Your A-Z Guide to PMS

Food & Your Mood

Some experts believe that low blood sugar plays a big role in PMS. During the premenstrual phase, glucose, or blood sugar, levels may drop. The brain needs glucose to function properly. Low glucose can cause headaches, depression, and confusion.

Yet another theory contends that poor nutrition leads to, or exacerbates, PMS. Some doctors think that women with PMS don't get enough calcium, magnesium, or vitamins E or B6. Foods often flagged as PMS triggers are white sugar and flour, caffeine, alcohol, and fatty foods.

Consider these tips for trying to ease your PMS symptoms by analyzing when and what you eat:

* Eat often. During PMS, many women have low blood sugar. When blood sugar drops, cortisol is released, which may make you nervous, jittery, and anxious. As blood sugar plummets, you find yourself craving cookies, chips, and just about anything fried in grease.To avoid this roller coaster, eat at least every four hours. Most doctors recommend eating three small meals and two to three snacks a day.


* Choose slow-burning foods. So what should you eat every four hours? Pick foods that your body processes slowly. Lean protein, such as chicken, turkey, soy foods, and fish, and above-the-ground vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and peppers, are all good choices. Try not to eat foods that can raise blood sugar quickly, such as white flour and sugar, potatoes and carrots.

Whole grains also are a healthy choice. A good rule is to look for brown foods at the grocery or health food store, such as brown rice, oatmeal, and whole wheat.


* Skip the salt. Hiding the salt shaker can also help control PMS. Dr. Goldstein puts all of his PMS patients on low-salt diets. Salt encourages your body to retain water. The fluid retention can cause bloating all over your body. Water retained in the brain can cause headaches, and extra water in the breasts can make them tender.


* Kick caffeine and alcohol. What you drink can make your PMS better or worse too. "Beverages can be an Achilles' heel for women with PMS," says Dr. Susan Lark, a specialist in preventive medicine and clinical nutrition. Soft drinks are packed with sugar. Alcohol is processed into sugar by your body, and it also depresses your nervous system, which affects mood. Women who drink alcohol often complain of anger as a PMS symptom.

The caffeine in your morning coffee or afternoon soda can cause breast tenderness, mood swings, and anxiety. A study of more than 200 college women found that 60 percent of those who drank more than 4-1/2 cups of caffeinated beverages a day had severe PMS symptoms.


* Turn on the tap. Instead of coffee or soda, guzzle water. Some women fear that drinking more water will add to bloating, but adding water helps your body eliminate bothersome fluids. When you're dehydrated, your body hangs onto water, making bloating worse.


* Consider supplements. In addition to the right food and drink, some vitamins, minerals, and supplements have given women relief. A 1998 study of more than 400 women in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that 1,200 milligrams of calcium supplement each day cut PMS symptoms almost in half after three months. The B complex vitamins, which are involved in more biochemical reactions in the body than any other vitamin, seem to improve mood and reduce bloating.

To help soothe nerves, some women take magnesium. Evening primrose oil and other essential fatty acids, such as borage or flaxseed oil, are sometimes recommended by doctors to reduce cramping and relieve breast tenderness. All are sold at most health food stores.

Work Out to Feel Better

Doctors don't know for sure why exercise helps PMS, but some believe that it helps stabilize blood sugar. Getting active may also increase endorphins, the body's relaxing hormones that are 500 times more potent than morphine. A brisk 20- or 30-minute walk three times a week seems to be enough to help most women.

Exercise is one of the first things that the staff at PMS Access in Madison, Wisconsin, recommends to the more than 2,000 women who call every day with questions on how to relieve PMS naturally. Cofounder Marla Ahlgrimm, a registered pharmacist, says exercising helps women elevate their mood and ease anxiety.

Run a hot bath and soak for 20 minutes, walk the dog around the block without the kids, or check out that yoga class at the gym. For most women, 15 to 20 minutes by themselves is enough time to clear their heads.

PMS or Perimenopause?

Many women notice that their PMS gets worse with age. Although experts aren't sure why this is, some believe that it's related to the hormonal changes that happen prior to menopause. As the body prepares to shut down reproduction, it produces less and less estrogen and progesterone.

The average age of menopause is between 49 and 54, but women can be in perimenopause for as many as 10 years before menopause. "Menopause is really ovarian retirement," explains Dr. Christine Green, a family physician in Palo Alto, California. "But the ovaries don't quit all at once, they just go on vacation."

But vacationing ovaries can mean irregular periods, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, and mood swings. Sometimes it's difficult to distinguish perimenopause from PMS. Because both conditions are treated symptomatically, it's not imperative to decide which you have. In fact, you may have both. "When I see perimenopausal PMS, I call it PMS," says Dr. Green.

Changes in diet and exercise seem to help both perimenopausal and PMS symptoms. However, in perimenopausal women, emotional symptoms might not respond as readily to natural remedies. Antidepressants or other drugs might be needed to help you feel better.

Beyond Self-Help

If diet and exercise don't do the trick, it may be time to try something else. Your doctor might suggest a low-dose birth control pill. Some doctors believe that an imbalance of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone causes PMS. Too much estrogen can make you anxious, irritable, and confused. Too much progesterone, a natural relaxant, can lead to depression. The pill can regulate your menstrual cycle and keep your hormone levels steady throughout the month.

Or ask your doctor about natural progesterone, which is sold over the counter. Its use in treating PMS is somewhat controversial, but some women swear by it. Clinical study results have varied, with some finding progesterone effective and others concluding that it had no effect on symptoms at all. Women who have taken natural progesterone report that it has a calming effect.

However you treat your PMS, remember you're not alone. Finding a person who believes that what's going on with you is real will help you feel more in control.

Thigh Exercises

I train many women clients, and if there is one thing I have learned, women like to have toned inner thighs! It is a problem area for most women. The muscles of the inner thighs, also called the hip adductors, respond to a very specific exercise routine. It takes about 15 minutes of exercise three times a week to shape the inner thighs. All you need is an exercise mat to get stared. Try these exercises for a few weeks and you will feel more leg power when you walk, run, or swim. After about ten weeks, you will see new definition in your thighs.

Outer Thigh Lift.

Lie on your left side, and prop your upper body nearly upright on your left forearm. With your left leg bent comfortably, extend your right leg at a 45-degree angle in front of you. Slowly raise the right foot about six inches off the floor in a controlled motion. Hold for one count, then slowly lower the foot almost to the floor; start another lift without touching down. Do 10 reps. Then roil onto your right side and repeat. Do 3 sets with each leg. 3 sets of 10 repetitions each is a good starting point. When the routine begins to feel easy in about 3-4 weeks, add a one pound ankle weight.

Inner Thigh Firmer.

Lie on your left side with your head resting on a rolled-up towel to maintain proper alignment of your head, shoulders, and hips. Bend your right leg and rest it on the floor in front of you while extending your left leg straight with the foot. Slowly lift your left leg about six inches. Hold for a moment and then gradually lower the leg, beginning the next lift before your foot touches back down on the floor. After ten lifts, roll onto your right side and repeat. Complete 2 sets of 10 lifts with each leg. 2 sets of 10 repetitions each is a good starting point.

Cable Adductor Machine

This is the machine in the gym that most women gravitate towards! It's the one where you sit with your back pressed into the machine, holding onto any handles and with your legs and feet pressed against the foam pads. Smoothly bring your legs together, hold for a second then return under control to starting position. Some machines will have a combination of settings, allowing the legs to be taken wider, avoid taking your legs out too far, especially for beginners. Aim to keep your legs and back in contact with the machine at all times. It may be useful to warm up your muscles with a lightweight prior to your training weight, as this will not only help prevent injury, but also make sure that the machine is set-up comfortably for you.

Inner Thigh Firmer Using a Stability Ball or Pillow.

Lie on your back on the floor and place a small Swiss Ball or large pillow centrally between your lower legs. Smoothly squeeze the ball or pillow, aiming to apply pressure from both legs, onto the sides of the ball. Hold in the inner phase for 2 - 3 seconds prior to releasing and repeating again. Repeat 10 times. This exercise is usually performed while lying, but can also be performed seated or standing. Complete 2 sets of 10 repetitions. 2 sets of 10 repetitions is a good starting point.

How Much Exercise Is Enough To Tone The Inner Thighs?

This number guide will help you determine what intensity is right for you.

Let's say that the intensity of the exercise ranges from 1 to 5.

1 - Light exercise, can barely feel the muscle. (this is what you feel in the first 1-3 repetitions)

2 - You can feel the hip muscles working (as you do more repetitions, you become more aware of the tension in the muscles)

3 - Moderate intensity, where you begin feel a 'burn' or 'strain' in the muscle. You have to exert a little to maintain the exercise.

4 - Moderate to high intensity, where your hip muscle starts to hurt, and you feel like stopping.

5 - High intensity, where you just can't continue. You need to stop and take a break.

In order to tone the thighs, you need to push to an intensity that falls between 3 and 4. This will vary from person to person. For some individuals, 10 repetitions of an exercise is enough to get to 3, or even 4. This is especially common for beginners, or for those who have resumed exercise after a long break. For other, more conditioned individuals, it is common to get to 3 or 4 after 30-40 repetitions, or after using ankle weights.

For more information about best diets to lose weight, register for free and get full-color exercise routines, diet plans and grocery lists, visit http://www.best-weight-loss-programs.net/, for exercises for women, visit http://www.toningforwomen.com/ and to train with Nitin, visit http://www.phonefitnesstrainer.com/

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How to get rid of love handles. Tips on how to lose love handles continued.

How to get rid of love handles. Tips on how to lose love handles continued.

Love handles, remove love handles, how to lose love handles.

I like being straight with people whether they like it or not. So to be straight with you: the 3 biggest issues in getting your abs in top condition are as always--
1-Diet
2-Intelligent training
3-Supplementation.
Here are the steps I would recommend.

1) Start With Cardio so that you first get rid of that fat layer covering your abs
When you lower your body fat percentage, your abs will appear more chiselled and defined. You'll want to do about 30 minutes of cardio work 3 or 4 times a week in order to have the abs up to shape.
Here are 7 great choices for cardio
-Basketball
-Racquetball
-Tennis
-Circuit Weight Training
-Brisk Walking
-Running
-Bicycling

Pick an exercise you actually enjoy doing.
That way you'll stick to it until it becomes a habit you won't want to give up!. But remember, I told you that exercises will acctually help you less on how to lose love handles.

Love Handle Exercise

love handle workout and how to lose love handles

As I told you above, love handles are those not-so-great-to-look-at bulges in your waist line. And the plain and simple advice of, "Just work it off," won't do? Good for you. Love Handles seem IMPOSSIBLE to get rid of! You Can Exercise til you're a Stick. Sit-ups, as a love handle exercise will not work as it only works your stomach while your sides barely lift a finger. Running on a treadmill, or jogging as another love handle exercise won't do it alone.You could even own a six-pack, but still have stubborn love handles! I'm sure you have tried a few love handle exercise that they told you they are how to lose love handles. But You slimmed down elsewhere on your body, but not on your love handles.

So what are the perfect love handle exercise?

1- Leg kicks while lying down. When your lower back muscles are strengthened, it has the effect of toning down your love handles. One such exercise involves straining your lower back. Lie down on the floor, flat on your stomach. When comfortable, lift up your knees and feet off the floor and flutter your legs as though you were kicking underwater. You need to do this love handle exercise in short intervals such as kicking for fifteen seconds. Stop for thirty seconds before doing it again.

2-Swimming as a love handle exercise. Physical activities such as swimming, that require you to move your whole body and involve more muscle groups tend to use up more calories than just love handle workouts that target specific muscle groups. So swin whenever possible. Swimming as a love handle exercise burns up the stored fats and its movements involve straining the abdominal muscles. So swimming, as with the next love handle exercise below, helps slim down that midsection area and help with general weight loss as well.

More about love handle exercise to help rid of love handles

love handle workout.

Most people do targeted love handle exercise to reduce fat, with no results. This type of exercise is known as "spot reducing." While such exercise helps, it is not going to help rid of love handles. That is not a good love handle exercise for losing love handles.

Fat in one place belongs to the whole body, no matter where it is. You cannot selectively lose fat in the body part of your choice, instead, fat is lost systemically. Fat is lost from all over your body, and there is no way you can determine where the fat will be lost from. Therefore losing love handles requires patience, but it's a goal that is definitely achievable with effective love handle exercise.

Any love handle exercise should aim to lose body fat and build muscle. Losing body fat will allow you to lose overall body weight, and this will most likely lead to a waist size reduction. Love handles generally begin to disappear at 12% body fat for men, and 20% body fat for women.

Generally people tend to lose fat where we first pile it on. So be patient, your love handles will disappear with persistence in your love handle exercise.

Exercises like lying pelvic lifts and crunches will help to tone and strengthen muscle under the fat.

Losing love handles is not an easy task. Remember that for any love handle exercise to work, overall body fat needs to be reduced. Spot reducing won't really work to get rid of love handles. Also any exercise program needs to be accompanied by a sensible diet.

Lose Your Love Handles

• Lose Your Spare
  Tire: How and Why [q&a]
• Large Hips [q&a]
• Help for Heavy Hips [q&a]
• Exercises for
  Smaller Hips [q&a]
• Lose Your Love
  Handles Workout [article]

Please tell me what exercise to do to get rid of those love handles on my hips and sides of my stomach that hang over the sides of my jeans. You ladies know where I'm talking about.

Sorry, but you can't magically make those "love handles" disappear. The belief that you can somehow spot reduce (selectively zap fat from an offending area of your body) is a persistent misconception among exercisers. If only you COULD spot reduce! Then doing thousands of sit-ups would melt away your spare tire. But as many have found out the hard way, this approach simply won't work. Specific exercises will not result in loss of body fat from specific areas. Period.

"Problem areas" are just genetically determined places on an individual's body where excess fat tends to be stored. The only way to lose fat deposited on any area of the body is to reduce the overall level of fat storage. Sensible eating habits designed to reduce calorie intake and regular exercise designed to burn off excess calories will help reduce overall body-fat stores. Here's the best, if not the most earth-shattering, approach to getting a handle on those love handles:

Try to maintain a consistent schedule that includes 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week or more. In addition, doing a total-body strength-training routine twice a week will increase your lean body composition, which will help you burn more calories even when you're at rest. This in turn will further enable you to reduce your overall fat stores, including those love handles, saddlebags, etc. As for diet, eat five or six small, low-fat meals a day to keep your blood sugar steady and your metabolism stoked and to prevent cravings and pig-outs.

You can also improve the overall appearance of your waist by spot TRAINING to tone the muscles underneath the fat deposits. Doing 2-5 abdominal exercises twice a week will adequately train those muscles so they become visible as you lose total body fat. Do 8-15 repetitions per set; move slowly and deliberately so you really feel every rep. Here are a few you might want to try:

• Basic crunch: Works the rectus abdominis, the wide flat muscle that runs from your breastbone to the top of your pelvis.
  • Lie on the floor with your feet hip-width apart. Cradle your head in your hands without lacing your fingers together and with your elbows rounded slightly inward. Tilt your chin a small way towards your chest and pull your abdominal muscles in.
  • Exhale through your mouth as you curl your head, neck, and shoulders up off the floor. Hold at the top of the movement for a moment, then inhale as you slowly lower down.
• Twist crunch: This exercise works your rectus abdominis as well as your internal and external obliques, two muscle groups that wrap around your waist.
  • Same as the basic crunch
  • Exhale through your mouth and curl your head, neck, and shoulders up and towards the left. Hold at the top of the movement, then lower to the start. Twist to the right on the next rep, and continue alternating until you complete the set. Note: Don't just twist your elbows from side to side. Really concentrate on twisting from your middle.
• Anchoring: This exercise uses all of your abdominal muscles, including the deep, underlying transverse abdominis. Your lower back also gets a workout.
  • Lie on your back with your left foot on the floor. Lift up your right leg and bend your knee so that your thigh is perpendicular to the floor and directly in line with your hip; flex your heel. Raise your arms up over your chest and clasp your fingers together.
  • Slowly lower your heel and your arms towards the floor. As you do so, concentrate on keeping your abs pulled inward, and don't allow your lower back to pop up off the floor. This becomes harder the closer your heel and hands move towards the floor. When your heel has almost touched the floor, slowly return your arms and leg to the start. Repeat this exercise four times with your right leg, then four times with your left.

But remember: Doing hundreds and hundreds of crunches, sit-ups and so forth will not reduce the fat stored in the abdominal region. You'll achieve better results by doing the aerobic exercise and a total body, strength-training routine, targeting your middle with strength-training exercises and following the eating tips described above.

Got a question or comment for Liz? Post it on the Fit by Friday message board!

Butt Exercises - Training & Workouts For Sculpted Glutes!

There are three muscles that make-up your glutes: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The gluteus maximus is the biggest and most noticeable of the three. The medius and minimus aren't as noticeable--both are located around your ilium, the large bony part of the pelvis. Together these three muscles help you move your thigh out to the side of your body (abduction), as well as rotate and extend your leg behind you. A strong buttocks helps in most all explosive/power activities, such as football, basketball, and hiking.

Butt Exercises - Lying Butt Bridge
Butt Exercises - Glute Kickbacks
Butt Exercises - Leg Lifts
Butt Exercises - Cable Kickbacks
Butt Exercises - Walking Dumbbell Lunges
Butt Exercises - Single Dumbbell Squats
Butt Exercises - Smith Machine Good Mornings
Butt Exercises - Reverse Dumbbell Lunges
Butt Exercises - Leg Presses
Butt Exercises - Exercise Ball Butt Lifts
Butt Exercises - Dumbbell Bench Step Ups
Butt Exercises - Smith Machine Squats
Butt Exercises - Cable Kickbacks
Butt Exercises - Elastic Band Kickbacks
Butt Exercises - Exercise Ball Butt Lifts
Butt Exercises - Exercise Ball Leg Lifts

Top 10 Butt Exercises

From Paige Waehner,
Your Guide to Exercise.
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About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Are you happy with your butt? Most of us aren't. They're too small, too big, too saggy, too flabby...this list goes on. The right cardio exercise and weight training activities (like squats and deadlifts) can make a difference in your backside and help you get those buns of steel. Find out the best cardio and strength training exercises for strengthening and firming up your rear.

1. Squats

View Full-Size Squats are one of the best exercises you can do for your hips, butt and thighs. There are many different types of squats, including the Chair Squat pictured here. Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat, keeping back straight, abs in and knees behind your toes. Let your butt lightly touch chair and squeeze butt to stand up. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps and add weights for more intensity. This gallery of squat images shows a wide variety of squats you can add to your current routine. More Info

2. Lunges

Lunges are a challenging exercise because they work so many muscles at the same time. On the front leg, you'll work the glutes and hamstrings and, on the back leg, you'll work the quads and calves. What's nice about lunges is that there are a variety to choose from such as:

• Side to Side Lunges
• Reverse lunges
• Front lunges
• Walking lunges
• Wheel lunges (front, side, reverse)

You can also elevate the back foot on a step or platform to really challenge both legs. This is a great move for the glutes and thighs, but please avoid this move if it aggravates any knees problems.

More Info

3. Step Ups

For step ups, you simply place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel onto the step. This is an excellent exercise for the glutes, providing you use a step that's high enough...just make sure your knee is bent to 90 degrees or less to keep it safe.

The other key to making this move work is to concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. In other words, lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. You'll really feel this when you take it slow and concentrate on the working leg.

More Info

4. Hip Extensions

While I'm fond of more compound moves (like the squats, lunges and step ups listed above) since they work more muscle groups, the hip extension is an exercise that targets the largest muscle in the body...the gluteus maximus.

For this move, you can hold a dumbbell behind the knee or use ankle weights for added intensity. Another interesting variation is to lie with your hips and torso supported by a ball, hands on the floor, and bend the knees. Then squeeze the glutes to send the feet straight up to the ceiling.

More Info

5. One-Legged Deadlifts

Deadlifts are great for your hamstrings, butt and lower back, but form is critical and you should skip this exercise if you have any back problems.

To do this move, take the left leg back just a bit, lightly resting on the toe. With the weights in front of the thighs, tip from the hips and lower the weights as low as your flexibility allows. Keep your back flat or with a natural arch and make sure you keep the abs contracted to protect the back. Squeeze the glutes of the working leg to raise back up. Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps.

More Info

6. Hiking

Now the exercises listed above aren't the only strength moves for the glutes, but we often forget that there are cardio activities that will also engage the backside.

Hiking is one of those activities and it also burns tons of calories because you're typically going up steep mountains and maybe even getting into thin air, which requires lots of energy. Also, walking up an incline automatically gets your glutes more involved and, if you're wearing a backpack, you're really getting a workout. Plus, you get to see nature at its best. A 140-lb person burns about 390 calories in about an hour!

More Info

7. Biking

Riding a bike is great for your heart and it also targets almost every muscle in your hips, thighs and butt. On a stationary bike, alternate 3 minutes at 70-80 RPM with 2 minutes at 100-110 RPM for a calorie-blasting 30 minute workout. You can also try Spinning at the gym or riding outside. Gear up to really work your glutes! A 140-lb person burns 335 calories in 45 minutes.

More Info

8. Running

Running, like walking is accessible, easy to learn, reduces stress, helps in weight loss, and it makes you feel good. Plus, it really works your butt, especially when you add a few hills to your regular running route. Sprints are another option for folks wanting to both burn more calories and tighten up the old tush. A 140-lb person burns 475 calories during a 45 minute jog.

More Info

9. Kickboxing

Kickboxing was a hot item back in the day, but it's still a great workout. Controlled kicks work your hips, thighs and butt while complex combinations that include punches will target your abs to make them stronger. A 140-lb woman will burn up to 500 calories with 45 minutes of kickboxing.

More Info

10. Walking

Walking is easy: you can do it anywhere, anytime with no special equipment. There's no learning curve and it's something you can incorporate all day long. If you walk up hills, you can really target your glutes and, if you pick up the intensity, you'll burn some of that extra flab off your buns! A 140-lb person burns about 300 calories an hour during a brisk walk.

More Info

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Heat-Tested: A Miami club's best tips for summer running

Heat-Tested A Miami club's best tips for summer running

The members of the Bikila Athletic Club, located in Miami and named in honor of the late Ethiopian marathoner Abebe Bikila, know something about heat training. Those new to the 3-year-old club, which currently includes 80 runners, are given the following list of tips by Steve Brookner, president of the Bikila AC. A 49-year-old runner, triathlete, and coach, Brookner has been living and training in South Florida since 1979. The list, he says, is designed to help newbies survive Miami's dreaded "80-80s"--days where both the temperature and the humidity percentage are in the 80s or above, which means most days from April through October. Train at 5:00 a.m. "The world is so full of promise when viewed at sunrise," Brookner says. True, but equally important, it's a little cooler. Put in your miles before the sun is high. Cross-train indoors Build your cardio base while taking a break from the heat and humidity by swapping an outdoor bike ride for an inside spin class. Do speedwork on a treadmill Intensity of exercise is a major factor in heat distress--the harder you run, the higher your risk. Plus, when you try to run fast in extreme heat, Brookner points out, "your perceived effort almost always exceeds your actual effort." To make your intervals safer and more productive, stay in and run as fast as you like in air-conditioned comfort. Ease into the heat Do a slow, two- to three-mile walk or very easy run at the hottest part of the day two times per week for three or four weeks to acclimatize to the heat. "It makes the morning run feel cool," says Brookner. Have a hydration plan before you start Know where your water stops are, either by plotting your runs in areas that have water fountains or by stashing bottles at strategic points along your route ahead of time. Also get in touch with local running clubs and training groups to find out where they might put out jugs, so you can share. Don't just drink the water A combo run-and-swim workout is perfect on really hot days. One of Brookner's favorites is a three-mile run from the Cocoplum traffic circle to Matheson-Hammock Park in Coral Gables. There, he and his buddies dive into the cool, clear waters of the nearby lagoon, swim for 15 to 30 minutes, get out, and run back. You can re-create this duathlon anywhere there's a body of water, or even a local pool. Plan to race in cool temperatures For Brookner, registering for a fall marathon "up north," such as Marine Corps or New York, basically guarantees relief from the heat. And the cooler race temperature is like a key unlocking the sultry shackles that have bound his feet throughout the summer. "When I show up in New York for the marathon in November and it's in the 70s, the New Yorkers are all like 'ugh,' and I'm saying, 'Bring it on!'"

ROAD MAP TO HUGE ARMS

ROAD MAP TO HUGE ARMS Arm workouts going nowhere? Green-light rapid growth with M&F’s eight-week guide to sleeve-busting bi’s and tri’s Story by: BILL GEIGER, MA, AND JIM STOPPANI, PHD

BIG, PUMPED ARMS — THE KIND THAT LOOK LIKE A ROAD ATLAS, with veins crisscrossing like a Southern California freeway interchange — are the ultimate destination for every bodybuilder. But if your personal road to sleeve-busting bi’s and tri’s has been more like a long series of roadblocks, potholes and detours than one of green lights and open highways, it’s time to merge into the fast lane of muscle growth. Our eight-week road map provides the fastest route to increased arm size, strength and muscular detail. And even though you’re a guy, we’ve painstakingly mapped out the directions so you get on the fast track to growth instead of wasting your time driving in circles.

DESTINATION: BIG ARMS
The superhighway to thicker arms requires a workout tune-up. First, instead of training arms just once over the course of your split, now you’ll work them twice. Training muscle groups more frequently stimulates genes in the muscle cells that instigate muscle growth. More frequent workouts (to a point) keeps those genes stimulated longer for better muscle growth.

On Saturday (see training split), you’ll hit your biceps and triceps in one session with a variety of exercises and rep ranges. In this split, Saturday follows a rest day. Whatever sequence you use, make sure your main arm day is after a rest day so you’re fresh and can devote full energy to your training. This enables you to go heavier and achieve greater intensity.

On Monday, after your chest workout, you’ll hit the triceps with a single bread-and-butter move to finish them off — after all, they’ve been getting more than their share of the workload in heavy pressing moves. The same goes for the biceps: On Tuesday, you’ll do a single exercise after back training to increase the blood flow to the bi’s and engorge them.

GPS TO ARM SIZE
You can overtrain your arms if you do too much work for too long, so return to your regular training split after eight weeks. Introducing change into your routine in this manner creates the opportunity for improvement, but it doesn’t continue indefinitely. Keep in mind that your ultimate arm size is also related to your genetic potential, although many of us never reach it because we lack patience, persistence and the know-how to get there.

Since it’s nearly impossible to build bigger arms when dieting down, you must consume enough overall calories and protein to not only sustain you during your training sessions but guarantee muscle growth as well. This means not missing meals, following a smart supplementation plan to ensure you get the required muscle-building nutrients, and paying attention to your pre- and postworkout meals. In tandem with this training routine, follow the “Road Map to Huge Arms” diet and supplement program that begins on page 130.

Ultimately, you’ll reach your final destination of bigger bi’s and tri’s faster if you follow a map to get there. While there are no shortcuts for hard work, at least you won’t be spinning your wheels following a random or haphazard plan. And that can only mean a green light for growth!

Download the full pdf version of this article, print and take it to the gym.

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GH WORKOUT

GH WORKOUT Looking for a natural way to send your growth hormone levels through the roof? Try this four-week, research-based, GH-boosting lifting program Story by: JIM STOPPANI, PHD, AND JOE WUEBBEN Art/Images by: MICHAEL DARTER

We all know that growth hormone promotes the accumulation of lean muscle tissue, and that boosting growth hormone levels leads to still more gains. In this feature, we unleash the means by which you can increase your GH levels naturally. Supplements can help, yes (see “Tipping the GH Scale” on page 104), but there’s an even simpler way: training. By working out within specific parameters pertaining to exercise selection, sets, reps and rest periods, you can send GH levels soaring for a bigger, stronger, leaner body. We call it our Growth Hormone Training Program. It’s totally clean, totally legal and totally effective. GROWTH HORMONE: THE ULTIMATE PROTEIN Few people realize that growth hormone (GH) is actually a protein — but this particular protein is produced in the brain’s pituitary gland, which secretes GH into the bloodstream. There it travels to tissues such as muscle fibers (where it enhances muscle growth), fat cells (where it improves the release of fat) and the liver (where it increases the release of insulinlike growth factor-1, or IGF-1, another protein responsible for facilitating many of GH’s benefits in the body). GH levels remain fairly low throughout most of the day and peak at night while you’re asleep. You can, however, get a GH peak during the day via training. When you lift weights, your body releases GH to drive the anabolic effects that lead to muscle regeneration and growth, as well as to encourage the use of fat for energy. GH levels usually peak immediately after a workout ends and gradually decline to normal levels over the next several hours. (This rise in GH postworkout is associated with a rise in lactic acid levels.) Research confirms that the rise in GH following a hard workout is critical to the muscle growth process. One study reported that subjects who trained to boost GH levels higher than other subjects experienced significantly greater gains in muscle mass and strength. Due to the numerous studies on the effects of weightlifting on GH levels, we now know the best way to train to maximize them. Here’s a quick rundown of the basics: As far as exercise selection is concerned, multijoint exercises that stress multiple muscle groups work best. Regarding volume, it appears that reps in the 8–12 range and performing more sets per muscle group — but not too many — is the way to go. When it comes to rest, less rest between sets stimulates GH levels better. Finally, high-intensity techniques that take muscles beyond failure are crucial. In fact, one study found that using forced reps tripled GH levels following a workout compared to training that stopped at muscle failure. Given these conclusions, the m&f Growth Hormone Training Program stresses basic core exercises, performing 8–12 reps for 12–20 sets per bodypart and rest periods of 60–90 seconds, as well as high-intensity techniques such as rest-pause, drop sets and forced reps. Although the research to date has confirmed that only forced reps boost GH levels, it can be assumed that any intensity technique that takes a set beyond failure will boost GH levels similarly. Due to the intensity you must put into every workout to maximize growth hormone levels, our program uses a four-day split in which you train each muscle group just once a week. For example, on Monday train chest, triceps and abs; Tuesday is for legs and calves; Wednesday is an off day; Thursday work shoulders, traps and abs; and Friday is back, biceps and forearms. (Saturday and Sunday are also rest days.) This split allows you to put all the intensity you need into each session and gives your body enough time to recover, which is critical to prevent overtraining and to keep GH levels high. TRAIN FOR GROWTH We designed the four-week GH-boosting program in alternating fashion. Weeks 1 and 3 are identical (up to 20 sets per bodypart, 8–10 reps per set, 90- second rest periods and rest-pauses incorporated), as are Weeks 2 and 4 (up to 16 sets per bodypart, 10–12 reps per set, 60-second rest periods and drop sets). Changing variables in this fashion will help prevent stagnation while still keeping training parameters in the desired range to increase GH. The one constant week to week is forced reps, which you’ll implement throughout. In the program chart starting on page 98, each exercise includes a corresponding “GH Booster” — forced reps, rest-pause or drop sets. Use the technique on only the last two sets of each exercise. Any more could lead to overtraining. Since training with such intensity for a long period would be counterproductive, follow this program for only four weeks. After, don’t work past muscle failure as often. Feel free to come back to the GH program after eight weeks off, but no sooner. Let’s hope you’ll be able to hold out that long. M&F TIPPING THE GHSCALE Use these tips for maxing out your GH levels during your workouts. 1. Don’t eat a high-fat meal (10 grams of fat or more) within four hours before a workout. Research shows that when a high-fat meal is eaten before exercise, the postworkout GH response is more than 50% lower than when a low-fat meal is eaten. Choose lean protein sources such as whey protein, chicken or turkey breast, lean beef, light tuna and lowfat dairy for meals consumed within four hours before training. 2. Eat slow-digesting carbs before workouts. Slower carbs will not only give you longer-lasting energy for the workout but also keep insulin levels low. High insulin levels during training blunt fat-burning and can limit GH release. Stick to preworkout carbs such as oatmeal, fruit and whole grains. 3. Supplement before your workout to maximize GH release afterward. Try the following stack 30 minutes before your preworkout protein intake, as all of these supplements have been shown in clinical studies to boost GH levels: arginine (5–9 grams), glutamine (5–10 grams) and melatonin (0.5–5 mg). 4. Warm up. Research shows that when your core temperature is lower during exercise, so is your GH response following exercise. This holds especially true when training in colder climates. Take a quick and easy walk on the treadmill for about five minutes and be sure to perform several warm-up sets of your first exercise. Just don’t overdo it on the cardio — take the term “quick and easy” literally. 5. Do cardio after weights. Research confirms that when cardio is done before weights, GH levels following the workout are three times lower than if the cardio was done after lifting. This applies to both moderate-intensity cardio done for longer periods and high-intensity sprints for very short bursts.

Training: Big Finish

BIG FINISH Finishing off your routine with moves that take you to the limit is the fast-track route to muscular growth Story by: BILL GEIGER, MA Art/Images by: IAN LOGAN

Great endings— whether they occur in sports, on film or on your last date — are the memorable ones. Such was the case in the surprise finish to the 1999 film The Sixth Sense when the viewer discovered, along with Bruce Willis’ character, that he’d been dead all along. On the football field, Vince Young’s late heroics powered Texas to a thrilling win over USC in last year’s BCS title game. What does this have to do with your workouts? Everything. Sure, what you do at the beginning of your routine when your energy levels are highest has a profound effect on how successful you are at reaching your goals. But it’s what you do at the end that makes the difference between completing a workout that felt just good and one in which you’re completely fatigued, pumped and exhilarated, having left it all on the gym floor. That’s how you know you’ve fully exhausted the muscle fibers, putting them in the best position to benefit optimally from the ensuing recuperation/repair/growth cycle.

To put you squarely within that window of opportunity, here we prescribe a finishing move for each of your main muscle groups — an exercise or combo with which you complete that bodypart’s workout and take the muscle to its working limit. We recommend isolation moves rather than multijoint exercises, allowing you to concentrate fully on the muscle in question and eliminating assistive muscle groups. In addition, we favor using machines over free weights, alleviating the worry about having to balance a weight after your stabilizer muscles have already been worked overtime.

To crank up the pressure even more, we apply intensity-boosters such as drop sets and supersets to our finishing moves. This increased intensity means you can push every single muscle fiber to its threshold. Perform these finishing moves last for the appropriate bodypart, and if you train more than one bodypart in a workout, you can do a finisher for each. Sure, it’s tough, but that’s how you guarantee a fantastic finish. You may not have Vince Young’s moves, but you can still have an MVP workout — every workout.

FINISHER FOR DELTS GIANT SET: BENT-OVER LATERAL RAISE + LATERAL RAISE + DUMBBELL UPRIGHT ROW + OVERHEAD DUMBBELL PRESS

>> Here’s one in which light weights can be made to feel heavy. Since you do this set last, you don’t need to worry about using less weight; focus on making the muscle really burn. The giant set may use some of the same moves you already did in your workout, but that’s okay. Here, we’re training just for the pump.

START: Bend at the waist, knees unlocked, holding a fairly light pair of dumbbells just outside your legs.
MOVE: Do a bent-over lateral raise for rear delts, then stand up and go right into a lateral raise for middle delts. Immediately do an upright row, keeping your elbows high, then finish off with an overhead dumbbell press. When you’re done, don’t just stand there — raise your arms directly overhead and hold for 60 seconds.
SETS + REPS: Selecting the proper weight is crucial; going too heavy means you won’t be able to complete many reps, and going too light will make it too easy. Start with a weight that’s 10–15 pounds lighter than what you’d normally use for 10 reps of lateral raises. That’s a relatively easy weight for the first move, but that will help fatigue the muscle. You want to be able to do about 10 reps for each of the four moves. Don’t forget to raise your arms at the end. Rest about two minutes and repeat.

FINISHER FOR CHEST THREE-WAY CABLE CROSSOVER
>> This single-joint move is done over three angles. This cablecrossover tri-set comes from fourtime NPC Mr. Puerto Rico Mauricio Solis, 35, a personal trainer at Extreme Body Gym in Humacao who says it gives him an incredible pump. Use a weight about 10 pounds lighter on each side than you’d normally use for 10–12 reps.
START: Attach D handles to the upper-pulley cables and stand midway between the stations with your feet hip-width apart. With a slight bend in your elbows, pull the handles down until your arms are roughly parallel to the floor. Keep your head straight.
MOVE: Squeeze your pecs and bring the handles together in a wide arc directly in front of your lower abs, mimicking a most-muscular pose. Hold the peak contraction for a count, then slowly retrace the arc to the starting position. Bring the handles down to your midsection for the first seven reps, then bend over 90 degrees and do seven more with your upper torso parallel to the floor and your arms perpendicular to your torso in the finish position. Finish off by taking two big steps forward and performing similar to the first seven reps, bringing the handles out in front of your body as if you were hugging a barrel.
SETS + REPS: Do three sets of 21 reps each set.

FINISHER FOR QUADS AND HAMS LEG EXTENSION (WITH DROP SET) SUPERSET WITHWALKING LUNGE
>>The best measure of a good leg workout is not being able to walk up the stairs when you’re done. This intense superset, which is a favorite of Solis’, provides the added pleasure of burning the muscle from the innermost fibers. The moves help build quadriceps detail and separation.
START: Grasp a barbell or a pair of fairly light dumbbells and keep the weight(s) close to the leg-extension machine. Sit snugly in the machine so that your knees are just off the edge of the pad.
MOVE: Contract your quads to fully straighten your legs. Focus on the peak contraction and hold it momentarily; don’t explode the weight up just to let it quickly fall back. Allow the weight to pull your feet all the way down, but not to the point where the weight stack touches. Repeat until you reach failure, then drop the weight by 20%–30% and perform as many more reps as you can. Jump off the machine and do a set of walking lunges in an open space, taking a long stride and allowing your body to descend just short of your back knee touching the floor.
SETS + REPS: Choose a weight that allows you to do 12 reps on the leg extension and at least 10 steps per leg on the walking lunge. Rest two minutes after the lunges and repeat the superset twice more.

FINISHER FOR TRICEPS ROPE PRESSDOWN (CONTINUOUS REST-PAUSE DROP SET)
>> Perform this basic triceps move as a burnout. Start with a fairly challenging weight, then drop the pin one plate between sets. Do as many reps as you can, resting as long as it takes to reset the pin and shake out your arms — about 25 seconds only. Repeat until you’ve fried your tri’s.
START: Attach a rope handle to an upper-pulley cable and grasp it with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Stand erect, pinning your elbows to your sides for the duration of the move. Allow the handle to pull your forearms up to where they’re just above parallel to the floor.
MOVE: Squeeze your triceps to press your hands toward your thighs, turning your palms downward (pronation) to spread the handles apart at the bottom to further contract the muscles. When you can’t do any more reps this way, simply keep your hands facing each other and perform as many reps as you can. Reduce the weight by just one plate and repeat. Continue this pattern of going to failure with pronation and then without, taking a short break and dropping the weight.
SETS + REPS: Do one long set, starting with a weight with which you can do only about 10 reps. Drop as many as 5–6 times — or until your arms feel as though they’re going to fall off.

FINISHER FOR BICEPS
>> This move is more than just a good mass-builder — it also helps chisel the kind of detail and refinement that make arms a standout bodypart, Solis says. You’ll add an isotension move between sets, a fancy way of saying you’ll flex your bi’s very hard.
START: Hold a pair of dumbbells by your sides. Have extra ones nearby in increments of 10, 20 and 30 pounds lighter than the ones you start with.
MOVE: With your elbows locked by your sides, curl one arm at a time, bringing the weight close to your shoulder — the key is to not allow your elbow to pull forward to ensure the front delt doesn’t assist with the move. Lower the weight and alternate sides. Once you reach failure, drop the weights, pick up the next lightest pair and repeat for as many reps as you can per set. Rest only after you take all four weights to failure.
SETS + REPS: Start with a weight that allows you to complete about 10 reps. After you finish the series of drop sets, rest for about two minutes, alternately flexing your biceps as hard as you can for 15 seconds, with 15- second rest intervals, then repeat the drop set.

FINISHER FOR BACK STRAIGHT-ARM PULLDOWN SUPERSET WITH STANDING LOW-CABLE ROW
>> This superset combines a good isolation move for the lower lats with a high-rep move done at a nearby cable station to deliver a knockout pump to your back.
START: Attach a neutral-grip V-handle to a low-pulley cable for the second half of the move and select a weight with which you can complete about 15 reps. Then attach a lat bar or a short straight bar to the upperpulley cable and stand erect about 2 feet or arm’s length from the bar. Use an overhand, shoulder-width grip, keeping your arms straight and your knees slightly bent. Pull the bar down until your arms are parallel to the floor.
MOVE: Pull the bar down until it approaches your thighs, feeling your lats do the work. Repeat for reps, then quickly move to the low cable, standing just more than arm’s length from the V-handle. From a slightly bent-over position with your feet wide and your back in its natural arch, pull the handle into your midsection, bringing your elbows as far back as you can. As you start to fatigue, speed up the pace.
SETS + REPS: Perform one set of the straight-arm pulldown for 10–12 reps, then quickly do a set of 15–20 rows. Rest about two minutes and repeat twice more. M&F

Say Bye-Bye to Sagging Skin

Women ask me all the time, "What can I do for my sagging skin? Even after I've lost weight, I look terrible." Other women who have not lost weight yet, worry that they will have loose skin if they lose weight.

Are you ready to sink your teeth into a new lifestyle, one that will help you drop pounds and improve your health? Try one of our 24 super diets. To get the ball rolling, simply click here and fill out a free profile.

Loose skin is not a problem if you know what you're doing when you work out. You can tighten up that loose skin by making it cling to developing sleek muscles. Now don't panic. I'm not talking bodybuilder muscles, I'm talking about sexy, feminine muscles that will simply make you look tight, toned and defined.

Two of the most common "loose skin" places on women are the triceps and the thighs. (In case you don't know, the triceps are located on the other side of your biceps and are often referred to as the "flag-wavers.")

I used to have plenty of loose skin on my arms and my thighs, and look what I've done for myself -- not in hours, but minutes a day, and being consistent.

I got in this shape and you can, too, lifting light weights the right way. You can start out as light as two or three pounds and build up to say, 12 as you get stronger. As long as it works for you, you're getting as much out of it as someone who is stronger than you and lifting heavier weights.

If I could do it, anyone can do it. I'm lazy -- and by the way, I just celebrated my 64th birthday.

The following exercises are a good start.

1. The seated double-arm dumbbell press for loose skin on the triceps.
Sit at the edge of a chair or bench, holding a dumbbell at either end with one hand at each end, palms facing forward. Hold the dumbbell which is in a horizontal position, straight up with your elbows nearly, but not quite locked.

Movement: Flexing your triceps muscles as you go, and keeping your elbows as close to your head as possible, lower the dumbbell behind your head until you cannot go any further. Give your triceps muscle another hard flex and return to start position. Do this movement 10 times and move to the next exercise.

2. The front squat for loose skin on front thighs.
Stand with your feet a natural width apart, with a dumbbell in each hand resting on each shoulder; your arms are criss-crossed.

Movement: Keeping your back straight and your eyes straight ahead, lower yourself to a comfortable position, making sure you do not threaten your knees. Even a small amount of lowering goes a long way. Feel the stretch in your thighs and return to start position, flexing your front thighs as hard as possible on the up movement. Repeat until you have done 10 repetitions. Return to the first exercise: Repeat this series two for times for a total of three times.

To get rid of the lose skin anywhere on your body, go to my Web site at www.joycevedral.com and see my Loose Skin Remedy Package deal.

Fab Abs: 10 Best Exercises

Fab Abs: 10 Best Exercises

By Jason Knapfel
eDiets Senior Editor

There are many things that men and women disagree on. When to take the garbage out. Toilet seat, up or down? Action flick or Romance? But there's one thing we all want -- a slim midsection.

While you can't wake up to a washboard stomach at the end of this week, after you finish this article, you'll be happy to know that you're doing the most effective exercises to get you to that point some day very soon!

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eDiets Chief Fitness Pro Raphael Calzadilla is here to share his 10 best ab exercises to get the washboard stomach you've always dreamed about.

Follow Raphael's lead and you'll see a transformation in your tummy in just a few short weeks. The first step you need to take is changing the way you view your ab work. It's a common misconception that you are going to trim the fat in your midsection. Ab exercises aren't going to reduce the area. But they do develop the muscles. You need to improve your diet to reduce the fat.

Another common mistake many people make is doing too much, too often, Raphael says.

"One of the biggest misconceptions people have is the belief that they need to work five or six days a week to get their abs looking good. They also think they have to perform 15 sets. In reality, the muscles are like any other muscle group that needs to recover from any type of workout in order to make progress. Your ab workout shouldn't take you more than 12 minutes, three days a week."

If you don't know what you're doing, you can actually do more harm than good. Take sit-ups for example. This popular move can lead to back and neck injuries if you don’t have proper form. Sit-ups also work more of the hip area than the abdomen, Raphael points out.

There are good reasons for building strong ab muscles other than "looking hot." The core of your body is the abs and the lower back.

"All of the strength of the rest of the body stems from the core," he says. "It also helps as far as improving balance and flexibility and reducing injury. Having weak abs and a weak lower back is an invitation for injury."

In addition to working the abs, Raphael stresses the importance of healthy diet and regular cardio exercise. Before you can achieve a flat stomach, you need to reduce overall body fat.

Here the 10 most effective abdominal exercises. Raphael suggests that beginners start with the Ab Crunch and Reverse Ab Curl.

1. Bicycle Maneuver (studies actually prove this to be one of the most effective)

Starting Position:

Lie on a mat with your lower back in a comfortable position.

Put your hands on either side of your head by your ears.

Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle.

Movement:

Slowly go through a bicycle pedaling motion alternating your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee.

Key Points:

This can be a more advanced exercise. Do not perform this activity if it puts any strain on your lower back.

Do not pull on your head and neck during this exercise.

The lower to the ground your legs bicycle, the harder your abs have to work.

2. Ab Crunch

Starting Position:

Lie on a mat on your back.

Make sure that your lower back is relaxed against the mat during this exercise.

Bend your knees until your legs are at a 45-degree angle.

Keep both feet on the floor.

Place both hands behind your head.

Movement:

Contracting the upper abs, raise your head and upper torso off the floor until your shoulders are slightly lifted.

Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of your head touching the floor.

Key Points:

Exhale as you contract the abs.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

Keep your eyes focused on the ceiling to avoid pulling with your neck.

Your hands should not be used to lift the head or assist in the movement.

3. Reverse Ab Curl

Starting Position:

Lie on the floor with your back relaxed and your hands on the floor by your hips.

Keep the upper back pressed into the floor throughout the exercise.

Movement:

Contracting your abs, raise your butt and gently roll your hips off the floor, stopping when you feel a full contraction of the abdominals and can no longer lift your hips.

Slowly return to the starting position.

Key Points:

Exhale while lifting your hips.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

4. Double Crunch

Starting Position:

Lie on the floor face up.

Bend your knees until your legs are at a 45-degree angle with both feet on the floor.

Your back should be comfortably relaxed on the floor.

Place both hands behind your head.

Movement:

Contracting your abdominals, raise your head and legs off the floor toward one another.

Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of your shoulders and feet touching the floor.

Key Points:

Exhale while raising up.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

Keep your eyes on the ceiling to avoid pulling with your neck.

Your hands should not be used to lift the head or assist in the movement.

5. Cable Kneeling Rope Crunch

Starting Position:

On a mat, kneel in front of the cable machine with your body facing the machine. Hold a rope attached to the upper cable attachment keeping your elbows in toward your ears.

Movement:

Contracting the oblique muscles, curl your body downward on an angle rotating your right elbow to the left knee, stopping when you have reached a full contraction of your obliques.

Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the weight stack touching.

You can either alternate side to side or do 8-12 repetitions on one side and then repeat on the other side.

Key Points:

Exhale as you lift the weight.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

6. Machine Hanging Knee Raise (should use spotter or have someone watch you)

Starting Position:

Grasp a chinning bar with hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing forward. Keep your upper body motionless throughout the exercise.

Movement:

Contracting the abdominal muscles, raise your legs with bent knees while gently rolling your hips under, stopping when you feel a full contraction of the abdominals and can no longer lift your hips. You may get your knees to 90 degrees or higher depending on your strength and flexibility.

Slowly return to the starting position.

Key Points:

Exhale while lifting your legs.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

7. Fitball Advanced Reverse Crunch (not for those with back injuries)

Starting Position:

Lie on the ball with your upper back supported by the ball and hands above your head, holding onto a solid support, such as the support for a cable machine in the gym or the footboard of your bed at home.

Bring your legs up until your hips and knees are each at a 90-degree angle.

Movement:

Contracting the abdominals, curl your legs up toward your body.

Slowly return to the starting position.

Key Points:

Exhale while lifting your legs.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

Lower your legs only as far as you can while maintaining control.

8. Lying Bent Knee Leg Lift (care needed for those with back injuries)

Starting Position:

Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and knees slightly bent.

Place your hands under your head for comfort, not support.

Movement:

Contracting your lower abdominal muscles, draw your knees toward your chest until they form a 90-degree angle with the floor.

Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the feet touching the floor.

Key Points:

Exhale while lifting your legs.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

Your back should remain comfortably against the floor during the entire motion.

Avoid this exercise if you have any back conditions.

Eliminate this exercise if you experience any discomfort.

9. Machine Angled Leg Raise

Starting Position:

Support your body on your elbows in a Roman Chair or by hanging from a chin-up bar.

Movement:

Contracting the abdominals and obliques, draw your knees up on an angle so that they move toward your right elbow. Stop when you get a full contraction of the obliques and abdominals.

Slowly return to the starting position, stopping when the hips are almost fully extended.

Alternate side to side to complete the set.

Key Points:

Exhale while lifting your legs.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

Keep the upper body stationary throughout the exercise.

10. Incline Bench Leg Raises (care needed for those with back injuries)

Starting Position:

Lie on an incline bench and stabilize your body by gripping the bench above your head with your legs extended out.

Movement:

Contracting the lower abs, raise your legs up until your hips form a 90-degree angle.

Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of your legs touching the bench.

Key Points:

Exhale while lifting your legs.

Inhale while returning to the starting position.

Point your chin toward the ceiling to avoid using your upper body.

To increase the difficulty, cross your arms over your chest.