Exercise Buddies - anyone want to join?

[Lorns]

Hi this a new thread linked to "We want to lose 10lbs NEW THREAD"

I'm a Group exercise instructor/Personal Trainer and have been offering advice to mumsnetters!

Following suggestions that it would be good to start an exercise/nutrition advice/motivation thread - well here it is!!

What a friendly bunch you all seem

I've lost 2 stone (still need to lose another 2) and am aware that I'm very unfit.

I've started walking again (I do about 2 miles uphill) in the mornings, and try to do an isometric workout each day too.

My stomach is a problem area but I have the idea that sit ups as such, aren't good for your back. Am I right?

ps Ormirian, yes, I used to be a green amphibian

hello trillium (frog that was). Good name btw! I have a problem with my back but I have an abdominiser (I think that's what it's called which is supposed to take some of the strain off the baclk. Yoga helps with that too.

Part of my problem is that we live in a very rural area and I'm at least an hour away from any Gym/Exercise classes, so basically I'm on my own.

Have tried to do crunches but I think I'm doing them wrong as it hurts my neck.

Hi trillium, I've reposted Lorn's info from Feb 26th for you as it focuses on abs :

Here goes...

As a way of life it is crucial to learn to pull your belly button 30% towards your spine , set your shoulders correctly

When doing back/ab exercising it is good to learn to contract the pelvic floor as well. If you just do plank, ab curls etc. without engaging the deep abdominals then you just strengthen your abs outwards - hence the pot belly appearance!

How do you do this?... (gonna be long sorry... - copied some of this from the old thread!!)

Then 30% belly button thingy!!! Transversus Abdominis Activiation (TVA)

This is 1 of 4 ab muscles that make up the ab wall. It's the deepest. It creates a muscular corsette and is 1 of 3 muslces that assist in stabilising the spine. Together with YES the pelvic floor they create a strong core/centre.

Science over - now engaging the TVA.

Standing or lying - imagine you have a wide belt around your middle. Tighten to the 10th notch by pulling the belly button tight towards the spine. It should feel uncomfortable and hard to breathe. This is engagement at 100%. Let this go. Pull in again 100% and let out to 50% (the 5th notch). Now let it off 2 more notches and maintain this feeling. This is 30%. In time you can just pull in 2 the 3rd notch without the rest!!

Ideally you should engage the pelvic floor before the TVA. To do this imagine a lift. Pull up from the back, middle and front to 10th floor (100%). Let out to 5th and then 3rd for 30% on the Pelvic floor. NB The pelvic floor muscle will ease, but the TVA shouldn't.

REMEMBER DOING PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES REGULARLY IS ALSO GOOD FOR YOUR SEX LIFE (but children arn't)!!!

Before doing any exercise it's also important to think about the shoulders. This is also part of the core and helps with postural alignment. Inhale and shrug shoulders towards the ears. Exhale and slide shoulder blades down the back and in towards the spine in a "V" shape. Imainge you have stones on top of your shoulders pulling your shoulders aways from your ears.

Setting up your shoulders and abs is a daily/lifestyle thing. Use when your seated, standing,carrying your child(ren) anyway to help protect your back and aid great posture.

A good site to find more ab exercises on is netfit.com. Hope the following link works!!

\link{http://www.netfit.co.uk/abdominals-web-site.htm}

I wouldn't come up as far on the "normal" curl and the superman one is quite advanced as you have to be very careful not to lean to the r/l or tilt you hips. You also have to be careful not to arch you back, but keep your pelvic area in neutral alignment. (If you don't know what that means - let me know...) I would do a version of superman to start with. On all fours - Leading with the big toe, let one leg extend back until straight and then draw the back again leading with the toe. Remember hands under shoulders and knees under hips and legs hip width apart!!

Hope this helps.

Hi everyone - re abs...

when doing crunches etc. lengthen the back of your neck and have an apple shape between your chin and chest. Whether you head is on the floor or raised in the crunch position - the postion of the neck/chin to chest should be the same. Think about peeling the shoulders off the floor and bringing your ribs towards your hips. Exhale on the way up and inhale on the way down. Crunches work the outer abs (6 pack). It's good to work the oblique muscles (rotations) and the deep abs stabilisers (plank)

Some people who have neck problems find it good to push the tongue to the roof of their mouth whilst doing ab work as this acton connects to the mastoid muscles which run from your collar bone (thick "cord" muscle - each side of the neck to the head. It can also help to take one or both arms behind your head so that the hands criss cross at the base of the neck (elbow will be up high towrads the ceiling in your standing up. You have to be careful that this does push the head forward - therefore losing your apple shape under the chin area.

Ultimately you need to build strength in the neck and surrounding area. It may be just poor posture which is causing the problem.

Welcome trillium! - abdominal exercises if done correctly actually help strengthen the back and core area which guards against back problems.

What isometric workout are you doing? Please use us to help you plan a good exercise programme. Walking 2 miles is good. What about speeding up a bit (children pemitting if in tow) if you are not feeling puffed?

If anyone wants to know what ideal postural is like - just let me know!

CODalmighty can I respond tomorrw re your workout? I need to go to bed as very tired!!

Thanks for the advice I'm very impressed with the depth of knowledge and the friendliness.

The 2 mile walk I do really is up a hill on a dirt track. I don't have children in tow, but do go as fast as I can without keeling over.

I used to do it regularly but got out of the habit so the first few times were a real killer. I had to stop a couple of times for breath, and because my jelly legs would have given way otherwise.

The isometric workout I do is one I got from a Dr Charles Clark diet book and only takes about 10 - 15 mins in total.

It starts with the head and works down the body using one muscle against another for 10 secs at a time while holding my breath.
I do neck, thorax,shoulder,upper arm, upper back, abdomen and leg.

ie. for the chest I have hands palm to palm at chest height and push each against the other for about 10 secs. Then the antagonist muscles to the chest are the upper back so I put both hands behind my back and grasp the sides of a kitchen chair. Then I push together for 10 secs.

It's supposed to tone and strengthen the musculature.

aha! GOOD MORNIGN!
GOD I FEEL LIEK I HAEV BEEN TOLD TO " see me tormorow" by the tehacer

lol
am off og gym now
back alter

what do u all do in the meanwhile whilst youre NOT at the gym?. as im gonna try my best to go 3 times a week

COD Almighty - worksout seems good if it is working you. I would warm up for 5 minutes to ensure the body is warm. When you are working out you should feel working at a 6-7 see my posting on 12 feb 20.56 for more info on how often to exercise and what intensity.

New to exercising - If you're just starting out just do what you can. If it's 5 minutes then that's fine. Over the weeks you will see yourself getting fitter and being able to go for longer of at a higher intenisty. The secret is to listen to your body and not push it too hard too soon.

CODalmighty - sorry just re-read your posting. Really sorry I sounded like a teacher. That's the tiredness talking!

no i am very grateful
ok i did longer at each machine today
4 mies ont he runner at 2.0 and was way intot he fat burn read out

also the mahcines at out place lets oyu eneter your wight nad age then tell you when you are at fat burnign stage
are htey any good?

I've just been reading my Feb issue of Runners World at last and it has a section on how to get washboard abs like elite runners.

The key is not to do endless numbers of crunches as these just target the rectus abdominis. A 2001 study at the San Diego State University measured the effectiveness of 13 ab exercises. The best was the bicycle whereas the traditional crunch came 11th. They also found that the best home equipment for abs was the Swiss ball (crunches on Swiss ball came in second place incidently) whilst the other gadgets reduced the amount of work done by your muscles so were ineffective.

All in all, it comes down to working all your muscles to build your core stability, just like Lorn has behoved us to do.

The exercises given to get washboard abs like runners were
Pelvic Tilt
Leg Push
Side Plank
Plank
Swill Ball roll

Of course, this is on the proviso that you lose the layer of fat covering these muscles for which one must diet and do some form of cardiovascular training like running.

Hmm... Speedymama I second your last point . I spent years going to the gym, taking exercise classes and always wondered why nothing seemed to work...until I lost weight and found this wonderful firm flat belly that had been comfortable nestled beneath layers of fat. Now I've got less fat but no muscle tone. Actually I prefer exercise to dieting any day.

i liek the swiss ball

I need to get a Swiss ball. Aldi were selling them just after Christmas - I wish I had bought one then.

what are hte top five
please epxlain

This is the result of the work by Dr Peter Francis at San Diego State University on his ACE Abdominal Study.

For strengthening the rectus abdominus, the 13 exercise were ranked most to least effective:

1. Bicycle manoeuvre
2. Captain?s chair
3. Crunches on exercise ball
4. Vertical leg crunch
5. Torso Track
6. Long arm crunch
7. Reverse crunch
8. Crunch with heel push
9. Ab Roller

10. Hover 11. Traditional crunch 12. Exercise tubing pull 13. Ab Rocker

I have no idea what 2,5,8,9,10,12 and 13 are.

Lorns, can you enlighten us please?

For strengthening the obliques, the 13 exercise were ranked most to least effective:

1. Captain?s chair
2. Bicycle maneuver
3. Reverse crunch
4. Hover
5. Vertical leg crunch
6. Crunch on exercise ball
7. Torso Track
8. Crunch with heel push
9. Long arm crunch

10. Ab Roller 11. Traditional crunch 12. Exercise tubing pull 13. Ab Rocker

Help me girls!

I went to amsterdam last thursday. Had been for a run on the wednesday.

Have done NOTHING since - went into holiday mode and also since I came back seem to have a horrible inner ear infection

Im really scared I will lose all benefits I had built up through exerciscing 4 times a week for 2 months

Give me hope?

ACE is the American Council of Exercise btw.

Does this mean you keep falling over because you are not able to balance? If that is the case, I would concentrate on floor exercises like stretching, ab work and press ups until the infection clears up. Can you use a stationary bike or rower at all because these will help maintain your cardio fitness.

Hope you feel better soon.

Its not so much that I would fall over just that I feel pretty crap. Keep having to sit down feel so dizzy and nauseous - not really condusive to a good old workout!

Feel a bit weak too so dont really have the energy!

I might have to just give myself a few days before going back in jim (or dusting off davina) and see how far back I am.

I am still losing weight though.

Lost another 2lbs

Well done on the weight loss. I would listen to your body, take a break from strenuous exercise and when you are better, at least you will be refreshed!

captain's chair

I would only be able to do this in a gym so will focus on bicycle, planks and crunch variants.