Reveal Your Abs for Good

12:00 PM on 8/12/2011 When I was body building (over 20 hears ago) the cardio workout was done prior to any weight bearing exercise. My trainer informed me that one of the purposes of cardio was to improve my cardiovasc­ular system and hit my target heart rate. Sweat really had very little to do with getting my hear-rate up. I love it that cardio helped provide more oxygen flow which improved and expanded lung capacity as well as conditions the musculoske­letal. I was able to do a longer weight bearing working by proceeding my workout with sustained heart-rate focused cardio. As sobe123 mentioned, the motivation to keep in shape as we age is key and harder than when one has more energy and younger. Part of my issues is I have had a bout of major health problems which now limit my ability to do the major exercises that kept me slim in the past. Also, after a certain time in a woman's life, the hormones take over and reek havoc on the fat distributi­on. It now takes 4 times more effort to get the 1 time effort it used to take to get the weight off as I age.

01:28 PM on 8/10/2011 Ok these are five good exercises. But its only one small part of staying lean. Its your diet, cardio vascular work outs (you need to sweat), weight/res­istance training (done with proper form), core stablizati­on work, and proper sleep and rest. So many people out there want that magic one bullett, everything from a certain diet to just doing certain exercises. But the blunt truth that as you begin your 30s and age from there staying lean becomes more and more difficult and it takes an overall program with a high degree of motivation to keep that body that you had at age 28.

12:40 PM on 8/12/2011 Definitely­! I agree! Start simple and build it up gradually so you don't lose it too soon :)

12:09 PM on 8/10/2011 You know what would be really great and helpful? Have some people demonstrat­e the moves who are not already fit and toned. It's very different for someone who weighs 200+ pounds to do these moves.

01:00 PM on 8/10/2011 Great stuff. It should be noted that developing one's core muscle group does not necessaril­y result in flat washboard abs, especially as we age. Often we who developed one part of that core more than others (singers in particular­) develop a firm bulge or shelf just below the ribs. This looks "fat" i.e., it protrudes at the top of the abs. Once the rest are developed, the entire abs region is "fat" looking and is not always defined, but is hard as a rock when clenched and pliable and flexible. Still healthier than being fat per se. People should learn that the human body does not have one singular end-result or "look" that is healthy. Current BMI tables are flawed and can be counter productive too... they were invented by life insurance corporatio­ns back in the 1940s and have little to do with medicine or science. Show a group of MDs 145 lb 5'-6" man and 9 out of 10 MDs will find an irresistib­le urge to help the poor dude get some healthy weight on his bones. Show the same guy to insurers and they'll deem him borderline healthy-pu­shing overweight­. Show these two groups a 170lb 5'-6" guy of rock solid muscle, the docs will wonder why you're wasting their time and the insurance guys will be screaming about obesity out of control.

04:11 AM on 8/11/2011 May I suggest ? Try doing your crunches on an exercise ball....he­lped me

07:21 PM on 8/10/2011 Does this muumuu make me look fat?

08:45 AM on 8/13/2011 I actually agree with your first line - and sort of the rest, except I don't think diet is all there is to good health and long term weight loss. But I think targeted loss is a myth. Read a long time ago that fat is like snow - takes longer to melt where it's deeper.

10:24 PM on 8/10/2011 Great I love new Abbs work outs

10:53 AM on 8/12/2011 Great idea.

10:24 PM on 8/12/2011 Thank you, I plan to start next!! http://mzn­akea.blogs­pot.com/

08:44 AM on 8/13/2011 First, I truly appreciate anything that stirs people to move and get healthier. It's a passion for me. That being said... I didn't watch all the videos so apologies in advance if the info is there, but, I know most of these moves already. I wish more fitness experts would post alternativ­e options to the exercises that are simply impossible for people with knee injuries. I cannot do unsupporte­d deep lunges. I can't do burpees or mountain climbers. I can and do continue to workout, but some of these are simply impossible with knee damage and pain. I did watch the cross jacks movie - that kind of workout is partly what damaged my knees back in the 80's with all those aerobic dance classes. I can't believe high impact workouts are still being emphasized­. Alternativ­es please!!!