Another ques.--ABS

[Tayl405]

You guys have probably discussed this in your team threads, but what do you all do for ab workouts? I know that the only thing that's really going to help is cardio, but what do you do for resistance training?

I use the machine that you sit on and hold the bars over your head (I don't know what it's called). And then I do the pull-up crunches or obliques on the stand where you do lower back extensions (I know none of the names of machines!). I have zero coordination with the ball. Any suggestions?

[MetFanL]

Most of my ab work is stuff I learned in Pilates. I'm not a skinny girl by any means, but Pilates has given me VISIBLE ab definition. And, it doesn't take as long as doing a ton of crunches -- you just don't need to do as many. Plus, most people don't do crunches properly to begin with.

I have started working my obliques w/ the cable machine, too. I have trouble finding them there, though, so they take forever to get right.

[paiger81]

I agree about the Pilates ab work. I feel my most effective ab exercise is the V Pilate Crunches--at least that's what I call them. Where you pull your body into a v shape, then go back down. I hope that makes sense.

[Tayl405]

I used to do that in gymnastics--it was hard! I forgot about it though--and it's easy to do at home.

[and1grad]

I like doing obliques with either a 45lb weight plate or a dumbbell. If you hold one in your right hand, you can do sidebends and it would work your left obliques. I try to get 2 sets of 15.
You can do bridges. I do 2 sets of 1 minute. You can do side-bridges too but those arent so easy to hold, especially considering the balancing.
Wood chops and baseball swings with the cable pulley. 2 sets of 15

Thats all I can think of.

[pink bunny]

I use something callled the ABS Diet, it works great for me, you can pick it up at most book stores.