Kenneth Gardner - THE FITNESS CLUBTHESE ARE some additional abdominal exercises for the mother of three with the postpartum belly (excess weight in the abdomen long after child birth) as well as men with pot bellies.
EXERCISE #1
1. Lie on your back with your arms by your side, palm on the floor.
2. Keep your feet together, bend your knees and your hips and bring your knees to your chest.
3. Stretch both legs toward the roof and use both feet to make one big circle, inhale deeply while making the circle.
4. Lower the legs to the floor and breathe out deeply.
5. Return the legs to your chest, stretch them toward the roof and continue to make circles and breathe out deeply as you lower them to the floor.
6. Do six to eight repetitions, then stretch.
7. Do the complete routine three to four times.
EXERCISE #2
1. Sit on the floor with your legs outstretched, hands on the floor slightly behind your hips with fingers pointing backwards. Push your trunk up and support your weight on your hands and heels while you straighten your arms and lock your elbows to the count of five.
2. Hold and stretch your trunk and tighten the muscles of your back and the muscles of your abdomen and tilt your head back to the count of five.
3. Return to the starting position slowly to the count of five.
4. Do about five to eight repetitions then rest for a little while.
5. Do about four to five sets.
EXERCISE #3
Start in the supine position (lie on your back) with your hands cushioning your head, elbows on the floor.
1. Walk backwards with your feet as you push your trunk up off the floor.
2. Support your weight on your toes and your shoulders and hold to the count of five.
3. Tighten your abdominal muscles and the muscles of your back.
4. Return slowly to the starting position by alternating the movement of your feet.
5. Breathe in deeply as you push your trunk up and breathe out forcefully when you lower your trunk.
6. Do about 10 to 12 repetitions and take a short rest between each set.
7. Do about three to four sets.
EXERCISE #4
Lie on your back with both knees bent and your arms stretched out at shoulder level.
1. Bend both knees and pull them to your chest and breathe in as deeply as you can.
2. Lower both legs gradually to the floor in the bent position and breathe out as deeply as you can.
3. Push up on your toes and push your back up off the floor until your hip joint is straight, inhale as deeply as you can and hold this position to the count of five.
4. Lower yourself slowly to the floor and breathe out as deeply as you can.
5. Do eight to 10 repetitions then straighten your legs and stretch, then return to the starting position.
6. Do four to five sets of the complete routine.
EXERCISE #5
Sit with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor and your hands on the floor behind you for balance and support.
1. Lift your feet about 12 inches off the floor and straighten your legs halfway.
2. Raise your right foot and place its heel directly above the toes of your left foot and alternate the positions of both feet six times breathing in and out.
3. Straighten your legs and hold them in place above the floor for five seconds, breathe in deeply.
4. Lower your legs to the floor and stretch your entire body; breathe out as deeply as you can.
5. Do about six sets of the complete routine.
Kenneth Gardner is an
exercise physiologist at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
