Fat Loss 4 Idiots Opinion

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Bodybuilding Tips, Overtraining Can Kill Your Muscle Gains

By Ricardo Daryans

A guy in the gym finishes a hard, focused set of barbell squats and re-racks the weight. His legs are wobbly, his heart is racing and he feels light headed as he takes a big swig from his water bottle. He looks down at his watch and presses the start button to begin counting down backwards from 2 minutes.

He read that 2 minutes is the ideal rest time between sets in the gym, and he wants to get it exact. Once that watch beeps at the 2 minute mark, he'll be back in the squat rack to perform another set. He stands up tall and paces around trying to catch his breath in preparation for his next battle with the weights.

2 minutes is up. His legs still feel weak, his heart still beats frantically and he doesn't quite feel 100%, but that watch beeped and that means his time is up. He must perform his next set regardless of how he feels.

He unracks the weight and squats down. His legs still burn and he wishes that he could have had more time to prepare for this set. He puts forth a mediocre effort, re-racks the bar, and sets his watch for another 2 minutes. Bobby, just like a ton of other aspiring lifters in the gym, is making a deadly, critical mistake.

The only thing he is doing is to force his body to train at an effort level really far for his maximum potential, and his muscles are rarely being stimulated to grow.

Muscles grow because of an adaptive response to stress. You lift X amount of weight for Y number of reps, and your body adapts to this level of stress. In order to see continual gains in muscle size, you must continually force X and Y to higher and higher levels.

It's quite simple: it's about lifting as much weight for the greatest number of reps that you possibly can. And repeat, and repeat, and repeat...

If you don't rest enough between sets, you will not reach your maximum strength potential sacrificing the amount of weight you can lift, and also sacrificing the amount of muscle you can build. So, to begin the next set when you are still tired is the big mistake you should not make.

You should only begin your next set when you feel that you can perform it with 100% of your strength potential. A stopwatch cannot tell you when that time has arrived; only you can by listening to your body and relying on your own instincts.

A deadlift and a tricep pressdown aren't exactly in the same boat here. After a heavy set of deadlifts to failure I'll usually be resting for at least 5 minutes, often even more. A set of tricep pressdowns is obviously not as taxing and may only require a rest period of 2.5 minutes for me to feel fully recovered. - 17269

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Day 16 on HCG...Check!

By Amelia Handley

Day 16 on the HCG Diet. That means I've only less than 10 days left on the low calorie portion of the diet. Just to recap in case some of you are just joining us or in case some of you are forgetful: the diet starts off with 2 days of loading. Loading is taking in as much fatty calories as possible. This increases the absorption of the HCG into the body. After loading the very low calorie diet begins (500 calories per day). This lasts for 23 more days.

Once you complete the low calorie portion of the diet you start what they call the maintenance diet. I'm all for being prepared (or over prepared as some might call it) so I've been looking into the maintenance diet lately. During the maintenance diet you can eat as much food as you want. (But no more than a total of 1500 calories per day). And there are a few exceptions when it comes to the actual foods that are okay to eat while on the maintenance diet. You can't have any sugar or dextrose or honey or molasses or high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. You can't have any nitrites or fast food. You can't have any trans fat. And you can't have any starch of any kind.

When I first read it that seemed like a pretty big list of exceptions, but in comparison to the short list of approved foods while on the low calorie portion of the diet it's no biggie! 1500 calories is a massive increase from 500, right? And I'm definitely accustomed to limiting my food intake after the 500 calorie portion of the diet. All this weight loss has definitely been inspiring me to keep heading in the right direction.

The recap is now officially over and we need to get down to the nitty gritty of day 16. I weighed in at 156. I'm not really sure why I stuck at the same weight because I did really well with my foods yesterday, but sometimes that happens. In response I went ahead and forced down some green tea today and aimed to drink tons more water.

I took my HCG and my B-Total as required for the HCG diet. I'm getting used to the timing required; no eating/drinking for 15 minutes before or after you take the drops three times per day. And the hold under your tongue for 15 seconds thing isn't a big deal. The stuff doesn't taste disgusting or anything. It's fine.

Now for the eating recap. On day 16's lunch I had a leftover green onion burger and another half of a grapefruit (this one was better than yesterday's). It's weird how some of them are just really sweet and yummy and others just aren't. I had Melba Toasts with lunch, as well. I had the last of the grilled chicken at dinner (more leftovers) and I drank a ton of water. Here's hoping I see weight loss again tomorrow! - 17269

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Turbulence Training Review - Do Turbulence Training Routines Really Work?

By Lesley Tuthill

Is the Turbulence Training Guide useless like many other fitness guides? This guide works on the principle of building lean muscle to lose fats. It is claimed to be the most effective body building and fat loss method.

1. Who Is Craig Ballantyne?

Craig is a certified specialist in the fitness industry, and he is the creator of the Turbulence Training program. You may also have read his works in men's magazines like Men's Health. His Turbulence Training Program is one of his latest breakthrough systems than he claims can achieve faster fat loss than any other training program.

2. What Does The Turbulence Training Guide Teach?

This system aims to make a person's body burn fat regardless of whether the person is exercising or not. This includes the times when he or she is sleeping, eating or doing any other activities. With a combination of the right exercise methods and appropriate levels of strength training, a person's metabolism can be increased greatly to achieve the above goals.

3. How Long Do The Workouts Take?

The workouts are created mainly to boost metabolism throughout the day, and this can be easily achieved with short and intense exercises. Resistance and interval training are heavily used through Turbulence Training.

The best thing is, the workouts are very short and easy to complete, and users will not have to spend hours in the gym with this system.

4. Conclusion

If you have an exercise ball and a barbell in your home, you can easily execute all the workout routines in your own home. This has allowed me to save up on gym membership fees and still get the lean body I want. My body fat percentage has now dropped to 11% from a previous 18% when I first started with Turbulence Training. - 17269

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Efforts to Evade Fat and Shape Your Muscles

By Benshoo Gronshe

Muscle building and fat loss - A miraculous strategy: There are a number of muscle building and fat losing techniques including natural and unnatural. This information will bring out some other ways to fulfill your desires of losing fat and developing muscles, which is 'The Abs Diet Strategy.'

How it all started: The concept of diet plan for building abs and muscles was first developed by an editor of fitness magazine (Men's Health). This idea was widely welcomed by everyone all over the world. It was later modified by new innovative ideas to make it more efficient as a weight losing tactic.

The abs and diet program takes around about 6-weeks to show considerable results.

Hence, usage of this plan along with the safety measures is highly-effective for losing fats and building muscles.

This formula is a combination of twelve power foods - which are actually considered to be its prerequisites. In addition to all, it is meant to build your muscles with the help of some aerobic workouts and handsome balanced-diets.

Different athletes, weight-lifters and health-practitioners have benefited from this plan. Most luckily succeeded in their effort by using this plan however there were also a few people who failed meeting their needs.

Having good quality food daily with minimum gaps and the right workouts can result in stunning muscles for a muscular body; in addition it gives you the opportunity to loss fats.

12 Special Food Items: The most important and easiest way to lose fat and build muscles is to use the following food items:

- Milk, yogurt & cheese - Beans - Almonds - Green Vegetables - Olive oil - Berries - Tuna fish & Chicken - Eggs - Low-calorie Peanut Butter - Whey - Cereals - Bread

It has been scientifically proved by different medical experts that burning off fats and building muscles are excellent for abdominal area. But still this is not the only way to accomplish our mission. It is a mandatory requirement to have healthy meals in order to have fat-free and in-shape physique.

What we should do for losing fats and building muscles:

a.Do not eat anything until you are really hungry b.Do not eat too much food with high fat content. Turn down your intake of solid milky to as minimum as you can c.Always eat with proper timings d.Take maximum food with protein e.Fried chicken is not a good option to eat, so must avoid eating it f.Use protein rich food g.Bend properly, at the time of exercise h.Add proteins with low-calorie diet

These are the superior ways of getting high proteins. Addition of proteins in food helps to alter and build muscles. This way, your muscles get prominent and healthy and you'll look good.

Carry out these natural steps and bless your body with guaranteed muscle building and fat loss. - 17269

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How Energy Drinks Affect College Students

By Joseph Young

College students have busy schedules, and can be under great stress loads at times. One way that they are combating the problem is by consuming energy drinks to keep them going. College students are huge consumers and highly targeted by these power drink companies.

One way energy drinks create opportunity for college students is by the increase of physical energy. Another is by increasing alertness. Both are equally important to the young college goer. Also, drinking these beverages has reportedly bettered sleep habits. Over consumption has the reverse affect.

A recent survey showed that consuming energy drinks with alcohol is most popular. This practice has been related to fatalities, yet it remains a weekend highlight among college students. The weekend drinking binges often includes Red Bull and Vodka. Wow, what a mix of high and low in one cup. Blows your mind to think of it.

So, what are your patterns? No one knows them like you. Tracking your energy drink patterns will help you stay away from the over consumption of caffeine and other stimulants. Over time these can have serious side effects. Please pay close attention to the ingredients in the can you drink.

So how do energy drinks affect you? Do you know how many you consume every day? You must know if you are consuming too much, right? Can't sleep, heart is racing fast, mind is scrambled. You are nervous a lot. Be careful. Read the ingredients in those cans, and understand what you are consuming.

Energy Drinks can create opportunities for College Students. Home based companies are created that incorporate a plan that students can involve themselves in. These plans include marketing the product and enjoying the revenue that is generated by it. Think about the massive impact it could have on the campus with thousands of students drinking the energy drink and making money for sharing it with other students! - 17269

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How Diet Helps When Trying To Lose Fat

By Kwasaq Gosli

The following guidelines will elaborate on the methods and tips used to lose fats, become healthier and eventually live a better and happy life. These guidelines are simple yet comprehensive and will serve as a baseline for the people looking to lose fats with the help of a healthy diet plan on a logical calorie meter.

Achieving your Set Targets: Eating ethics is the first lesson for everyone looking to lose fats. If you are careless about the diet you intake, then for achieving your target, you are no way near hitting Bull's eye. Even a slight negligence in your diet can become extremely burdensome in your efforts to reduce fats. Try to learn from your mistakes and for better results, always avoid them in future.

Take control of your eating habits: For the person who is intending to get rid of the fat fast, a vital and simple way is to keep an eye on whatever he/she consumes. You should be well aware of the nutritional value of whatever you consume all day.

Proper Eating Timings: Never look to skip your meal. Frequent eating will keep you energetic and will also keep the metabolism well-organized. Prefer to take some strong refreshments with your meal. Proper duration intervals between meals will keep you away from over-eating and will also give you an idea about the quantity of your diet intake.

Include fresh fruits and veggies: Add up more and more fruits and vegetables in your diet because this holds up protein and fiber, will help you losing weight. Avoid red meat and junk food, for the reason that, this holds up more fats and will mess up your body metabolism.

Fiber Intake: Fiber is the main source of the energy produced in our body. Fiber is also responsible for slowing down our digestion process and eventually results in keeping our stomach full for a long time. Moreover, sugar-level is also well maintained by fiber.

Avoid Diabetic Meals: Evade or slash drinking lo fiber-containing drinks like soda, coffee, and other unflustered items as they contain a very little amount of energy. Likewise, they result in fats inside our body. Be very careful about the concealed sugary things such as creams, can foods, jams, ketchup, soups and other diet-drinks.

Additionally, try to search out low fat foods which are easily available in market. Sweetener is usually taken up to amend the flavor that is omitted as the fat is separated. If your blood sugar is retained it will support your body in fat consuming practice.

Miscellaneous Bad Items: In order to reduce fats, stop having alcoholic drinks and drugs like ecstasy, speed-balls, heroine etc. These things can be absolutely lethal in disrupting your internal system and affecting their functioning. As a consequence of this, the metabolic system is badly disturbed as well. Therefore, it produces more fats and also increases weight. - 17269

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Weight Loss Cooking Tips

By Lisa Wood

Common opinion is that weight loss is boring and asks too much from you or that you have to say goodbye to your favourite meals almost for forever.

Actually, in many cases it's only about little tweaks or ingredient substitutions which in the end allow you to enjoy delicious dishes without even noticing the differences except changes in your body.

Tips bellow are quite simple and easy to follow and will not make a huge difference in your food preparation routine. Some will take some extra time though.

You will understand that weight loss can be enjoyable and that process isn't hard at all. It will allow you to eat fewer calories by treating yourself with tasty meals.

Let's get started and I'm pretty sure that at least few of tips bellow will suit your diet plan and will allow to enjoy your dieting much more:

1. Fat content in beef can be reduced by 50% without affecting its flavour with rinsing it down in hot water.

2. Use chicken broth instead of butter in your pasta, stuffing and rice dishes.

3. Use chicken, beef broth or wine instead of oil and gain extra flavour with excluding the fat.

4. In marinades instead of oil use wine, salad dressing or fruit juice. This reduces the fat and improves the flavour.

5. Replace full cheese in your pasta dishes with some soft cheese like cottage cheese for example reducing calories this way.

6. Replace mozzarella with cheddar cheese and cut calories by half and reduce fat.

7. Save 8 grams of fat per glass by replacing whole milk with skimmed.

8. Instead of 1 whole egg use 2 egg whites.

These changes and substitutions can help you eat better and lose weight same time making your weight loss experience much enjoyable. These were just few examples and many more can be found online.

Try these methods and you may be surprised how well they work. The main point here is that you can "trick" boring weight loss methods and enjoy your whole weight loss experience making it easier and better. - 17269

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Save the Planet

By Dr. Jason Fowler

Did you ever think your health and well-being are really important factors in the health and well-being of the planet? It's true. The choices each of us makes each and every day are important for our family's welfare as well as the welfare of our neighborhood, our community, our city, our country, and our global society.

We do not often consider that a healthy personal lifestyle - relating to fitness and nutrition - has an impact on the environment and the global biosphere. But our personal choices and actions do matter. Our life-affirming choices to get fit, be fit, and eat right affect everyone and everything around us. How you get to work is a perfect example.

Of course, most of us drive to work, as it is a lifetime habit, and we don't even think about it. But, driving always produces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions - every gallon of gas burned pumps 17 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Biking to work and walking to work are fitness-promoting activities that have a double benefit.1,2 You're exercising on your workdays and you are actively helping to reduce GHG emissions and stabilize the Earth's climate.

If it's too far to walk or bike to your place of employment, arrange to car pool with co-workers and walk or bike to their house on the days when you are not the designated driver. Planting a garden or participating in the activities of a community garden is a health-promoting action step that has a triple benefit.

First, you are producing or helping to produce foods that are grown locally. Foods consumed in the United States travel an average of 1500 miles to reach your local supermarket. Foods grown locally eliminate almost all of the fossil fuel resources required to transport non-local items.

Second, you're adding really fresh vegetables to your family's diet, providing vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals required for abundantly good health.

Third, gardening is exercise , the kind of exercise people used to get when they didn't sit in chairs at desks all day long.

The benefits of health-promoting activities keep on coming.3 For the most part, healthy people don't wind up in the local hospital emergency room. Resource saved include fossil fuels burned by high-speed ambulances, fossil fuels burned to produce electricity used to power life-saving medical devices, and energy utilized to produce the vast amounts of medical supplies consumed in an emergency procedure, including syringes, IV set-ups, and towels, wipes, and disinfectants.

Being a healthy individual as a member of a healthy family has a huge multiplying effect. Your chiropractor knows that all body systems are deeply interconnected and must work together to produce good health. So too are the many different living systems that make up Planet Earth. Your chiropractor can provide you with detailed information about good nutrition and good exercise that can help make a real difference in your health and the health of your community.

1Villegas R, et al: The cumulative effect of core lifestyle behaviours on the prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia. BMC Public Health 13(8):210, 2008 2Christie BR, et al: Exercising our brains: how physical activity impacts synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus. Neuromolecular Med 10(2):47-58, 2008 3Booher MA, Smith BW: Physiological effects of exercise on the cardiopulmonary system. Clin Sports Med 22(1):1-21, 2003 - 17269

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Thermogenic Foods - Top 15 Foods Proven to Zap Belly Fat

By Travis Hunt

Fat burning foods, or thermogenic foods, help shake your metabolism into high gear. Burning fat isn't just exclusive to performing strenuous workout routines. With these 15 fat burning foods, you can surely get rid of belly fat faster.

* Peppers - These are probably the most recognized fat burning foods anywhere. They may be no bigger than an eraser, but they're crammed with thermogenic properties like no other.

* Garlic - These savory bulbs of spice add a kick to any plate. If they're too overpowering for you, try cutting them into little pieces before adding them to your food. If you cook them frequently, you won't even notice they're there.

* Ginger - This is another fat burner that can easily be added to your favorite refreshments and food.

* Parsley - It's quite beneficial for your circulatory system. Keeps your breath minty cool, too.

* Berries - They satisfy your taste buds while decreasing calorie absorption.

* Cabbage - Considered a high-fiber longevity vegetable, cabbages make for delicious sandwich add-ons.

* Lemons - Keep your cravings at a minimum and your insulin levels in check with just a few drops of its juice everyday.

* Brussels Sprouts - These cabbage-like thermogenic foods are full of vitamins and fat burning properties that jolt your metabolism.

* Broccoli and Cauliflower - Also great sources of thermogenic properties, these all-time veggie faves are packed with calcium as well.

* Green Tea - Have a glass or two before any meal. It will positively affect your digestion and you'll feel instantly revitalized.

* Apple Cider Vinegar - Take full advantage of apple cider vinegar's weight-loss properties.

* Mustard - It's the best alternative to ketchup. Thermogenic foods like mustard are usually overlooked, but their fat burning properties are simply unbelievable.

* Cinnamon - Add flavor-enhancer to your tea or chop them up and mix them with yogurt. You've got yourself a fat burningly healthy yet refreshing dessert.

* Vinegar - Sometimes used in metabolic disorder therapy, vinegar speeds up metabolism quite effectively.

* Water - How could water help eliminate fat, you ask? While your body warms up the cool liquid, you're actually burning a number of calories.

You can easily buy these thermogenic foods anywhere. Before you head out to buy some, make sure you don't already have them in your kitchen. Include these fat burning foods in your diet and you'll burn that fat right off in no time. - 17269

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Is It Necessary To Exercise To Lose Flabby Upper Arms?

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

Is this a flabby upper arms joke? Nope. The truth is that you can lose arm fat without having to touch a weight.

The secret lies in spontaneous fat loss. This method of losing the flab is the easiest one out there, I promise.

It's so easy because there is no exercise involved and no dietary restrictions. You simply tweak little things here and there and the arm flab goes away just like that.

So here are 4 awesome tips you should consider so that your flabby upper arms begin to melt away:

1. Consume foods with labels from undesirable locations. Now you have to be a little flexible here but it's worth it. A very interesting study showed that people who were given an alcoholic beverage with a label from an undesirable location, ate 500 fewer calories during a meal.

2. Stay away from high glycemic index carbohydrates. It was shown that boys who ate low glycemic index carbs consumed 621 fewer calories in a meal versus boys who ate high glycemic index carbs. Stay away from high glycemic index carbohydrates at all costs.

3. Have a salad before any big meal. One really cool study showed that restaurateurs ate 100 fewer calories when given a salad with dinner. Now be really careful with how much dressing you use.

4. Substitute saturated fat with unsaturated fat. One study demonstrated that people eat 200 fewer calories per meal when consuming olive oil versus butter. Olive oil is an unsaturated fat and butter is a saturated fat. Follow the above tips and you'll notice a reduction in flabby upper arms with minimal effort on your part.

With the above steps in mind, you can lose those flabby upper arms without breaking a sweat. There is a body of scientific evidence that backs this up. So make sure to act on this information now!

Having said that, you will get much faster results if you add in some exercise. Please do not get the wrong message, exercise is still a great tool for toning your arms! - 17269

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Get Rock-Sold with the Right Training Equipment

By Hanif Furqan

If you start your search for exercise machines by investigating the many models of Body Solid home gyms, such as the Body Solid EXM-1500S Single Stack Home Gym, you may discover that you won't have to go anywhere else. To compliment their comprehensive collection of commercial gym machines, Body Solid manufactures an incredible array of residential equipment, from free-weight benches to functional training gyms suitable for sports-specific strength training or physical therapists. The advantage you will discover is common to all the Body Solid home gyms is their comprehensive In-Home Lifetime Warranty that really does apply to "...everything. Forever. Period."

The Classic series of Body Solid home gyms is a good spot to look at first. "Classic" for this company doesn't simply denote "old and unexciting", while one of those is included, but this line of gyms covers everything from a $300 bungee-powered pilates-style machine to a total gym structure for in excess of $7000. The feature that renders these gyms as "classic" is that they offer numerous features yet they are all nice and straightforward and easy to work with. If your workout needs are fairly standard and you are most comfortable with a structured routine, the Classic line of Body Solid EXM-1500S ought to answer your expectations.

The Body Solid home gyms that make up the G-series are classified as mid-range home gyms which happen to be reasonably priced in addition to being reliable. This series is comprised of 9 distinctive models which extend in size from compact to enormous, and range in cost from $1200 to $3500. The larger G-Series gyms are quite sufficient for bodybuilding , yet the smaller gyms could easily assist with basic toning and strengthening exercises. The G-series models are best for knowledgable home gym customers who are looking for a balance between usefulness and affordability.

Body Solid's Fusion gym systems were intended for hard-core fitness enthusiasts who appreciate flexibility along with performance in these Body Solid home gyms. Fusion gyms are produced in three models which were made to be great looking and also extremely functional, and are produced using the most stringent quality materials. Their amount of versatility is illustrated in the series names; they are called the Fusion Personal Trainers because of their capability to tailor your workout.

During the last decade, Body Solid's functional trainers and crossover stations have given consumers the most effective exercise sessions possible concerning both performance and economy. This collection of Body Solid home gyms accommodates fitness enthusiasts who would like to engineer their own fitness regimens and are looking for a product which isn't going to reduce their options. The interchangeable cable grips and endless variety of adjustments provided by this selection of fitness equipment enable the user to upgrade his muscle building routine every day, if needed. Whether your priority is core stability or a sport-specific training program, Body Solid EXM-1500S Single Stack Home Gym can offer you the challenges you would like and the results you need.

Body Solid home gyms are available that accommodate any income level and any intention, so your chances of finding the best model for your needs are pretty good. The craftsmanship and functionality of these machines is obviously appealing, but including the most comprehensive guarantee in the business could very well be a compelling selling point. - 17269

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Best Lower Ab Workout - Lower Abdominal Exercises

By Isaac Asimov

It is almost everybody's dream to get that sexy, flat-as-a-plank abdomen, yet it can often appear one of the hardest parts of the body to shed pounds in.

The abs are a particular set of muscles, comprising of the higher, lower and oblique muscles, which work in synchronization with each other in order to help flexibleness and movement between the upper part of the body and the lower part below the hips.

Double Leg Lifts : Lie down on your back, with your hands placed under your butt, with the palms facing the floor. Then, contracting your lower abdominal muscles, and tightening the muscles of your legs, lift them straight up vertically, and hold them there for a few seconds. Then lower them down till they are definitely a few inches off the floor, and hold it there again for 1 or 2 seconds. Repeat 5-8 times to start with. Later, as you're feeling your abs getting stronger, increase the reps to 15-20 times. Then, as you get even stronger, you can lift your head and shoulders off the floor while performing the leg lifts.

Swapping Leg Walks : Begin by lying on your back, placing your hands under your butt, and take a few deep breaths. Then, contract the lower ab muscles and lift your right leg up slowly, until it is ninety degrees to your body. The, similarly slowly, lower it back down, till it is a few inches off the floor, while at the same time raising your left leg. Keep lifting your legs or about 8-10 times to start with. Later, as your abs get stronger, you can increase the count to 15-20 times. And, as in the prior one, lift your head and shoulders off the floor while performing the exercise.

Double Leg Reverse Crunches : Lie down on your back, with your hands under your butt. Lift both your legs up until they are in a vertical position. Now bend your legs at the knees, so that the lower part is parallel to the floor. Then, contracting your lower abs, and working on your bent knees, steadily lower your legs until the undersides of your feet are just two inches off the floor. Keep your abs contracted and hold this position for a couple of seconds. Then increasing the contraction in your abs, lift your knees up again, bringing them towards your chest.

This is a rather challenging exercise, so start by doing just 3-5 reps. Later, as you are feeling yourself getting stronger, increase the reps steadily, until you can do 15-20 reps. - 17269

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