There are still many popular misconceptions about how to slim down or tone up stomachs, bottoms and thighs – with routines left over from the days of ‘go for the burn’ aerobics and Jane Fonda-style videos.
Our scientific understanding of how the body works and responds to movement has increased infinitely since the Eighties, but many of us are still not smart enough when it comes to optimising the potential in a workout.
The reality is that it is a myth that sit ups will give you a flat tummy but may result in giving you a potbelly. Lots of sit-ups or crunches alone won’t tone a flabby belly – you need to combine any exercise with an overall weight-loss programme: eat a balanced diet and take regular varied exercise.
Sit-ups target the most superficial ‘six-pack’ core muscles, but too many of these will cause the tummy to bulge out, leading to a pot belly.
If you perform a dynamic movement such as a walking lunge while rotating the top half of your body at the same time, you target all the abdominal muscles as well as other large muscle groups that burn more calories and body fat – it is these kinds of moves that will help give you the tummy of your dreams.
Sports and exercise that are great for this include yoga, Pilates and even golf. Many dancers and gymnasts have fantastic flat midriffs due to the varied movements that they perform, rather than as a result of sit-ups.
Post published in: News