Best way to get flattish stomach.

[kayzr]

Please tell me the best way to get a flat stomach. My exercise machines just work on my legs. I've got a mini stepper and I'm getting a cross trainer.

Help please. I have 5 stone to lose and I want to get a relatively flat stomach.

Kayzr - ask your GP to check for stomach separation when you see them next week - probably easier than checking yourself.

i started gym last year, and used moslty stepper, threadmill, cross trainer, and weights.
i lost over stone, but im no way near my pre children weight or body. mu youngest is 16m.
i recently asked fitness intructor about what to do best to loose more weight around my waist, he said " waist, stomach area has very idle muscle, you need to running, and make big muscle work" i can see what he actually mean, my arms and legs are a lot slimmer than my middle. i hate running but i need to learn to run, so started jogging on threadmil with a few stops and slow walking.
i just cant do sit ups, other exercise.
will watch this thread with interest,too

thanks mark i have an induction on the weight/resistance machines on saturday.

also we use dumbells in a tone class i go to.

yeh i know what u mean about the interval training i tried that a bit yesterday and it really does work, feels like i had done a far better workout,

i will take a look at blog now cheers

Great one hunnybun. insist you use dumbells and NOT the weights machines, they are a waste of time. I have a blog post a few posts down about why they are a waste of time.
Also I did a YOUTube video here about what machines you should stay away from at the gym

uk.youtube.com/user/MarkRaynsfordPT

No5

The instructor is correct you should be using big muscles, as they burn more calories, but running IS not the key! It is a good addition, but NOT the answer.

Again, my blog has a great recent post as to why not!!!

IDLE muscle?!!! That;s a new one to me! You just choose exercises that will use it!
Like anything that is idle - you get it working or moving!!!!

hi mark, just seen your post. i dont know what he meant by idle muscle, thats what he said. i have knee problems, so i never run before, could you give me advise as its all new to me.
what is interval exercises? actually i told not to use rowing machine by my consultant as its not the best exercose for pelvic floor after child birth.
sorry op, if we all hijacking your thread, but its good to ask someone

correct no5, treadmill could be issue on knees, and pelvic floor, bike would be ok.

How far Post are you?

SweetEm - I had mentioned in a post yesterday about Kayzr being so newly post natal (that wasn't apparent at the beginning of the post) and that she needed to get her GP to check for stomach separation.

I'm going to ask my GP when I see him next week.

I can't really afford to go to the gym so I can only use my mini stepper and cross trainer(when I get it). But will ask GP about exercises.

Mark what about the stepper at the gym? Is that any good?

ok thanks mark pt

Cornsilk - its average! When you use anything, you have to ask "Why am I using it? What am I trying to achieve?" chances are you are trying to work your legs and bum? If so, learn to do squats, lunges, floor bridges, I cannot stress how important weights/resistance work is OVER cardio machines.

Riven - a difficult one for me to answer as I haven't dealt with similar issues before, or got your full background. Some you could do would be sitting on a fitball, doing some shoulder press, arm curls, overhead extensions. You could then carefully lift one leg for additional balance/core work.

Look into buying some "cheap" resistance bans. You can attach these to most things, and perform some rotational work. Google rotational cable exercises or woodchop and you should get the idea. A great core exercise(s)

im thinking of resorting to surgery. I still want to lose 1.5stones. Im currently size 12 but would like to be comfortable size 10. My tummy however is floppy and stretchmarked and totally hideous. I would do anything to get it even slightly better. My children are 12 and nearly 16

I took up yoga and did various exercises for the waistline.. Within ONE MONTH, 30 - 40 minutes, 6 days a week, I had my waist back and a much better figure.

With regard to losing abdominal fat, which as well as being unsightly is also a risk factor for heart disease etc, it appears that cardio-vascular exercise, particularly running, is most efficient at shifting it. I have recently qualified as a personal trainer, and this was taught as part of our advanced PT course at the YMCA.

Running is also believed to be very effective in changing the balance of cholesterol in the bloodstream from the 'bad' cholesterol to the 'good'.

while I accept that weight-training is important to change the proportion of muscle tissue that your body contains, and to redress the natural muscle wastage that occurs as part of the aging process, I don't think it is helpful for any personal trainer to write off CV work, and running in particular.

Many people cannot afford to join a gym and the beauty of running is that once you have the trainers and the sports bra, it is free. Plus you get the additional psychological benefits of exercising outside, in the fresh air, which can help depression and SAD.

Just felt it was worth while making that point!

43 today - Sorry, but what youve been taught is wrong, with regard to running and cardio vascular exercise! I've been PT'in for over 6 years, and like most jobs you learn while you're in it. PLEASE don't believe that statement is true. Yes you should combine CV work with resistance work, but search the net at least, and any respecatble trainer will tell you resistance work is the way to go, with CV training secondary - for fat loss. People who do too much CV work become "skinny fat", possibly dropping weight, but having zero muscle, still a high bodyfat % and an unshapely body. You won't get that with a decent resistance programme. Don't believe everything you are told, you will and should learn through research and trying techniques as I have done. I only do interval CV training with my clients (80% women) and resistance work as about 70% of the session and their results speak for themselves.

MarkPt, while I am sure that your experience shows that resistance training alone is a very efficient way to burn fat and gain muscle, I still think it is unhelpful for a personal trainer to maintain that it is the only way.

I have used intense interval training, alternating CV and resistance work (in different proportions to you), and achieved very good results. Another client lost 3 stone over 4 months by doing 4 sessions of running intervals and 2 sessions of resistance training a week - and no dieting.

Regarding running specifically, it is associated with production of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which affect appetite as well as visceral and subcutaneous fat metabolism (ie getting rid of fat tummy). CV work in general improves heart and lung efficiency, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep quality and relieves stress. Also, it is something that many people enjoy, which means that they are more likely to continue doing it.

The job of a personal trainer is to help every client to achieve their own goals in a healthy and enjoyable way, and maintain that achievement. If your clientele is happy to work in a gym environment and has enough money to pay for gym membership, then by all means you can design programmes using gym-based equipment.

However, the gym environment doesn't suit everyone. Many people have neither the time nor the spare cash to use a gym. Others don't like the atmosphere and prefer the buzz you get from exercising in the open air.

If I can show a client how to exercise in a way that achieves their goals, and is easy to continue when they are no longer my client, then I have really given them their money's worth. To do this usually means being open-minded and flexible, on the part of both the trainer and the client.

I might take up jogging then. I don't know though. I'm not to keen on running. I suppose I can train our puppy to jog with me.

43Today - I agree and disagree with your points!
I never actually said you shouldn't run. I think my post actually said, "It is a good addition but not the key" ie running by itself is not the only way to lose fat.
If you're not changing your diet, or eating healthily you won't get much change.

Also, you have to look at running on your joints. Reports state that each running step places over 3 times your bodyweight on your hips and knee joints. If you are overweight this can be some load. Therefore running can be causing extra stress to the body, maybe not short term, but certainly long term.
Your client who lost the weight, without 'dieting', must have been consuming good calories. I don't like the word dieting. But eating healthily (whole, natural foods, not processed, packaged etc) supplies the body with nutriton it can deal with.

All of the health benefits you stated with running can also be achieve with resistance work. Try some interval training with weights or bodyweight exercises. On that subject resistance work doesn't have to be 'gym based' How about pressups, squats, lunges, mountain climbers, burpees, dips, plank etc, all using your body weight and still resistance training.
Running too much or too long, actually puts the body into a catabolic state, which results in muscle atrophy, or wastage. Surely this is not what we want? Especially as muscle gives the body shape, and good posture, and acts as an additional living tissue, burning calories even at rest.

I train my client at my home gym, so if they can afford a PT, they can afford a gym membership, but even if not, they can still exercise at home with bodyweight exercises.

I agree with your last paragraph!

Kazyr!

Really don't listen to one persons advice.
Try something, if you like it, you like it, if you don't do something else.
Even go play badminton or similar sport a few times a week.
I'm looking to set some bootcamps up soon. Check your local area for those. You can then train in a group enviornment, and should get the benefit of (hopefully) a qualified personal trainer too.

Just be careful as running can screw your pelvic floor, and if you start too early, well there could well be problems!

Haven't read this whole post , but I have to chip in in support of Mark. He's right, there is a lot of info on the web about this very subject (cardio being time-consuming and even harmful). Two particularly good ones, I think, are by Mike Geary ((thetruthaboutabs.com)) and Joey Atlas.

I had a few sessions with a pt a while ago, referred by an osteopath to help with hip and back pain. We used no weight machines or treadmills, just did resistance-style exercises using my own body weight and exercising big muscle groups (squats, lunges etc). Also used kettle thingies.
I couldn't afford to keep it up, plus I'm a lazy old cow, but I used to feel much more 'exercised' aferwards than after a run. And my legs felt stronger and somehow longer!

And don't forget the negative effects running undoubtedly has on the girls, even with a sports bra.

Oh, and the nutrition thing is right as well - you can't do it by diet alone, but if you're nose is in the trough you'll never lose weight!
Exercise will build muscle, which makes your body more efficient at burning calories, but it won't undo bad habits.

YeToxic - wise words, well spoken!
If you have lots of weight to lose, cardio and diet will possibly lose some, but you will be left with a shapeless body and loose sin. Tightening and shaping with resistance should be key.

Join my free forum if you like at www.fatlossfitness.ning.com your comments are worthy!

Thanks, might just do that. But can anyone explain to me how you stop posting/lurking on forums and actually go and DO the feckin' exercise?!