Effective lower ab exercise? Back pain.
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Livhere
Posts: 141 Member
I tend to carry my weight in my lower stomach. What are some good exercises that can help target that area? I have difficulty doing burpees & often get back pain for doing some exercises on the floor. Any suggestions? Ty!
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Look up beginner core workouts on YouTube.1
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We can't actually spot reduce. Reducing body fat will reduce that extra weight although the tummy area can be the last to go.
You could try a standing abs workout (see Jessica Smith TV on youtube for related workouts) - this will help you tighten the core area and should be ok for your back, there are usually ways to modify exercise so you don't have pain.1 -
Another common cause of back pain are tight hip flexors caused by sitting at a desk 8 hrs a day. In addition to core exercises consider some hip & hamstring stretches.3
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You can't spot reduce fat from your lower stomach, or your upper stomach, or your hips, or your thighs, or your left pinky toe. You just have to reduce overall bodyfat.6 -
I'm not sure why the app never posted my reply, but thank you all for your replies. I know there's no such thing as spot reduction. I was meaning I wanted help with exercises that you could feel in the lower stomach more if that makes sense because I wasn't really feeling it work my lower ab section when I'm on the ab machine. I was able to find some exercises today though that worked really well for me while I was in the pool. What I wanted was more strengthening exercises that I could use where I could feel it working my entire core more.
I do have an autoimmune disease so I'm constantly in pain & have stiffness. I do have a problem with tight hips as well because I have a hip impingement, but I see a physical therapist for that.
I also made a different post that lists what I've been doing for my exercises in case anyone was curious about that. Thanks again for the replies!
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Spot reduction is very easy
Just pop along to the ‘wellness clinic’
And get a prescription for hgh 😂0 -
"Ab machine" is a red flag - those things can be awful for backs.
My Osteopath calls them his pension plan as they generate a lot of business for him.
Do I remember correctly that you are very petite? If so there's an even smaller chance you would fit it well if far from an average size.
What equipment do you have in your gym for training ab muscles?
Captain's Chair (for hanging leg raises)?
Swiss ball / gym ball? (I find them very good for supporting my back during abs training, encourages a more natural curling movement rather than hingeing.)
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There's a lot there. It's sort of more like a fitness "mall" really. 😅 It's 2 stories big. There's machines for your side abs, one that does crunches, a pull up bar, olipticals, treadmills, old stationary bikes from the 80s and some newer ones, treadmills, a rowing machine, a delts machine, a machine that works your outer thighs by opening and closing your legs and one that works your inner thighs & buttocks by closing your legs against it, a machine that works your chest by closing the bars together in front of you while you're seated, a machine to work your calves by lifting, a machine to work your shoulders and upper arms by pushing these bars up above your head, a pully machine you lay on that works your legs and butt I think, then there's other stuff like an area for dead lifting & weights, then there's an area downstairs for intensity training for more things like competition training, there's 2 pools, an indoor track, about 4 or 5 fitness classrooms from what I can tell, there's an open space that I have yet to see what's on that side. There's also a giant tire & some medicine balls outside the gym, there's also a physical therapist office that has their own stuff inside, then a drs office, a restaurant, an aroma store I think, & a daycare. There's other parts of the gym I have yet to see so I know there are machines there I haven't use yet and don't know about. Sorry I don't know the proper names of all these machines. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed there since there's so much I don't know where to go or what to do first or next.1
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Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed there since there's so much I don't know where to go or what to do first or next.
That's why professionals have designed programs. Self-designed programs usually end up imbalanced. I suggest "New Rules of Lifting for Life". It's a book. In the mean time, there's a link to a simple online program in my profile.
Whichever program you follow, don't modify it to target your fatty areas extra. It will have zero effect on the appearance of those areas
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I can't afford their personal trainers right now which is why I don't have a plan. It's just not in the budget for me atm. I'm still trying to figure out a way to create an effective workout plan on my own. In another post, I asked for help with or suggestions to a site that could help me with that.
I'll check out that book & look at that link, thank you.0 -
Since you’re getting pain from doing floor exercises and burpees right now it seems to me that some very basic exercises which target that area would be helpful. Hanging leg raises may be a bit advanced. When I started out I had a large belly and no muscle tone in that area following abdominal surgery for a large tumor, so I had to slowly develop strength in my abs. Two very basic exercises - so basic that they aren’t often mentioned by trainers since people with normal strength don’t get much benefit from them - are stretches, and wall pushups.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and flat on the floor, and reach up, and try to touch the ceiling. Stretch and then stretch some more. At some point you should feel your lower abs engage and pull your innards towards your spine. If you are very weak and have a lot of central obesity you may be surprised at what having your abs engage actually feels like. Work on it until you can engage your abs at will.
Do pushups. If you can do toe pushups, great, but I needed to start with wall, then counter pushups. Knee pushups don’t really hit the abs in the same way.
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So sorry to hear about the tumor. Glad you're okay though! Thanks for the tips! I will definitely add them into my home workouts. I tend to carry most of my weight in my mid section and lower stomach. I started changing my bad eating habits about a month ago & then started going to the gym a week ago & taking it more seriously then and since that entire time I've lost about 5lbs & have upper abs that are starting to form & the sides of my stomach are starting to get a line down them & shape up a bit more.
Today was a bit more rough for me even though today was active rest day, my body just wasn't having it. I did physical therapy in the warming pool & got in the jacuzzi afterwards to help relax my muscles, but my lower back was in a bad flare later on in the afternoon & the back of my hip still hurts some. Tomorrow I'll be taking it easier for sure. Just think I'll be walking on the treadmill tomorrow.0 -
I can't afford their personal trainers right now which is why I don't have a plan. It's just not in the budget for me atm. I'm still trying to figure out a way to create an effective workout plan on my own. In another post, I asked for help with or suggestions to a site that could help me with that.
I'll check out that book & look at that link, thank you.
Did you ever look at the list of programs pinned to the top of this forum?
You don't need to pay for a program and a PT also isn't a requirement to follow a program.3 -
The YouTube videos? Yea, I also found a video by Heidi Somers on how to create your own fitness plan which I'm currently doing right now.0
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No - read the Which Lifting Program is Best for You? link0
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The link cherimoose talked about? No, I wasn't able to look at it. When I went to their profile, it said the profile was locked, so I sent a friend request. The book new rules of lifting is $14 on Amazon, so I went ahead and ordered that, so it should be here in a couple days hopefully.0
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*update: I created a workout plan for myself that I'm rather happy with. I was able to focus on what needed to be done today & wasn't at the gym for nearly as long doing my workout or bouncing around as much from machine to machine. Thank you all for your help! 🤗0
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The link cherimoose talked about? No, I wasn't able to look at it. When I went to their profile, it said the profile was locked, so I sent a friend request. The book new rules of lifting is $14 on Amazon, so I went ahead and ordered that, so it should be here in a couple days hopefully.
At the top of all the forums are so called sticky threads that have been nominated as the most useful and informative.
I'll link it for you as you seem to be struggling to navigate around the forums.....
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
But the book does sound good.0
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