Exercise ideas

[sugarcakes]

A teacher mentioned to me that my daughter needs to strengthen her abdominals. She's 12 years old. Should I get her into pilates? Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[Guest abcfordance]

If you get her into pilates I would strongly advise some private instruction with a certified instructor over group lessons. It is very easy to do Pilates incorrectly and never get into the deepest muscles, which is what the goal is.

 

One of the best things you can have your daughter do is stand and sit with her abdominals engaged to help her maintain good posture. The more second nature that becomes the better shape her abdominals will be in.

 

If she has a chair at her desk at home replace it with a physio ball for her to sit on. This will strengthen the deep muscles of the spine and abdominals while she does her homework, chats online or talks on the phone.

 

In addition to pilates she can also try swimming, yoga, floor barre.

[Balletmartyr]

Does anyone know of an exercise to tighten lower abs? (below belly button) DD already does pilates. Any suggestions?

[Victoria Leigh]

If Pilates has not shown her how to do that, then I don't know anything better. Have her check with her Pilates teacher.

[Mel Johnson]

Well, there's always learning to play the tuba.

[jbtlse]

Last year when my daughter was 12/13 she did a weekly private pilates/gyrotonics

class. No doubt about it--it was great, but at $75/class it was just too costly to continue. Despite all this investment, her year-end evaluation still said she needed to address core strength. This year she takes a weekly mat class at her ballet school--I believe the private instruction taught her how to work correctly for maximum benefit. Additionally her muscles seemed to have developed with physical maturity, every aspect of her dancing has benefited from this new strength-- turns, balance, jumps, flexibility, extension, etc have all improved dramatically. I guess the point I was trying to make is the pilates was phenomenal (I wish we could have afforded to have her continue it), but "filling out" seemed to make a big difference too.

 

PS I'd recommend gyrotonics too--and finding an instructor experienced with dancers particularly--daughter's have always been former dancers and know what the goals are.

[Guest dancinx2]

"Abs of Steel" is the best video I have found for a great ab isolating work-out. Ten minutes a day with 3 rotating programs on the video so you don't get too bored.