I'm trying to trim up a little, and have been using a York fitness bench with pulleys and slidy wheels and things. However, it's poor when it comes to flattening the ole tummy.

So, has anyone used these electric type ab machines with the paddy things? Are they worth investing in? If so, which model have you used?

Don't bother. THat's used to a specific part of a muscle especially to treat injury. Good old crunches are the best to tone the muscle, once you've done some kind of aerobic work to get the extra weight off. Make sure you're back is pressed flat into the floor, adn just crunch up your shoulders. The slower you go, the more resistance in the muscle. Then try to hold the crunch 'up' and try again with your legs raised off the floor.

Don't waste your cash on false promise things - there's no easy way to exercise, you have to just do it! Good luck!

and you can crunch using weights in order to tone it quicker (BE CAREFUL THOUGH)

I found doing sit ups far more effective than all these silly gadgets and gizmos.

I started out with ten per evening (I was VERY unfit) just watching the TV. After about a month I was easily able to do 200 per session, completely lost the beer gut and felt so much better for it.

Thanks, all. The trouble is, I'm very short of space at the moment. My new exercise bench takes up what little space I had in the first place. I realise sit-ups and crunches are the most effective way of getting my six-pack back, but I was rather hoping to exercise my gut whilst laying in bed :hihi: - No-one used a belly throb machine, then?

I started out with ten per evening (I was VERY unfit)
- ten? TEN? I'm setting my first day target at three. One sit-up, one can of Carling, one sit-up, one can of Carling, one sit-up, one can of Carling, bed. Best to take it easy at first, eh?

I used one for weeks.....Did Jack S**t :?
Good old fashioned crunches are the way to go! (not that i'm doing any at the minute though) :wink:

Hmm, not quite the news I wanted to hear. I'm going to have to start crunching on the toilet floor. Nice.

Just get a piece of plywood or hardwood (whatever is solid, not pliable) from your hardware store, throw it on the bed , lie on it and start your crunches. You can keep your head on the mattress, so you don't bonk it on the wood on the return trip down. Then when you have finished your 200 or so, just throw the wood under the bed. There's nothing worse than that lemony whiff of toilet cleaner (or worse) every time you gasp for air.

Cheers, Vivo. I do have a stonkingly large board that I could do that with. Not a bad idea at all..

another good way is if you can find an object thats wide enough for you to have each arm up, then lift your body up using your arms, and pull your knees up to your chest (or as close as you can go), kinda hard to describe without piccys.

some more excercises

http://www.preventdisease.com/fitness/Strength_Exercises_abdominals.html

Joel

No exercises will help you 'flatten your tummy'. Doing exercises will build muscle - to flatten things you need to loose bodyfat and that can only be done by attacking the total body fat (unless your gonna go in for liposuction!)

Not sure about that, Evil Dr. Neil. I've exercised my tum before to dramatic effect via sit-ups and crunches. When I was fit in my 20's I didn't have an ounce of fat on me, but had a tendancy to develop a tum when I neglected to work on my abs.

Originally posted by Ant
Not sure about that, Evil Dr. Neil. I've exercised my tum before to dramatic effect via sit-ups and crunches. When I was fit in my 20's I didn't have an ounce of fat on me, but had a tendancy to develop a tum when I neglected to work on my abs.

You can get a change in appearance if you have VERY weak abs as your posture becomes better however 'spot reduction' is an impossibility

or try less typing and more exercise lol

Weak abs is must be, then. Such is life.

Strong pinkies though, eh, Sheffcpl? All the better to poke you in the eye with. :hihi:

This is the sort of person you want to get fit with get fit (http://www.dumpalink.com/media/1119271847) :heyhey: