Pooch Belly Syndrome
Why Your Belly Bulges
And What To Do About It
By David Grisaffi
www.flattenyourabs.net

QUESTION:

I am 1.57m, 53kgs, Asian, 45 years old, 2 kids both Caesarian (and I am wondering if this has anything to do with my abdominal problem). My diet is fairly healthy, but I am not that strict because I love food, both healthy and sinful. I don’t binge and have a pretty good control over my cravings. I stir fry and eat a lot of veggies, rice, meat, fish, an enormous amount of fruit, not a lot of bread but when I do it’s whole grain. Not a lot of junk food either because I hate greasy food – maybe twice a year
if at all.

My food consumption is well within my daily quota of 2,200 calories per day, if not less. I hate breakfast, so I drink one serving of whey protein, a cappuccino and one banana.

For my workouts, I run, use an elliptical trainer because of my knees.
Sometimes I run sprints to get some aggression out of my system. My cardio ranges from 40 to 60 minutes, burning an average of 500 cals if I can believe the digital output, and I do an average of 3 hours cardio per week.

Then I do various strength training, mostly upper and mid body since I do a lot of running. I alternate so that I spend about 1.5 hours in the gym depending on the rest intervals. In conclusion, I think I have a sufficient deficit of 1500 calories per week at least.

The big question is: Why on earth can’t I seem to lose that bit of roll on my tummy or get my stomach looking flat? I am highly motivated. I like what I am doing and often come home feeling better than when I left.

Should I resign myself to the fact that two caesarian childbirths make it impossible to get a nice flat (not even thinking of ripped) abdomen again?

Sincerely, 
Babe K.

ANSWER:

I read through your e-mail, and noticed quite a few potential issues that might be contributing to your frustration with your abdominal area. If you
address these issues properly, you may be pleasantly surprised with the change in your body fat level and especially the muscle development in your waistline.

I thought that these were such important issues, that I am going to answer question in detail for the benefit of all our readers.

Obviously, two C-sections does not help and can make things more challenging.
One question I have is how much time was there between childbirths? If it was less than two years, the physical structures which contributed to childbirth
may not have been repaired completely before they were asked to do it again.

After pregnancy, the body needs to normalize and it takes 9 months or more to get back into physiological balance. This balance is not just hormonally-related
but also related to body weight, proper posture and normal muscle tension. If all of these things are not in balance, you will tend to have inflammation that inhibits the inner (muscular) unit and you will have a higher incidence of abdominal wall and inner unit dysfunction.

When you have a C-section, the abdominal wall is cut and the muscles are sewn back together. This creates scarring through all levels of your abdominal wall.
This scarring contributes to the muscle’s inability to glide over the top of each other during muscle contraction. The net result is weakness and that contributes to the lack of stabilization.

This also could happen to the muscles of the pelvic floor after childbirth. When your inner unit and abdominal wall become dysfunctional, then your outer unit muscles which are used for movement (such as your gluteus maximus),
become overused and will try to stabilize your pelvis and lower back. Also, when the pelvic floor is inhibited, the Transverse abdominis muscle (TVA) is
lengthened and lordosis (lower back curve) begins to increase. This creates a short Psoas muscle and this can and does inhibit the gluteus muscles.

If this sounds complicated, let me simplify everything I just mentioned by saying that an exercise program needs to balance muscles that may have become
unbalanced. One way to do that is to include a lot of body movement on unstable surfaces such as a swiss ball. Another way is with special exercises for the
inner unit.

Although this may seem like complicated or boring details to you, if you really want that flat and lean lower abdominal area and you can bear with me through some anatomy and physiology, I promise it will be worth the effort.

To get a stomach area that is flat, strong, stable and hard as a rock, you really need to understand what these "inner unit" muscles are all about.

The inner unit is a group of deep muscles that provide the necessary joint stabilization for the spine. If the inner unit doesn’t activate your spine properly, your spine, pelvis and joint structures are placed under a lot of
stress and this can lead to orthopedic injuries (and other dysfunctions like your lower abs "pooching" out, regardless of body fat levels).

The inner unit consists of the transverse abdominis, multifidus, the pelvic floor and the diaphragm. Research has shown that the inner unit muscles operate on a different neurological loop than other core muscles.

The Transverse abdominis (TVA) is the deepest, innermost layer of all abdominal muscles. Think of the TVA muscle as your body’s natural weight-lifting belt. When the TVA contracts, it causes hoop tension around your mid section like a girdle or corset. If the TVA muscle does not tighten up and work properly, acting as a girdle around your waist to stabilize your spine and pelvis, you are at much higher risk of injury (or dysfunction as in a protruding abdominal wall).

For example: you bend over to pick up the laundry basket and your TVA does not activate properly. The stress to the spine that follows eventually leads to overload of the segmental (one-joint) stabilizers and POW! You back low back goes out and you’re in pain.

This happens because the segments of your spine tighten down but the gross stabilizer (the TVA) does not, leaving the spinal segments to work on their own.
They cannot provide enough muscular strength at the segmental level to withstand such a movement. Now can you imagine lifting weights, a full suitcase off a conveyor belt or reaching overhead to pull down a heavy box of books?

When the TVA does not work properly, the joints will begin early degeneration leading to many other types of orthopedic problems as well.

To activate the TVA, draw your belly button up and in towards your spine.  This activation should be done before any bending over or reaching overhead, especially with heavy loads. A little trick is to get a string and tie it around your waste at the bellybutton level. Draw your abdomen up and in toward your spine as far you can, then let it out about three-quarters of the way and tie the string at that point. It should be tight but really not noticeable. If your TVA relaxes and extends your abdominal wall, the string will tighten up and you will immediately get feedback.

The next inner unit muscle you have to consider is the multifidus. This muscle lies deep in the spine spanning three joint segments. The multifidus provides joint stabilization at each segmental level. Each vertebra needs stiffness and stability to work effectively to reduce degeneration of joint structures.

The third set of inner unit muscles are the pelvic floor muscles. It’s important for the pelvic floor and the inner unit to work properly. In many cases, due to operations such as hernias, hysterectomies and C-section
childbirth, the inner unit muscles have been cut, reducing communication to these muscles. By doing some very simple, but very important exercises, you can re-establish communication between the nervous system and the muscles, tighten and tone the muscles, and prevent or reduce incontinence, leakage and pelvic dysfunction.

You mentioned that you were doing "mid body exercises," however, if you’re not specifically working each of these three inner unit muscles, plus the diaphragm, your lower abdominal area will not achieve the strength or muscular look that you’re after.
You might be surprised to see that the primary exercises used to improve inner unit muscle activation are NOT the usual abdominal exercises you see in the magazines like crunches and sit ups. My Firm And Flatten Your Abs
ebook is based on strengthening and developing not just the outer unit "six pack" muscles, but also these important inner unit muscles.

Let me share a few of these inner unit exercises with you:

- Four point transverse abdominis tuck
– Horse stance series
– Heel slides
– Pelvic Tilt

 Click here for pictures and explinations of the exercises listed above.

In your situation, where you’re eating well, you’re training and you’re highly motivated, another condition could be a contributing factor in your abdominal area not looking like you want it to: It’s called visceroptosis.

Visceroptosis is a condition in which the internal organs have been compressed and displaced by poor posture and the enlarging womb from pregnancy, and this
has a direct effect on inner unit dysfunction.

The displacement of internal organs can stretch the attachments which hold the stomach, liver, and kidneys in their proper place in the upper abdomen.
As a result, they are left suspended in a lower position. This produces a tendency for the inhibition of the inner unit. It also influences other structures such as blocking or squeezing of tubular structures, ducts, blood vessels, and nerves. This can lead to all kinds of problems such as indigestion, kidney problems and constipation.

The long and short of all this is that your insides have to be in shape for your outside to be in shape and that requires exercises that most people are not doing.

You could also look into other aspects of your workout schedule, especially your cardio training. At up to 60 minutes per session, you might be doing more cardio than you need. When cardio is overdone, muscle imbalances or injuries such as knee problems can occur. I would suggest alternating days of resistance and cardio exercise. It looks like you are doing some alternating, but you shouldn’t consider running as a replacement for
lower body strength exercise.

Keep in mind, your body can adapt very quickly to an exercise program as you get in better and better condition. When I was training Greg Haugen, the 4 X world champion boxer, I would have to adjust his exercise regimen every 21 days. If I didn’t, he would adapt and stop making progress.

It’s especially easy for your body to adapt to aerobics. When you do too much aerobic exercise, your body becomes more energetically efficient.
As you run on the treadmill, it says you burned X amount of calories, but you’re really expending less energy at a given workload because you’re in better condition than you used to be.

So the question is, what is the alternative? One solution is to begin alternating some of your conventional steady state cardio with higher intensity interval training. Interval training is very challenging but very effective, not to mention time efficient and it’s a good way to break a plateau if your body has adapted to conventional long duration, steady state cardio.

For example: run hard for one minute, reduce speed for two minutes, run hard for one minute, reduce speed two minutes, and so on. A great interval program I learned from Ori Hofmekler, author of the Warrior Diet is as follows:

Start jogging on the treadmill at the 7th level for one minute, increase it to the 8th level for one minute, increase again to the 9th level for one minute,
place it to the 10th level for one minute, reduce it back to the 9th level for one minute, reduce it again today to the 8th level for one minute again, reduce it to the 7th level for another minute. Go up the pyramid and down
the pyramid for 10 to 12 minutes. This burns a lot of body fat and stimulates metabolism.

After your interval program, then go on to do your regular resistance training for the entire body or do a simple circuit weight training program, depending on your goals and amount of time you have. Resistance training
builds muscle and more muscle means you burn more calories and more body fat.
Resistance training also elevates your metabolism for many hours after a training session.

Your diet may also be contributing to your abdominal frustration. Your diet seems very clean, but if you have food intolerance to certain foods it will tend to bloat your lower intestines and contribute to the "pooch belly"
syndrome. When gluten is one very common intolerance and tends to interfere with good digestion thus causing inflammation and bloating.

When someone has food sensitivities, it’s important not to eat foods from the same source until your immune system has had time to deal with the problem food. This keeps it from being overburdened and leads to a nicer looking body.
Try rotating your foods. Do not eat the same foods within a given 72 hour period.

The simplest test for food intolerance is to eat your normal diet and ask yourself two hours after a meal, how do you feel. If you feel sluggish, mentally-clouded and lethargic, then the last foods you consumed may not
match your body type. Each individual has a specific body type and metabolic type. As we have always heard, one woman’s fruit is another woman’s poison.

Also on the subject of diet, you mentioned you figure you have a 1500 calorie per week deficit. Over seven days that’s only a 214 calorie per day or just under 10% deficit. If you have a 2200 calorie per day maintenance level that would put you at 1986 calories per day. Although its not a good idea to cut calories too low, fat loss does boil down to calories in versus calories out and you might need to reduce your calories further. I’d recommend you journal your food intake to be sure or your caloric intake and then test the results of
another 200-250 calorie per day decrease.

Last but not least: What is your stress level like? When your body is constantly stressed, losing body fat is extremely difficult. By reducing your stress level
with such things as yoga, tai chi, and qi gong, you will dramatically improve your mental and physical wellness. Make sure that you’re getting a good amount of
sleep, drink plenty of water, and eat as organic as possible

Wow. I think this was the longest Q & A column I have ever written, but your question raised so many important issues and I know that so many people with similar situations will be reading this that I wanted to be thorough
and cover as many bases as possible.

You now have a lot of ideas and suggestions to work with and some new exercises to incorporate into your abdominal/core routine. Still, having a flat, strong, functional and lean abdominal area is such a huge subject that it can’t be tackled in one column. If you want more information including many more exercises that work both the outer "six pack" muscles as well as the
important, deep "inner unit" core muscles, then take a look at my e-book, Firm And Flatten Your abs at www.flattenyourabs.net

David Grisaffi, C. H. E. K. II, CFT, PN
Corrective Exercise Kinesiologist II
Golf Biomechanic
Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach II
mailto:david@flattenyourabs.net
www.FlattenYourAbs.net

Note: I have installed a brand new mailing software for the weekly article blog so hopefully this takes care of all the formatting issues I have been having as of late
Lewis

The Lower Abdominals
By David Grisaffi,
Author, Firm And Flatten Your Abs

The lower abdominals may be the single most popular subject among fitness enthusiasts today. This is due to the fact that having flat, tight, lower abdominals is a highly desired look, but a very difficult look for most people to achieve. Many fitness professionals insist that there is no such thing as "lower abdominals", While others propose that exercises like crunches work the upper abs more and exercises such as leg raises or reverse crunches work the lower abs more.

Before continuing, first keep in mind that no abdominal exercise can "spot reduce" lower abdominal fat. Many people feel a need to perform special "lower ab" exercises, not realizing that the real reason they can’t see their lower abs has nothing to do with their choice of abdominal exercise, and everything to do with an excess of fat and possibly digestive problems

Because of genetics and hormones like estrogen – the lower abdominal region is simply one of the first places most people store body fat. Therefore the same is true in reverse – lower ab fat is the last place to come off. Removal of lower abdominal body fat is a separate issue than lower versus upper abdominal muscle recruitment and body fat problems can only be addressed by creating a caloric deficit and addressing lifestyle factors. This requires proper nutrition, not special "lower ab" exercises.

Second, it’s true that you cannot isolate the upper and lower abdominals from one another. Both upper and lower abdominals are activated during the performance of any abdominal exercise. The rectus abdominis is one long muscle, not two separate muscles. However, the nerve innervation of the upper and lower portions is different.

Although you cannot completely isolate upper and lower abs, research has used electromyography (EMG) testing to try and determine whether certain exercises can emphasize one section of the abs more than another. Results have shown very clearly that the obliques can be recruited more with specific exercises. However, data on lower versus upper abs is mixed.

For example, a 2001 study by Lehman and McGill published in the journal Physical Therapy said, "Differences between the portions of the rectus abdominis muscle are small and may lack clinical or therapeutic relevance." On the other hand, a study by Willett and colleagues at the University of Nebraska said, "our findings support the concept that abdominal strengthening exercises can differentially activate various abdominal muscle groups." A 2007 study by Eric Sternlicht found major increases in EMG activity (93%) of the lower abdominals simply by changing body placement on a swiss ball during the crunch exercise.

I believe it is very possible that the upper and lower abdominal areas can be emphasized to a greater degree by the choice of exercise. The abdominal region is somewhat unique because unlike muscles such as the bicep, the abdominals are divided by tendinous intersections which correlate to various segments of the spinal column. It has been proposed that these segments may be under separate neurological control.

As I learned in my internship from the Paul Chek Institute, as early as 1934, Joel E. Goldthwaite in his book "Body Mechanics in Health and Disease," determined that there was a difference between the control mechanisms of the upper abs versus the lower abs. In other words the "electrical system" that controls each section is innervated by different wiring.

Some years ago a TV special filmed a belly dancer rolling a few quarters up, down, sideways and diagonally across her belly. I have seen a similar feat with my own eyes as my brother can do a "belly roll" – an impressive feat of abdominal muscle control somewhat akin to a caterpillar inching its way across the floor, by rolling one segment of its body a time. Although this may simply be an individual trait and or a well-practiced skill, it’s suggestive that different segments of the abdominals can function independent of each other, indicating that they may be on different neurological circuits.

Evidence of separate innervation may also be seen when a person with great upper abdominals experiences distention in the lower abdominal region, commonly known as a "pooch belly," despite low body fat. Explanations include gastrointestinal issues, bloating or food intolerances that allow the lower abdominal wall to protrude as a result of inflammation inside the gut. However, there may be a neuromuscular explanation as well. If the muscles that hold in the gut contents are weak or suffer from poor neural connections, the lower abdominal wall may bulge outward, independent of body fat levels.

There are many opinions on this controversy, as well as conflicting research data. Some experts believe strongly that "lower ab exercises" are just another fitness myth and that the case is simply closed. However, the abdominal and core region may be much more complex than just one long sheet of muscle running from the sternum to the pubic bone that contracts completely along its length or not at all. I believe we should keep an open mind to the possibility of being able to emphasize the upper or lower area to a greater degree, as some of the EMG studies suggest.

Assuming that the lower abdominals can be stressed to a greater degree with choice of exercise, this has significant implications for creating highly effective and individualized training programs. Lower abdominals should be trained with (1) proper exercise sequence (lower abs first), (2) proper selection and (3) proper progression. A common mistake is when a beginner with weak lower abs attempts to do advanced exercises such as hanging leg raises. This demonstrates improper exercise selection and progression and will do nothing but build muscle imbalances. These imbalances will manifest in poor posture and lead to injury and low back pain.

Upper and lower abdominals can be tested and I outline two easy assessments to find out your level of lower abdominal conditioning in my Firm and Flatten Your Abs e book. When you take the upper and lower abdominal tests before starting the program, you will easily see the difference between the two and then you will know which areas to prioritize the most, which exercises you can safely begin with and how to get the best results possible from your training program. You can get more information on the Firm And Flatten Your Abs home page at http://www.flattenyourabs.net

Coach David Grisaffi,
Tacoma Washington
www.FlattenYourAbs.net/index.html

Important announcement

Coach David Grisaffi is giving away his latest abdominal and core training report for FRE! It’s called, 

"The Ab Guru Speaks.. Straight Talk About Core Training, Abdominals And Fat Loss…"

Coach David Grisaffi is giving away his latest abdominal and core training report for FRE! It’s called, 

"The Ab Guru Speaks.. Straight Talk About Core Training, Abdominals And Fat Loss…"

To get your copy, visit http://flattenyourabs.atozfitness.com
or read on for more information…

——————————————————–

Sunday, October 28th, 2007

This is probably the fastest, surest, shortest route to

getting a great set of abs that are not only lean, and

defined, but also strong and functional…

David Grisaffi, who is widely known as "the abs guru" and Tom Venuto, who is well known as "the fat loss guru", have just released a brand-new and exclusive interview called,

"The Ab Guru Speaks: Straight Talk About Core Training, Abs And Fat loss." 

The best part is: You can get a copy of the interview for f-r-e-e, for 72 hours only during a special promotion. (Yes, there IS a "catch", but if you want great abs, it’s all good news for you, so read on to find out more…)

This interview transcript is published in a professionally

designed and edited PDF e-book format (suitable for printing)

Inside, you will find valuable information about fat burning

nutrition, supplements, core training, cardio, abdominal

exercise, and especially the "lifestyle factors" (such as how stress and sleep deprivation can deprive you of your abs!)

You will be especially surprised when David and Tom start talking about fat burner supplements – they give them a real grilling – while being honest about what they can and cannot do, and when it might make sense to actually use them.

The answers revealed in this eye-opening resource are so candid and open that you may be shocked and astonished as you read it.

It’s not the kind of info you typically read in the magazines, which must protect the vested interests in their supplement lines or advertisers.

More importantly, after reading "The Ab Guru Speaks," you will understand not only how to avoid gimmicks and rip offs, including supplements as well as exercise machines and so on, but also how to slash your body fat level and develop great abs that will be admired and envied on the beach, at the pool or in the gym.

Here’s the deal:

For the next 72 hours only, from Sunday the 28th to Tuesday the 30th, you can get a copy of "The Abs Guru Speaks" report absolutely f-r-e-e when you purchase the Firm And Flatten Your Abs e-book from http://flattenyourabs.atozfitness.com

I’ve seen the Firm And Flatten Your Abs training course myself and it’s no surprise that it’s been a best seller online for nearly SIX YEARS, while so many other programs come and go.

Firm And Flatten Your Abs is definitely "the bible of core training" and if you don’t own a copy yet, then this is a better time than ever because you will get "The Abs Guru Speaks" f-r-e-e with your Flatten Your Abs order.

This special offer expires on Tuesday, October 30th at midnight PST. 

I highly recommend you visit David’s website now and jump on this deal while you still can.

Here’s the link again:

http://flattenyourabs.atozfitness.com 

To Your Health,
Lewis
www.atozfitness.com ]]> http://atozfitness.com/wordpress/2007/finally-something-new-in-ab-training/feed/ 0 http://atozfitness.com/wordpress/2007/functional-progression-the-little-known-secret-formula-for-maximum-performance-and-awesome-abs/ http://atozfitness.com/wordpress/2007/functional-progression-the-little-known-secret-formula-for-maximum-performance-and-awesome-abs/#comments Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:21:31 +0000 lewis http://www.atozfitness.com/wordpress/functional-progression-the-little-known-secret-formula-for-maximum-performance-and-awesome-abs/

Functional Progression:
The Little Known Secret Formula for Maximum Performance and
Awesome Abs

By David Grisaffi,
Author, Firm And Flatten Your Abs

The "Law of Functional Progression" is the process of mastering an exercise so you are at a state of balanced mobility, active stability and integrated strength, and necessary expressions of power.

I learned this though my internships, private conversations and reading many articles on body mechanics and function. For example, if you choose an exercise that does not fit your current level of ability you dramatically increase the chance of an injury. In other words, by following the "Law Of Functional Progression" you set yourself up for success.

One of the main focuses of my best selling eBook, "Firm And Flatten Your Abs ", relates to proper exercise progression. Many people can put exercises in routine, but very few can put them together in a sequenced and precision manner to improve motility, add stability, increase strength and develop power.

There are few areas we must touch on to examine the "Law of Functional Progression." As stated above if you tend to break this law you will break yourself!

Any time you alter the length tension relationship by crossing any joint in the body you create the scenario for possible shear, torque and or compression. You must maintain instantaneous axis of rotation in order for optimal function of each joint to occur. In other words, it must spin like a top in the joint or the joint and structures around it will wear down.

Altered length tension relationship of muscles crossing these joints create altered instantaneous axis of rotation of the joint itself. Stretching must be performed first in the workout to establish normal joint mechanics. Proper stretching creates an improved foundation in which correct function may be retained in the neuromuscular system. In the eBook package you get an in depth report on stretching and flexibility.

Stabilization should be your primary objective once an imbalanced system or weakness has been determined to exist in an active stabilizing system crossing any joint in the body. If a stabilization weakness is not present the emphasis of progression is to move on to functional strength. You should continue to focus on maintaining optimal levels of stability. It is important to understand stability and strength components may exist at the same time in an exercise program. Determining this highly exacting and precise means of exercise progression is the proper ratio and placement of stability and strength exercises.

These strength training exercises must be laid out in a precise manner. The strength exercises must challenge and prepare you in similar patterns of movement to be the most successful. Movements such as pushing, pulling, bending, squatting, twisting and lunging are the main movements. These are important in any environment whether it is work, sport or play. Once you have progressed to a necessary level of stability and strength and have achieved the objectives within that parameter you will move on to the fourth law, power.

Your last section in the progression is the development of power. Power training is often overlooked and deemed not necessary. Some theories suggest that power is only beneficial for athletic performance and many rehabilitation programs are under the wrong belief that power training presents too much risk for the average person. This is just not true. The power component of exercise progression is absolutely essential providing that the mobility, stability and strength objectives in the routine have been implemented successfully.

Look at your current routine and ask yourself what four areas (mobility, stability, strength, power) of "The Law of Progression" are you aware of. I address these factors in my eBook "Firm And Flatten Your Abs " and provide simple tests to obtain muscle function of the core region. I talk about abdominal coordination and upper and lower abdominal strength. This is used as a guide to your exercise program

You can learn more about the Firm And Flatten Your Abs program as well as the bonus courses, including the stress relievers program on the home page at:

]]> http://atozfitness.com/wordpress/2007/functional-progression-the-little-known-secret-formula-for-maximum-performance-and-awesome-abs/feed/ 0 http://atozfitness.com/wordpress/2007/abdominal-myths-your-should-know/ http://atozfitness.com/wordpress/2007/abdominal-myths-your-should-know/#comments Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:57:02 +0000 lewis http://www.atozfitness.com/wordpress/abdominal-myths-your-should-know/

Abdominal Myths Your Should Know
By David Grisaffi,
Author, Firm And Flatten Your Abs
www.FlattenYourAbs.net

Developing a great set of six-pack abs is really quite simple once you understand my unique Firm and Flatten Your Abs system, which includes two important components:

1. A workout program consisting of carefully selected, biomechanically correct abdominal exercises, and

2. A nutrition program that optimizes fat loss and maintenance or growth of lean muscle tissue.

As simple as this sounds, I’ll be the first to admit that ab training can be an extremely confusing subject at first because there is so much conflicting information on the subject.

Opinions Are Just That! Opinions

Countless opinions, rumors, and theories about ab training are continually being circulated by an endless parade of "experts" including doctors, personal trainers, infomercial gurus, and even friends, teachers, and parents. Some information is valid, but most of it isn’t. It’s hard to sort through it all, let alone know what to believe. Abdominal mythology abounds, and some myths never seem to die.

That’s exactly why I wrote the e book Firm and Flatten Your Abs: To help you cut through the myths and lies and lead you straight to the truth that will help you develop the type of body that you’ll be proud to show off the next time you hit the beach.

Before we discuss the anatomy and physiology of the abdominal muscles or the actual training routines, the first thing to do is clear your mind of the myths, lies, and misconceptions that have been polluting your brain as a result of gym folklore, false
advertising, and bad advice from self-proclaimed experts.

More bad information is published and told about ab training than any other health and fitness subject, and I’ve boiled it down to 14 myths that are particularly damaging and pervasive. I will explain 3 of them in this article.

Let’s put them to rest permanently, shall we?

MYTH #1: If you train abs every day, you’re guaranteed a six-pack. One of the most common abdominal myths is that training your abdominals every day is the best way to get a small waistline and develop the six-pack look in your stomach. This misconception was probably funneled through the bodybuilding world, because so many bodybuilders train their abs daily prior to competitions. Despite the fact that bodybuilders appear on stage with incredibly ripped abs, their abs come from their diet, not just their daily ab
workouts.

Daily training is not only a waste of time, it’s an approach that won’t work for the average person who doesn’t use performance-enhancing substances or have a naturally high recovery capacity.

There are two reasons that daily abdominal training is unnecessary and does not guarantee you a six-pack.

First, the muscle tissue of your abs is virtually the same as the muscle tissue in the rest of your body. Abdominal muscles cannot become stronger and more developed without time to rest and recover after each workout, just like any other muscle group such as your biceps or chest. You wouldn’t do 100 barbell curls every day to "see your biceps" or 100 bench presses every day to "see your pecs," so why do the same for your abs?

Second, even if you could achieve excellent muscular development in the abs with daily training, you won’t be able to see your abs if they’re covered with a layer of fat. Daily abdominal training does not burn the fat off your midsection! Fat is lost by creating a
calorie deficit through your diet. Build the muscle tissue with exercise; burn the fat with diet.

During the initial phase of the Firm and Flatten Your Abs program (Level 1), I recommend that you perform exercises daily for the first two to three weeks. However, these Level 1 exercises are very basic movements using only your body weight, and they are designed to prepare, strengthen, and neurologically program your body for the more advanced exercises to follow.

For the long term, you can get fantastic results training your abs every other day (about four days a week), and once they’re developed, you can maintain your abs with even less frequent training.

MYTH #2: You can eat pizza and hamburgers and still maintain a six-pack as long as you work out right after you eat them. The truth is that developing your abs is achieved through exercise, but seeing your abs is more a function your diet than any other factor. You could have a great set of abs completely covered with fat. The secret to uncovering the abdominal muscles is nutrition.

Theoretically, you could lose the fat covering your abs while eating whatever you wanted, as long as you still had a caloric deficit. However, eating calorie-dense junk food makes it much harder to maintain the caloric deficit you need to burn body fat. Furthermore, eating fast food and other nutritionally-void junk as regular daily staples in your diet will eventually exact a serious toll on your health.

You simply cannot expect exercise to cancel out poor eating habits. It takes proper exercise and nutrition to get optimal results. Go into your local fast food restaurant and look around. How many people do you see that have an envious abdominal region? Chances are, you won’t see any!

MYTH #3: Sit-ups develop the abdominal muscles best. It’s ironic, but the sit-up, which is the most popular exercise in the world for the abdominals, might be the absolute worst exercise and could even be dangerous for some people under some circumstances.

What most people don’t realize is that the sit-up is not a true abdominal exercise. During a sit-up, your main trunk flexor, the iliopsoas muscle, often does the majority of the work while the abs are not optimally recruited.

Because the iliopsoas muscle originates on the lower back, the sit-up literally pulls on the lower back with every repetition, especially if your feet are held down or anchored, or the repetitions are performed quickly in a jerky fashion. This is why too many sit-ups can lead to a strength imbalance between the iliopsoas and abdominals, as well as poor posture and lower back pain.

Some people who have very strong abs and lower backs may be able to perform conventional sit-ups more safely than others. There are also some safer and more effective ways to perform sit-ups. One is the Janda sit-up. This exercise uses the law of reciprocal inhibition, which means that if one muscle is working, its antagonist (the opposing muscle) must relax.

During a Janda sit-up, instead of holding your feet down, your partner reaches around and holds your calves. As you sit up, you contract your hamstrings and glutes by pulling your calves back against your partner’s hands. (You can also press your lower legs
back against small dumbbells or a heavy weighted barbell.) When the hamstrings and glutes contract, this shuts off the iliopsoas, making your abs do more of the work.

If I prescribe sit-ups, I simply have my clients do Janda sit-ups. However, Janda sit-ups can be difficult to perform on your own and because of the injury potential from sit-ups in general, and since there are so many other more effective exercises, I have left sit-ups out of this course completely.

It’s incredible, but true: You can develop amazing abs without ever
doing a single sit-up!

Coach David Grisaffi,
Tacoma Washington

P.S.If you enjoyed this workout, then you will love the workout programs in my Firm And Flatten Your Abs E-book. You can get more information on the home page at:
http://flattenyourabs.net

About the Author:

David Grisaffi majored in physical education and holds multiple certifications including 3 from the prestigious CHEK Institute: Level II high Performance Exercise Kinesiologist, Golf Biomechanic, and health and lifestyle counselor. He’s also certified by the ISSA as a personal trainer and specialist in performance nutrition. David has been a high school wrestling and baseball coach and is currently an independent trainer and strength coach. He has been sought after by some of the top athletes in professional sports including world champion boxer Greg Haugen and professional golfer Michael Putnam. David’s ebook, Firm And Flatten Your Abs is an online best seller which teaches you how develop “six pack abs" while improving strength, function and athletic power at the same time. Find out more on the home page at: www.FlattenYourAbs.net

Punch-Proof Abdominals
How I Train Professional Boxers And What You Can Learn From It! 
 
By David Grisaffi,
Author, Firm And Flatten Your Abs
www.FlattenYourAbs.net

Ripped, six pack abs may get admiring looks at the beach or by the pool, but in my world as a strength and conditioning coach, what comes first and counts the most is not looks, but function. Stated differently, I’m talking about athleticism. Function is the ability to use those abdominal muscles for a reason, such as excelling in sports.

The interesting thing is, when you train for function and athleticism, the form almost always follows the function. Train like an athlete and you will look like an athlete. Perhaps you won’t build the muscle bulk of a bodybuilder, but take a good look at wrestlers, gymnasts or boxers. There you have some of the most athletic people in the world, and it is no coincidence that in these sports you also see some of the finest physiques in the world as well.

As a specialist in sports-specific training for boxers, I speak from experience, and if you’d like to learn how to develop the punch-proof six pack abs of a pro boxer with the strength and athleticism to match, then read on.

People in the mainstream public are finally starting to realize the effectiveness of boxing training, as the class schedule at your local health club and the DVD rack at your local video store will show you. Some of them are quite good, but most are NOT the real thing. To deliver a punch such as in REAL boxing you need to not only hit hard enough to stop your opponent, but also posses a mid-section strong enough to take a punch and protect your vital organs. That takes a very specific and very serious type of abdominal and core training.

I’ve trained professional boxers for more than 13 years and boxing physical culture goes back long before that. In fact, boxing was one of the two most well known sports in America up until the mid 60’s (baseball was the other one). The old training regimes of boxers still linger today. Traditions are hard to change and this type of conditioning gets handed down from boxing generation to the next.

When I first started, I saw that there was no real science behind what most of the pro boxers did – they just did what everyone else had done before them. There’s a lot to be said for the traditional methods, but with the addition of modern exercise methods and the application of scientific core training, the results and level of physical conditioning in the top pros today is simple awesome to see.

When working with an old school boxer, I implemented changes slowly as I had to gain trust before I could implement all of what I knew. Once they saw the improvement in power and speed they all started believing. The best part is, you can begin to apply some of these training methods in your own workouts immediately, and you can do it knowing that they have been proven effective by the toughest athletes in the world.

Boxing is sport that utilizes different metabolic systems of the body. Each metabolic system needs to be addressed for total success to be achieved. One cannot just have great strength and not have strength-endurance, for example. Strength-Endurance is the ability to contract a muscle system over an extended period of time. This is one component a boxer must train to achieve success. Explosive strength is another component, which is the ability to develop maximum force in the shortest time period. Have you ever watched a Mike Tyson fight? His left hook was what we call EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH!

Also a boxer needs to be trained in all planes of motion so they can produce a punch hard enough to render their opponent un-conscious!

There are many different routines I prescribe for my boxers depending on their starting condition and the amount of time they have before a fight. Each program is thought out thoroughly before being implemented.

For our purposes, I’m going to teach you four exercises that I use with most of my boxing clients which have also been appropriate and equally effective for my personal training clients who are not boxers but who would like the athletic physiques and punch proof abdominals of a boxer.

I like to change routines with my clients on a regular basis and you should too. You can incorporate these exercises into your regular routine for variety which stimulates new progress and gives you a break from the boredom. This core/abdominal program will get your abs rock hard in no time. It creates an powerful, strong core that not only looks good but functions correctly. This program will give you the body of an athlete.

The only equipment you need for this "punch proof abdominals" program is a medicine ball or a deflated Swiss ball (as shown in the pictures), an overhead bar to hang from and a floor mat.

David Grisaffi’s Punch-Proof Abs
Abdominal Workout Program

Movement Sufficiency NOT Calorie Deficiency
By David Grisaffi, CHEK
Corrective Exercise Kinesiologist
Golf Biomechanic Certified
Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach

Three universal goals nearly all of us share are: (1) to live longer,
(2) to live free of illness and (3) to control our weight. Amazingly,
walking lets us achieve all three. In fact, walking may be your best
medicine for slowing the aging process, reducing your chances of illness
and slashing your body fat. For anyone out of shape or not athletically-
inclined, walking is the no-stress, no-sweat answer to lifelong
conditioning. All you need is a good pair of shoes, a little time, a few
guidelines from a fitness professional and you’re ready to go.

Unfortunately, there’s more misinformation floating around today about
fitness walking and weight loss than ever before. Some experts even say
walking is not effective for weight loss at all and they insist that
only higher intensity forms of cardio will do anything to improve your
body composition. Others fitness experts believe that you should not do
cardiovascular exercise every day – even walking.

There may be a little truth in each of those statements, however,
walking always was and still is one of the best exercises for
strengthening your bones, controlling your weight, toning the muscles in
your lower body, maintaining good posture and improving your self image.

Walking uses almost every muscle in the body, it improves circulation of
blood to the joints and massages the blood vessels, keeping them more
elastic. Walking also helps you maintain muscle and an efficient
metabolism as you get older (not to mention keeping you young "in
spirit.")

Walking is incredibly convenient too. Since you don’t need a gym or any
special equipment, you can walk any place, at any time and that allows
you to lose weight and get fit with little or no interruption to your
busy schedule.

People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. Although
your weight may initially drop while dieting, weight loss from low
calorie and especially low carb diets consists mostly of water and
muscle. When the weight returns, it comes back as fat. To avoid
getting fatter over time, you must increase your metabolism by
exercising daily.

To get the maximum benefits of a walking program, you need make it more
challenging than a leisurely "walk in the park." Walking at a steady and
brisk pace burns more fat simply because it burns more calories. Just
remember to begin slowly to avoid muscle soreness, and increase your
pace over time as you become more fit.

To lose weight, it’s ideal to alternate your walking sessions between
high intensity and lower intensity days. For example, on one day walk
for 30- 45 minutes as a steady and moderate pace. On the next day, walk
at a faster pace. You could even do "road work" like the boxers do,
where you break up your walk along the route with some sets of squats,
lunges, bench push ups or other body weight or calisthenic exercises to
make it a real cardiovascular and muscle blaster of a workout! It
doesn’t have to be boring or the same thing every day. Make it fun and
keep it up consistently, leading an active life-style 365 days a year.

Slow and casual walking has benefits, but you will not get as much out
of walking at a very slow pace because we all have a built-in mechanical
advantage for walking long distances at normal speeds.

Our bodies, via the spinal column, muscle attachments and bony
structures, reserve energy in the musculoskeletal system and release it
back to us without asking for additional energy output. In other words,
as you walk, your spinal column keeps energy in reserve because of the
way you straighten and extend your spine during normal walking.

As you step, your spine is stretched, and as you take another step, the
energy reserved in the spine is used in propulsion. The spine acts very
much like rubber band as your walk, harnessing this reserve energy.

To get substantial cardiovascular, muscular and weight loss benefits,
this is why you must walk briskly or create extra movement patterns
beyond casual, slow walking in order to optimize your walking program
for weight loss and cardiovascular fitness.

Walking the right way will also improve your posture and tends to help
keep you upright (because you must see where you are going). Just hold
your chin up and shoulder slightly back.. Walk with your heels hitting
the ground first and your feet pointed forward. Swing your arms fully
and make lengthy strides.

To lose weight and achieve optimum health, exercise and diet are both
necessary and interrelated. Exercising without maintaining a balanced
diet is no more beneficial than dieting while remaining a couch potato.

Carbohydrates are high-octane fuel. They provide energy for movement
and help raise internal body metabolism. They’re also satisfying. The
key is to avoid adding high-fat and high calorie toppings to your
carbohydrates. Also be sure to focus on fruits and vegetables and do not
eat the majority of your carbohydrates from the starch category such as
bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. These type of carbs can create an
insulin spike, which in turn feeds your fat storing system.

Fruits and vegetables are the ideal health, diet and fat loss foods for
many reasons. They’re relatively low in fat and calories, high in fiber
and rich in essential vitamins and minerals. The National Research
Council recommends eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables
a day.

Your everyday habits will determine your long term body weight and body
composition. Make sure you get enough sleep, drink enough water to
expel toxins, avoid processed food as much as you can, eat your fruits
and veggies, eat organic when ever possible and work hard.

Just one last thought: taking a three-minute walk after each meal is
worth a four pound reduction in body fat in a year’s time. Climbing two
flights of stairs a day burns off half a pound of body fat in a year.
On the other hand, one candy bar eaten daily will cost you 20 pounds
annually.

If you enjoyed the information in this article, you will also enjoy the David Grisaffi Walking Guide, which is a complete walking exercise plan that comes FREE with the Firm And Flatten Your Abs program at
http://flattenyourabs.atozfitness.com/

David Grisaffi, C. H. E. K. II, CFT, PN
Corrective Exercise Kinesiologist II
Golf Biomechanic
Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach II
mailto:david@flattenyourabs.net
http://flattenyourabs.atozfitness.com/

Fitness Fads Come And Go, But The Swiss Ball Is Here To Stay
By David Grisaffi
www.FlattenYourAbs.net 

What’s hot in the world of abdominal and core training today seems to change as fast as the latest clothing styles. New gurus, new infomercials, new machines – today’s fitness marketplace is all about “what’s new.” I often write reviews about the latest, greatest ab and core training gadgets, usually debunking most of them, but this time I’m actually going to do the opposite.

David Grisaffi majored in physical education and is a certified high performance exercise kinesiologist with the CHEK institute. David holds a total of 6 certifications, he is a high school wrestling and baseball coach as well as an independent trainer and strength coach, known especially for his work with professional boxers and golfers. David is the author of Firm And Flatten Your Abs, an online best seller which teaches you how to lose body fat and develop "six pack abs’ while improving strength, function and athletic power at the same time. You can contact David or learn more about his programs at www.FlattenYourAbs.net

Smart trainees know that progression is the name of the game in fitness and strength training. However, as you continually test your limits of accomplishment, whether that’s reaching a new level of leanness, increasing your muscle mass or obtaining a new strength maximum, you often fall prey to the belief that you must push yourself to the point of complete “failure.” This is the point where you reach a level of fatigue and exhaustion that causes your muscles to literally give out (“fail”) and you can’t complete another rep. Coach David Grisaffi,
Tacoma Washington
www.FlattenYourAbs.net

To get your copy of the new 2nd edition of Flatten your abs, with 7 levels of exercises and nearly 50 abdominal and core exercises, visit

Training with progression and intensity is important, but unless you’d like to trade a nice set of abs for a bad lower back, I’d strongly urge you to re-evaluate the concept of training to failure, especially when it comes to core and abdominal workouts and especially if you’re not a bodybuilder.

Why do so many people believe in failure training?

Training to “failure” became popular in part, because of bodybuilding culture and bodybuilding gurus such as Mike Mentzer and Arthur Jones, and then the information filtered into the mainstream fitness world. Athletes, who tend to be as competitive with themselves as they are with their opponents, also sometimes push themselves as far as they possibly can in their quest for sporting excellence.

This approach may be misguided and possibly even dangerous.

There may be a small place for taking some sets to the point of failure in low volume bodybuilding programs. But even bodybuilders who train to failure too often may be gaining less benefit than they think, while increasing their chances of overtraining or even injury.

I believe strongly that the added stress of training to failure or total fatigue can cause more problems than it’s worth and the potential benefit is not worth the risk. I have rehabilitated many back pain patients because of their stubborn beliefs in “pushing it to the limit.”

Stimulate, Don’t Annihilate

Exercise places a stress on muscles, joint structures and the entire body. Exercising to failure places extreme stress on the muscles, body and the nervous system. There is positive training stress and negative training stress. Properly applied, training stress is “stimulation” which prompts an adaptation in the muscle – strength, stamina, size, or power. Improperly applied, training stress is damage beyond the point of necessarily stimulation. Even some of the top bodybuilders understood this, as former Mr. Olympia Lee Haney used to say, “Stimulate, don’t annihilate.”

Out of all the muscles and movements in particular, it is very important to stimulate your core and abdominals and not “annihilate” them. Be very careful not to over-train or over-stress your abs and core and this means, do not train your abs to failure.

One of the biggest problems with training the core and abs to failure is that the more fatigued you become, the more your form begins to break down. When your form breaks down, that is when injuries are most likely to occur. This is true for any exercise, but it may be truer for abs and core than any other type of exercise due to the susceptibility of the lower back.

Research by Dr. Laurence Morehouse of University of California at Los Angles found that when doing abdominal exercises, especially sit-ups, you over-work your hip flexor muscles – the psoas and the iliacus. When the exercises are performed quickly (form breaks) or all the way to failure (form breaks), the hip flexor’s pull on the lower back is increased.

When performing your core exercises, always be conscious about form, especially as you begin to get tired toward the end of a set. You should terminate your set at or before the point where you notice that your form breaks in the slightest, and that is usually a couple of repetitions before reaching muscular failure.

Progression Can Occur Without Failure

If you believe that stopping short of failure will hold back your progress, think again. Progress is a function of progression and progression can take place without failure. You can continue to improve your workouts and thereby your physique and performance by increasing repetitions and or resistance or even density… without ever training to failure.

Don’t Teach Your Nervous System “Bad Habits”

One point about proper form that few people realize is that if you train to the point of failure, which leads to a breakdown in form, this can lead to the development of poor motor engrams. Your nervous system can develop “bad habits” so to speak, as your body tends to automatically revert to what you practice the most. If the last repetitions of every set are usually done with poor form, then repeating that motor pattern is much more likely to occur in the future, leading to additional muscle and joint damage.

I design core conditioning programs in a specific way so you train smarter and avoid temptations that lead to poor form and potential injury. And that leads us to…

The 3 Keys To Smarter Ab Training

First, I recommend that exercises are performed in a certain order

By placing the more neurologically demanding and form intensive exercises first in a carefully planned sequence, I help my clients avoid a situation where fatigue and form breakdown would be as damaging. If you attempt the opposite, you increase the chance of over fatiguing the segmental stabilizers of the spine and you produce poor motor engrams.

More details on exercise sequencing are beyond the scope of this article, but you can learn more in my Firm and Flatten Your Abs program and in my Six Weeks to Six Pack abs report (visit www.FlattenYourAbs.net for more information).

Second, I constantly emphasize form and control

Nowhere is strict form more important for your safety and results than in core and abdominal training. The simple advice of slowing down the tempo and focusing on form will increase results and help keep you out of the doctor’s office.

There are times when you may want to perform core exercises at a higher rate of speed with more velocity or explosiveness. This is often the case with athletic, sports-specific training. But speed and form are not mutually exclusive and the same rules about fatigue and failure still apply to explosive training.

I train elite boxers and when they first show up at my studio, they are often set in their old ways of failure, fatigue and overtraining. I’ve seen it over and over again: A new client’s routine consists of “workout till you drop” and then 1000 flat board sit-ups. I simply ask: “How is your lower back”? The answer usually is, “It’s sore” at best, or “It’s injured” at worst. Even if they’re simply experiencing unnecessary soreness, that gets in the way of sport-specific training and their progress is slowed all around or grinds to a halt.

Third, you must get clear about the desired outcome of your training

Many strength trainers and bodybuilders are convinced that the outcome of a workout should be “burn,” fatigue and failure. If you think that aching muscles is the desired outcome, then why even go to the gym? Come over to my garage and I’ll whack you a few times with my sledgehammer then sit you up on my barbecue grill. You’ll “ache” and “burn” alright!

Joking aside, you must get clarity about your real training objectives – they’re NOT pain, fatigue and failure. If you begin with the right end in mind, you’ll set about reaching that end more intelligently.

Your training objective is to strengthen your core region for support, stabilization and protection of your spine and body organs, and your ultimate outcomes are to be healthier, perform better and look better (perhaps in that order of priority!)

These objectives are best accomplished by performing your exercises with strict, controlled form, and by using movement patterns such as flexion, extension and rotation. However, any one of those movement patterns taken to extremes can eventually cause damage to joint structures, which can put you on the sidelines and only take you further away from your true objectives.

Train hard, but also train smart

Progression and intensity are often confused with the need to train to failure. From this day forward, I suggest you re-evaluate the scientific facts as well as your mindset towards your training. Get clear about your true objective and train to succeed, not to “fail.”

About The Author

David Grisaffi majored in physical education and is a certified high performance exercise kinesiologist with the prestigious CHEK institute. David holds a total of 6 certifications, he is a high school wrestling and baseball coach as well as an independent trainer and strength coach, known especially for his work with professional boxers and golfers. David is the author of Firm And Flatten Your Abs an online best seller which teaches you how to lose body fat and develop "six pack abs’ while improving strength, function and athletic power at the same time. You can contact David or learn more about his programs at http://flattenyourabs.atozfitness.com

As I strolled down the foggy Tacoma waterfront with Jim, a long-time personal training client of mine, we began to chat about how important exercise has been to him and how much exercise has transformed his entire life – not just his body and his health, but also his career, relationships, self esteem, attitude and everything else.

You see, before coming to me for help, Jim was 60 pounds over weight, he had dangerously high cholesterol and was having breathing problems that were seriously affecting his quality of life.

Jim recalled to me how he used to sit at his desk at work all morning long, unfocused and unproductive, dreaming of nothing but lunch break, and then all afternoon, thinking of nothing but the 5:00 bell and then a big dinner! He did his job well, but not up to his own standards. He knew he could do better.

He knew he could do better physically too. When we began slowly with a simple walking program, Jim blossomed quickly. His enthusiasm skyrocketed and he went almost over night from a couch potato to an "exercise machine" and as a result, his whole life changed.

That is what I call "Exercise Enhancement." Jim didn’t just want a better body, he wanted a better life… and with just a little guidance from me, adding exercise was the single catalyst that sparked a whole-life transformation.

Jim was probably a lot like you. He had the number one excuse for not starting an exercise program… "I don’t have time." I told him, "There are lots of people who have s full time job, have to get children to school or practice and still have time to exercise – I’m one of them! You just have to make it a priority, put it on your schedule and make it happen." I continued, "You find time to watch wheel of fortune don’t you?" So get on your treadmill (we bought one for him) and walk while you watch!"

As we continued to saunter down the waterfront, it was your typical wet, drizzly, cloudy North-Pacific day, but that day was as bright as ever for Jim. Looking back on all the changes that had happened in his life, we started talking about why more people don’t exercise and why everybody who doesn’t needs to start today!

Weight loss is number one on most people’s lists! You have to do some form of exercise to lose body fat. It’s a no brainer. Reduce your calorie intake a little bit in combination with the exercise, and POOF! Say goodbye to body fat.

Fitness is number two on most people’s list. Jim mentioned how he was having serious trouble breathing and he knew he had to do something about it. For some people the moment of realization happens when they have to climb several flights of stairs for the first time in months or years, and they find themselves gasping for air when they finally make it to the top.

Remember something. Fitness is not achieved through dieting. Fitness is achieved by exercising and moving your body. Being physically fit extends your life, reduces heart disease and cancer, increases your brain function and the list of benefits could go on for pages!

The idea of doing something you know will make you feel better is a challenge to some. Some seem intimidated by it, while others thrive on the challenge. If you find yourself procrastinating, or if you are intimidated by the whole exercise thing. Remember that success and achievement are like a big boulder. Overcome the inertia and set that thing rolling and very soon it’s so hard to stop. Accept the challenge, yourself thrive on getting in better shape by setting goals and achieving them. Trust me, if Jim and dozens of my clients can do it, then so can you.

The psychological improvements that can happen to you by starting even the simplest exercise program are still astonishing to me. I watch my clients lose some weight, and immediately I see their self esteem shoot up and I observe them start to feel good about their bodies for the first time ever. I notice them coming into the gym in tank tops confidently, smiling, when they used to stay covered up in baggy clothing. Soon, they begin to blossom mentally and emotionally. Yes, even spiritually. Exercise is good for the soul!

So I say, lets get to work, shall we? Don’t you want to feel better physically as well as emotionally? Imagine putting on any swimsuit you want – even a skimpy one -and going out to a crowded beach or pool and feeling better about your body than you ever have before. Not only can it happen, it will happen, but only if you get moving!

I’m not sure if you’ve ever felt depressed before. Most of us have, but I’m almost certain that your mood has felt a little "down" at times. Did you know how dramatically your mood can improve after an exercises session? Before the workout you may find your "down" mood causing you to think, ‘I don’t feel like exercising.’ But if you get moving in spite of that, you can feel like a new person afterwards.

As my mentor Paul Chek says, "Exercise should be your drug of choice!" But it’s not just the physical benefits – the endorphins and "good mood" chemicals you stirred up – it’s also the fact that you took action, and every time you take action, your self esteem rises and so does your mood right along with it. Emotion follows motion. Remember that.

Even better, exercises reduces stress! Who doesn’t feel at least a little stressed these days? The exact same thing is true about exercise for reducing stress as it is for changing your mood. So I say again – get moving! Get to work and see how it changes not just the way you look, but the way you feel – and see how fast it happens!

Now you’re in tune with how exercise can be a beneficial addition to your lifestyle, so let’s get you started with some specific guidelines!

David Grisaffi’s Guidelines for "Exercise Enhancement":

" Get out there and do it – right now – even if you don’t feel like it. Overcome inertia and get that ball rolling now!

" When you "don’t feel like exercising," remind yourself that exercise is what will make you feel better!

" Do not think of exercise as painful ordeal like the dentist, think of it as relaxation and de-stressing time.

" Not sure how to start? Try combining 20 minutes of strength training two or three times per week with three one hour sessions of unstress-full aerobics like walking and you are on your way!

" Set goals and write them down. I make all my clients sign an exercise contract and tell them to post a copy wherever they will see it often and get motivated by it, like in the car, on the refrigerator, on the mirror etc.

There’s one last thing I want to share with you and warn you about. I call it, "The Fearless HUMP!" This is the bump in the road that everyone hits at some stage in their journey and most people find difficult to pass. It’s when you find a little excuse to waiver from your routine and you turn it into something bigger than it really is. If you’re not careful, that’s when the "boulder" may start rolling in the opposite direction. What do you do? There’s no trick to it – tough it out, be fearless and get over the hump! You must be consistent to make exercise a habit and stick with it!

Get going! Find an environment that nurtures your goals. Find a workout partner near your age, ability and motivational level. If you like to workout on your own, great! Just find whatever special surroundings that will help in your quest for better health. Most important, remember that exercise is a life long journey that will not just improve your health and your body, it will have a ripple effect and enhance every single part of your life… that’s the "Exercise enhancement principle!"

About The Author

David Grisaffi majored in physical education and holds six certifications including high performance exercise kinesiologist with the prestigious CHEK institute. David is a high school wrestling and baseball coach as well as an independent trainer and strength coach, known especially for his work with professional boxers and golfers. David is the author of, Firm And Flatten Your Abs an online best seller which teaches you how to lose body fat and develop "six pack abs’ while improving strength, function and athletic power at the same time. You can contact David or learn more about his programs at http://flattenyourabs.atozfitness.com

By David Grisaffi

Three universal goals nearly all of us share are: (1) to live longer, (2) to live free of illness and (3) to control our weight.  Amazingly, walking lets us achieve all three. In fact, walking may be your best medicine for slowing the aging process, reducing your chances of illness and slashing your body fat. For anyone out of shape or not athletically-inclined, walking is the no-stress, no-sweat answer to lifelong conditioning. All you need is a good pair of shoes, a little time, some common sense, a few guidelines from a fitness professional and you’re ready to go.

Unfortunately, there’s more misinformation floating around today about fitness walking and weight loss than ever before. Some experts even say walking is not effective for weight loss at all and they insist that only higher intensity forms of cardio will do anything to improve your body composition. Others fitness experts believe that you should not do cardiovascular exercise every day – even walking.

There may be a little truth in each of those statements, however, walking always was and still is one of the best exercises for strengthening your bones, controlling your weight, toning the muscles in your lower body, maintaining good posture and improving your self image.

Walking uses almost every muscle in the body, it improves circulation of blood to the joints and massages the blood vessels, keeping them more elastic.  Walking also helps you maintain muscle and an efficient metabolism as you get older (not to mention keeping you young “in spirit.”) 

Walking is incredibly convenient too. Since you don’t need a gym or any special equipment, you can walk any place, at any time and that allows you to lose weight and get fit with little or no interruption to your busy schedule.

People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time.  Although your weight may initially drop while dieting, weight loss from low calorie and especially low carb diets consists mostly of water and muscle.  When the weight returns, it comes back as fat.  To avoid getting fatter over time, you must increase your metabolism by exercising daily.

To get the maximum benefits of a walking program, you need make it more challenging than a leisurely “walk in the park.” Walking at a steady and brisk pace burns more fat simply because it burns more calories. Just remember to begin slowly to avoid muscle soreness, and increase your pace over time as you become more fit.

To lose weight, it’s ideal to alternate your walking sessions between high intensity and lower intensity days.  For example, on one day walk for 30- 45 minutes as a steady and moderate pace. On the next day, walk at a faster pace. You could even do “road work” like the boxers do, where you break up your walk along the route with some sets of squats, lunges, bench push ups or other body weight or calisthenic exercises to make it a real cardiovascular and muscle blaster of a workout! It doesn’t have to be boring or the same thing every day.  Make it fun and keep it up consistently, leading an active life-style 365 days a year.

Slow and casual walking has benefits, but you will not get as much out of walking at a very slow pace because we all have a built-in mechanical advantage for walking long distances at normal speeds.

Our bodies, via the spinal column, muscle attachments and bony structures, reserve energy in the musculoskeletal system and release it back to us without asking for additional energy output. In other words, as you walk, your spinal column keeps energy in reserve because of the way you straighten and extend your spine during normal walking.

As you step, your spine is stretched, and as you take another step, the energy reserved in the spine is used in propulsion. The spine acts very much like rubber band as your walk, harnessing this reserve energy.

To get substantial cardiovascular, muscular and weight loss benefits, this is why you must walk briskly or create extra movement patterns beyond casual, slow walking in order to optimize your walking program for weight loss and cardiovascular fitness. 

Walking the right way will also improve your posture and tends to help keep you upright (because you must see where you are going). Just hold your chin up and shoulder slightly back.. Walk with your heels hitting the ground first and your feet pointed forward. Swing your arms fully and make lengthy strides.

To lose weight and achieve optimum health, exercise and diet are both necessary and interrelated.  Exercising without maintaining a balanced diet is no more beneficial than dieting while remaining a couch potato.

Carbohydrates are high-octane fuel.  They provide energy for movement and help raise internal body metabolism.  They’re also satisfying.  The key is to avoid adding high-fat and high calorie toppings to your carbohydrates. Also be sure to focus on fruits and vegetables and do not eat the majority of your carbohydrates from the starch category such as bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. These type of carbs can create an insulin spike, which in turn feeds your fat storing system.

Fruits and vegetables are the ideal health, diet and fat loss foods for many reasons.  They’re relatively low in fat and calories, high in fiber and rich in essential vitamins and minerals. The National Research Council recommends eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Your everyday habits will determine your long term body weight and body composition.  Make sure you get enough sleep, drink enough water to expel toxins, avoid processed food as much as you can, eat your fruits and veggies, eat organic when ever possible and work hard.

Just one last thought: taking a three-minute walk after each meal is worth a four pound reduction in body fat in a year’s time.  Climbing two flights of stairs a day burns off half a pound of body fat in a year.  On the other hand, one candy bar eaten daily will cost you 20 pounds annually.

If you enjoyed the information in this article, you will also enjoy the “David Grisaffi Walking Guide,” which is a complete walking exercise plan that comes FREE with the Firm And Flatten Your Abs program at www.flattenyourabs.net

David Grisaffi, C. H. E. K. II, CFT, PN
Corrective Exercise Kinesiologist II
Golf Biomechanic
Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach II
mailto:david@flattenyourabs.net
http://flattenyourabs.atozfitness.com/