Time To Plank Your Abs

Most women avoid taking up bodybuilding for they don't want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Women Fitness brings you all the information on how by observing the habits, training, and eating pattern of a bodybuilder you can work wonders for yourself and jump-start your weight loss program. The key to any successful diet and exercise program is to burn off the fat while maintaining muscle and density-mass, which is a constant challenge for bodybuilders on diets.


Time to Plank Up your Abs

Performing solo crunches for building abs is like doing bench press, with no back or shoulder work. You stand a major chance of losing out on some fundamental strength gains, leading to an imbalanced and underdeveloped physique.


How to do Plank?

To start, come onto your hands and knees in table position. Make sure your arms are right under your shoulders and your fingers are pointing straight ahead. Now, walk your feet backwards in the formation, plank (high push up position). Make sure your  torso, hips and legs all in one line. Don’t let your hips drop or lift too high. Press your hands into the floor and lift up into your shoulders. Draw in your bellybutton towards your spine and stretch through your heels. Work up to holding for a slow count of 10. This exercise is good for your arms and upper body as well as your abs!

Master the basic front plank before moving on to more advanced variations, because it teaches the foundational cues that make all planking movements effective. Done consistently and correctly, it will confer strength benefits that improve your big lifts and general athleticism. On the other hand, poor formation can end up aggravating low back problems.


Note: If your upper body is challenged in this exercise, you can make it easier by coming onto your knees until you build the strength to perform it with your legs extended off the ground. Do not to shrug the shoulders toward your ears. If you do it right, your body should form a straight line from your head to your ankles.

Plank with a Variation

Plank with one leg off the ground
Start by coming onto your hands and knees in table position. Make sure your arms are right under your shoulders and your fingers are pointing straight ahead. Now walk your feet backwards into plank (high push up position). You want your torso, hips and legs all in one line- don’t let your hips drop or lift too high. Press your hands into the floor and lift up into your shoulders. Take your bellybutton towards your spine and stretch through your heels. Now lift your right leg off the ground so it is parallel to the floor. Hold for a slow count of 5 and then release your right foot to the floor. Repeat the exercise on your left side.

Body Saw
For the body saw, set up in a plank position but place your feet on a stability ball or in a suspension trainer. If you don't have those, you could try furniture sliding pads, or even just a pair of paper plates. Once you're in position, slowly begin moving your body forward and backward using your forearms. The movement will become much more difficult the farther your elbows are from the center of your body.

Plank with one leg

Start by coming onto your hands and knees in table position. Make sure your arms are right under your shoulders and your fingers are pointing straight ahead. Now walk your feet backwards into plank (high push up position). You want your torso, hips and legs all in one line- don’t let your hips drop or lift too high. Press your hands into the floor and lift up into your shoulders. Take your bellybutton towards your spine and stretch through your heels. Now extend your right leg directly out in front of you. Keep your hips level. Hold for a slow count of 5 and then release your right foot to the floor. Repeat the exercise on your left side.




Flying Plank
Start by coming onto your hands and knees in table position. Make sure your arms are right under your shoulders and your fingers are pointing straight ahead. Now walk your feet backwards into plank (high push up position). You want your torso, hips and legs all in one line- don’t let your hips drop or lift too high. Press your hands into the floor and lift up into your shoulders. Take your bellybutton towards your spine and stretch through your heels. Now lift your right leg off the ground so it is parallel to the floor and at the same time extend your left arm directly out in front of you. Keep your hips level. Hold for a slow count of 5 and then release your right foot to the floor and left hand to the floor. Repeat the exercise on you’re the other side with your left leg and right arm.


Side Plank Flip
From a plank position. Shift onto the outside edge of your left foot, and stack your right foot on top of the left. Now swing your right hand onto your right hip, turn your torso to the right as you do, and support the weight of your body on the outer left foot and left hand. Make sure that the supporting hand isn't directly below its shoulder; position the hand slightly in front of its shoulder, so the supporting arm is angled a bit relative to the floor. Straighten the arm by firming the triceps muscle, and press the base of the index finger firmly against the floor. Firm the scapulas and sacrum against the back torso. Strengthen the thighs, and press through the heels toward the floor. Align your entire body into one long diagonal line from the heels to the crown. If you'd like you can stretch the top arm toward the ceiling, parallel to the line of the shoulders. Keep the head in a neutral position, or turn it to gaze up at the top hand. Stay in this position for 15 to 30 seconds. Come down and relax.

These plank exercises allow for a greater ab-challenge, and can be done at home with a stability ball, foam roller and dumbbells.

10 ways to look great while working out

While none of us expect to look like a supermodel while we’re pounding away on the treadmill, looking good while working out can help to boost your confidence, which can in turn help you to work harder and get better results.


Flatter your figure
While fashions come and go, the important thing when choosing clothes to work out in is to go for something you feel completely comfortable in. If you’re not 100 per cent sure when you try it on then don’t buy it – it’s unlikely to grow on you. Also, just as you would when planning an outfit for any other event, go for clothes that flatter your body shape, aren't too tight or too baggy and which show off the parts of your body you’re proud of.

Opt for breathable materials
Sweat patches aren't the best accessory for any outfit, but luckily they are easily avoidable. As well as using an antiperspirant before your workout, make sure you avoid wearing cotton if you are heading out for a run or intense workout, as the material will absorb heat and moisture and cling to your skin. Instead, go for clothes made from lightweight, breathable materials such as polyester, nylon and spandex.


Go for natural makeup
While many ladies think bare-faced is the best way to go when working out, some of us need a bit of extra confidence to spur us on. For a flawless yet fresh-faced complexion, opt for a light base of tinted moisturiser or mineral foundation. Mineral makeup is particularly good for those with oily or acne-prone skins as it will help to reduce shine and provide coverage without blocking pores. Pair this with waterproof mascara and some tinted lip balm for a natural look.


Wear a well fitted sports bra
Not only can wearing the wrong bra size (or one not specifically created for exercise) lead to health problems including back, neck and breast pain and poor posture, it can also affect the appearance of your breasts, both short and long term. Make sure you get measured and choose a supportive bra to ensure you are getting the support you need.


Create your perfect silhouette
If you’re feeling self-conscious about your lumps and bumps, consider investing in some shape-wear which can help smooth and conceal problem areas. As well as tummy-control trousers and leggings for running or exercise classes, you can purchase swimming costumes with tummy control features or padding at the bust to help you create the look you want and feel confident for your workout.


Go for color
No matter how much you love exercise, we all have days when we just can’t get ourselves motivated or in the right frame of mind. For those days when you’re feeling lacking in energy or enthusiasm, why not invest in some vibrant workout gear to help brighten up your workout? Pair a colorful top with some slimming black trousers or shorts for the perfect fun workout look.


Opt for an updo
Girls, no matter how much you love wearing your hair down, trust us, at the end of an energetic workout or run, you are not going to love this look quite so much. To keep your hair neat, groomed and out of your face while you are working out, go for an updo such as a high ponytail, ponytail braid or bun. To make sure it is completely out of the way (and to prevent it from getting sweaty) you could complete the look with a cotton hair band..


Blot away shine
There’s nothing like an oily, sweaty complexion for spoiling your look while working out, but luckily these problems are easily fixable. To blot away shine and cool down while you are at the gym, take a bottle of water and towel and try blotting your face with the dampened towel during your workout. Alternatively, try a sports sponge, such as those by Ramer or Konjac. These absorbent and cleansing sponges can be kept moist in their containers for a refreshing wipe as you exercise.


Accessorize
OK, so you’re probably not going to want to wear your best pair of dangly earrings or necklace down to the gym (and we would definitely advise against it if you do); however, accessorizing your workout gear with some unique (and useful) accessories such as a decorative water bottle, a nice sports watch or a colorful kit bag is a great way to add some personality and fun to your workout look.


Tone down redness
Together with a sweaty and oily complexion, sporting the red-faced look is one of the biggest beauty problems when working out. Fed up of resembling a tomato? There are plenty of things you can do to tone down this look. Wearing some light mineral face powder can help to even out your complexion. Also, try to drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Investing in a water spray, like Avene Thermal Spring Water spray, can also help you to stay looking cool and refreshed.

Women Body Builders

Much of the public include the misconception to all female bodybuilders are muscle bound, steroid popping Amazons, who look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

There are certainly a small handful of women who will fit into this sort and they compete in the elite championships such as the Ms Olympia, however the vast majority of women who are involved in bodybuilding are using it purely on behalf of complementary the body and on behalf of fitness.

Female bodybuilding is an admirable sport on behalf of immature women to strengthen their muscles, burn fat, and feeling of excitement their overall fitness levels so they can compete next to a top level in other sports.

By lifting weights women can essentially lose body fat, as the muscle they are building needs energy, and this is derived from using the energy to is stored in their body fat.

The be an average of female bodybuilder is implausible to build gargantuan muscles exclusive of the aid of special supplements or steroids.

This is due to the piece of information to women include a low level of testosterone in their body and it is testosterone to is required to build the muscle to men can so readily improvement.

Along with improved muscle tone, importance lifting besides aids in the strength of the empathy and the bones. This is particularly foremost for the reason that many women suffer from deterioration of their bones in afterward years.

Specific exercises on behalf of abdominal development will besides help with the strength and support of the back and this can be very beneficial on behalf of women who are taking into consideration having a baby.

Having the status of you can foresee, present are many atypical areas everyplace women can benefit from bodybuilding, and specifically importance training, exclusive of the relate to of looking like an Amazon next to the point of their training.

Most certified sports these days include importance lifting as part of their training routine and this besides applies to female sports.

A female bodybuilder will include a top level of fitness and a let down level of bodyfat than the be an average of women.