[notcoolenough]

I would like to flatten out/tone up my tummy without spending money on a gym or gym equipment. What are some exercises I can do at home?

[XOXOlove]

Pilates. Try the youtube.com pilates excercises. They work. :)

[Eileen G]

Cardio, clean diet and squats. Bodybuilders have a saying "Abs are built in the kitchen, not the gym". Everyone has a six pack, you just have to shift the fat so you can see yours.

Cardio is essential for burning significant amounts of fat. Work hard, expect to puff and sweat. The fat burning zone is a myth.

Experiments have found that heavy squats work your stomach muscles as much as most stomach exercises, as well as working lots of other muscles.

I personally think wood choppers are great for your whole ab area.

[kp2171]

Pilates is the devils work.

Seriously.

Id rather move iron for hours than do pilates. Just when you think you have a move down there are six more ways to modify a move to kick your arse from here to shanghai. Change your form. Add a couple of 2lb weights in your hand. Sounds simple enough.

It is the DEVILS work.

no... it might not be the most "manly" thing to do. I don't know. Any exercise developed by a prisoner of war doesn't seem too much "below" me.

The thing is this... you can do 100 crunches and get nowhere. Its overkill. You need to focus on form, breathing, and proper muscle engagement. As much as pilates dvds sometimes bore me to death, they work. Period.

Its all about proper muscle engagement and good form... the same thing that bodybuilders focus on... getting the most out of the workout done.

Id suggest Stott pilates, ab workout... but you can also go to any public library and see if they have free rental dvds.

I focus a lot of time on my core... abs, back, hips... and I've got to insist that pilates is one of the best workouts you can do if you follow good form, and are willing to do it 2-4 times a week.

Once you learn intermediate pilates, you can workout anywhere, anytime, with little to no equipment.

Wife's been doing it for years. I use it to supplement my workout. I must admit, the only reason I don't do it more is its tough stuff and it kicks my arse.

[Eileen G]

pilates is the devils work.

the thing is this... you can do 100 crunches and get nowhere. its overkill. you need to focus on form, breathing, and proper muscle engagement. as much as pilates dvds sometimes bore me to death, they work. period.

You obviously didn't have class with my pilates teacher. Long blond hair, big boobs, tiny waist, tiny hips. The living embodiment of a Barbie doll. I could never understand why the class wasn't packed out with men.

[kp2171]

You obviously didn't have class with my pilates teacher. Long blond hair, big boobs, tiny waist, tiny hips. The living embodiment of a Barbie doll. I could never understand why the class wasn't packed out with men.

Smiles.

Oh... I've seen plenty of great looking pilates instructors. They're the ones with incredible cores. Strong, flat abs, tight back, great rear and hips.

I don't object one moment to what they look like physically... its what they make you do physically... that's the devils work. Awful, ugly, terrible things that should be banned. Geneva convention type stuff.

The "bored" comment... well, that's probably half a cop out, based on one dvd we have that kind of bores me as it goes through many more positions than I like... when you work with a personal trainer in pilates, you are not bored, and you NEVER would say you were.

That would anger them. They are not to be angered.

Yes, I'm scared of the 5ft 2in woman with the ponytail whom I could bench press as a 15 year old. She can make you hurt big time.