Flat belly (part III)
Posted by Jeanne Schmit on Thu, Aug 06, 2009 @ 12:50 PM
Add the Breath
Now that you're doing crunches with your belly pulled in and pelvic floor engaged (part I and II of Flat Belly), let's add the breath to maximize your results.
1. Get into your crunch position on the floor. Start with your head down, hand on belly.
2. Inhale, then as you exhale, Kegel, "zip up", THEN peel your head off the floor.
3. Slowly lower down to the floor and repeat.
Your exhale helps you PUSH the air out of your body with your deep lower belly muscles. Getting that air out will help you get an even deeper ab connection.
Once you've mastered this, try lowering down only one inch, inhale without expanding your belly, exhale and zip up deeper and peel up. Take it slow and move with your breath.
The key is to NEVER allow your belly to push outwards.
I routinely check technique when I teach classes and find that about 40-50% of the people in the class believe they are pulling inward when they are not. When I inform them that no, they are pushing out, they are often shocked. After coaching them to draw inwards, they do it and their eyes pop open wide with surprise and they gasp.
It's an intense feeling and makes the exercise 10 times more difficult. You'll find you won't be able to lift up as high and you'll stay very very focused with each rep. Once you lose focus, the belly pops out.