Hi everyone. Should be in bed
Few q's to answer/help out on
CODalmighty. Re target heart rate on machines. These are not totally acurate as they don't take into account fitness elvels and your resting heart rate. However, if you feel puffed whilst exercising at the target heart rate indicated then this if fine for you at the mo. Calories lost depend on your body weight, size of frame etc. Again these are an indication.
Swiss (stability) ballsa re excelent. Pleae remeber to engage the core muscles and adopt neutral pelvic alignment. It's a good idea to perfect exercises on the floor before attempting them on the ball as you are less table on the ball and can damage your back etc. It's fun not trying to fall of tho!!
AB exercises. Please don;t try to get too hung up on doing leads each day. 5-8 minutes 3-4 times a week is fine (unless it's a pilates class).
Thanks for the link! The bycyle version they show is quite hard to start off with. I suggest feet on the floor bent legs and legs hip width apart. Fingers slightly touching sides of head with elbow wide. Use your shoulder to cross towards the opposite knee. it will get nowhere near but will work the oblique mucles (which is what the bycyle is doing). The obliques run from the sides of your ribs diagonally down towards topubic bone. Some recud abdominus as well (6 pack. Best exercise for rec abs is the common cruch (only ribs towards hips).
Reverse cruches are hard 9some find them easy). If you have a stiff lower back or arched lower bck (had you speedymama) then it's even harder. Try to gentle tilt and not rock. You should feel the area below the navel working.
Marls100 - WELL DONE !! Yes you can overstrengthn the abs!
Upsadaisy - welcome. Personal Traininers are great but charge! Have the gym staff given you a programme. They should be just as qualified to start you off and I would have thought that a programme would have been part of your package?
Happy training everyone