| So you want a nice abdominal profile? Don’t | | | | When you feel that all the breath is out of your |
| worry, ladies! Here are some simple and effective | | | | lungs, bear down on your abdominal muscles to |
| techniques that’ll help you ladies get that | | | | push the diaphragm upwards into the lungs, |
| great shape you’ve always wanted! | | | | forcing all the residual air out of your lungs. |
| To get the most benefit from these great | | | | Remember, the ribcage nor the shoulders must |
| exercises you’ll have to understand a bit of | | | | move! Do this as part of your routine. |
| physiology first! The abdomen gets it shape, that | | | | Advanced Abdominal Respiration |
| is, taut or flabby, from a triple-layer of muscles: | | | | Lie supine on the floor. Reach your hands out to |
| the rectus abdominis (on the surface), the | | | | hold the back of your legs, elbows bent outwards. |
| obliques (in the middle), and the transversis | | | | Only use the abdominal muscles and the |
| abdominis (innermost). | | | | diaphragm in this exercise. Breathe in as before. |
| The muscles of the pelvic floor support the | | | | When you let your breath out, try to make your |
| internal organs. If these muscles are weak then | | | | belly button touch your spine. |
| the organs begin to bulge and sag. It’s just a | | | | Baby Curls |
| matter of good luck that exercising the | | | | Lie supine. Without any other support gently |
| transversis also exercises the pelvic floor muscles. | | | | exercise pressure on the abdominal muscles to |
| Having a baby results in a lot of strain on this set | | | | curl yourself forward, performing what is known |
| of muscles. So ladies who have just had a baby | | | | as a crunch. Don’t try to use the muscles of |
| should especially exercise this set of muscles. The | | | | your head, or neck, or upper body to perform |
| Kegel exercises are designed to tone this pair of | | | | the crunch. You should experience very little or no |
| muscles. However most people do not do these | | | | discomfort. If you’re comfortable doing this |
| exercises correctly, and consequently they are | | | | exercise then repeat it daily. If you find yourself |
| fairly ineffective. | | | | straining too much, if your tummy starts bunching |
| The lesson in physiology being over, let’s get | | | | up in the middle, then stop! Go back to the first |
| started on these real simple, effective and safe | | | | two exercise and build yourself up before |
| set of four exercises. | | | | attempting this one! |
| Abdominal Respiration | | | | Elbow Lifts |
| The object of this exercise is to exercise the | | | | Lie on your right side. Keep your body straight |
| abdominal muscles by simply breathing! That’s | | | | and stiff from head to foot. Use your right elbow |
| right! Take a nice comfortably deep breath! But, | | | | to push your body up off the floor. Your right |
| use abdominal breathing. Meaning, consciously | | | | forearm should be lying on the floor. Make sure |
| focus on your diaphragm and force it downwards. | | | | that your body is in a straight line, at an angle to |
| Do not move your ribcage outwards, or your | | | | the floor. This is a must! Hold the position for ten |
| shoulders upwards. Hold the breath in your lungs | | | | to fifteen seconds. Now repeat the exercise, lying |
| for a long moment, then let it out again, normally. | | | | on your left side. |