What is the best way to tone up my lower abs?!
Question: I eat decent, run 2 miles 4 times a week, work out with weights regularly. My upper abs are starting to show again, but my I'm having trouble getting my lower ones to show. Any tips?
Answers: I eat decent, run 2 miles 4 times a week, work out with weights regularly. My upper abs are starting to show again, but my I'm having trouble getting my lower ones to show. Any tips?
There are very specific exercises you can do to target your lower abs. They are a separate muscle region that doesn't get as affected by crunches and other typical ab workouts. Below is a website that will help you out. :)
Lower ab crunches :)
Her are some great exercise to do to improve you lower abdominal development:
Reverse Crunch
Hip Up
Reverse Decline Crunch
Hanging Leg Lift
Swiss Ball Leg Lift
Although I might suggest you increase your cardio vascular activity to include H.I.I.T. or high intensity Interval training.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a training method that can improve your fitness level and burn fat. HIIT can give a boost to a stale exercise program and be the push you need to improve your results. Certain precautions should be taken with HIIT however, because it is an advanced training method.
HIIT workouts are very short cardiovascular workouts. They begin with a few minutes of warm up, usually a fast walk. After warm up, very short, maximum effort sprints are alternated with recovery periods. Recovery periods are usually a fast walk as well. After about 15 minutes of alternating sprints and recovery a few minutes of cool down takes place.
HIIT works both the bodies aerobic and anaerobic systems. Traditional lower intensity cardio works on the aerobic system. By pushing the body to the limits on the brief sprints the anaerobic system comes in to play. This causes metabolic adaptations, which create a higher calorie burn both during and after your workout. HIIT will also improve your cardiovascular performance by increasing the amount of oxygen you can uptake during exercise.
It is most efficient to perform HIIT on a track. Nothing will hinder your from reaching maximal effort. Treadmills are less effective. It takes longer to reach maximal effort on a treadmill, and there is more danger of falling and being injured. Most people will find that they actually reach a higher speed on a track than on a treadmill. Other cardiovascular machines such as ellipticals and stationary bikes are also an option. It may be easier to reach full intensity on an elliptical or stationary bike than a treadmill, though a track is still preferential for best results.
A common mistake people make when performing an HIIT workout is to make the maximum intensity intervals too long. The body can only maintain maximum for a very short period of time. I recommend the maximum intensity intervals be only 20-30 seconds. If the interval is longer than this then you are probably performing at less than maximal effort. The rest periods in between maximum intensity intervals is usually a fast walk. This can be done for 1-2 minutes depending on your needs. Continue your recovery interval until you feel ready for maximum intensity again.
Warm up and cool down periods should be at least five minutes. A fast walk, or slow jog for advanced athletes, is best. Warm ups and cool downs are important both for your performance and for safely. Make sure that you continue your cool down until your heart rate has slowed.
HIIT is only meant to be performed by advanced exercisers. If you have any health problems it is best to check with your doctor before performing HIIT. If you are not an advanced exerciser but wish to work up to performing HIIT you can start by performing longer intervals at a lower intensity. For example, after warm up an intermediate exerciser could perform intervals of one minute moderate-fast paced run with one minute of fast walking. Once this becomes easy you may want to start performing HIIT in shorter sessions at first. After a warm up starting with only 10 minutes of intervals and working up to 15 minutes of intervals gradually may be better to acclimate the body to such intense exercise.
HIIT is an extremely challenging form of exercise. I will not lie and say that