Having a flat stomach and a set of six-pack abs is not just for looks anymore. There are benefits such as feeling better and being healthier that goes along with a trim tummy. While you must exercise in order to achieve these dream abs there is also the factor of eating right and losing excess body fat to achieve this goal. The layer of fat above the stomach has to be reduced to allow the abdominal muscles to show clearly.
All of the lower ab exercises in the world will not make any difference without a proper diet and loss of excess body fat. The success of achieving a set of six pack abs is up to eighty percent dependant upon a proper diet.
With lower ab exercises there must be a balance achieved between building these muscles and straining these muscles. This balance is hard for many to achieve.
Leg lifts are a popular form of lower ab exercises that are often done incorrectly. When beginning to do leg lifts you should be completely flat. The legs should be together and lifted to an angle of forty-five degrees. Once at this forty-five degree angle you should hold the legs at this angle for a count of twenty. Lower the legs, rest for ten seconds and pull them up again for another count, only this time just count to fifteen. One more time take a rest and bring them back up and count to ten or until you cannot keep them at the forty-five degree angle any longer.
A variation on the leg lift is the vertical leg lift. While you will still remain flat on your back, the legs are lifted until your toes are pointed to the ceiling. Place your hand, palms down under your butt to hold your balance. Now for the hard part, using the lower abdominal muscles lift, rollup onto your arms and upper back by lifting your pelvis and extending your toes as far as you can towards the ceiling while keeping your legs straight. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
Leg lifts are beneficial in the loss of fat as well. Short sets with the legs being held for a shorter period help to achieve this goal.
If you do not care for sit ups as long as you are over thirty you have nothing to worry to about, it is suggested that you no longer perform these exercises. Gravity related exercises will have a better effect for you. Instead it is far better to perform exercises related to gravity.
There are machines available to hold you in an upright position and keep the feet from touching the ground. While you are in this position bring the legs to the chest, hold then release. The back should be kept straight during this to avoid placing strain on the hips and lower portion of the back.
Should any pain occur in the back you should stop the lower ab exercises as this is an indicator of damage occurring to the back itself. Different lower ab exercises will work differently for different people.
Regardless of the amount of lower ab exercises that are done they will be ineffective without the loss of additional body fat.
Malcolm Blake has researched and written about weight loss and how to lose stomach fat. To see more of his writing, visit his article about stomach fat.
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