ab excersize?

[lil-sk8r-chick5]

Hey Everyone,
i am a skater with really week abs, like i have a 2 pack HAHA but im not stong in the air.... does any one know any ab exersizes?, like i know some (the basics). i heard that bouncing on a excersize ball helps.... but i have been doing that all afternoon, and i cant feel anything... if you know anything, that would help alot! thanks!
lil-sk8r-chick5!

[jenlyon60]

If you want to use the exercise ball, the best abs exercise is to sit on the ball. Then walk out with your feet while the ball rolls up from your backside to your mid to lower back and your upper body is partially leaning back.

Put your hands behind your head and WITHOUT jerking on your neck, crunch your abs and bring your upper body partially upright... about a 15-20 degree raise.

Do about 20-25 per set.

If this is too easy, find a wall where you have several feet of space in front of it. Sit on the ball a couple feet in front of the wall and walk down the ball like before, but put your feet against the wall (legs will be well bent at the knees). The ball will be against your mid to upper back. Put your hands behind your head OR across your chest on your shoulders and crunch up.

Or...without the ball...

Lay on the floor with your knees bend and feet on the floor. Hands behind your head or across your chest. Crunch up (do NOT raise fully up to a sitting position). Hold for 2-3 slow counts. Relax back to the floor. Repeat.

[jmp123]

I'm working on the same thing! (though not as hard and as often as I should)

Here's a link to some physioball exercises with pictures:

http://www.sk8stuff.com/m_partner.asp

Pilates is also supposed to be good for your 'core' muscles - there are lots of videos and dvds available - you may be able to get them at the library. Have you asked your coach for suggestions?

[sk8er1964]

Here's a couple that my trainer at the gym gave me that don't require a ball.

Planks: Get into the push up position, with your back totally straight. Hold it as long as you can, for two repetitions. You will literally start to shake. At first I couldn't hold it for more than 10 seconds, but now I'm up to 40 seconds each (I'm quite a bit older than you, I'm sure, so you can probably do it for a longer time).

For the second exercise, lay on your back with your knees up. Lift your pelvis and hold it up as long as possible. Do this for five repetitions. You can start at around 20 seconds each. This helps your back and abs.

[TashaKat]

I second Pilates but wouldn't advise trying to learn it from a book or video. The exercises are so subtle that you really need a teacher to show you how to do it properly. The first time that I did it I was like 'what the heck are we doing here' because it seemed so easy ...... until the next morning when I realised that I DID have tummy muscles in there! This was when I was very fit too, I was dancing pretty much every day at least two hours a day!

[Mrs Redboots]

I use one of those machines that consists of a wheel with a handle sticking out either side that you roll along the carpet, and then it comes back of its own accord. It is pretty fierce, especially if you really push forward so that you are practically lying on the carpet (which I don't, there isn't room even if I were strong enough, but I do push a lot further than before), but it works! Mind you, I'd be a lot more motivated to use it if it swept the carpet when it was at it! I wonder what pushing my little carpet-sweeper along like that would be like.....

My old aunt said that when she was at school, they were required to strengthen their tummy muscles by lying flat, pulling in as hard as they could, holding, and releasing, repeated endless times. Also when standing. This is as good as any - always practice pulling in before you push off when skating.

[TashaKat]

It depends how much spare $ you've got but 'Gyrotonics' is supposed to be good.

You can see it at:

http://www.gyrotonics.com or http://www.gryotonics.co.uk

I'd love to give it a go but, unfortunately, there isn't a studio near to me :(

[roza]

If you're looking for some tips on basic core stability and strength, these two articles are really good:

http://www.jonatmat.zen.co.uk/jonatmat/Nutrition/BackInjuryBasics.htm

http://www.jonatmat.zen.co.uk/jonatmat/Nutrition/BackInjury.htm

Although they are hosted on a gymnastics web site, they were written as non sport-specific articles and thus provide a good base for any athlete, no matter what your sport. Don't be put off by the "injury" connotations; remeber that prevention is always better than cure

Of course, it is always advisable to seek out skating-specific advice too, as every sport places its own unique requirements on the muscular system.

[Carleenp]

I second Pilates but wouldn't advise trying to learn it from a book or video. The exercises are so subtle that you really need a teacher to show you how to do it properly. The first time that I did it I was like 'what the heck are we doing here' because it seemed so easy ...... until the next morning when I realised that I DID have tummy muscles in there! This was when I was very fit too, I was dancing pretty much every day at least two hours a day!


I was amazed at how well pilates worked the abs. Plus Pilates provides some nice stretching and leg work. I agree that it is best to learn from an instructor. I first tried from a book and was doing the exersizes wrong. If the spine is not in the correct position etc, the exercizes won't work or you can get injured. I have found a book and video helpful now though after having taken some classes with an instructor.

[jmp123]

Here's a couple that my trainer at the gym gave me that don't require a ball.

Planks: Get into the push up position, with your back totally straight. Hold it as long as you can, for two repetitions. You will literally start to shake. At first I couldn't hold it for more than 10 seconds, but now I'm up to 40 seconds each (I'm quite a bit older than you, I'm sure, so you can probably do it for a longer time).

For the second exercise, lay on your back with your knees up. Lift your pelvis and hold it up as long as possible. Do this for five repetitions. You can start at around 20 seconds each. This helps your back and abs.

These sound great - the 'planks' exercise sounds like one that's on the ISU video - it looks like a push-up position, but your whole forearm (hand to elbow) is down on the ground. Is this how you do it? Or do you use hands only like a push-up? Arms straight or bent?

[jenlyon60]

It can be done either way. But doing the plank in full "push-up" position can stress the shoulders. Plus it's easier to have poor alignment using "full push-up" position, in my experience, compared to using the forearms.

[sk8er1964]

I'm doing it in the full push up position, but maybe I'm doing it wrong. I had a lot to digest the day she ran through stuff with me (i've been going to the gym just over a month). I'll ask the next time I see her.

[roza]

The "plank" exercise is described in the links I posted, and at least in that version is states that you should flex the arms so that your weight is resting on your forearms. As well as alleviating stress on the shoulders, this also eliminates the stress on the wrists.

Be sure to repeat the exercise on your back and sides as well; it's not only the abs that need to be worked but the ellitic and back muscles as well in order to achieve good core stability. By not working the back and stomach muscles your posture could suffer and in a very serious case of unbalanced muscular development you could develop a chronic injury.