So You Want A Six-Pack?
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Yeah, who doesn't? Somehow it's become synonymous
with health and fitness. But functionally, they're not what you
should be worried about. True core strength, which is the real measure
- and necessary component - of fitness and athleticism is too often
overlooked. So here's one big truth everyone needs to know about
the six-pack AND core strength - you could do a million crunches
a day and never achieve either.
So, for now, forget about the six-pack and focus
on core strength and stability to help protect your back, posture,
pelvic alignment, balance, and reduce your risk of injury. Focus
on the Core Stabilization videos, starting with 1
for beginners, 2
for intermediate, and 3
for advanced. Here's what you can do - wake up in the morning, have
2 glasses of cold water, and do one of these videos three times
a week with a day of rest in-between. Then have a great breakfast
and get on with the day. Add the Pilates
Abs, 8 Minute
Abs or Abs
Express videos on 1 or 2 of your rest days in the week as you
get stronger.
"Alright, I get it, but what about the
six-pack??" Well, having a ripped stomach starts with
letting people see it; meaning, a lot of people already have a six-pack
but if you've got a layer of fat around your mid-section, no one's
going to know. Focus on losing overall body fat by following the
weight loss section while building overall
strength (doing crunches will not get rid of abdominal fat).
Washboard abs are also partly genetic so don't be
discouraged if you don't see them. What you can do is then focus
on building your ab muscles through the many abs videos available.
Do one of the longer abs videos as part of your weight loss or regular
workout, or do them on alternating mornings with your core stability
exercises. So many people say they have no time for exercise. Who
can't wake up 8 minutes early and do the 8-minute
Abs video? If you have time, combine videos for a half hour
workout or do the same video twice. And if you're doing a quick
Abs Express
that doesn't have back work, try to fit in the Lower
Back & Plank as you need your back muscles to be balanced
with your abs. If you have a stability ball, check out the ball
series. Also, check out the Kickboxing
conditioning segment to work abs and a lot more! The possibilities
really are endless, but the best recommendation is to lose bodyfat
and focus on overall core strength, as opposed to just rippling
muscles, and your six-pack will shine through.
"I'll
do anything to improve my golf game. Anything." back
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Does this sound like something you'd say? If so,
then you're the typical golfer. But along with wanting to improve
your game, you should be thinking about the longevity of your playing
years. Walking a 4.5 mile hike in the sun will take a physical toll
on you, even without all the strenuous swinging. From the book,
Golf After 50: Playing Without Pain, "It is estimated that
rushing to the first tee without warming up or stretching causes
up to 70% of golf-related injuries." Therefore, If you do nothing
else, check out the Pre-Round
Golf Warm-Up, and the Pre-Round Stretching for Golf Parts 1
and 2. Do
these at home several times so that you're comfortable performing
the movements properly without the video and on the course.
Seasonal golfers also need to keep their bodies
conditioned in the off-season to maintain strength and flexibility
as "the primary culprits in lost distance off the tee as you
age are decreased strength and flexibility in your core". Also,
consider that driving power involves the glutes (buttocks), quads,
hamstrings and lower back muscles, and the swing requires strong
core, triceps and lats. Doing the Pilates for Golf - Core
& Strength and Lower
Body Conditioning 2 to 3 times a week will definitely help your
power and stability. Add the Rotator
Cuff Conditioning and the Warm-Up and Stretch videos for a solid
hour of conditioning. For knee health, the best recommendation is
to take some weight off, so check out the weight
loss plan, and keep up the Full
Body Sculpting videos. Fitness is necessary to play safely and
increase your longevity, but always see a pro to refine your swing.
Are you
recovering from illness or surgery? back
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If so, or you have a lack of mobility for whatever
reason, you can still incorporate fitness that should help to speed
your recovery and make you feel better. Always check with your doctor
to make sure the following exercises would be safe for you.
Joseph Pilates worked as a nurse and developed rehabilitative
programs for injured soldiers in World War I, so some of his exercises
are perfect for those seeking physical rehabilitation. Even for
those who are mainly confined to the bed, learning the Pilates "pillar"
will help to build core strength and stability that will be vital
to your physical health when you start moving more. See the Pilates
1, Part 1 - Building the Pillar video 2 to 3 times a week to
start as this will help you engage the deep core muscles without
any structural change in the body whatsoever. Parts 2,
3 and 4
can be added as mobility and strength increases.
If you are fairly mobile but don't want to strain
your joints and take it easy, the Basic
Walk for Health is recommended to maintain cardiovascular health.
This video also incorporates some basic lower body exercise and
stretching so doing this 20-minute video 2 to 3 times a week will
be great for those wanting to slowly start moving again. See your
physiotherapist or doctor to see if this or any of the other videos
in the library could be recommended specifically for you.
Up for a challenge?
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So you're pretty fit and just want a workout at
home to make you sweat when you don't have time to make it to the
gym? As with anything, you get out of it what you put into it so
some of the beginner videos are easily made advanced by making a
few adjustments.
Check out the weight loss
plans for a standard workout mix of cardio, weights and stretching,
and then kick it up a notch. The Hi-Lo Aerobics series can challenge
any level of fitness by choosing the advanced options, though they
may challenge coordination. For those who want more of the basics
without the fuss, the Ultimate
Circuit Challenge and Athletic
Cardio videos are intense cardio sessions that includes lots
of plyometrics and advanced exercises. Try doing the No
Weights Workout twice for a solid half hour of some advanced
bodyweight exercises.
For muscle conditioning, the Strength (1 and 2)
and Mixed Interval videos (see the Full
Body series) are made much more difficult with heavy weights.
Instead of Core Stabilization 1 or 2, try doing 3,
followed by Ultimate
Abs or Pilates
Abs, taking the advanced options. If you have a stability ball,
do Abs with the Ball,
and Abs with
the Ball - Standing. You may also want to choose from the Express
series, alternating muscle groups on your training days. Power
Shoulders, the Push-Pull
Workout, Legs
Express, Arms
Express and more are made extremely difficult with heavier weights.
Also, the Kickboxing
series is a challenge for anyone, depending on how much of your
body you put into it. |
