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Absolutely Amazing Abs

by Suzie Cooney • May 25th, 2010 • Category: Gym+Training, Videos+Tutorials

We all want to look and feel great with strong abs all year long. I’ve selected a few of my favorite ab exercises for you to try and get results!

AB PRAYERS

This is an excellent exercise that you’ll feel immediately and get nice results for your upper and lower ab region.

Preparation: Sit with feet slightly apart. Heels down, toes up. Lightly clasp hands. Lean back to where you can begin to feel your abs protruding without risking low back compensation. With good posture and shoulders back, focus on keeping your chest or sternum in a straight line. I recommend doing this in front of the mirror.

As you twist, keep head and chest pointed straight ahead. Attempt to touch the floor with your hands. Engage your abs, and really FEEL them as they assist you to bring back your hands mid line of your body and then to the other side.

The speed should be a fast to moderate tempo. I would try at least 3 sets of 25. Keep breathing fast, short breaths!

Progression: Try a medicine ball of 4-8 pounds or a dumbbell. Use the weight to get into a rhythm. Don’t let your arms take over.

AB CHEST LIFTS WITH EXTENDED LEG

Targets upper AND lower abs at the same time! This exercise has amazing results.

Preparation: Place hands behind head, DO NOT lock fingers. Gently support head in nape of neck with fingertips.

Extend either leg and lift slightly off floor. If any lower back discomfort, raise extended leg higher. Tilt your pelvis towards you to encourage a nice, low back pressed to the ground. Bend knee of opposite leg. Imagine a pulley on your chest lifting you to the ceiling. Make sure you are looking above your eyebrow to prevent elbows from falling forward.

Lift chest and shoulders off floor and force your abs to contract. As you lift, hold that contraction for a count of 2, breath out. DO NOT allow your shoulders to come back to the floor, but keep the abs taught at all times. If you notice your elbows winging forward, look up and flatten them out, otherwise you’ll strain your neck and the exercise will have little effect.

Start with 3 sets of 25. Breathe out on the way up. Remember to build endurance and stick with it. You’ll soon notice that it will take you more reps to start feeling it. That’s a good thing!

BOSU AB CHALLENGE

The BOSU is a popular platform that adds new challenges and really can make your workout more fun and efficient. Here is a fun progression that demonstrates how to target your abs and obliques. This takes getting used to and if you’re just starting, you may quiver just a bit.

Preparation: Sit on top of the BOSU and scoot a little towards the floor, just below the center of the BOSU. Place your hands behind you to support your low back. As you begin to lean back you’ll notice your stomach protruding. This is a good indication that you are on target to begin.

Begin by contracting abs and pulling knees towards you, then fully extend your legs until they’re almost straight out in front of you.

Then to target the obliques, sit on your side with one hand in front of you and the other behind you for support, and do the same. You may need to find the sweet spot to get in this position. Be patient. Make sure your hip flexors or legs are taking the load, and really focus on the obliques.

ADVANCED AB EXERCISE: THE GIGANTE AB CHALLENGE

INDO Board introduced the Gigante Training Disc, which was actually designed for stand up paddling and surfing balance fun. But I have found many other things to do with it. (See my recent article for Athleta here »)

There are many progressions you can do to make your ab workout on the Gigante fun and extra challenging. This 24 inch disc inflates up to 12 inches tall. For our workout, I’ve inflated it to about 5 inches. It’s more stable this way.

Similar to the BOSU, sit on top of the Gigante and place your hands behind you. Bring your knees to your chest, then extend your legs away from you. You are guaranteed to shake, quiver and wiggle — this is the fun part! I try to get my center very calm and still, and get very focused.

And then try your obliques! Remember, this disc moves in four directions so controlling it with your abs is hard work. But I promise it will get easier!

Then we progress once more to a medicine ball of 4–8 pounds. I’m using an 8 pound medicine ball. A simple dumbbell will do too.

Lastly, we took lots of photos to get this right and you can see I found this to be fun and challenging. This time I raised the 8 pound medicine ball above my head slightly to help me with balance! Try different angles with the medicine ball if you like. Positioning your outer thigh more on your hip is your starting point. This progression really requires quick reaction to the Gigante, then finding the sweet spot before you go into the extension.

As you can see there are many different ab exercises to choose from. The key is to mix it up and never allow your body to get used to one exercise. By selecting fun ab exercises you will be more likely to see results sooner because they won’t be such a dreaded part of your workout. I tell my clients they will never ever do a traditional sit up in my studio or on the beach. Why, when there are way more fun things we can do?

Also keep in mind one cannot spot-reduce a specific body part. Being fit and healthy is a total body effort. Including a smart cardio program, making better food choices, and eating smaller portions all contribute to weight loss and toning.

I tend to do abs last in my training routines because your abs support you and keep your body upright while you are working out.

Lastly, remember just when you start to get uncomfortable is when your body will change.

Be well and healthy!

Warm aloha,

Suzie Cooney, CPT
SuzieTrainsMaui.com »
StandUpPaddlingFitness.com »
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Photos by Simone Reddingius. See more of her beautiful work & action photography on Flickr.com »

Suzie

Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome is an overuse problem that is often seen in bicyclists, runners, and long-distance walkers. Personally, it has been noted while Backcountry Skiing and Stand-Up Paddling (SUP). Many people ask me what causes pain on the outside of the knee just above the knee joint. It is ITB syndrome and it can be problematic. The discomfort may be so intense as to discourage you from participating in the often long and rewarding sessions of SUP and other endeavors. So what can be done about it?

Ice massage is one of the best initial therapies for ITB syndrome. Hold a cube of ice in a napkin and massage the inflamed area until the cube has melted. It could take up to 20 minutes. Do this 1-2 times daily. A Cho-Pat strap or similar compression tape may prevent overstretching and inflammation,  but ultimately it comes down to adjusting biomechanics and muscle balance. The following exercises should help as well:

• Iliotibial band stretch: Standing: Cross one leg in front of the other leg and bend down and touch your toes. You can move your hands across the floor toward the front leg and you will feel more stretch on the outside of your thigh on the other side. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat 3 times. Reverse the positions of your legs and repeat.
• Iliotibial band stretch: Side-leaning: Stand sideways near a wall. Place one hand on the wall for support. Cross the leg farthest from the wall over the other leg, keeping the foot closest to the wall flat on the floor. Lean your hips into the wall. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds, repeat 3 times, and then switch legs and repeat the exercise another 3 times.
• Standing calf stretch: Facing a wall, put your hands against the wall at about eye level. Keep one leg back with the heel on the floor, and the other leg forward. Turn your back foot slightly inward (as if you were pigeon-toed) as you slowly lean into the wall until you feel a stretch in the back of your calf. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times and then switch the position of your legs and repeat the exercise 3 times. Do this several times each day.
• Hamstring stretch on wall: Lie on your back with your buttocks close to a doorway, and extend your legs straight out in front of you along the floor. Raise one leg and rest it against the wall next to the door frame. Your other leg should extend through the doorway. You should feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times and then switch legs and do the exercise again.
• Quadriceps stretch: Stand an arm’s length away from the wall with your injured leg farthest from the wall. Facing straight ahead, brace yourself by keeping one hand against the wall. With your other hand, grasp the ankle of your injured leg and pull your heel toward your buttocks. Don’t arch or twist your back. Keep your knees together. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Wall squat with a ball: Stand with your back, shoulders, and head against a wall and look straight ahead. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your feet 2 feet away from the wall and a shoulder’s width apart. Place a soccer or basketball-sized ball behind your back. Keeping your back upright, slowly squat down to a 45-degree angle. Your thighs will not yet be parallel to the floor. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then slowly slide back up the wall. Repeat 10 times. Build up to 3 sets of 10.
• Side-lying leg lift: Lying on your uninjured side, tighten the front thigh muscles on your top leg and lift that leg 8 to 10 inches away from the other leg. Keep the leg straight and lower slowly. Do 3 sets of 10.
• Knee stabilization: Wrap a piece of elastic tubing around the ankle of the uninjured leg. Tie a knot in the other end of the tubing and close it in a door.
  1. Stand facing the door on the leg without tubing and bend your knee slightly, keeping your thigh muscles tight. While maintaining this position, move the leg with the tubing straight back behind you. Do 3 sets of 10.
  2. Turn 90 degrees so the leg without tubing is closest to the door. Move the leg with tubing away from your body. Do 3 sets of 10.
  3. Turn 90 degrees again so your back is to the door. Move the leg with tubing straight out in front of you. Do 3 sets of 10.
  4. Turn your body 90 degrees again so the leg with tubing is closest to the door. Move the leg with tubing across your body. Do 3 sets of 10.

Hold onto a chair if you need help balancing. This exercise can be made even more challenging by standing on an Indo Board with Flo-cushion while you move the leg with tubing.

• Iliotibial band stretch: Side-bending: Cross one leg in front of the other leg and lean in the opposite direction from the front leg. Reach the arm on the side of the back leg over your head while you do this. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat 3 times and then switch legs and repeat the exercise.  This exercise can be made even more challenging by standing on an Indo Board with the IndoFlo-cushion
• Clam exercise: Lie on your uninjured side with your hips and knees bent and feet together. Slowly raise your top leg toward the ceiling while keeping your heels touching each other. Hold for 2 seconds and lower slowly. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions. This works the hip abductors that stabilize the iliotibial band.

Your doctor may also prescribe an anti-inflammatory. Piroxicam has been shown in the Sports Medicine literature to speed sprain and strain healing times, but there is still controversy. If you have any reservations, stick with the exercises and maintain good posture. Surgery is very rarely necessary. Should you have any questions, email me through my websites: www.everlinemd.com or www.boardsportsdoc.com. Be well!

Clayton Everline MD, DMO, CSCS
Board Certified in Sports Medicine and Internal Medicine
Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences
The Waves of Health (www.thewavesofhealth.org)

The traditional core plank is often employed by the Navy Seals as a suitable challenge and is harder than it appears. I often use it to measure a clients level of performance and endurance of their core. As a reminder the core is simply everything excluding your extremities and is where all movement begins. Having a strong core is critical for the sport of stand up paddling SUP, for it is what engages first and foremost as you initiate a smooth paddle stroke, whether catching a wave or simply gliding on a leisurely cruise. 

A weak core may cause you to fatigue, muscle imbalances and reduce your overall performance.  There are so many variations in which you can improve your core strength, but since we’re on the topic of stand up paddling fitness, try this one for fun one day. Make sure you are in deep enough water so you don’t wreck your fins.

Assume the traditional core position:

Hey if you fall off it’s just water! Have some fun.

If you have any questions about the above exercise feel free to contact me:  Suzie@SuzieTrainsMaui.com

Also check out my training site for more tips: www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog

Looking forward to meeting you at the event!  Don’t forget to register.  www.standuppaddlingfitness.com

Practice your planks!

Aloha Suzie

It’s so fun to see their big smiles and looks of focus and determination. I often will time people to the point of fatigue or failure. Then we hop on again for more endurance drills.  Putting a couple of dumbbells in your hands or kettle bells definitely add to the burn and fatigue AND challenge. I’m using a 10lb kettle bell in these photos.
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You can easily modify in many different ways, the ways in which you progress yourself to more advanced moves.  Always take caution as to the type of surface you perform on. For beginners, I’ll throw a yoga mat underneath the drum to slow it down a bit. Or, simply put the board on a disc for my more elderly clients, and then have them hold onto me or a very stable object. 

It really makes a difference when you carve and as you push the rails or even on a windsurfer, or stand up paddle board. I can notice a huge transfer of control in strong or light winds and strength when I jibe into a turn, and when stand up paddling while trying to catch waves. I love it!

For fun, here’s Indo Boards September 2009  Newsletter to read more.  Thanks Indo Board, that was fun! Suzie  

My custom bathing suit by, Julie Stone of Posh Pua

Come train with me and let’s ride!

Difficulty Level: Advanced

Muscle Group(s): Triceps, shoulder and chest, core. Challenges the upper body and core while increasing strength and endurance, and mimics board movement on the water.

Equipment: Indo Board, Inflatable disk, BOSU

 Progression: Raise one leg off the ground, or place feet on a BOSU dome or another inflated disc.

Preparation: Assume the push up position. If you are a beginner, you can bend your knees. Make sure the disc is centered underneath the Indo Board. NOTE: If the disc is over inflated it will be much harder, than if it’s softer. Also, by bringing your hands closer together, you will target the triceps and chest more. Wider positon, more shoulder girdle involvement.

Extend legs behind you, either on ground, another disc or as pictured, the BOSU.

Movement: From the start position, lower your chest to the Indo Board and then press up into the push up. Make sure your neck is neutral and bum lowered. Push up with the strength of your entire shoulder girdle back to a straight-arm position. You may also hold and make this a core plank exercise. Hold in this position 15-30 seconds.

If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you!   Baithing suit, Posh Pua.

Aloha, Suzie

Equipment

This is a semi-advanced exercise that targets the triceps, shoulders and chest and is what I have my surfers try. Even great for non-surfers!

Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Muscle Group(s): Triceps, shoulder and chest. Great for core stability and mimics what your surfboard might feel like underneath you! I love this one.

Equipment: Inflated balance disc and the INDO Board

Progression: Raise one leg off the floor, or place feet on a BOSU dome or another inflated disc.

Preparation: Assume the push up position. If you are a beginner, you can bend your knees. Make sure the disc is centered underneath the INDO Board.

Start

NOTE: If the disc is over inflated it will be much harder, than if it’s softer. Legs extended on floor.

Movement: From the start position, lower your chest to the INDO and then press up into the push up.

Finish

Push up with the strength of your entire shoulder girdle back to a straight-arm position.

Repeat movement sequence for recommended repetitions.

Rip it up!

Get your INDO board here.

Questions, call  Suzie Cooney, CPT
808-283-2121

Suzie Trains Maui
www.suzietrainsmaui.com

Uneven Push Ups

This is a very advanced exercise that targets the triceps, shoulders and chest!

Difficulty Level: Advanced Strength

Muscle Group(s): Triceps, shoulder and chest. Great for core stability

Equipment: BOSU, or inflated disc

Progression: Raise one leg off the floor, have friend sit on back, or place feet on another BOSU

Preparation: Place one hand on the BOSU, one hand in push up position on floor.
Legs extended on floor, feet together.

From the start position, lower chest to ground, keep head down, and push up back to start position.

Push up with the strength of your entire shoulder girdle back to a straight-arm position.
 
Repeat movement sequence for recommended repetitions, switch.

 

 

You’ll really feel this, so take it slow at first.  Good luck! Tom Callan, surfer and SUP enthusiast makes it look easy! 

 Any questions, feel free to contact me: Suzie Cooney, CPT

Suzie Trains Maui

]]> http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog/2009/07/uneven-push-ups-advanced-exercise-for-surfing-and-all-sports/feed/ 0 http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog/2009/07/advanced-tricep-dipstargets-triceps-shoulder-and-chest/ http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog/2009/07/advanced-tricep-dipstargets-triceps-shoulder-and-chest/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:03:34 +0000 Suzie Cooney CPT http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog/?p=745

 

Deep Tricep Dips

This is a very advanced exercise that targets the triceps, shoulders and chest! Don’t burn out before you get to the waves!

 

 

Difficulty Level: Advanced Strength
Muscle Group(s): Triceps, shoulder and chest
Equipment: 2 stools, push up bar
Progression: None

Preparation:

Make sure stools are on flat, hard surface and are spaced apart far enough to be stable, but not too far wide to avoid caving in.

Push up to a straight-arm position, bend knees.

Movement:

From the start position, lower your body slowly to a level you can manage.

If you’re really advanced like Tommy, you can go quite low.

Push up with the strength of your entire shoulder girdle back to a straight-arm position.
 
Repeat movement sequence for recommended repetitions.

This will really pump you up fast!  Good luck!

 

Any questions, feel free to contact me: Suzie Cooney, CPT

Suzie Trains Maui

http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/

 

 

 

]]> http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog/2009/07/advanced-tricep-dipstargets-triceps-shoulder-and-chest/feed/ 0 http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog/2009/07/plate-crunch-special-target-your-abs-and-obliques-see-results-fast/ http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog/2009/07/plate-crunch-special-target-your-abs-and-obliques-see-results-fast/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:43:48 +0000 Suzie Cooney CPT http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog/?p=680  Crunch Plates

 

 Target the upper and lower abs, and get rid of those love handles! I recommend at least 100 reps, 4 sets of 25

Difficulty Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Muscle Group(s): Abs / Obliques
Equipment: 2 paper plates, mat
Progression:  Lift both legs off ground, bend at knees

Preparation:

  Feet flat on ground, shoulder width apart

  Press low back into mat; imagine filling a bucket, tilt pelvis towards you
  Lift your shoulders completely off mat, hold and touch chin.

 Place hands on plates, with each plate outside of heels.

Start

Finish

Obliques

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movement:

From the start position, place hands on paper plates

While contracting abs, push or slide plates towards your toes at a fast rhythmic pace:   
 Tempo: 1-1-1   

Repeat movement sequence for recommended repetitions

Keep spine in place. Do not generate movement from arms and/or shoulders. The movement should originate from your abs.  Really lock in and focus!

For Obliques: Simply slide plate on alternating sides. Hold that stomach tight! Make each rep count!

Any questions, feel free to contact me : Suzie Cooney, CPT

Suzie Trains Maui

http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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