Flat Abs Fitness Training

When we begin a new fitness program, we are energized to work out and optimistic about achieving our goals.  As the weeks pass, our enthusiasm may fade.  Workouts may become less frequent and eventually cease altogether before we reap the anticipated benefits.

Studies show that 50% of individuals who start a self-monitored fitness program will stop exercising within six months. The dropout rate is very high when a fitness program is begun at a very high intensity level and when self-motivation to exercise is low.  (1)

Following sound principles and practices can reduce exercise missteps, produce better results, and encourage fitness program adherence.  The following are 7 common fitness training mistakes and suggestions for correcting them.

Goal setting is a key motivator for exercise adherence. Well-defined goals guide decisions about the types of exercises and regimens that will produce the intended results. Set both short-term and long-term goals that are specific, realistic, challenging, and achievable. (2)

When individuals begin exercise programs, they seldom take inventory of their initial health and fitness status. Assessments offer baseline measures on which to show progress. Test yourself on items related to your goals so that you have clear training targets and can establish reasonable time lines to achieve them. Reaching each milestone demonstrates success and inspires greater self confidence to continue exercising.

  Without appropriate exercise regimens that specifically target goals, results can be haphazard. A well-designed fitness program can streamline the path toward your expected outcomes while preventing the frustration of slow progress or no progress at all. Unless you are familiar with exercise principles, you may need to rely on professional guidance to develop a well-planned program.

No two individuals are alike, nor do they respond in exactly the same way to exercise.  Fitness level, gender, posture, medical history, personal goals, and many other factors provide a basis for individualizing exercise programs.  Personalizing your program to fit your needs and preferences will yield faster results. 

The “more-is-better” philosophy of training is not as effective as you might expect. Training with variations in workout routines produce better results than training to failure or exhaustion. Adequate recovery periods are necessary to prevent dropping out of exercise activities due to overtraining.

  If exercise is too easy, you will be frustrated by the lack of results. A general guideline is to work out within a target zone of 60-85% of maximum effort. As you adapt to specific exercise regimens and your performances improve, you must gradually and progressively increase your work load so that you continue to train within the 60-85% range. (3)

As muscles become stronger and tone improves, it is important to stretch prior to and after workouts. Maintaining adequate flexibility is essential for preventing aggravating injuries that can contribute to quitting exercise programs.

Fitness training mistakes are avoidable.  As you learn more about exercise and apply sound principles, you will encounter fewer disappointments and realize more consistent gains.  If you continue to work wisely, diligently, and safely, you can ultimately achieve your fitness goals.

1. Sullivan, P. (1991). Exercise adherence. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED330676). Retrieved from ERIC database.

 2. Schmidt, R.A. & Wrisberg, C.A. (2000). Motor learning and performance: A problem-based learning approach (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

 3. McArdle, W.D., Katch, F.I., & Katch, V.L. (2000). Essentials of exercise physiology (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.

Is it better to jog constantly or to sprint with intervals of walking/jogging in between?

When we begin a new fitness program, we are energized to work out and optimistic about achieving our goals.  As the weeks pass, our enthusiasm may fade.  Workouts may become less frequent and eventually cease altogether before we reap the anticipated benefits.

Studies show that 50% of individuals who start a self-monitored fitness program will stop exercising within six months. The dropout rate is very high when a fitness program is begun at a very high intensity level and when self-motivation to exercise is low.  (1)

Following sound principles and practices can reduce exercise missteps, produce better results, and encourage fitness program adherence.  The following are 7 common fitness training mistakes and suggestions for correcting them.

1. Vague goals. Goal setting is a key motivator for exercise adherence. Well-defined goals guide decisions about the types of exercises and regimens that will produce the intended results. Set both short-term and long-term goals that are specific, realistic, challenging, and achievable. (2)

 2. Beginning fitness levels not assessed. When individuals begin exercise programs, they seldom take inventory of their initial health and fitness status. Assessments offer baseline measures on which to show progress. Test yourself on items related to your goals so that you have clear training targets and can establish reasonable time lines to achieve them. Reaching each milestone demonstrates success and inspires greater self confidence to continue exercising.

 3. Loosely focused training program. Without appropriate exercise regimens that specifically target goals, results can be haphazard. A well-designed fitness program can streamline the path toward your expected outcomes while preventing the frustration of slow progress or no progress at all. Unless you are familiar with exercise principles, you may need to rely on professional guidance to develop a well-planned program.

 4.  Program not individualized. No two individuals are alike, nor do they respond in exactly the same way to exercise.  Fitness level, gender, posture, medical history, personal goals, and many other factors provide a basis for individualizing exercise programs.  Personalizing your program to fit your needs and preferences will yield faster results. 

 5. Working too hard. The “more-is-better” philosophy of training is not as effective as you might expect. Training with variations in workout routines produce better results than training to failure or exhaustion. Adequate recovery periods are necessary to prevent dropping out of exercise activities due to overtraining.

 6. Not working hard enough. If exercise is too easy, you will be frustrated by the lack of results. A general guideline is to work out within a target zone of 60-85% of maximum effort. As you adapt to specific exercise regimens and your performances improve, you must gradually and progressively increase your work load so that you continue to train within the 60-85% range. (3)

7. Insufficient stretching. As muscles become stronger and tone improves, it is important to stretch prior to and after workouts. Maintaining adequate flexibility is essential for preventing aggravating injuries that can contribute to quitting exercise programs.

Fitness training mistakes are avoidable.  As you learn more about exercise and apply sound principles, you will encounter fewer disappointments and realize more consistent gains.  If you continue to work wisely, diligently, and safely, you can ultimately achieve your fitness goals.

References

1. Sullivan, P. (1991). Exercise adherence. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED330676). Retrieved from ERIC database.

 2. Schmidt, R.A. & Wrisberg, C.A. (2000). Motor learning and performance: A problem-based learning approach (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

 3. McArdle, W.D., Katch, F.I., & Katch, V.L. (2000). Essentials of exercise physiology (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.

It can be very discouraging when your child does not want to participate in exercise of any kind. More and more children are becoming slaves to the television or videos games, and they are refusing to submerge long enough to breathe let alone participate in fitness of any kind. Here are kids fitness exercises that can be introduced into your child’s life painlessly though, and they can help to keep your child active for years to come.

A Peer Environment

Some kids do better when they have others that are their age participating in an activity with them. So, try to fine kids fitness exercises that they can do with their friends or even new children that they have never met. For instance, you can enroll them in karate or kick boxing class for boys, and gymnastics or cheerleading for girls. A peer environment also encourages them to try their best and not quit, so they are more likely to stick with that particular form of exercise.

Make it a Game

If you want to find kids fitness exercises that your child will actually take part in, then you may need to look towards the video games that you loath. There is now a new wave of video games for children of all ages that focus on getting your child up and moving. These games are not only for older kids, there are ones for younger children as well, and even you might enjoy getting in on a game every once in a while.

Get Them Interested

Try to find something that your child is interested in. If they have always tried to set and reach amazing goals, maybe you could sign the two of you up for a marathon and have fun practicing together. Or, perhaps they love to watch a particular kind of sports game on TV. Why not sign them up for a season at their school or local community center to see if they enjoy it? The idea is to make the exercise something that they like so that they will continue to do it.

Help Them Get a Job

Believe it or not you can kill two birds with one stone when you are trying to find kids fitness exercises that work for your child. There are plenty of jobs for older children that incorporate some form of exercise, and the lure of money may be too good for them to pass up. Examples of jobs that might contain a fair amount of exercise include dog walking, car washing, lawn mowing, or newspaper delivery. You will be happy because your children are getting exercise, and they will be pleased with some money in their pockets.

There are a variety of ways to incorporate kids fitness exercises into your child’s daily life. Whether you have to trick them into it, or simply find something they like, your child will be happier and healthier thanks to your effort.

Copyright (c) 2008 Ed Scow

I have logged thousands of personal training sessions over my career and everybody wants to know more about abs workouts and abs exercises.

My clients want to know how to lose stomach fat and get a six-pack, or at the very least they just want to lose stomach fat so they have a firm abs that look good in their clothes (and naked).

I can’t blame them. Who doesn’t want a nice looking midsection? Who doesn’t want to get firm abs or get lean enough they can say they have a six-pack.

The problem is that 99% of them all have the same misconceptions about abs workouts and abs exercises and how to really lose stomach fat and get firm abs.

I’ve narrowed down the mistakes, myths and misconceptions surrounding abs workouts and abs exercises to my top 3.

These 3 abs workout mistakes are made by just about everyone I’ve ever trained, designed a program for, or consulted.

Are you making these same mistakes?

1) Spending too much time doing crunches – I’m just going to come right out and say it…you don’t need to do crunches to get six pack abs and you sure as heck don’t need to do crunches to lose stomach fat or even get a firm abs.

Crunches simply don’t work enough muscle and don’t burn enough fat calories to be thought of as a worthwhile exercise in order to lose stomach fat, let alone get firm abs or a six-pack.

Spending 20 minutes a day doing hundreds (or thousands) of crunches is like electing Big Bird or Elmo president.

Sure they may sound good and have all the answers, but it just doesn’t make much sense electing a puppet to such a high office (sorry, that was my attempt at a joke).

Doing hundreds, or even thousands, of crunches will strengthen your abdomen, that’s for sure, but what does it matter if you still have a layer of flabby goo covering up all the hard work?

Instead you need to focus on full body workouts and full body abs exercises in order to lose stomach fat fast and get the firm, toned stomach or six pack abs you’re after.

Take for instance this abs workout, using only full body abs exercises, I designed for a client. Do this mini-circuit before your regular workout, when you’re still fresh, so you can really hit your abs hard.

1A) Dumbbell Overhead Squat – 10 reps
1B) Mountain Climbers – 30 seconds
1C) Reverse Plank – 30 seconds

Do that in a circuit format, resting 20 seconds after the final exercise before repeating it again 2 or 3 times. Do that for a few week and you’ll definitely see a difference in your abs and you will lose stomach fat.

2) Throwing all your hard work out the door by eating poorly – What good does it do to work so hard in your fat loss workouts only to come home, or leave your home gym, and eat junk?

What sense does it make that after all your hard work, you ruin it with poor eating habits on a daily basis? This is quite possibly one of the dumbest things you could do. I don’t mean to be rude, I’m just trying to put it bluntly.

If you want to lose stomach fat and get firm abs, or even six-pack abs, you need to clean up your diet and stop eating so poorly. You need to quit eating processed junk found in boxes and bags like crackers and chips, stop eating things like bagels and processed breads and start eating more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, legumes and healthy fats.

You also need to start eating multiple times throughout the day, and this especially means eating breakfast. It also means cutting out the late night snacking and cutting down on alcohol.

You know what to cut out, so do it.

Remember what your goals are. You want to lose stomach fat and you want to get firm abs. Eat like it!

3) Not actively flexing, or bracing, your abdominals in every exercise – It’s sad that I have to say this, but all too often, people don’t actively flex their abdominals while doing an abs exercise.

I don’t know why. You’d think that because you’re doing an abs exercise that you’d be flexing your abs hard every repetition, but too many people just go through the motions and to way too fast.

You need to slow down and actively flex your abdominals when you’re doing an abs exercise. And for every exercise that’s not an abs exercise, you need to brace them like somebody is about to punch you in the stomach.

Doing so will ensure that you learn to “control” your abs and make sure that when you do lose stomach fat that you’ll have a defined and toned midsection worthy of praise.

I also want you to think of it this way…every exercise should be an abs exercise. If you brace your abs during every single exercise in your fat loss workout, you’ll essentially turn every single exercise into an abs exercise. Doing a chest press, brace your abs. Doing a lunge, brace your abs. Every single exercise you do, whether you’re working your abs specifically or not, should be turned into an abs exercise.

If you stop making these vital abs workout and abs exercise mistakes, and start doing full body workouts with full body abs exercises, I guarantee that you’ll begin to lose stomach fat and get firm abs (and maybe even that sought after six-pack) in no time.

I just joined a gym and i want to keep track of the machines I use and the cardio I do. Any suggestions?
I am looking for one that also tracks the different weight machines. Fitday.com does not.