PMA PERSONAL TRAINING

Tips from a professional Personal Trainer

WHY DON'T SIT UPS LOSE THE BELLY?

Have you ever performed endless sit ups and crunches in an attempt to gain a flatter tummy and yet you still seem to have the same size waist and love handles?

If so then you are not alone. Many others have encountered the same frustration that you have, and like them, have wondered where all the hard work went. Let us explain!

When ever you perform an abdominal crunch or sit up, you are working the rectus abdominis muscles - the 'six pack'. Actually it is rather an 'eight pack' and they act as key postural muscles. It makes sense to have strong abdominal muscles to prevent postural imbalances.

However you cannot lose fat from a specific area of your body by performing a certain exercise; in other words you cannot 'spot reduce'. As you lose body fat, the fat will go from where it wants to and the areas are typically from where your bodies' natural fat cells are stored. Annoyingly this never seems to be from where you want it - sound familiar? Generally men have more fat cells in the intra abdominal area (the belly) and woman around the hips, thighs and bottom.

Therefore the most effective way to lose your tummy is to reduce your over all body fat by using a system of sensible eating combined with regular training.

PMA Personal Training can help you to make this regular training much more fun and take the guess work out of healthy eating.