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Stomach Exercises
to Benefit the Heart
One of the most common strains placed on your heart is the
so-called spare tire that develops around your abdomen from
poor diet and lack of activity. Believe it or not, a spare
tire can be worse for your heart than excess fat in the hips
and thighs.
Exercising regularly is one
of the most basic things you can do to lose abdominal fat.
Here are two I recommend. They should be started slowly, with
five repetitions done twice a day, and gradually increase
to 20 to 25 repetitions twice a day. (Of course, it's always
a good idea to consult your health care provider before starting
an exercise program).
Modified Sit-Up
| 1. |
Lie flat on your back
on the floor (beds are too soft), bringing your knees
up to a bent position with your feet flat on the floor. |
| 2. |
Cross your
arms over your chest. |
| 3. |
Tuck your head in toward
your chest and then raise yourself off the floor, just
until your shoulder blades clear the floor. |
| 4. |
Hold this position until
the stomach muscles begin to quiver. Allow your stomach
muscles to quiver for three to five seconds and then return
to the flat position on your back. |
| 5. |
Rest three to five seconds
before starting again |
This is not a quick exercise
and you must rest between each repetition. Also, be sure to
tuck the head in before coming up, because if you don't, you
will pull up with your neck and stress it. Sometimes it is
easier to start with a pillow under your head, which allows
your head to start in a naturally tucked position.
This exercise should be started
slowly, with possibly five repetitions done twice a day. Gradually
increase to 20 to 25 twice a day.
Sit-Back Exercise
If you have very weak abdominal muscles and can't lift yourself off the floor with a modified sit-up, here is an exercise for you. This is an especially good exercise for people who have lower back pain due to no support from the muscles in the stomach area.
| 1. |
Start
in a sitting position on the floor with your knees bent,
feet flat on the floor (you can hook your feet under a
piece of furniture.) |
| 2. |
Cross your arms over the chest and roll the head and shoulders
forward. |
| 3. |
Now gradually
lean back, making sure to keep your head and shoulders
tucked. Keep going until you begin to feel the stomach
muscles tighten. |
| 4. |
Then lean
back just a little further (if you are able) and hold
that position until your muscles begin to quiver. Let
your muscles quiver to the count of five, then return
to the (upright) resting position for another count of
five. |
| 5. |
Repeat. |
Enhanced Modified Sit-up
Once you have mastered the modified sit-up, you can try this enhanced version, which works all of the stomach muscles. Do this by rotating your shoulders just slightly as you perform the basic exercise.
| 1. |
First do
a modified sit-up. |
| 2. |
The
second time, as you come up, twist so that your right
shoulder is just slightly pointing toward the left knee.
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| 3. |
The third
time, twist slightly so the left shoulder is pointing
toward the right knee. |
| 4. |
Continue
to alternate the above pattern throughout the exercise.
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Remember, you are never trying
to touch the knees or even come close to them. You are just
coming up far enough to raise the shoulder blades off the
floor. If the exercise is done right, you shouldn't even feel
it in the lower back.
Enhanced Sit-back Exercise
To modify the sit-back in the
same way as the sit-up, alternate all three positions while
doing the "sit-back."
| 1. |
Straight
back. |
| 2. |
Then
with the shoulders slightly twisted to the right |
| 3. |
Next, with
shoulders slightly twisted to the left. |
| 4. |
Continue
to alternate the above pattern throughout the exercise. |
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to Health Tools Index
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