Saturday, January 31, 2009

Ab Machines-The Truth

By Jose Loni

A reassessment of ab machines indicate that they are not effective for getting six pack abs. Many ab machines don't target the ab muscles directly and may even cause injuries. The best ways to get ripped abs are to rev up our metabolism and to have healthy eating habits.

There are ab machines that place our bodies in awkward positions causing potential injury, while others actually support our neck and back while doing the exercise, but since the support doesn't allow those parts to train and get stronger while the abs are getting worked on and stronger simultaneously, there is a resulting imbalance and possible injuries.

Exercises that incorporate interval training have shown to increase the body's metabolism. The anaerobic component of the exercises allow the body to increase its metabolic activity, which thereby increases the use of excess body fat as fuel for the body. The body also continues to burn fat well after the exercise activity has ended.

Relying on ab machines to give us six pack abs should be reassessed. Practicing healthy eating habits like having small, frequent meals 5-6 times throughout the day is recommended to help keep our energy levels constant and prevent blood sugar highs and lows.

Controlling the calories we consume, by increasing the number of meals we eat to 5-6 meals and decreasing the meal portions, allows our body to stabilize its energy levels and allow it to burn excess fat as fuel. When the body burns what we eat, it will then turn to the fat and use that as fuel.

Managing stress is another factor towards acquiring ripped abs. Stress can make the body store fat in the belly area due to Cortisol, a hormone which is produced during stressful times. Thus, controlling stress levels will prevent our body from reacting this way.

Practicing yoga, deep breathing, tai chi and meditation can help manage stress and effectively decrease the storage of body fat in the abdominal area.

The truth is, ab machines can't give us ripped abs. But by increasing our metabolism, watching our diet and managing our stress in our lives, we can finally achieve ripped abs. - 15343

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