Fab abs!

Here's how to crunch your way to a flat stomach

BASIC CRUNCH FOR UPPER ABS

1. Lie on your bqck with your legs raised as shown. With your hands on your head, crunch up wh8ile breathing out.

2. Hold the position and then go back down. Repeat 25 repetitions per set (three times).

LEG RAISE FOR LOWER ABS

1. Lie on your back with your hands under your bottom / or a longside your body. Lift both legs, keeping them straight.

2. Lower your legs so they aren't touching the ground. Repeat 25 repetitions per set (three times).

Hipsters, low-slung baggy jeans and revealing clothes are all the rage as more and more people dare to bare. Great if you are blessed with a flat stomach, not so great even if you have a slight tummy. We've all looked with envy at Katreeta English's flat and toned abs and longed to look the same.

Nearly all of the men's and women's magazines have stories about how to get flat stomachs in a matter days by doing certain exercises or following certain diets. Eat this; do this; avoid this. It's enough to send anyone crazy.

But most of these claims aren't true.  "In all honesty there is no quick fix solution to getting and staying in shape. If it were that easy, everyone would have the 'perfect' body. The best solution is to follow a healthy lifestyle and eat regular, small meals at least five times a day," explained Ian Edmondson of Fitness First.

Stuck in the middle

A healthy lifestyle should include regular exercise and a diet low in carbohydrates, Ian suggested. When we eat carbohydrates, they are turned into blood sugar that is stored in the liver, veins and muscles. But when these areas are full, the excess blood sugar is turned into stored energy, also known as fat. "The first place this fat is stored is around the centre of our body, around our abdominal muscles, creating what we know as a tummy or pot belly," Ian said.

Abdominal muscles that are covered by a layer of fat will never show, which is why a proper diet and regular exercise are important if you want to burn any excess fat. Women have stronger abdominal muscles than men, but also a higher percentage of body fat, which is why women are more likely to have a slight tummy than men and have to work harder get a toned stomach.

You can't just starve yourself fit either. Radically reducing your intake of food will slow your metabolism down and is not the best way to achieve weight loss. You will notice some weight loss during the first week or two but the results will not be permanent. Over time, weight will creep back on, often more than was first lost. This is known as yo-yo dieting.

Get moving

Many of you will be glad to hear that you don't need to crunch away every day when targeting your abdominal muscles. "When you exercise a muscle you actually tear it. The muscle needs time to rebuild itself, to become bigger and stronger. Exercising any muscles, big or small everyday doesn't allow them time to recover and will mean that they remain the same size. Muscles need at least 48 hours to recover. Overworking the muscles will result in them staying the same size or even worse � injury!" Ian said.

An abdominal routine should be done at least three times a week. Beginners should start off doing an upper abdominal basic crunch as many times as they can, twice. Follow this with lower abdominal leg raise as many times as they can for two sets. You need to be able to feel the tension for the exercises to work. People should aim to be able to complete 25 repetitions for a total of three sets.

"By following this simple regime, people should expect to see results in three months. This is a realistic amount of time to see the difference a regular exercise regime and healthy lifestyle can make," Ian said.      

Correct form

Follow these simple tips when exercising to maximise results and avoid injury:

°        As you are going into the crunch, breathe out. This allows the abdominal muscles to contract more.

°        Don't keep your back straight. Arch your back like a cat to make the muscles tighter and more flexed.

°        Concentrate on the muscles that you are working to make sure that you can feel the right muscles being worked.

°        Place fists on the side of your head to avoid any unnecessary strain on the neck and back.

°        Don't hold your breath.

°        Movements need to be slow, controlled and deliberate. Never rush an exercise.

°        Make sure you can feel a burning sensation when doing the exercise. This indicates that the muscles are working.

Vocabulary

abs (n): part of the body below the chest that contains the stomach, bowels, etc.
baggy (adj): fitting loosely; not tight
dare (v): persuade somebody to do something dangerous, difficult or embarrassing so that they can show that they are not afraid
tummy (n): the stomach or the area around the stomach
envy (n): feeling of wanting to be in the same situation as somebody else; the feeling of wanting something that somebody else has
pot belly (n): stomach that sticks out
metabolism (n): chemical processes in living things that change food, etc. into energy and materials for growth
repetition (n): number of times an exercise is carried out/performed continuously at one time.

Basic crunch for upper abs

a. Lie on your back with your legs slightly raised.
With your hands on your head, crunch up while breathing out.
b. Hold the position and then go back down.
Repeat 25 repetitions per set (three times).

Leg raise for lower abs

c. Lie on your back with your hands under your bottom/or alongside your body.
Lift both legs, keeping them straight.
d. Lower your legs so they aren't touching the ground.
Repeat 25 repetitions per set (three times).