What you may NOT be doing to get a flatter stomach

PAV8888

middlehaitch wrote: »

Things are fine here. I had to do a mad dash to the UK for 10weeks, that included isolation on both ends, that was rather stressful.

I hope that things are OK with all your UK relatives.

middlehaitch

PAV8888 wrote: »

middlehaitch wrote: »

Things are fine here. I had to do a mad dash to the UK for 10weeks, that included isolation on both ends, that was rather stressful.

I hope that things are OK with all your UK relatives.

Ahh Pav, mum died the end of August. We did get to spend 2 weeks together, after my 2 week quarantine, so we were happy.

It was wonderful that we, the three haitches (sisters beginning with h), were all together with mum and together to console each other afterwards.

Thank you for your good thoughts.

Cheers, heather.

(The sisters and their better half’s are all 1st vaccined)

PAV8888

So sorry for your loss Heather. Really glad that your family managed to get together especially given the restrictions. It must have been a significant undertaking!

springlering62

@middlehaitch I am so sorry for your loss, but overjoyed you all had quality, meaningful time together at the end.

@MaltedTea I don’t see you in this thread but I know you and I had discussed this with @ninerbuff briefly in another thread.

So, I’ve been doing these ab contractions while I’ve been walking the past couple of weeks, and feel like they’re making a real difference and mayyyyyybe, just maybe, helping with the mucho extra skin on my belly.

I try to contract and keep it in for half a mile or so. (Helps the distance go by) and repeat again a little while later.

Interestingly, after I’ve done it for seven or eight minutes, it’s actually difficult to relax the muscles. They want to stay firm. I also think it’s helping a bit with my lousy posture. That would be a welcome side effect.

If you’ve done Pilates, it’s the belly button to spine thing you’re supposed to hold in place throughout class. One instructor illustrates it by having us cough while lying on our back, and holding the cough sensation in. He says that’s the proper engagement.

As we know on MFP, nothing is writ in stone with just a couple of weeks under the belt, but it’s interesting enough to continue the experiment.

ninerbuff

springlering62 wrote: »

@middlehaitch I am so sorry for your loss, but overjoyed you all had quality, meaningful time together at the end.

@MaltedTea I don’t see you in this thread but I know you and I had discussed this with @ninerbuff briefly in another thread.

So, I’ve been doing these ab contractions while I’ve been walking the past couple of weeks, and feel like they’re making a real difference and mayyyyyybe, just maybe, helping with the mucho extra skin on my belly.

I try to contract and keep it in for half a mile or so. (Helps the distance go by) and repeat again a little while later.

Interestingly, after I’ve done it for seven or eight minutes, it’s actually difficult to relax the muscles. They want to stay firm. I also think it’s helping a bit with my lousy posture. That would be a welcome side effect.

If you’ve done Pilates, it’s the belly button to spine thing you’re supposed to hold in place throughout class. One instructor illustrates it by having us cough while lying on our back, and holding the cough sensation in. He says that’s the proper engagement.

As we know on MFP, nothing is writ in stone with just a couple of weeks under the belt, but it’s interesting enough to continue the experiment.

Just be aware NOT to hunch your shoulders forward while doing them walking which is a common issue. Keep them shoulders "packed" (retract them back and not forward).

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MaltedTea

springlering62 wrote: »

*snip*

@MaltedTea I don’t see you in this thread but I know you and I had discussed this with @ninerbuff briefly in another thread.

So, I’ve been doing these ab contractions while I’ve been walking the past couple of weeks, and feel like they’re making a real difference and mayyyyyybe, just maybe, helping with the mucho extra skin on my belly.

*snip*

Actually, it was the equally insightful @sardelsa over in this thread. That said, I haven't incorporated them regularly into my practice but HAVE seen more mentions of them since she brought it up.

So the fact that @ninerbuff started this thread means the universe is trying to tell me something: vacuum your guts lol

Glad that you're seeing results @springlering62

Diatonic12

@ninerbuff
Just be aware NOT to hunch your shoulders forward while doing them walking which is a common issue. Keep them shoulders "packed" (retract them back and not forward).

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition



Lurve your terminology. You're the definition of inspiring.

Speakeasy76

Diatonic12 wrote: »

@ninerbuff
Just be aware NOT to hunch your shoulders forward while doing them walking which is a common issue. Keep them shoulders "packed" (retract them back and not forward).

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition



Lurve your terminology. You're the definition of inspiring.

Yes! It's interesting you brought this up. I'm in physical therapy yet again, but this time for a shoulder issue and not my low back. When I go to the shoulder depression/retraction exercises, I find myself going into an exaggerated anterior pelvic tilt, which is the opposite of what this move is and what you're describing. However, it's the same concept. If we're weak in one area, when we go to challenge that weakness, we might try to compensate by finding stability in another part of the body.

nossmf

Late to the party on this thread, but I found it interesting when Arnold Schwarzenegger was asked about some differences between competitive body building in his youth versus today, he pointed out how he, Frank Zane, Sergio Oliva, and the other greats from the first Olympia competitions all were avid users of belly-button vacuuming, which created a marked difference in aesthetic compared to today's winners.

springlering62

I’ve been doing the stomach vacuums for months now.

I’m very pleased with the results.

I know people always say you can’t do targeted loss, but these have sure tightened up my abs and helped with the loose skin, giving the appearance of targeted loss.

One if the best tips I’ve picked up off MFP, and that’s saying a lot. This place is like the mother lode of tipdom.