exercise equipment

Your abdomen (or ‘abs’) is important to you. It is a big muscle that contains your stomach
liver and intestines
your kidneys and bladder
and your reproductive organs
and helps to protect them all. Keeping it in good shape can help you to look toned (it’s a good way to get a six-pack
in other words)
and also to feel better in yourself.

Luckily
ab exercises are easy to do. The most popular is probably the ab crunch
which is when you lie flat on the floor
bend your legs and then touch your knees with your elbows. You can also try the simpler sit-up
which is the same thing
only putting your head between your knees each time instead. Which one you find easier will depend on your body – but it’s probably better for you if you practice whichever one you find the most difficult! This way you will tone-up your less-used muscles instead of focusing on ones that are already just fine.

You can also get various machines and gadgets that will help you in your ab exercises – the number is increasing every day
in fact. Some of these are good
while others are just expensive rubbish. As a rule
don’t buy anything that you haven’t tried out for yourself – which means that you can’t get that special deal from the shopping channel
unfortunately. Go to a shop and insist that you need to try out a few different ones before you make your decision
and if they refuse
just leave.

One last thing: it is important to realise that ab exercises are no good at all for losing weight. What you are doing is building muscle
not so much burning fat – although some fat is burned
the effect is negligible
and ab exercises certainly have no special effect on an overweight stomach.