Toning the Abdominals

Edna Valentino is a Life Coach and an ACE-certified Personal Trainer. She understands that the power of weight loss comes from the power of the mind first, then the body. Not the other way around. You can reach her at www.AwakeningsLifeCoach.com. She also works at Robert's One on One Personal Training Studio, a private training facility in Malvern, PA. Visit the studio at www.RobertsOneonOne.com

Mixing up your routine and how you train is a great way to achieve tight abdominals. You can't train your muscles the same way day-in and day-out and expect new results. You need to keep those muscles guessing. You can either change the specific exercises with each workout, or you can keep the exercises the same while varying the intensity. The following are sure-fire ways to surprise your muscles so that you can develop the smaller, more toned mid-section you dreamt of that cold January day!

Tip #1. Vary the number of repetitions.
Instead of always doing three sets of 12-15 repetitions, on various days, do different numbers of reps. For example, for medicine ball twists, use a heavy medicine ball one day and do three sets of 15 reps. Two days later, use a lighter medicine ball and increase to three sets of 40 reps. This will confuse your muscles and force them to respond.

Tip #2. Switch up your speed.
Play with the speed at which you execute the exercise. You will notice how quickly you fatigue when doing super-slow bicycle crunches, for example. On the other hand, doing bicycle crunches super-fast will create a different point at which your muscles burn. And, if you really want a challenge, use both speeds in the same workout. For example, do the crunches fast for 10 reps, super-slow for 10, fast for 10, and again super-slow for 10. Now, how do those 40 repetitions feel compared to 40 repetitions done all at the same speed?

Tip #3. Squeeze at the top of every contraction.
You can really get more out of every exercise if you squeeze your muscles hard on the exertion. For example, when you are doing a basic crunch while lying on a stability ball, squeeze your abdominals hard at the top of the crunch every single time. You will no doubt feel a deep burn develop quickly, which is a clear indication that you are starting to chisel away that mid-section.

Tip #4. Alter the length of your rest periods.
Having variety in the duration of your rest periods will increase the intensity of your workouts. In one workout, rest just 10 seconds between sets. On another day, do the same exercise and rest 30 or 60 seconds between sets. The shorter rest periods result in greater intensity because your body doesn't get a chance to fully recover, while the longer rest periods allow for greater endurance. Mixing it up is important to keeping your muscles guessing!

Tip #5. Create a circuit.
Come up with five or so exercises or so regular exercises. Set them up so that you can go from one to the next without stopping. At the end of all five exercises, rest one minute and repeat. Next time, reverse the order of the exercises to keep the muscles confused.

You can see how easy it is to mix up what you are already doing without creating a new program. Remember that change is the key here, so don't get stuck doing the same old routine. Hit your muscles with different intensity levels and you should start seeing results. And don't forget that even if you are tightening those muscles from the inside, you won't get to see the results on the outside if you aren't eating well too. A healthy diet is an extremely important factor in revealing a beautifully toned mid-section. There is still a lot of summer left. Add these tips to your daily regimen, and by Labor Day you'll be closer to fulfilling that New Year's Resolution.