Targeting lower abs

[perkyblue]

What's the best move to target the lower abs? I've done crunches, reverse crunches, sit-ups, that thing where you start with your legs up and lower them close to the floor, a pilates move called the hundred, and lots of other moves. What do you guys think is the best move for targeting the lower abs? Or is it best to do a combination of different moves? I really don't care about my upper abs and obliques, I just want to firm up the lower portion. (And yes, I'm already doing cardio out the wazoo to burn off the fat.)

[Odoyal Rulez]

Heavy squats and deadlifts. Think im joking? Try it and see how much your stomach hurts when you're done :)

[klct39lg]

I do leg raises.

 

Here is a video:

 

Make sure to keep your lower back pressed to the floor, and contract lower abs. If done correctly this will not hurt your lower back.

[happysinglemom]

Hopefully by "targeting" you mean strengthening them, not making them smaller. ;)

[cb at sea]

No matter WHAT you do, if there is fat over the muscles, you won't SEE any difference--you may feel it and the muscles may be tight, but fat obscures the look of toning!

[bobandkelly]

Running has helped mine the most. I think before I had good muscle tone but it was hiding behind the fat. The other thing is to be realistic. We won't ever look like an airbrused pic, some amount of fat is normal.

I do know someone who has great muscle tone all over but she was training for the olympics (she did not make it this year.) But there is no way I could put that kind of time in.

So my advice is keep working towards healthy.

kelly

[perkyblue]

No matter WHAT you do, if there is fat over the muscles, you won't SEE any difference--you may feel it and the muscles may be tight, but fat obscures the look of toning!

 

Oh, I definitely know that -- That's why I've been dieting and doing cardio like crazy lately! And I have already lost a few inches from my waist. I just want to make sure that the ab moves I'm doing are actually targeting the area I want to tighten, since I seem to feel it mostly in my upper abs or hip flexors during some of the exercises I've tried.

 

Running has helped mine the most. I think before I had good muscle tone but it was hiding behind the fat. The other thing is to be realistic. We won't ever look like an airbrused pic, some amount of fat is normal.

 

I do know someone who has great muscle tone all over but she was training for the olympics (she did not make it this year.) But there is no way I could put that kind of time in.

 

So my advice is keep working towards healthy.

 

kelly

 

 

I definitely don't expect or even necessarily want to have perfectly ripped abs like you see in the magazines. But I've made a lot of progress in the past month, and I just want to continue to firm up that area as much as possible before my cruise so that I'll have the confidence to wear a bikini! I just want to make sure that I'm making the best use of the time I have left by doing the most effective moves that I can.

 

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! :)

[Gathina]

I use a weighted 10 lb ball when I do the crunches.

 

I wouldn't ignore the obliques..they can help "define" the rest of your ab area and can make every other ab area look better too.