Stomach Muscles

[ice_skater17]

I am working on double salchow and axel and i a, a;wyas told to squeeze my stomach muscles becuase i always land bent over. I was wondering if working on my core strenghth would help this.

If it would what are some exercises to make my stomach stronger, without getting bulky.

thanks

[techskater]

Take a Pilates class. It will teach you to breathe correctly and engage your core muscles properly.

[VegasGirl]

What do you mean by getting bulky?

I find the best way to tone your stomach is still good ole crunches... I do 150 of them (alternating ways) a minimum of 3 times a week. That gives me pretty strong stomach muscles but I'm nt bulky by any means.

[jenlyon60]

Other good core abs exercises are to do a curl-up/crunch and hold for 10-20 seconds in the crunched position, then relax and rest for 5 seconds. Repeat. As you do the crunch, make sure your lower back is pressed against the floor and squeeze your bum. Note: You should be starting with knees bent at about a 90 degree angle.

For a more advanced version, as you curl up, extend one leg up in the air.

Yet more advanced, as you curl up, lift your bum/lower back without arching the lower back.

If you have access to a big exercise ball (Swiss ball), walk-outs are good. Lay on the ball and walk out with your hands until your shins are the only thing on the ball. Back should be straight (no sagging nor should the bum be in the air) and arms should be straight. Contract abs and squeeze the bum, and hold for 30 seconds. Walk back in, rest for 5-10 seconds, repeat.

And if all else fails, old-fashioned push-ups, done correctly are great core work (not just for chest muscles but the whole core).

[Perry]

Regular crunches, done the way most people do them, don't work on your core muscles -- they work on the the superficial ones which really won't help your jumps. You need to tighten your stomach in a very specific way before doing the crunch -- feel like your bellybutton is pressing toward the ground, but you should still be able to breathe normally. The crunches should be about 10X more difficult this way, and if you're doing it right, you'll see core strength improvement fairly quickly.

[crayonskater]

Crunches on an incline boards are slimming and require more stabilizing than crunches on the floor. I'd also second the swissball recommendation.

[CFP]

i 'devised' this for climbing, but try it and see how fast it wears you out:lol:
----lay face down on the floor
--press up into a push-up. [ plank ] hands directly below shoulders--not out in front,, or off to the side.
your butt should be about even height with your shoulders... be on your toes, legs close together.
----- WITHOUT your butt rising UP,,[ very much ] bring one leg up and to the outside of your hands. your knee should be next to your elbow. don't 'drop' at this point,, hold for two,, then set your foot back.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK...:P

[doubletoe]

Here's a website that shows you how to do exercises for your upper abdominal muscles (usually raising your upper body off the floor like doing sit-ups) and your lower abdominal muscles (usually raising your legs up). Both are equally important. This is a bodybuilding website but the exercises are the same as you would get in any exercise class.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker28.htm

Also, I agree that anything like push-ups is good for core strength (stomach and back muscles) because you need to keep your body straight as a board in order to do them correctly. Just make sure you do them correctly, and don't let your back curve or let your stomach stick out.

[cutiesk8r43]

i would reccomend sit ups

[VegasGirl]

You need to tighten your stomach in a very specific way before doing the crunch -- feel like your bellybutton is pressing toward the ground, but you should still be able to breathe normally. The crunches should be about 10X more difficult this way, and if you're doing it right, you'll see core strength improvement fairly quickly.

That's how crunches should be done any way... whether it's for core training or just toning... because the stomach muscle is one of those sneaky little buggers that can actually form out as well! So if you're not "sucking" in the belly button you're running the risk of training on a poch!