For Great Abs, Ditch The Crunches

I'm sure you’ve heard the expression, "Dead men tell no tales" but that’s not really true, especially in the era of forensic science, C.S.I., N.C.I.S., etc.

In fact, Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., blames the dead for our obsession with crunches. He says, "If it weren’t for dead guys, we’d probably never have started doing crunches. That’s because for years, much of our knowledge of the way muscles work was based on the study of human cadavers. By looking at the anatomy of corpses, modern scientists figured that the function of our abdominal muscles must be to flex the spine. Which is exactly what you do when you perform a crunch, a situp, or any other move that requires you to round your lower back. As a result, these exercises were popularized as the best way to work your abs.

"But the reality is that your abs have a more critical function than flexing your spine: Their main job is to stabilize the spine. In fact, your midsection muscles are the reason your torso stays upright instead of falling forward due to gravity. So your abs and lower back actually prevent your spine from flexing.

"The upshot is that if you want better results from your core workout, you need to train your abs for stability."

So what exercises should you do to work your abs?



First of all, you want to perform exercises that focus on core strength. The primary function of your core (the muscles that surround and corset your spine) is the stabilization of the spine and pelvis. There is some debate about the exact number of muscles that should be included in the term “core.” However, contrary to popular misconception, core is not a synonym for abs.

For a healthy, sleek, and functional midsection, you need to work all the muscles embedded in the front, back and sides of the core.

Forget traditional crunches or sit-ups, they’re inferior for core strength and terrible for your back. Variations of planks (including side planks), “bird dogs” and anti-rotation exercises are superior to crunches and sit-ups for a fit and healthy core.

Plank

Side Plank

Bird Dog

T-Plank

Renegade Row

.

From The Raving Fans Dept. - Body & Soul Fitness

Wendy Ellis, Member since 2006

"I joined Body & Soul Fitness Studio after the triple whammy of quitting smoking / turning 40 / taking a medication with weight gain as a side-effect. I had very low energy, low self-esteem, and I was anxious and grumpy. I had never, ever exercised.

I knew that exercise had all sorts of 'benefits' beyond weight loss, and I also knew I would need a trainer and a certain type of gym. Every couple of weeks, I go through a new program training with Mickey and move my fitness level up a notch. I've lost weight, lost 4 pants sizes and have the energy I thought I'd never find again. My exercise partners are an engaging group of smart, funny women who care about taking good care of themselves."

.

The Skinny On Fats by Jon Benson

Fitness author Jon Benson sent this email out recently and gave me permission to share it with you.

The Skinny on Fats

Let's get this one out in the open:

1. Fats do not make you gain bodyfat.

2. Fats do not put you on Heart Attack Row.

3. Fats are not the enemy.

We've been sold a bag of lies when it comes to fats.

Fats are essential for your body's hormone production, skin health, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and even burning bodyfat. Yep... you need fats to burn fat.!

Studies have been conducted to attempt to elevate cholesterol levels using high-fat diets. Most all of them have failed miserably -- in fact several "lowered" total cholesterol while raising the so-called "good" cholesterol (HDL).

That being said, you don't need the following...

1. A lot of fats in your diet. Fats still contain over twice the calories per gram as carbs and protein.

2. Any kind of "fake fats" -- margarine or processed oils of any kind are highly dangerous foods.

Here's my simple dietary fats solution:

1. Eat fats as they occur in nature, but eat at least 80% as they "actually" occur in nature -- meaning from grass-fed and free-range sources. The extra cost is worth it. It tastes better and your medical costs will well offset the few dollars more per pound you pay.

2. Cook with a combination of olive oil and coconut oil, but use both sparingly. If you are eating plenty of animal protein you do not need excessive fats... not because of 'danger' but because of needless calories. Not a good idea if you're wanting to keep your abs. But a bit of raw butter or olive oil can make bland veggies taste wonderful, so feel freee.

Also, omega 3-rich fats like olive oil and fish (and especially fish oil) help lower inflammation. That's the real culprit behind heart disease in most cases.

3. Avoid a lot of fats at night. The night-time meals should be high in lean protein (tuna, tofu, turkey breast) with very limited fats if you are wanting to really get lean. If you are just trying to shed bodyweight slowly, it's okay to have some fats at night.

Just do me a favor: If you are on the "Fats make you gain bodyfat and have heart attacks" bandwagon, jump off. We have consumed fat for countless thousands of years. Just consume it the way we always HAVE (naturally, not stuffed with hormones and cooked up in a lab) and you'll be fine.

If you want a diet-solution that actually uses dietary fats to help you take off the bodyfat, then use this one:

Every Other Day Diet

It's a real-world plan that allows you to eat your favorite foods and still shed the bodyweight you want.

And yes -- that includes fats.

.

Collected Fitness Wisdom #32

I lift weights, eat healthy food, and nourish my body not out of some sense of guilt or vanity (at least not all the time), but because it's the one thing I can control. I own my body. Take away my stuff, my friends, my job, my family, and I still have it. My body is my vehicle to go places I want to go and do things I want to do.

And because I take care of it, it'll take care of me. It won't fail on me early. It'll combat sickness and recover quickly. It'll make tasks you find hard easy for me. It'll fill out a t-shirt and jeans and maybe attract a girl or two.

But the most important task my body performs is carrying around my brain. Try to get a meathead to tell you that.

~Nate Green



Enough with the excuses already!

There’s no need to endlessly defend a lifestyle that is not allowing you to be where you want to be. STOP the relentless pursuit of a quick fix that will only allow you to change as little as possible.

~Kim Ball



As soon as you see a diet that allows junk food, run for the hills. And if they start claiming that Twinkies and Oreos help "raise leptin levels", run even faster! Once you achieve your fat loss goals, and you are on a maintenance diet, you should allow yourself some flexibility, to be sure. But if an entire diet is based around this silly cheating principle, it is surely a scam, and the creator is simply trying to cater to your desires and steal your money.

~John Alvino



The difference between my success and others who have struggled is that I did it every single day. No exercise program in the world works if you don't do it consistently.

~Chase Squires, who went from 205 pounds at just 5'4" to completing several 100-mile, 50-mile, and 50k races.

.

The Rule of 165

I often remind members and clients that there are 168 hours in a week. Exercising at the gym, doing boot camp, or even working one-on-one with me for 3 hours (no matter how hard) every week will not negate the results of your behavior the other 165 hours.

Chris Lopez, RKC has dubbed it "The Rule of 165", which I love.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you already know you can't out-train a bad diet. Unfortunately, we're bombarded with cheap fast food and "convenience" foods. The more packaged foods you eat, the easier it is too pile on excess pounds.

In his book, "The End of Overeating", David Kessler, M.D., former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner shows how that the food industry has made it a priority to create high-calorie foods with the most addictive possible combination of intense flavor and "mouthfeel".

As Caroline Apovian, M.D., director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center points out, "A century ago, to consume 400 calories, you had to go buy the meat, vegetables, and rice, and come home and cook it. Now you can consume the same amount of calories just by downing a bag of Cheetos."

So what you do in the other 165 hours when you're not exercising?

Do you "reward" yourself after a workout with a candy bar, ice cream, dessert, etc.

Do you spend hours in front of the TV or computer?

Are you eating healthy, nutritious meals?

Do you get 30 minutes of activity on your off-days?

Is Happy Hour a regular habit for you?

Are you preparing lunches you can eat during the week so you won't grab fast food or a processed microwave meal?

Are you an example of an active and healthy lifestyle for your kids and/or grandkids?

The 3 hours you spend working out are important to your health and fitness but don't forget The Rule of 165.

.

Simple Nutrition Rules

Exercise is important to a healthy life but so is good nutrition. Too many times people decide to join a gym or start working out to get in shape but fail to improve their nutrition.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know you can't out-train a bad diet.

Unfortunately, we're bombarded with cheap fast food and "convenience" foods. The more packaged foods you eat, the easier it is to pile on excess pounds.

In his book, "The End of Overeating", David Kessler, M.D., former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner shows how the food industry has made it a priority to create high-calorie foods with the most addictive possible combination of intense flavor and "mouthfeel".

As Caroline Apovian, M.D., director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center points out, "A century ago, to consume 400 calories, you had to go buy the meat, vegetables, and rice, and come home and cook it. Now you can consume the same amount of calories just by downing a bag of Cheetos."

And it's not just calories. How many chemicals are we consuming so that foods can remain edible for months or even years? Does anybody think that's good for us?

So how do you go about improving your nutrition?

Michael Pollan, an award winning food and agriculture writer, sums up his nutrition advice in 7 words: "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

"Edible food-like substance"

When Pollan says eat food, he means real food such as vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains, and some meat (if you so desire). He has labeled much of what passes for food nowadays as "edible food-like substances."

If all this seems overwhelming, start with small changes. Increase the number of fresh vegetables and fruits you eat daily. Choose only packaged foods that contain 5 or fewer ingredients. Limit snacks to fresh fruit or raw nuts.

.

Would You Like To Transform Your Body Like This?

The 10th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest is in full swing and there are 2 big announcements...

1. Within the contest Craig Ballantyne, TT creator, recently held a 6-week mini-challenge. The winners have been announced, and include:

MALE: Josh, Who Dropped an Incredible 21 Pounds and 4 Inches from His Waist in Just 6 Weeks AND Still Boosted His Bench Press by 35 Pounds

FEMALE: Rachel Who Lost Over 17 Pounds of Fat in Just 6 Weeks

Remember, those results were just 6 weeks into the contest!

You can check out all the winners here ==> 6-Week Mini-Contest Winners

2. Craig is putting one of his most popular Turbulence Training programs on sale.

This particular TT workout program has been used by most of the previous Transformation Contest winners and has helped countless others break through stubborn fat loss plateaus. It's definitely a favorite among TT members.

Don't let the lame infomercial-type name put you off. The "TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks" workout program is the real deal.

Even better, Craig has put the "Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks" workout together with the excellent ""TT Transformation" as a follow-up program and made them both available to you for just $19.95.

"TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks" is regularly priced at $29.95 but you can get both it AND "TT Transformation" for just $19.95 but only for the next few days. This incredible offer ends on Thursday night.

"TT for Buff Dudes and hot Chicks" has been voted "The Most Popular Fat Burning Workout" among the winners of the last 9 TT Transformation Contests.

This may be exactly the program you've been looking for.

You can check it out here ==> TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks & TT Transformation Sale

.

Improve Your Quality Of Life - The Many Health Benefits Of Strength Training

With all the information out there about the benefits of exercising, it always surprises me when someone tells me how they just heard/read that exercise can ___________ (fill in the blank). One of my boot campers recently recited a bunch of exercise benefits that she just learned while listening to NPR.

I was surprised that she was surprised.

I have to remind myself that not everyone is in this field so they wouldn't necessarily pay attention to that type of information and lots of people hate exercise so they probably tune it out even if they do come across it.


That being said, this is your health, well being and quality of life, people, so you should be paying more attention.

I've posted this before but it obviously merits another mention.

Besides improving body composition, lowering body fat and boosting metabolism, below are some of the many benefits of regular strength training:

* Increases bone density (helps prevent osteoporosis)
* Lowers blood pressure
* Improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity (reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes)
* Elevates mood (reducing the risk of depression)
* Increases muscle strength (without resistance training, adults lose about one-half pound of muscle per year)
* Reduces gastrointestinal transit time (helps you be more regular)
* Improves joint health (reducing arthritis pain and stiffness)
* Boosts your immune system (you'll get sick less often)
* Increases your blood level of HDL (good) cholesterol
* Improves sleep quality
* Lowers your resting heart rate (your heart doesn't have to work as hard)
* Improves flexibility
* Muscle strength is significantly associated with lower cancer mortality (add in cardiovascular fitness and mortality drops even lower)
* Increases tendon and ligament strength
* Improves posture
* Decreases your risk of injury
* Improves self-esteem, confidence and self-worth
* Increases energy
* Maintains or improves lower back strength
* Improves balance, mobility and stability (which helps prevent falls)
* Maintains or improves mental sharpness (helps prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia)

The bottom line is that strength training improves your quality of life. It reduces the risk of injury and assorted diseases. Stronger muscles make everyday chores easier and help you maintain your independence as you age.

So, if you don't already, start lifting weights. You'll feel better, you'll look better and you'll be healthier, whether or not you need to shed any weight.

.