Elliptical Machines

Commercial Elliptical Machines

One of the best ways to get a cardio workout is by using an elliptical training machine. There are many models available for home and commercial use. So what is the difference between the two?

Home elliptical machines can be purchased with a range of features from the most basic model to a commercial grade unit. If you take the reviews as evidence, apparently you get what you pay for.

Commercial elliptical machines can be found in therapy offices, doctor’s offices, fitness centers, gyms and just about anywhere else you can go to work out. Usually, these models are feature packed and run into the thousands of dollars (00 is the median). Although the commercial models can have the same features as a residential one, the difference is the quality of the construction. This justifies the price tag.

Commercial elliptical machines can monitor your heart, breathing and pulse with additional items sold separately. Of course these additional items cost additional money. Most commercial elliptical machines provide not only the walking simulation for cardio, but also an upper body workout as well.

The Nordic Track brand was the first one I remember seeing and it was marketed as a simulator of cross-country skiing. Perhaps this was the basis for the rest of the industry to add in the upper body workout portion.

In any event, commercial elliptical machines are basically built stronger and more durable to withstand prolonged, continuous use. One machine may be used 20 or 30 times a day in some gyms, maybe more. They are equipped with stronger motors, better drive systems, advanced cardiac monitoring systems, softer, more fluid stepping action and even laptop or personal stereo holders, if you want to work or listen to music as you exercise.

There are, of course, other options and features, too. This is just an overview of commercial elliptical machines. When looking at commercial elliptical machines, the best brands to look at are:

• Precor
• Fitnex
• Star Trac
• Stairmaster

These are top quality brands and will carry a top quality price tag as well, but they have been reviewed as the best commercial elliptical machines by consumers. All have several models to choose from and can be delivered anywhere in the world.

Commercial elliptical machines are preferred over treadmills. This is due to the low impact of the elliptical machine on the feet. Joint and ankle pain was a complaint of people using treadmills for a long period of time. While treadmills are still used widely, elliptical machines are fast becoming the preferred machine to use. With an elliptical training machine, there is no impact on the feet at all, as on a treadmill. This alleviates the foot, ankle and heel injuries to a great extent.

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Get Up All You Couch Potatoes It is Time To Exercise

If you have not figured it out by now, the answer is Walking. Yes, simply walking every day can do wonders for your body. And I am not talking about speed walking or power walking, just basic walking. A good moderate to brisk walk every day will help improve your attitude, your outlook on life, and even get you to thinking about changes you want to make in your life but never got around to it.


As you know we currently live in a world where everyone wants and expects a quick fix. Unfortunately, our bodies do not understand the quick fix method when we put on more and more weight and then want to get rid of it fast. You probably feel like celebrating when you start a diet and the first week you lose 5 to 7 pounds. Do not start celebrating yet. The weight that you think you have lost is mostly water weight and muscle. These are the things your body needs.


You do not have to diet to lose weight but you do need to start really looking at how you view food. Is it a source of fuel for your body when your energy gets low? Do you stop when you start getting that full feeling? Or have you been conditioned to eat what is put on the plate in front of you, even if it could probably feed three more people? If that is the case, you are not alone.


There are ways of getting out of this unhealthy rut and setting you on the right road to better health. I am going to give you a few things to consider:


*Drink a full glass of water before you sit down to eat that meal. Use this trick when dining out. You will be surprised how much food you will be taking home in a doggy bag.

*Chew your food at least 10-20 times. The more time you spend thoroughly chewing your food, the less likely you are to complete your entire meal. First of all, your stomach will feel full faster and second, your mouth will be ready to quit.

*Serve your meals on smaller plates. We have become so accustomed to the platter servings at restaurants that are designed to feed more than one person that we have forgotten what a normal size plate looks like.

*Drink 6-8 glasses of water day. Water acts as a diuretic and helps to decrease water retention. It aids the digestion by helping to break food down easier, and it regulates our body temperature.

*When you feel like you want a snack, go walking or engage in some other activity that will refocus your thoughts.


Did you know that if you get a craving for something the best way to get rid of it is to drink a glass of water? The craving will lessen and eventually go away after about 15 minutes. The guy that used to be my trainer when I went to the gym told me that. I did not believe it either until I tried it, and it really worked. He also told me that a lot of times cravings for sweets or other things is your body telling you that you need to drink more water. So think about that next time you reach for that cookie or piece of cake.


The last and most important thing you need to add to your healthier outlook is incorporating physical activity into your day. If all you have time for is walking, that is great. At least you are getting your body moving, your muscles and joints working, and believe it or not, you are releasing whatever tension built up in your body and in your mind. Walking is a great stress reliever because it does not take any effort to do and you can do it at your own pace. Walkign also helps to correct your posture and could you avoid pesky back problems later in life.


Now, you no longer have an excuse for staying on the couch. It only takes 30-40 minutes out of your day and you can even break up the time; 15-20 minutes in the morning and 15-20 minutes in the evening. The point is, you need to take time out for yourself and do something good for your body. Your body will love you for it. Here is to your good health.

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by evansent

Tips for Frozen Shoulder Exercise

If you have a frozen shoulder diagnosed by your physician and have done any research on this condition, then you are aware of the 3 stages by now: Stage 1 – Increasing pain in the shoulder joint with daily activities or range of motion, Stage 2 – Increasing stiffness and loss of motion, but usually less pain, and Stage 3 – Shoulder range of motion beginning to increase slowly with return of functional abilities. Hopefully if you have begun a frozen shoulder exercise program then you are experiencing results. But what if you are not?

If your progress is less than desired then you might add these tips to boost your results:

Try a very warm shower, or even better a very warm bath just prior to beginning your exercise. The moist heat will increase local blood flow and extensibility (stretchiness) of the tissues in and around the shoulder joint.

Start with good posture before beginning each exercise. If you look in the mirror and your natural relaxed posture reveals rounded shoulders and upper back and your chin is protruding forward, this will lessen the amount of motion you will be able to obtain. Retract your chin slightly, sit up tall or stand tall, and roll your shoulders backwards before beginning any range of motion exercise. By doing this you place your affected shoulder in a more natural position and will make the frozen shoulder exercise more effective.

Increase your frequency and intensity of each exercise session. You should be stretching and strengthening several times a day, but each session should be more brief with focused intensity rather than 2-3 long drawn out sessions. You will see quicker results by not allowing the shoulder to stiffen up between sessions that are too far apart.

The tips above will boost the effectiveness of your frozen shoulder treatment and increase your motivation as you will see results sooner. Always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program and make sure your program is designed by a professional or licensed clinician.

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