I want to get rid of my lower belly pooch.

Question: I want to get rid of my lower belly pooch. How do I work the lower abs?



Answer: Many people still think their abs are divided into lower and upper sections. This isn't true. Your rectus abdominis is actually one long muscle that travels from your lower chest to your pelvis so any exercise you do works the entire muscle.
That isn't to say that reverse crunches (or other exercises that target the 'lower' abs) are useless. It's a good idea to do a variety of exercises, but don't expect to do 'lower' ab exercises to get rid of a lower belly pooch. Remember--the only way to do that is to reduce your body fat.


Question: I've been exercising and dieting, but my belly is still flabby. What gives?

Answer: The media leads us to believe that Hollywood has found the secret to lean, flat abs. What you may not know is that for many people, it's not physiologically possible to achieve a completely flat belly. Maybe the genetically gifted folks in Hollywood can do it, but the rest of us probably can't without an uphill battle.
The factors that dictate how our bodies look are often out of our control: age, genetics, and gender are just some of the factors that decide where we store and lose fat.
Yes, you can exercise and reduce your body fat, but you many never have a flat belly. Take a look at your parents and relatives. Does your mother have a flat belly? Does your father? Did they ever? If not, chances are, you'll have a difficult time getting flat abs too.
For many of us, getting a flat belly would mean reducing body fat to levels difficult to sustain without struggling. If this is true for you (as it is for many of us), now is a good time to set new reachable goals instead of worrying about one little imperfection (an imperfection that most of us have!).Instead of flat abs, why not focus on getting stronger or faster? Set a goal for trying something you've always wanted to do but never got around to. Breaking your body into imperfect parts will only leave you frustrated while focusing on the whole--what your body does for you each day--can help remind you how amazing your body really is. If it didn't work right, you probably wouldn't care as much whether your abs were flat.
For some great guidance on flat abs, check out my review of Shawn Phillips' book, "ABSolution."




Question: How often should I work my abs?

Answer: Your abs are no different than the rest of your muscles. You wouldn't work your shoulders every day and, similarly, you shouldn't work your abs every day either. Your body needs recovery time In order to grow stronger and change.
Work your abs 2-3 non-consecutive days a week, taking care to target all your ab muscles:
· Rectus abdominis - ball crunches are just one way to target this muscle
· Transverse abdominis - the plank is a great way to strengthen your TVA
· Internal and external obliques - the bicycle works all your ab muscles!
For more, see my Abs & Back workout or a sample ab routine. Another important note: whenever you work your abs, make sure you work your lower back too.
How many sets/reps of ab exercises should I do?
As mentioned above, your ab muscles are just like other muscles in your body. That means you want to do between 10-16 reps of each exercise for 2-3 sets. If you've been doing abs for a while and find that you're not fatigued at the end of each set:
· Check Your Form. Don't use momentum or other body parts (like your neck or your hip flexors) to help you.
· Slow down. The slower you go, the more your muscles will work.
· Challenge yourself with different exercises.
· Try dynamic activities such as Pilates to target your abdominals in a whole new way.

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