FitSugar

Why Does My Body Shake?

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 08:45:00 -0800

Sometimes during certain exercises, my muscles quiver involuntarily, especially when I'm doing ab work. Does this happen to you?

Good news: That shaking means you're working and strengthening your muscles. But it's also a sign that the muscle is not accustomed to the demands you're putting on it.

The trembling indicates how the muscles grab and release one other as they lengthen and shorten during the exercise. But that action will become smoother, and the shaking will stop, once the muscles become more used to the activities you're doing.

Although the shaking isn't dangerous, the fact that you're putting extra demand on the muscles could result in some soreness the next day. The soreness reflects the fact that there's some muscle damage, but when the body repairs it, you come back fitter and stronger in the end, so it's a good thing.

Just think - If you do the exercise everyday then you will get stronger and shake less. Test that theory by doing the 4 minute short, sweet and complete ab routine everyday.

Fit's Tips: So don't overexert yourself too much. If you find yourself quivering from the start, take the intensity down a bit, and ease your muscles into working harder gradually.

Home Fitness Test: Abdominal Strength

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 04:00:00 -0800

People tend to neglect their abs in the Winter. Maybe it has to do with bikini season being so far off, or the vast number of layers we tend to wear in the cold. Well, here is an abdominal strength test that I suggest you try. Hopefully, it will inspire some joyous abdominal work.

Crunch Test
Assesses: Abdominal Endurance
Duration: 60 seconds

Lie on your back on a soft surface (exercise mat or carpeted floor).
Bend both knees to right angles and flex your feet slightly, lifting your toes off the floor.
Place your hands on your thighs.
Start your stop watch now as you perform basic crunches by lifting your head and shoulders up and off the floor, so the bottom tip of the shoulder blade is just off the floor. Your hands will slide up your thighs to your knees. Lower head back to the floor.
Repeat as many times as possible in one minute!

To see what your results mean just read more

12 – 22 = average
23 – 30 = good
30 – 36 = very good
37 or more = excellent

Well, how did you do? Let me know in the comments section below.
Interested in more at home fitness tests? Then check out these assessments you can do in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

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Get on the Ball: Abdominal Twist

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:00:26 -0800

I love using an exercise ball to tone my middle. The Bicycle Crunch is a great move, but if you're looking for a new one to try, here's one called Abdominal Twist. It's similar but targets your lower abs and obliques. It's one of my favorites to do while watching TV.

To see how to do this move, read more.

Stand in front of an exercise ball. Hold the ball with one hand (so it doesn't roll away) and lie down. Bend your knees and straddle the ball with your legs. Extend your arms next to the sides of your body with your palms facing down. Lift your feet off the ground so your toes are pointing up toward the sky, and gently squeeze either side of the ball to keep it in place.
Before starting the exercise, draw your naval toward your spine to engage your abs. Then slowly rotate both knees to the right. Then come back to center, and rotate both knees to the left, and then come back to the center. This is one repetition.
Complete three sets of 15 to 20 reps.

Abdominal Bracing vs. Pulling Abs in Pilates Style

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:30:00 -0800

I need to talk a bit about the contradictory opinions about how to use your abs when doing an exercise that is not ab specific, like crunches. Some fitness trainers promote abdominal bracing to work your core and protect your back when doing things like lifting weights. Bracing is explained how you would hold your abs if you were "bracing" for a punch to your gut. Now as a Pilates instructor, there is no way I can sound impartial about this and I don’t like “bracing.” Here's why: In a worse case scenario it makes people push their abs out (not good for stabilizing the spine), as well as bear down on their pelvic floor (not good for your core), and at best it simply works the abs isometrically (doesn’t change their length) and does nothing to correct faulty posture.

I think it is much more beneficial and more supportive to work the abs by pulling the abs toward the spine in a kind of in and up fashion. This also helps to engage the pelvic floor, which believe it or not is part of the core. Often engaging the deep abs (aka the transverse abdominis or TVA) helps to correctly faulty posture and alignment as well as create a lift in the torso so essentially the torso is supporting itself decreasing the pressure on the joints in your lower body.

So you want to find your deep abs? Check out: The Skinny On: The Deep Abs.

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You Asked: How Do I Strengthen My Abs?

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:30:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering . . .

"Hi Fit,
I am frustrated with my abs. Although I am pretty active, eat well, run a lot and pretty toned and all, my abs are a mess! I have very weak abs and that is the only area where I am completely flabby and loose. Not only does the appearance bother me, but mostly because I want strong abs so that my back is strong too. My question is how do I improve the strength of my abs? I try all sorts of things, but thought if I had a little more guidance on how to strengthen them, I can be on my way to being healthier, stronger and having a tight stomach. If you could help I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!"
– Miss Frustrated

This is a great question and I know you are not alone in this quest, so to see my answer read more.

The abs seem to be a difficult area to tone and while "six pack" abs may be aesthetically pleasing they don't necessarily translate to a strong torso or healthy back. Since we cannot pick and choose the area of our bodies where fat is lost, the best bet for losing belly "flab" is cardio, for all over weight loss.

While you can't spot reduce, you can spot tone (this is important for preventing back problems) and when it comes to abdominals you need to work all four layers of abdominal muscles. Here's a quick run down on the layers going from outermost layer, you have the rectus which turns into the six pack, the external and internal obliques, and the transverse. And you are right you need strong abs to help your back, and here's the run down on what your ab muscles do and exercises for each layer, plus a bonus exercise for your back.

Rectus:
Controls the tilt of the pelvis and can affect the curvature of the lower spine, bends the torso forward
Exercises: Bicycle Crunches and Ball Crunches

Obliques:
Creates intra-abdominal pressure to stabilize the spine, side bending and twisting torso
Exercises: Twist Oblique Crunch and Ab Crossover

Transverse:
Flattens the belly, creates intra-abdominal pressure to stabilize the spine
Exercises: Elbow plank and Side elbow plank

Back Extensors
Stabilize the spine, as well as extend (arch), side bend and twist spine
Exercise: Superman and Flying with an exercise ball

To work your abs you need to do enough reps of an exercise, or variety of exercises, until your abs really burn and feel exhausted. Then repeat the set two more times. Just like strength training, you want to give your ab muscles time to recover, so work them at the most every other day. Your abs, especially your transverse, should engage before you move your arms or your legs to provide stability to the spine. So you should be working them all the time, so if you use the elliptical or stair stepper try not using your hands to force your abs to engage so your time on cardio machines will be doing double duty.

Wow . . . I had no idea I has so much to say about abs.

Source

How Often Should I Work My Abs?

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 08:45:17 -0800

A lot of people who are looking for a flat, tight midsection may have the tendency to work their abs every day, but that may not be the answer.

The problem with that is this: Your abs are not different from the other major muscles of the body which means you want to give them (like you would your other muscles) time to recuperate. Keeping that in mind, you really shouldn't work your abs (high intensity ab workout) more than three times per week, allowing at least 48 hours rest between training sessions.

Here is the good news: If you're involved in a regular strength training program, you may even want to think about training your abs even less because you're probably working your abs more than you think. The abdominals act as "stabilizer muscles", which means they help support the spine and maintain balance so they are indirectly involved in just about every exercise (even in the slightest way) that you perform. A lot of exercises (such as squats, overhead presses and swimming) require significant contributions from the abs so basically, your abs are being inadvertently worked every time you work out. In fact, many bodybuilders never really only work on their abs, however most body builders have some serious abs.

Fit's Tip: You may say, "but Fit you told me to do your 4 minute ab video everyday!" Yes I did, but that video is not high intensity (say at least 30 minutes of straight ab work), which is what I am talking about here.

What's the Deal With: Diastasis

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 03:00:00 -0700

It should come as no surprise that pregnancy can pull quite a number on a woman’s body. The weight gain, the hormonal changes, the carrying a nine pound bowling ball in your belly – these things all add up and can change a few things anatomically. One very common after effect of pregnancy is diastasis when the top layer of abdominals, the rectus abdominis, separate by pulling away from the center line of the body known as the linea alba.

While that may sound painful, the muscles slowly stretch and separate over the course of the nine months so there really is no pain involved. The pain actually may occur sometime later, in the form of back pain since the spine relies on strong abdominals for support.

Diastasis is fairly common and the muscles will come together on their own about 6 months after labor. Post pregnancy, it is considered healed/normal when only 2 fingers fit in the gap between the abs. Working the deep abdominals, primarily the transversus abdominis, TVA, is your best bet for strengthening your abs and reducing the gap. The TVA pulls all 4 layers of abdominal muscles toward the spine and in essence fills in the gap created by the diastasis. By working the deep abs you can decrease the gap!

To see how to test for the condition read more

Test for Diastasis

Begin by lying on your back with your feet on floor and your knees bent. Your feet should be about 12" from your bum.
Put one hand on your belly with your finger tips parallel to the line of your waist (this is how your will measure the gap). Put your other hand hand behind your head for support.
Using your arm, lift your head and shoulders off the floor keeping your abs completely relaxed. You are putting your body in a position on an "upper ab curl" or a "crunch."
Use your fingertips to feel for a gap between the left and right sides of your rectus abdominis (the six pack abs). Feel above and below your belly button.
Keeping fingers cross wise, insert your finger tips and see how many fingers fit.

Fit's Tip: Once your TVA is strong you can start strengthening your upper abs, but do splint them by crossing your arms, placing the heel of your hands close to the diastasis and squeezing the palms of your hands together. If you just squeeze your abs without crossing your arms you run the risk of pushing the abs up instead of together. So crossing the arms is key.

Source

Abdominal pain

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:05:42 -0700

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.

Alternative Names

Stomach pain; Pain - abdomen; Belly ache; Abdominal cramps

Considerations

There are many organs in the abdomen. Pain in the abdomen can originate from any one of them, including:

Organs related to digestion -- the end of the esophagus, the stomach, the small and large intestines, the liver, the gallbladder, and the pancreas.
The aorta -- a large blood vessel that runs straight down the inside of the abdomen
The appendix -- an organ in the lower right abdomen that no longer serves much function
The kidneys -- two bean shaped organs that lie deep within the abdominal cavity
The spleen -- an organ involved in blood maintenance and infection control

However, the pain may start from somewhere else -- like your chest or pelvic area. You may also have a generalized infection, such as the flu or strep throat, that affects many parts of your body.

The intensity of the pain does not always reflect the seriousness of the condition causing the pain. Severe abdominal pain can be from mild conditions, such as gas or the cramping of viral gastroenteritis. On the other hand, relatively mild pain or no pain may be present with life-threatening conditions, such as cancer of the colon or early appendicitis.

Common Causes

Many different conditions can cause abdominal pain. The key is to know when you must seek medical care right away. In many cases you can simply wait, use home care remedies, and call your doctor at a later time only if the symptoms persist.

Possible causes include:

Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix)
Bowel obstruction
Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) with or without gallstones
Chronic constipation
Dissecting abdominal aortic aneurysm
Diverticular disease, including diverticulitis
Easly-stage shingles (a viral infection where pain begins before the appearance of a rash)
Excessive gas
Food allergy
Food poisoning (salmonella, shigella)
Gastroesophageal reflux
Heartburn or indigestion
Hernia
Infectious mononucleosis
Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
Intussusception -- while uncommon, this is a serious possible cause of pain in an infant who may be bringing the knees to the chest and crying
Irritable bowel syndrome
Kidney stones
Lactose intolerance
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Parasitic infections (Giardia)
Sickle cell crisis
Spinal fracture
Ulcers
Urinary tract infections
Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)

When an inflamed organ (such as the appendix) in the abdomen ruptures or leaks fluid, you not only have excruciating pain, your abdomen will be very stiff and you likely will have a fever. This occurs as peritonitis (inflammation and infection of the lining of the abdominal cavity) develops and spreads from the site of the rupture. This is a medical emergency.

In infants, prolonged unexplained crying (often called "colic") may be caused by abdominal pain that may end with the passage of gas or stool. Colic is often worse in the evening. Cuddling and rocking the child may bring some relief.

Abdominal pain that occurs during menstruation may be from menstrual cramps or it may indicate a problem in a reproductive organ. This includes conditions such as endometriosis (when tissue from the uterus is displaced to somewhere else like the pelvic wall or ovaries), uterine fibroids (thick bands of muscular and fibrous tissue in the uterus), ovarian cysts, ovarian cancer (rare), or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) -- infection of the reproductive organs, usually from a sexually transmitted disease.

Abdominal pain may actually be caused by an organ in the chest, like the lungs (for example, pneumonia) or the heart (like a heart attack). Or, it may stem from a muscle strain in the abdominal muscles.

Cancers of the colon and other gastrointestinal areas are serious but uncommon causes of abdominal pain.

Other more unusual causes of abdominal pain include a type of emotional upset called somatization disorder, reflected as physical discomfort (including recurrent abdominal pain). Strep throat in children can cause abdominal pain.

Home Care

For mild pains:

Sip water or other clear fluids.
Avoid solid food for the first few hours. If you have been vomiting, wait 6 hours. Then eat small amounts of mild foods such as rice, applesauce or crackers.
If the pain is high up in your abdomen and occurs after meals, antacids may provide some relief, especially if you feel heartburn or indigestion. Avoid citrus, high-fat foods, fried or greasy foods, tomato products, caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages. You may also try H2 blockers (Tagamet, Pepcid, or Zantac) available over the counter. If any of these medicines worsen your pain, CALL your doctor right away.
AVOID aspirin, ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory medications, and narcotic pain medications unless your health care provider prescribes them. If you know that your pain is not related to your liver, you can try acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Call your health care provider if

Seek immediate medical help or call your local emergency number (such as 911) if you:

Are unable to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
Are vomiting blood or have blood in your stool (especially if maroon or dark, tarry black)
Have chest, neck, or shoulder pain
Have sudden, sharp abdominal pain
Have pain in your shoulder blades with nausea
Your belly is rigid, hard, and tender to touch

Call your doctor if you have:

Abdominal discomfort that lasts 1 week or longer
Bloating that persists for more than 2 days
Burning sensation when you urinate or frequent urination
Diarrhea for more than 5 days, or if your infant or child has diarrhea for more than 2 days or vomiting for more than 12 hours -- call right away if a baby younger than 3 months has diarrhea or vomiting
Fever (over 100°F for adults or 100.4°F for children) with your pain
Pain that develops during pregnancy (or possible pregnancy)
Prolonged poor appetite
Unexplained weight loss

What to expect at your health care provider's office

From your medical history and physical examination, your doctor will try to determine the cause of your abdominal pain. Knowing the location of pain and its time patten will help, as will the presence of other symptoms like fever, fatigue, general ill feeling, nausea, vomiting, or changes in stool.

During the physical examination, the doctor will test to see if the pain is localized to a single area (point tenderness) or whether it is diffuse. He or she will be checking to see if the pain is related to inflammation of the peritoneum (called peritonitis). If the health care provider finds evidence of peritonitis, the abdominal pain may be classified as an "acute abdomen", which may require surgery right away.

Your doctor may ask the following questions about your abdominal pain:

Is the pain all over (diffuse or generalized) or in a specific location?
What part of the abdomen is affected? Lower or upper? Right, left or middle? Around the navel?
Is the pain severe, sharp or cramping, persistent or constant, periodic and changing intensity over minutes?
Does the pain awaken you at night?
Have you had similar pain in past? How long has each episode lasted?
How often do you have the pain?
Does it occur within minutes following meals? Within 2 to 3 hours after meals?
Is it getting increasingly more severe?
Does it occur during menstruation (dysmenorrhea)?
Does the pain go into your back, middle of the back, below the right shoulder blade, or your groin, buttocks, or legs?
Does the pain get worse after lying on the back?
Does the pain get worse after eating or drinking? After greasy foods, milk products, or alcohol?
Does the pain get worse after stress? After straining efforts?
Does the pain get better after eating or a bowel movement?
Does the pain get better after milk or antacids?
What medications are you taking?
Have you had a recent injury?
Are you pregnant?
What other symptoms are occurring at the same time?

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

Barium enema
Upper GI and small bowel series
Blood, urine, and stool tests
Endoscopy of upper GI (gastrointestinal) tract (EGD)
Ultrasound of the abdomen
X-rays of the abdomen

Prevention

For prevention of many types of abdominal pain:

Eat small meals more frequently.
Make sure that your meals are well-balanced and high in fiber. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Limit foods that produce gas.
Drink plenty of water each day.
Exercise regularly.

For prevention of symptoms from heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease:

Quit smoking.
Lose weight if you need to.
Finish eating at least 2 hours before you go to bed.
After eating, stay upright for at least 30 minutes.
Elevate the head of your bed.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics Subcommittee on Chronic Abdominal Pain. Chronic Abdominal Pain in Children. Pediatrics. 2005; 115(3): 812-815.

Ohge H. Levitt MD. Intestinal Gas. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Sleisenger MH, eds. Sleisenger & Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2006: Chap. 10.

Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery, 17th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2004.

Abdominal Pain. In: Marx J. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2006: Chap. 22.

Review Date: 4/25/2008

Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, M.D., M.H.A., F.A.C.E.P., Section of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Six-Pack Surgery?

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 02:30:00 -0800

With the invention and creativity of cosmetic surgery, if there's something about your body that you don't like, and if you have the money and the guts to go under the knife, you can get almost anything done. Body modification isn't just about breast implants and nose jobs anymore. You can get calf implants, butt implants, and guys are even getting pectoral implants. I guess I didn't realize that men are also feeling the pressures of society's standards to look good.

I just came across a new kind of surgery that blew me away. Six-pack surgery. More professionally known as abdominal etching, this procedure will turn your pudgy belly into a washboard. It's a kind of precision liposuction, where the doctor sucks fat from your belly, revealing the abdominal muscles that lie underneath. At first, when I saw the name of this procedure, I thought they carved out or put little implants in your belly to make it look like you have a 6-pack, but that's not the case. You actually have to have the muscular definition, either naturally or from working out.

How much does it cost to get six-pack abs? To find out read more

Abdominal etching costs between $4,000 and $6,000 and is only recommended for certain patients. If you have too much or too little fat on your belly, it won't turn out as well (an inch or two of pinchable belly fat is the key here).

This procedure has actually been around for decades, but it can take a really long time to get the desired look, so not many people go for it. The surgery takes only about an hour or two, but a patient can feel pain for days, and swelling can persist for weeks or even months. You may also experience complications such as bleeding, infection, or a build-up of fluid known as seroma (that can be drained with a needle).

No thanks. I think I'll stick to good old-fashioned cardio to burn fat and crunches to strengthen and tone my abs. Exercising not only makes me feel good, but when I work hard for my results, I also feel proud and confident.

Source

Finding Your Deep Abs!

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Finding your deep abs is essential to training your core and for just about every Pilates exercise in the book. Accessing them, however, can be difficult. Here is the easiest path to discover your transverse abdominus (TVA for short), the deepest of all the abdominals.

Sit upright in a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Align your head over your pelvis while maintaining the natural curve and keeping the spine long. This is no time for slouching. You need to sit in front of a mirror so you can monitor the movement of your shoulders.
Place your hands on the sides of your waist with your thumbs pointed back and your index fingers forward.
Inhale into the back and sides of your ribs (imagine a balloon filling up with air), not just your chest, without letting your shoulders rise to your ears. This can take a few tries to master. If breathing this way makes you light headed, take smaller inhales - just don't let your shoulders rise.

Who knew finding something in your own body could have so many steps? For the rest of the steps read more

Exhale by pulling your abdominals toward your spine to force the diaphragm up into the lungs, creating the exhale. You should feel the diameter of your waist decreasing as you do this, since the TVA wraps around the waist and attaches in the back. It helps to make a soft "Haaaaa" sound while you exhale.
Keep inhaling and exhaling in this manner.
When exhaling you want to feel a sensation of the abdominals pulling up from the pubic bone to the belly button, kind of a zipping sensation. To help activate this sensation feel the pelvic floor pulling up, like doing a Kegel exercise.
Once this feels natural (or at least easier), try it lying on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

This breathing is simple, easy and rather inconspicuous so you can practice at your desk! I have a friend that breathes this way at every stop light (she keeps her hands on the wheel though). Integrate using your TVA when you lift weights, so you're working your deep abs (and helping to stabilize your torso) as well.

FitSugar

Why Does My Body Shake?

Home Fitness Test: Abdominal Strength

Get on the Ball: Abdominal Twist

Abdominal Bracing vs. Pulling Abs in Pilates Style

You Asked: How Do I Strengthen My Abs?

How Often Should I Work My Abs?

What's the Deal With: Diastasis

Abdominal pain

Overview

Illustrations

Definition

Alternative Names

Considerations

Common Causes

Home Care

Call your health care provider if

What to expect at your health care provider's office

Prevention

References

Six-Pack Surgery?

Finding Your Deep Abs!