If
only it were so easy. For abs
that are a cut above, you have your
work cut out for you. Here’s
how.
Fitness by Mike Mauney
Vertical Knee Raise
Extensions
1 Rest elbows on arm pads of machine
2 Place your back against the back of machine
3 Extend your legs straight down towards the
floor
4 Bend and lift legs up to waist
5 Extend legs straight out in front
6 Keeping legs fully extended, lower legs down
to beginning position
a Inhale when you bend and lift your legs
b Exhale as you straighten and lower your legs
c Keep abdominal muscle tight at all times during
movement
Photos courtesy of Body Design by Mike
Position
1
Position
2
Position
3
Miss South
Carolina Teen USA 2004 Lindsay Sporrer demonstrates
the correct technique for exercising her upper
and lower abdominal muscles.
Wouldn’t
it be great to walk into your local gym and say, “I
would like to order one six-pack of abs to go, please,” and
then receive your order of nice, lean, cut, and defined
abs. If only it were that easy to obtain!
Very
popular by desire but very hard to obtain is the
famous “six-pack” of
fitness. You’ve seen what I am talking about. It’s
the nice, cut, lean, well-defined abdominal muscles that you see
on many models and celebrities. Well-defined abdominal muscles
are what most people refer to as a six-pack, but the correct name
is the rectus abdominis muscles.
The
six-pack is one of the most sought-after and very
elusive goals that many women have tried to obtain
throughout the years. What most people do not realize
is that they already have a six-pack. Everyone, under
those layers of fat, has this group of muscles; we
just have to work really hard to uncover and define
it.
There
are several considerations when going through the
process of developing your abs to the point of gaining
a visible six-pack. One is to remember that women
will normally find it harder to lose body fat from
around their stomach, because that extra fat helps
protect the female organs, and women are designed
to carry a little extra for this purpose. This is
why you don’t see it leaving your waistline
as quickly as you see your body fat leaving other areas
of your body.
Another
factor to consider is genetics. Everyone is designed
a little differently, and, therefore, will lose and
gain body fat at different amounts and rates of speed
in all areas of their body. Increasing your metabolism
through some form of vigorous activity will be necessary
to burn away body fat. Commitment to an aerobic activity
such as speed walking, riding a stationary bike,
jogging, or similar exercise for a minimum of 30
minutes a day, six days a week will increase your
metabolism and, in turn, burn off unwanted body fat.
You must also perform abdominal exercises daily and
follow a healthy, low-fat and low-carbohydrate diet.
Choosing to follow only one or two of these steps
won’t
work. A combination of all these steps will be needed
in your quest for a six-pack.
Final
thoughts: Remember to pay close attention to your
health and the appearance of your face when losing
the body fat. At some point, you may lose so much
body fat that your face begins to look unhealthy
and your cheeks will have a sunken-in appearance.
You definitely don’t
want this to happen. Some people will be able to
obtain the six-pack without having any facial after-effects,
while others may have a tendency to develop this
problem, so stay observant of your overall appearance
to avoid any unwanted results. Exercise and eat wisely,
and I wish you all the best in your quest to obtain
a great set of abs and six-pack.
Mike Mauney is
a Personal Fitness Trainer certified by the National
Federation of Professional Trainers. Mike specializes
in Personal Fitness Training for women of all ages.
For Fifteen plus years he has been training
dancers, models, cheerleaders, pageant and swimsuit
contestants of all ages and competition levels (local,
state, national, and international). His daughter Michelle
Mauney-Lowery was "Miss North Carolina USA 1995".
Some of Mike’s training credits includes the
following: Shelley Hennig "Miss Teen USA 2004",
Susie Castillo "Miss USA 2003", Tonya
Matney "Mrs. International 2002, Carrie
Stroup "Miss United States World 2001", Janice
Ward "Mrs. United States 1999", Vanessa Minnillo "Miss
Teen USA 1998", Keyna Baucom "Mrs. America
1994".
Getting started with a fitness routine is always the hardest part, so it’s important to remember the benefits that you’ll reap from a healthier lifestyle.
By performing your exercise routines in short-but-intense bursts, you can actually achieve desired results without having to spend all of your time in the gym.
The struggle between “The Fat Boys” and the “the Cardio Kid” isn’t one to take lightly.
Which side you favor determines which size you’ll fit into when trying on those gorgeous gowns.
Jump-starting a daily workout program now can make the difference between settling for a cover-up smock or having the body to wear whatever fashions you favor.
By Mike Mauney
For
the complete behind-the-scenes story and all the
details on this and other exciting competitive events
from across America, as well as a wealth of advice
to improve your chances of victory, be sure to order Pageantry today.
