Ab Workouts? Seriously, I'm getting desperate here

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misspenny762
misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My number one goal is to get a flat stomach but it's seeming more and more impossible... I have hip dysplasia which means that I can't even do many ab exercises and the ones I can cause me a great deal of pain in my back for days after. For example, I can't do sit-ups (never done a sit-up in my life) and crunches cause a lot of back pain. I recently started trying planks but I've been getting back pain after those as well. I dabble in core-focus yoga but because of my hips a lot of the poses are extremely difficult or impossible for me and because of this I'm unsure if I'm getting any real benefit from the workouts at all. I'm desperate for a flat stomach though; does anyone know how I can achieve this without causing a lot of stress on my hips and back?

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  • ArchyJill
    ArchyJill Posts: 548 Member
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    I would say planks, and if those give you pain you can start out on your knees and work your way up to the toe thing. Also, if you strengthen your back it has a domino effect of sorts on your abs (both are the core). Good luck!
  • christina1109
    christina1109 Posts: 84
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    I would suggest consulting a chiropractor before doing any more exercises.
  • csingleton24
    csingleton24 Posts: 235 Member
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    Do standing crunches! Use the cable weights at the gym. Pick your weight and grab the both cables with each hand. Face away from the machine (back towards the weights), and hold the cables on top of your shoulders. bend forward from hips up. Bend down and up for each rep. I use the Tower 200 for these but they can be done with the cables as well. Hope I wrote this out so you understand and it makes sense.
    Standing crunches:
    DSC04160.jpg
  • misspenny762
    misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
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    Thank you! I will try out those standing crunches... still open to suggestions though especially since I loathe the gym haha so exercises I can do at home are ideal... I'm determined though so if I have to go to the gym I will!

    Also, what are good exercises for strengthening my back?
  • iDreamNEON
    iDreamNEON Posts: 112
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    Abs are made in the kitchen!! Try switching up your diet. Reducing the number of carbs usually helps ab seekers alot. To see your abs you need to get off the layer of fat covering them so cardio is just as important [if not MORE] as any ab exercise. And if floor workouts for abs are the problem try searching for standing ab workouts in google. I know they exist because I've seen a few On Demand
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    I have a bad back and the situp benches at my gym are soo helpful. I can do endless crunches on those without feeling it in my back. They might be worth a visit!
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    What vjackso7 said. If your issue is not having a flat stomach then you probably just need to continue losing body fat. If you want to build your abs up then you should be doing ab exercises. I would be doing a combination of both :)

    If you don't want to go to the gym, get some resistance bands and put them over a high pole of some sort and you can do the standing crunches at home.

    I also have an ab rollout thingy like http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Deluxe-Exercise-Wheel-AB-Roller-Abdominal-Workout-/110570804678?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15 and it is AWESOME! Unsure how it would go with your hip issue though.

    A good back strengthening exercises are supermans which are done by laying on the ground on your belly and lifting your arms and legs off the ground at the same time and holding that position. You can then roll over (using your core not arms) to banana position which is still with arms and legs off the ground but your back is now on the ground.

    Hope that helps :)
  • misspenny762
    misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the great advice! Love you guys <33
  • SarahElittlebit
    SarahElittlebit Posts: 66 Member
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    I have some of the same problem in my lower back. The doctor said to strengthen my abs, lose weight and get a breast reduction. He didn't say how to strengthen my abs without hurting.

    Some of the things I've found to strengthen both my back and my abs:

    Bands:

    1. Put bands over the chin up bar or attach to the top of the door. Facing away from the door, tighten your abs and bend over. Repeat...
    2. Sit in a straight back chair with your back straight. Tie the band to the door knob and pull the band straight back to your chest keeping the elbows bent at a 90 degree angle.

    Yoga:
    1. Lay down on the floor with your butt to the wall and your legs straight up the wall. Relax your navel in toward the floor. Keep your shoulders relaxed and avoid hunching them. This hurts my back like hell for a few minutes, but it relaxes all the muscles and after about 10 minutes it feels great and I can go and do what I need to.

    Water:
    1. I used to be a lifeguard and one of the things I did to strengthen my abs was tread water. While you are in the water you keep your feet together and raise your feet out of the water and keep them out of the water. This really works the abs.
    2. Hold onto the side of the pool so your back is to it and repeatedly raise your legs up out of the water.

    Hope you find something that works for you.

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