There is nothing less appealing than having your belly hang over your belt. Hence there is nothing more appealing then having a flat stomach. Especially as you age. Fair or not, it is the physical characteristic that immediately indicates your life style and it's no surprise that it's #1 on every body's hit list. So how do middle aged folks get the "washboard" look?
As with younger people it boils down to nutrition and ab work. What's different is the TYPE of ab work. Nutrition is the easier understood but harder to do aspect. Simply stated, stay away from high carb foods as much as possible (especially after 4:00 pm), keep sugar intake as low as possible (all the time), and minimize your alcohol intake (which is comprised of 100% sugars and carbs). The sugar and carbs, especially in large concentrated amounts, tells your body to store the excess for a rainy day. For most people in general and older people in particular, that will be in the mid-section. Bye-bye washboard. As has been said a million times by everybody, abs won't show through a layer of fat.
If you want to do sit ups, crunches, leg raises, Swiss ball crunches, use a roman chair or any other ab work you can. But what do all these have in common? What areas do all these miss, that middle aged people in particular need? Answers: Contracting or tightening the abdominal muscles and "love handle" work. One basic exercise, done in a variety of ways will handle both requirements. The plank. It's better for older people because it takes all stress off the spine and neck, and provides continuous contraction of the entire core area.
My Ab Routine:
1) Assume the basic push up position, keeping a very flat back. Alternately raise each leg off the floor ONE inch and hold for 10 seconds, without allowing any other movement and keeping perfect form. Do at least 8 reps/leg. Your entire core section is contracted during every second of this movement (which is 2 ½ minutes long for 8 reps).
2) Repeat above except this time after you raise your leg ONE inch, during the 10 seconds it's elevated, swing the leg out (toe pointing down) like your trying to touch the wall next to you. Keep the leg straight (no knee bending) and always ONE inch off the floor.
3) Side planks. You look like a cross on its side. Start with the arm towards the floor bent so your on your elbow. Your legs are stacked. Try and raise your hip upwards 3-4 inches, hold for 2-3 seconds and repeat. Do 8 reps. Change arms and do the other side.
4) Side plank, this time arm to the floor is straight, keeping your hand directly below your shoulder. Keep you body as straight as possible (like a cross on its side) and raise your top leg as high as possible. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then lower it. Do 8 reps do the other side.
That's it. In 15 minutes of work your entire mid-section will have been continuously contracted, which is all you need to develop your abdominal muscles at middle age.
Steve R. Robbins has been a life long fitness enthusiast. Has the distinction of being able to run a marathon and bench press twice his weight in the same day. All at the age of 50. Regular contributor to [http://www.MuscleandHealth.org]
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