Question for fitness guru's - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

akito · 05-16-2005, 09:46 AM

I'll admit, I've slacked a good deal when it comes to working out. But now I'm looking into it and wanting a routing for when I wake up in the afternoon (I dont go to work until 4pm monday through friday, so I wake up around 10 or 11am).

I used to do situps, but when doing those I'd always notice a pain in my lower back. It's no mystery to me though, because I do have back problems. I want nice abs though, or at least a flatter stomach. Any advice would be VERY well appreciated on how I can lose this beer gut as quickly as possible.

05-16-2005, 10:14 AM

I don't know how well this works, but you could try lying with your back on a bench - raise your arms over your head and hold onto the bench. Now with your ankles held together, raise them from the floor, bending your knees up to above your chest, hold, and then lower them back down again - repeat as necessary.. It should work out the lower abdomen and some muscles around the buttocks. I'd like to hear other's views on this one, but it's something I try to do every few days.

Redlemon · 05-16-2005, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zen_tom

(Pssst - and I hate to be picky about these things, but if you use an apostrophe, it's normally to denote ownership (with the exception of it's and its, which works the other way around). So if your title says "Question for fitness guru's" I can't help wondering "Question for fitness guru's what?" - Tell you what, edit your post, and I'll edit mine)

(Psst: although I agree with you, it is impossible to change the title on a thread without moderator assistance, and I don't think they'll bother with this one. But this is still a good time to mention Bob the Angry Flower's Quick Guide to the Apostrophe, You Idiots.)

akito · 05-16-2005, 10:26 AM

righty oh.. so I put an apostrophe in the wrong place.. sorry

Thanks for the input though on the workout. I'll give that a shot and see how that feels.

05-16-2005, 10:29 AM

Sorry akito, I hate to be a pedant - I wouldn't worry about it, I know for one that I get these things wrong all the time. Don't be

akito · 05-16-2005, 11:04 AM

that's quite alright zen_tom.. no harm done in the slightest. I think we're all guilty of apostrophe misplacement every now and then.

Any other fitness advice? Chime in folks. I dont know if it helps or not, but i am a current smoker, and if working out can help me quit, then I'm all for it.

stevie667 · 05-16-2005, 12:16 PM

Throw in a few sessions of cardio each week (e.g. cycling, swimming, tennis, longish walks) to get rid of the beer gut, along with reducing your calories. I'm sure there are dozens of other threads with specifics on how to do this.

Sit-ups don't work the abs as much as people think, they work the hip flexors more. The pain in the lower back is usually caused by the spine curving and putting uneven pressure on the discs seperating the vertabrae. Try crunches instead.

Working out can help you quit smoking, i've known a few people give up because they hated coughing up so much stuff after a workout. You may also find that working out gives you energy (wouldn't think it, but it does) that you normally get from smoking.

akito · 05-16-2005, 02:10 PM

Interesting.. Thanks for the response stevie.. that helps me out a lot. When summer comes around I intend to do a lot of swimming, so hopefully that'll help out with the gut I got going on.

So if sit-ups dont work the abs as much as people think, what, then, is a great method of getting a better looking stomach then?

mokle · 05-16-2005, 06:01 PM

Losing fat

Swimming is a very good way to do cardio (if you push yourself).

philosopherking · 05-16-2005, 07:07 PM

To lose the gut the only way is to reduce your % body fat through diet and cardio. You can't spot reduce, exercising your abs will only strengthen those muscles, not reduce the fat in the area.

05-16-2005, 09:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
akito Insane Location: Colorado	Question for fitness gurus I'll admit, I've slacked a good deal when it comes to working out. But now I'm looking into it and wanting a routing for when I wake up in the afternoon (I dont go to work until 4pm monday through friday, so I wake up around 10 or 11am). I used to do situps, but when doing those I'd always notice a pain in my lower back. It's no mystery to me though, because I do have back problems. I want nice abs though, or at least a flatter stomach. Any advice would be VERY well appreciated on how I can lose this beer gut as quickly as possible. Last edited by akito; 05-16-2005 at 10:24 AM..

05-16-2005, 10:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
zen_tom Guest	I don't know how well this works, but you could try lying with your back on a bench - raise your arms over your head and hold onto the bench. Now with your ankles held together, raise them from the floor, bending your knees up to above your chest, hold, and then lower them back down again - repeat as necessary.. It should work out the lower abdomen and some muscles around the buttocks. I'd like to hear other's views on this one, but it's something I try to do every few days. Last edited by zen_tom; 05-16-2005 at 10:27 AM..

05-16-2005, 12:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
stevie667 Too Awesome for Aardvarks Location: Angloland	Throw in a few sessions of cardio each week (e.g. cycling, swimming, tennis, longish walks) to get rid of the beer gut, along with reducing your calories. I'm sure there are dozens of other threads with specifics on how to do this. Sit-ups don't work the abs as much as people think, they work the hip flexors more. The pain in the lower back is usually caused by the spine curving and putting uneven pressure on the discs seperating the vertabrae. Try crunches instead. Working out can help you quit smoking, i've known a few people give up because they hated coughing up so much stuff after a workout. You may also find that working out gives you energy (wouldn't think it, but it does) that you normally get from smoking. __________________ Office hours have changed. Please call during office hours for more information.

05-16-2005, 06:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
mokle Psycho Location: Alberta, Canada	Losing fat Swimming is a very good way to do cardio (if you push yourself). __________________ Mokle "Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see" -Ali Last edited by mokle; 05-16-2005 at 08:58 PM..

05-16-2005, 10:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
akito Insane Location: Colorado	righty oh.. so I put an apostrophe in the wrong place.. sorry Thanks for the input though on the workout. I'll give that a shot and see how that feels.

05-16-2005, 10:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
zen_tom Guest	Sorry akito, I hate to be a pedant - I wouldn't worry about it, I know for one that I get these things wrong all the time. Don't be

05-16-2005, 11:04 AM	#6 (permalink)
akito Insane Location: Colorado	that's quite alright zen_tom.. no harm done in the slightest. I think we're all guilty of apostrophe misplacement every now and then. Any other fitness advice? Chime in folks. I dont know if it helps or not, but i am a current smoker, and if working out can help me quit, then I'm all for it.

05-16-2005, 02:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
akito Insane Location: Colorado	Interesting.. Thanks for the response stevie.. that helps me out a lot. When summer comes around I intend to do a lot of swimming, so hopefully that'll help out with the gut I got going on. So if sit-ups dont work the abs as much as people think, what, then, is a great method of getting a better looking stomach then?

05-16-2005, 07:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
philosopherking Crazy Location: Lincoln	To lose the gut the only way is to reduce your % body fat through diet and cardio. You can't spot reduce, exercising your abs will only strengthen those muscles, not reduce the fat in the area.