Exercises for abs

[luv2dance515]

I am starting at a new studio this summer and I want to look my best, so here goes...I have kind of like little love handles. It's not noticable in regular shirts and stuff but in a leo it looks horrid! My upper abs are fine, it's just the lower portion. Can anyone share some exercises to firm up that area? I've been doing like billions of crunches (side and front) every day among other exercises I found in magazines for the last two weeks, but it does not seem to be working at all! I start at the new studio in five weeks... I don't want a sixpack or anything, just a little more definition!

[TomarkenFan89]

Have you tried VERY SLOWLY moving your legs up and VERY SLOWLY moving them down - without lifting anything else?

[hotchocolategirl]

Hi

Well make sure that when you are doing the crunches that your stomach muscles are flat and not balling or bunching up and that your back has a slight curve in it like when you are standing up straight. Also, have you done crunches with your legs at a 90 angle? Those are always good.

Edited June 22, 2005 by hotchocolategirl

[dance_through_life]

I have kind of a similar thing, just a little extra fat near my belly button. For me (luckily) it is not noticable in a leotard, but sometimes it seems to just be genetics! I would wait and see what the moderators say though.

[Victoria Leigh]

Pilates or Gyrotonics classes would be good

[Claude_Catastrophique]

Yeah, some of the Pilates exercises are nasty but they really help and they don't make you bulky muscles.

 

I know another exercises which helped me a lot: I lay on my back, arms at my side and then I just lift up my legs and I try to stay as long as possible at the point it is the hardest to hold.

[Guest lightupthestage7]

Yeah, try doing crunches in different positions (i.e. with legs straight out, 45 degree angle, 90 degree angle, strattle, to either side, with just one leg up). It definitely helps! It helped me!

 

I haven't taken Pilates classes, so I wouldn't know about those, but it seems like they would help, too. It's worth a try!

 

 

--Di

Edited June 22, 2005 by lightupthestage7

[tutu22]

i take pilates and they call one exercise "slapping water". you lay down on your back and put your legs together parallel in the air (lower them to make the exercise more intense). then you pulse your arms up and down, beside your body, in a quick motion taking breaths in and out. it really tones your abs! good luck!!

[DewDrop5392]

I am pretty sure those are called the 'hundreds'. There are a bunch of other pilates exercises that really work the stomach area.