Another Six Pack Summer!

7 Best Ab Shredding Exercises

Ladies and gentlemen, summer is upon us and that means only one thing, “Swimsuit Season”! If knowledge serves me correct, a great majority of the people out there decided to wait until summer was here to hit the gym in preparation for rockin’ those beach bodies on a boat, at a beach or poolside. Be that as it may some of you have been training hard all year around pushing yourself to the outer limits in search of the ultimate six-pack to flaunt for your summer in the sun.

Well, you are in luck! I am about to share with you 7 of the best AB exercises to sculpt that mid-section to look like it was carved out of stone!

1. HANGING LEG RAISES

This exercise is performed while hanging from a pull-up bar (use support straps if necessary). While hanging from the pull-up bar contract your abs while lifting your knees up to your chest and lowering them back down. (tip: limit the amount of swing in each lift by stabilizing your core by tightening your abs and back muscles)

2. MED-BALL TWISTS

Perform this exercise with a med-ball of appropriate weight in relation to ability. While seated on the ground with knees bent lean your torso back at a 45 degree angle and rotate the med-ball side-to-side touching the ball to the ground on each side. (Be sure to move the torso with the ball and not just your arms.) * For added difficulty lift legs off of the ground.

3. V-UPS

While laying flat on the ground hands over head raise your hands and legs up off the ground to from a “V” with your body. When at the top of this exercise your butt should be the only part of your body touching the ground and the back down flat on the ground and repeat.

4. STABILITY BALL ROLL OUTS

With a stability ball situate yourself into a plank position (resting your forearms on the ball with your feet on the ground). While in this position begin by rolling the ball forward with your arms ONLY! (Beginner: start by moving the ball 2-3 inches or until you feel your core muscles tighten and then back. Continue with this until you are advanced enough to roll your arms completely out and back in.)

5. PIKE UPS

While using a stability ball place hands on the floor and legs on the ball (be sure to maintain control of the ball and your body before beginning). While in this push-up position keep your legs stiff and raise your hips up toward the ceiling. (Modified version: knee tuck with bent knees)

6. RESISTED /or WEIGHTED STABILITY BALL CRUNCH

Laying on the ball in a crunch position rest a weight or medicine ball on your chest and perform a number of crunches and repeat. This exercise can also be done with a resistance band by anchoring the band to a solid base and pulling the handles over the shoulders and crunching upward.

7. TURKISH GET-UP

While this exercise is one for someone a little more advanced it can be done by beginners too. Using a kettlebell or a dumbbell, lay flat on the floor with one knee bent feet flat on the floor. Holding the KB or DB in one hand arm extended toward the ceiling, first movement is crunching up to your knee, second movement from crunched position using free hand to assist, stand up, third movement using core muscles to sit back down to starting position. When performed properly this should be done all in one motion. Perform this exercise each arm for the same number of reps.

With these seven AB exercises and proper nutrition you should be more than well equipped with the right tools for torching those ABS for the summer! Be safe and enjoy a little fun in the sun! 

If you have any questions of concerns, please contact us at 402.991.7700!

What can Protein Do for You?

Have you ever wondered why health and fitness professionals emphasize protein in your diet? If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a hundred times!!!! How much protein should I be taking in, followed with, why so much?

Well let’s start with basic function of the gastric system:

Its number one function is to break down food as fast as possible and then empty that food into your small intestines which then transfers to the blood stream. It’s a simple catalyst to produce energy from food. Here is something else you need to know, some foods are easy to break down and others are not.

For example, sugar is broken down so fast that the only thing faster would be an IV running straight into your arm. The average hard candy can be metabolized in just minutes; for those of you that have kids, you know what I mean… As for protein, things take longer. Your gastric system has to work harder to break down protein to get it to the level of amino acid that can be absorbed into your blood stream. Why is this important? Well the longer that takes the less hunger pains you will have throughout the day.


So What Kinds of Food are Good for Protein??

I often recommend eating eggs or egg whites with your breakfast. What you will find is that you will have a sustained energy that is more fulfilling throughout the morning. The hunger pains you have in the late morning from just eating a bowl of cereal, or toast, or just a piece of fruit will be gone. This is do to the fact that protein lengthens your gastric emptying time, it just takes more time to break it down, and that is a good thing.

The average American losses anywhere form seven to ten pounds of muscle per decade. This is due not only to a lack of exercise but also a lack of protein in the diet. Most people just don’t eat enough; we generally eat too much sugar in its place.

How Much Protein do I Need?

Regardless of your activity level I always recommend that most women get at least 50 to 75 grams protein each day, for men I always recommend at least 75 to 100 grams. Now, understand this is what you need to sustain muscle mass, without protein in your diet you will lose muscle, and the more muscle you lose the more fat you will gain.