Dear Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee, I've lost about 20 pounds, which was my goal. But, my stomach area is still flabby. I do stomach crunches, so what more can I do? Signed, Tummy Needs Tightening Dear Tummy Needs Tightening, Besides a flatter tummy, abdominal exercises are important for maintaining proper posture, preventing injuries, alleviating lower back problems and improving overall athletic performance. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) sponsored research conducted by Peter Francis, Ph.D. at San Diego State University on 13 of the most common abdominal exercises. The research found stomach crunches were not the most efficient way to leaner abdominals. The top ranked abdominal exercise was the bicycle maneuver. According to ACE (www.acefitness.org), this is how to do the bicycle maneuver: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Breathe evenly throughout the exercise. ONLY FIVE MINUTES A DAY For best results, Dr. Francis recommends choosing several of the top-rated exercises and doing a five-minute exercise session daily. If one exercise is uncomfortable, he says to try others until you come up with a variety that meet your needs. This will help train different areas of the muscle and prevent boredom. 13 EXERCISES RANKED San Diego State University/ACE Abdominal Study Results For strengthening the rectus abdominus, the 13 exercise were ranked most to least effective (www.acefitness.org): 1. Bicycle maneuver 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 For more information, see www.acefitness.org |
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| Exercising Tips for Thighs, Bum, Abdomen |