Tag: body

Ask any long-time runner how they manage maintain a regular and diligent workout schedule without losing motivation, and most will admit to experiencing some degree of burnout at one point or another. Make no mistake, running is a great way to stay in shape, lose weight, and improve your overall health. But it can also be an incredibly demanding form of exercise that can take its toll both mentally and physically. When extreme fatigue and lethargy begins to set in it can result in runner’s burnout, which can sometimes take weeks or even months to shake.
If you’ve found yourself lacking the motivation to lace up your running shoes lately, or can’t seem to summon up the enthusiasm needed to head out for a run, than perhaps you’re experiencing a bit of burnout yourself. Here are some simple ways to get your groove back, and run with strength and conviction once again.
Change It Up!
Let’s face it, runners are definitely creatures of habit. We usually run the same set of routes, maintain a set workout routine, and often even go for a run at the exact same time each day. Sticking to a regimented schedule is typically a good thing when it comes to exercise, but it can also lead to boredom and a lack of enthusiasm. When that happens, almost anyone will start to feel burnt out.
Add a little spice to your personal running routine by mixing in some different routes in a new part of town. Better yet, get off the road altogether and run a trail in a nearby park instead. Don’t be afraid to shift the time of day that you run as well, as you may find it gives you a completely fresh perspective on the world around you. The point is, if you change up your stale routine, you may find yourself more engaged with your running workouts once again.
Leave the Watch at Home
Many runners wear watches that keep track of their pace, heart rate, and distance covered. That data can be vitally important when training for a race, but crunching those numbers can become an all-consuming obsession at times too. We all want to beat our fastest times, and as a result we end up pushing ourselves harder than we need to.
Give yourself a break from the hardcore training and leave the watch at home on occasion. This will allow you to run a natural pace without constantly watching your time and distance. It may also remind you of why you fell in love with the sport in the first place, because when you’re off the clock the pure joy of running can return.
Cross Train
Sometimes runners stay motivated out of the irrational fear that if they take time off, they’ll start to gain weight or lose some of the level of fitness that they worked so hard to achieve. Cross training can help alleviate those issues, while still allowing us to take a break from running at the same time.
They say variety is the spice of life, and by simply adding a bit of cycling, swimming, yoga, or other exercises to your routine you’ll manage to break up the monotony that comes with running on a constant basis. This change in activities can help stave off burnout quite nicely, and you may even find that when you do start to run again, it will be with a renewed sense of zest as well.
Take a Rest Day… or Week!
No matter how hard you train, each and every one of us should be taking a rest day or two during our normal weekly workout schedule. Not only do those days off give you a break from the grind, they also allow nagging injuries to heal and give you a chance to recharge your batteries too.
But on occasion it is also okay to take a rest week. That isn’t to say that you don’t exercise at all during that time period, just that you step away from the running schedule and do other things instead. Use the time off to revitalize the legs and get a boost to your spirit. Relax, take it easy, and savor some down time. Chances are you’ve earned it, and you’re likely to return to your normal schedule with renewed vigor.
Perhaps the most important step in avoiding burnout is to learning to recognize the warning signs ahead of time. That way you can take steps to avoid it before it become a significant problem. But if you do start to feel those feelings coming on, recognize that it is a common problem for runners. Don’t be afraid to relax, step away from workout routine, and get some rest. Chances are it will help you get your mojo back, and you’ll be eager to start running again soon.

Learning to ride a bike is one of those rites of passage that most of us went through as a kid. Figuring out how to balance on just two wheels seemed like quite an accomplishment at the time, often coming after plenty of painful trial and error. But our bikes would eventually become our most prized possessions; providing endless hours of fun while giving us our first tastes of true independence.
We didn’t know it at the time, but learning to ride also provided us with a skill that could lead to a much happier and healthier lifestyle too. It turns out that riding a bike is a great way to exercise and burn calories, even as an adult. Whether you’re on a stationary bike indoors, or a road bike outside, here are five ways that cycling can help you to achieve your fitness goals.

1. Lose Weight

Cycling is a great way to lose weight, with riders burning as many as 500 calories or more per hour. To do that you’ll need to maintain a quick pace, and a high cadence, which is the number of revolutions that the crank on your bike makes in any given minute. By constantly pedaling, and rotating that chain, your body will achieve an elevated heart rate and burn calories at a surprising rate. A nice, leisurely bike ride is good for when you want to take it easy, but if your goal is to shed some pounds, you’ll need to work hard.

2. Improved Cardio

In addition to burning plenty of calories, keeping a high cadence will also work the lungs and heart as well. That leads to better levels of cardiovascular fitness, which translates into all kinds of benefits, including increased stamina, reduced risk of heart disease, a longer lifespan, and better energy levels.

3. Build Lean Muscles

Everyone knows that cycling is great for the leg muscles, but did you know that it can tone the muscle throughout the rest of your body too? Riding a bike is an excellent all-around workout that actually works the arms, chest, back, and shoulders along with the calves and thighs. This is particularly true while climbing hills, so don’t avoid those parts of your riding routes as they are often the most beneficial.

4. It’s Low-Impact With High Returns

As already mentioned above, cycling is a great way to burn a lot of calories and lose weight, But, it also happens to be a low-impact sport, meaning it puts much less stress on your joints than some other types of exercise. This makes riding a bike a great change of pace for runners, or athletes who are recovering from an injury. It also makes cycling a good option for cross training too, as it allows your body to recover from more high-impact activities, while still providing a tremendous workout.

5. A Stronger Immune System

Regular exercise can provide a significant boost to your immune system, helping you stave off such ailments as the flu or even the common cold. Riding your bike a few times a week can help contribute to improved immunity from these types of viruses, while also helping to create a lifestyle that is healthier in general.
Obviously cycling provides undeniable health benefits, which has helped to make it a popular activity for those looking to improve their overall levels of fitness. But riding a bike also happens to be a lot of fun too. We knew this as kids, and we can still appreciate those same exhilarating feelings of speed and freedom today. If you haven’t hopped on a bike in awhile, perhaps now is the time. You may discover that you not only still enjoy it, but it makes you a healthier person too.

The hotter the summer gets, the less clothing you want to wear – and the first thing to go are sleeves. But, are your arms ready for their big reveal?

While there are a lot of body parts you can cover – the arms are not one of them if you really want to stay cool. Many women shutter at the thought of wearing a sleeveless top or strapless dress. They immediately think of sagging underarms that jiggle, and continue to wave even after you stop waving.

So how do you combat the flab? Do you do weights or cardio? Is the problem excess fat or loose muscle? Well, in my experience, there are three important factors that play a big role in getting the arms you’ve always wanted.

Attack the Fat with Full Body Cardio

If you suffer from arm flab, it’s important to understand the flab is a result of excess body fat. Since you can’t target the fat loss in only one specific area, you will need to lose body fat all over your body if you want to lose the fat on your arms.

While you can burn a lot of calories running or doing other weight bearing cardiovascular exercises, you can tone your arms and burn fat at the same time if you choose the right cardio.

Here are 10 body toning and fat burning exercises to try.

1. Power walking with hand weights

2. Elliptical with handles

3. Ergometer Rowing Machine

4. Swimming Laps (not just playing in the pool)

5. Jump Rope (Try this 10-Minute Jump Rope Workout by FitSugar)

6. Calisthenics (Give this 15-minute full body boot camp workout a whirl)

7. Kickboxing Workout (Like Beach Body’s Turbo Jam)

8. Les Mills Body Pump Class

9. Pound Fit Rocker Workout (a killer new workout using drumsticks)

10. BCx Treadz Full Body Treadmill Training

Firm Up with Resistance Exercise

Next on the list of arm-toning tricks is weight training. Whether you use your own body weight or use free weights, resistance training is the key to beautifully sculpted arms.

Below are a list of arm-shaping upper body exercises in order of hardest (heaviest) to easiest (lightest).

1. Push Ups

2. Pull Ups (or Pull Downs)

3. Shoulder Press

4. Upright Rows

5. Bent Rows

6. Tricep Dips

7. Tricep Extensions

8. Bicep Curls

9. Lateral Raises

10. Rear Delts

Uncover Your Hard Work in the Kitchen

Even if you lift weights in the gym, and burn a ton of calories on the elliptical, you may never see the results if you just replace the calories you burned in the gym with poor food choices. The final secret to defined arms is a clean low-calorie, high-protein diet.

Increasing protein will help rebuild and repair your muscle and a low calorie diet will encourage weight loss. The leaner you are, the more that new tight and tone muscle will show.

Here are 10 diet tips for faster results in the gym.

1. Count calories to learn where all your calories are coming from. Counting calories always proves to be quite an eye opener for most people. Decrease your caloric intake by 500-1000 calories a day if you want to lose weight.

2. Shop healthy. You can’t expect to eat healthy if you don’t shop healthy.

3. Eat 5-6 small snacks and meals a day to keep your metabolism revved and to prevent storing fat.

4. Prepare for success. Prep your food over the weekend so it’s easier to eat healthy during the week. If you fail to plan, you will fail to succeed.

5. Eat your carbs before you hit the weights. If you like carbs, put them to good use. Save your higher carb meals when your body needs fuel the most, like before intense resistance training.

6. Ditch the sugar. Sugar can cause all kinds of inflammatory responses. Reduce body fat and pain by reducing sugar.

7. Limit carbs at night. Carbs are a great fuel source, but you don’t need them to sleep!

8. Eat a high protein meal for dinner. Your body could use the protein as it does most of it’s muscle repair while you sleep.

9. Make treats treats. What do I mean? I mean, a treat should really be a treat, not a daily habit. Sodas, sweets and dinners out should be a special event, not a part of your daily diet regimen.

10. Never give up. Diets can be frustrating, but eating clean is a learning process. Never give up trying to succeed. You will learn something new with every attempt – and get one step closer to a leaner, healthier you with every single try.

Once you are happy with you new lean arms, you can increase your calories to maintain your new weight and keep up with your fitness training – and you’ll never have to worry about going sleeveless again!

So you’re religiously using your FitBit, Jawbone, or your fitness tracking device of choice and think you’re all set because the fitness gods are looking out for you by doing extensive studies on how 10K steps a day will keep you uber-healthy for life?

Not so fast, My Pretty!

The reality is that the rule of 10K steps a day (equivalent to about 5 miles) wasn’t established because of extensive experiments done on distance walking and health. It was actually adopted because of an invention by a Japanese man. In 1965, Dr. Yoshiro Hatano developed an early version of a pedometer called the “manpo-kei,” which means “10,000 steps meter.” Somehow because of its name and translation, 10,000 steps became the gold standard in health and wellness and was adopted by the most popular of fitness tracking devices. Pretty wild, huh?

It’s important to keep in mind that any amount of fitness is awesome and gets you into better shape. And studies have found that the more you track your activity, the more you’ll work to reach your goal…and continue working. The making and tracking of goals and a system of accountability has been the recipe for success in so many areas of business, wellness, and in life. So it’s great to track yourself and move more. However…you can’t just count on 10,000 steps a day to keep yourself healthy and pardon yourself from any more or other forms of exercise. In other words, don’t think “Oh I did my 10,000 steps, now I’m done and can sit on the couch for the rest of the day/night.”

To be completely healthy, your body needs a mix of the essential components of exercise: Strength, cardiovascular, balance, agility, and flexibility are some of the most important. Your body is at its strongest when you include activities that incorporate all of these things in them daily or weekly. Activities like weight training for strength, hiking for cardiovascular health, core training for balance, functional training for agility, and yoga for flexibility.

A great workout schedule for the week would look something like this

Monday Cardiovascular

Tuesday Strength

Wednesday Balance/Agility

Thursday Cardiovascular

Friday Flexibility

Saturday Strength

Of course there are workouts that can include multiple components of exercise in one session. Boxing, interval training, and rebounding can accomplish that.

You overachievers can also opt to do split sessions, where you do two types of exercise in one day–a hike in the morning and strength training in the afternoon, for instance.

It’s also important to try to mix up the types of activities you do that incorporate these components. For example, choose hiking one week for your cardiovascular workout and try spinning the next week. Or do weight training for your strength training the first week and switch to Pilates the next. Studies show that changing your activity often not only keeps your body the healthiest but also ensures program adherence.

In other words, you won’t get bored off your butt and ditch your workout.

10,000 steps a day is great…but it’s only a start. Look past your personal fitness horizon and trample over it by walking more and doing lots of other things…more.

Bored with your normal running routine? Looking for a good way to mix things up and add new challenges? Than why not give trail running a try? Not only is it one of the fastest growing outdoor sports in the world, but it provides some amazing benefits to your overall level of fitness too.

Thanks to the uneven terrain and more difficult trail conditions, trail runners typically end up having a more challenging workout than those who stick to city streets or run indoors on a treadmill. This results in a 10% greater calorie burn over the same distance, which helps to trim fat at a faster rate. Additionally, trail runners typically see improved agility as a result of their training runs, and get a better core workout along the way as well. The fact that they are more engaged with nature brings some additional benefits in the form of stress-relief and greater levels of relaxation too.

Despite the fact that trail running provides a more intense workout, it isn’t particularly difficult to get started with the sport. In fact, if you’re already a runner the adjustments will come fairly easily, and if you’re just starting to run for the first time you’ll be able to pick things up quickly without having to shift away from previous running habits.

Here are some suggestions to help you get going.

Get the Right Shoes

Any runner will tell you that having the right pair of shoes makes all the difference in the level of enjoyment you’ll get from the sport, which in turn helps to keep you motivated for your workouts. This is especially true for trail running, where the demanding trails require a somewhat heavier, more durable shoe to help keep your feet well protected. Unlike running on the streets, trail runners often encounter rock, mud, and even water along their routes. A good shoe will shrug off those challenges and keep you moving at a comfortable pace.

Regular running shoes won’t cut it in that environment for long however, so once you’ve decided trail running is right for you, invest in footwear that is especially made for the sport.

Pick a Trail

Traditionally speaking, trail running is defined as taking place off-road or pavement, but that doesn’t mean it has to be on some incredibly challenging route that takes you deep into rugged, mountainous terrain. Any trail will do, particularly when you’re first getting started.

Look for short, relatively flat routes to begin your trail running routine, and then later expand to longer, more difficult paths. Over time you can mix in elevation changes on hills or mountains to amp up the intensity of your workout and really start burning the calories. But in the beginning it is all about just getting a feel for running on a trail while allowing your body to adapt to the change in environments.

Start Slow

Whenever you start a new workout routine it is important to go slow and ease your way into it. This holds true for beginning trail runners as well, even if they are experienced joggers making the transition over from the road.

Because of the uneven terrain, trail running requires shorter, quicker strides, which will naturally have you running about 20% slower than you would on pavement. This will help you to maintain your balance along the way, and give you a better sense of a connection with the ground. Over time, as you get more accustomed to this style of running, you’ll start to pick up speed again, although it is rare to ever go as fast on a trail as you do on the street.

Be Aware

It is always important for runners to be aware of their surroundings whether they are working out on a trail or on the road.

While trail runners generally don’t have to worry about dealing with traffic, there are other things they need to be extra cautious about instead. For instance, because the trail is uneven, and littered with obstacles, they need to have a greater awareness of surface conditions. Roots, rocks, and mud are just a few of the things you that could cause a stumble or fall, ultimately resulting in an injury. Additionally, depending on your location, wild animals could be more of a concern as well.

Gear Up!

As with most outdoor activities, having the proper gear for trail running can make it a much more enjoyable experience.

For instance, you’ll want technical running clothing that you don’t mind getting muddy, wet, or snagged while out on the trail. Staying hydrated will be important as well, so plan on carrying a water bottle, or better yet a hydration pack. Wearing a pack takes a bit of getting use to at first, but it does allow you to carry an extra layer in case the weather takes a turn for the worse. It also allows you to bring extra items such as a headlamp, cell phone, wallet, or even a snack. Some of those things are simply not needed on a run through your neighborhood, but they could prove very useful on a trail run.

As with most other forms of exercise, trail running gets gradually easier over time. It’s at that point that you’ll not only start to recognize just what a great workout it can be, but how much fun it is too. After all, when the great outdoors becomes your gym, it’s not hard to find the motivation to go.

Sprained ankles. Stress fractures. Strained muscles. These are all of the obvious ailments people may think of when you mention “running injuries”. 

But like most things in life, there are ailments runners suffer that you often don’t hear or think of, until you yourself are painfully suffering from them. It’s kind of like giving birth: everyone knows that labor and delivery is a painful process, but very few people know the nitty-gritty details of the experience. These types of things that are conveniently left out of movie scenes and blog post recaps, and then you find yourself in the delivery room going “WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BODY?” 

Of course, running is no exception. So, want to know some of the gross, unexpected, actual ailments that runners experience besides the obvious? Let me break the bad news to you (and all of the ways you can try and avoid these mishaps):

Chafing.

You’ll never truly realize the pain of chafed, well, anything, until you get in the shower post run, and the hot water hits all of the places that have been rubbed raw during your last run. The pain hits like white lightning, and you’ll likely scream and jump. It’s at that moment you realize that your sports bra dug into your shoulders over the countless miles, or thighs rubbed together one too many times, and you are now missing a few layers of skin. 

And let me tell you, it hurts. 

Next time, you can avoid that pain by lubing up before your run with a product designed to prevent chafing in athletes, like BodyGlide. Pro tip: you can almost never use TOO much lube. Apply liberally, and if it’s a long run and you have spots that are particular sensitive to chafing, consider carrying that lube with you for reapplication. 

Bloody nipples.

I’ll never forget the first time I witnessed a guy with bloody nipples at a race. His white shirt looked like he had run through a crime scene. I was slightly terrified, and then somewhat amused when I learned that men’s nipples often rub raw on their t-shirts over the course of a longer run or race. Women are often spared this atrocity thanks to their sports bras holding everything in place and avoiding the rubbing of the shirt directly on the skin. 

Guys: to avoid this ailment, and perhaps avoid scaring small children, be sure to use some sort of lubrication to prevent chafing. Want even better protection? Some runners use bandaids, medical tape, or products specifically designed for this issue, like Nip Guards, placed over their nipples. 

Blisters.

It starts as a small hot spot, a slight discomfort. Then the pain begins. Before you know it, you are limping simply to try and prevent the raw, fluid filled bubble on your foot that now impedes your every step from getting even worse. What’s worse, blisters seem to get exponentially worse with longer distances. I’ve seen blisters as small as a pencil eraser, and some larger than a half dollar. 

Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING about a blister is fun.

To prevent them? You guessed it: lube those feet! Also be sure to wear shoes that fit, to avoid sliding around in your shoes and causing extra friction. Lastly, wear socks designed for running; they are more likely to wick away sweat and stay dry, as well as less likely to shift around on your foot. 

Trench foot.

This might be one of the gnarliest running ailments I have ever seen, and one I had not heard of until I became more familiar with multi day and off road events. “Trench foot” is a term given to your feet when they essentially start to fall apart during a race, typically because they have become oversaturated. Skin cracks and peels, numbness occurs, and the outer layer of the foot essentially starts to decay. The term was coined after soldiers suffered this ailment while fighting in trench warfare during World War 1. 

In some instances, such as race courses that consistently go through water or mud, maintaining dry feet is nearly impossible. But do your best, change socks if at all possible (for longer distance races) and use a powder such as Anti Monkey Butt (yes, that is really what it is called) to help absorb extra moisture. 

Black & lost toenails.

The constant pounding of your feet on the ground, or the pounding of your toenail against your shoe, can cause blood to pool underneath the toenail. When the blood dries, you are left with a toenail that looks black…and it tends to stay that way for months. And even worse, sometimes that pounding can actually cause the toenail to separate from the nail bed, causing it to fall off completely.

Gross. 

The number one way to prevent these toenail ailments is to make sure your shoes fit properly. That way, the foot will not slide around, causing the toenail to bump against the front of your shoe. Lastly, keep your nails trimmed. The shorter they are, the less likely they are to catch or hit your shoe. 

Mysterious rashes.

You wake up the morning after a long run to an itchy rash on your legs, or maybe on your chest. What the heck is that? Well the answer is: it could be anything. Did you run through the trails or off-road? Maybe you encountered some poison ivy. Or maybe it was a particularly humid day, and you’ve given yourself a heat rash…or worse, some sort of athlete fungus.

Whatever the mystery rash may be, chances are you might be able to avoid it by showering immediately after your run. If you can’t immediately shower, don’t sit around in your sweaty, wet clothes. Change into something clean and dry. 

Now, these ailments are all pretty common, but are not the only ones runners suffer. But if you’ve noticed there tends to be a recurring theme between them all: wear the appropriate clothing and shoes, and take a few preventative minutes to lube up any place that might experience friction. And hopefully, you’ll be spared from these nitty-gritty ailments that your runner friends “forgot” to tell you about when you first started running. 

We’re all looking for that miracle daily routine that keeps us burning fat and toning our bodies without even noticing it. Salma Hayek claims to have found it.

The stunning actress and newly-minted beauty guru says she rarely hits the gym like the rest of us mere mortals. “I don’t exercise,” she told People. “I just hold my body in a way that activates muscles all day long.”

According to Hayek, an expert in London taught her “how to hold my body in a way where the muscles are activated all day long.” The idea is “toning without clenching,” relaxing parts of the body that don’t need while simply creating an awareness of the muscles you are using as you do it. “So even when you brush your teeth, you’re working the muscles,” she proclaims.

All right, I’ll admit it. I was really skeptical of this one. But as it happens, there’s some truth to Salma’s tactics–which she says are based in restorative yoga.

First off, let’s talk yoga. If you haven’t tried it, it’s an amazing addition to your workout routine with potential full-body benefits–as research is bearing out more and more. One study published in European Journal of Preventive Cardiology actually showed the practice actually has some aerobic merit in addition to making those muscle groups lean, taut and toned all over.

With that information, I thought there might be something to this muscle-activation deal, so I asked my friend Joan Pagano, an NYC-based personal trainer and author of Strength Training Exercises for Women, for a validity check–and she was so happy I brought this up.

“It’s true that, as you develop kinesthetic awareness of using your muscles, you can consciously activate them in your daily activities to engage the core, stabilize the shoulder blades, contract your glutes to squat and your biceps to lift and carry,” she told me. “This is something we should all aim to do!”

Ah! And I wasn’t even aware that we needed to be that aware of our muscles in daily life.

Basically, Joan says that if Salma’s running around during her (sometimes) 20-hour workday while also activating muscle groups, she could be staying in decent shape if she had a solid level of fitness to start. Now, it’s still good to get your heart pumping with some traditional aerobic exercises–get on that bike, hit that treadmill, go for a swim, and so on–to keep your cardiovascular system primed and promote longevity.

And in terms of activating those muscle groups… you won’t necessarily build muscles by activating them throughout the day, but you can help maintain them with low-level contraction techniques. “You’ll also improve your posture, alignment and overall body mechanics,” Joan says.

So, let’s say you’re like Salma. You have basically no time to exercise. Like, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it space in your schedule. What’s one to do?

Ms. Pagano says that you should focus, at minimum, on getting in some simple body-weight exercises like squats, push-ups and planks to condition your muscles. For cardio, aim for 10-minute bursts of fast walking or stair climbing, attempting to rack up at least 30 minutes per day on most days of the week.

Then, once you have a base level of cardio fitness and muscle tone, you can try maintaining with Salma’s idea: activate muscle groups as you move through your day, and as you need them.

Joan has five ideas, which are all oh-so-easy:

“To engage your core and flatten your belly, “zip up” your abs as if you were zipping up a tight pair of jeans. Pull your navel in toward your spine, and then up, lifting the pelvic floor. This move trains the deep abdominal muscle that lies right under your jean zipper.

Stand up straight, rolling the shoulders down and back. Learn to hold them there to prevent rounding the back and developing a “forward slouch.”

When you bend and lift something, use the large muscles of your legs – the glutes, the quads and hamstrings – and practice the “hip hinge,” which means bending forward from the hips with your spine in neutral alignment.

Get up from any seated position without using your arms for support.

When you’re brushing your teeth, stand on one leg for balance and feel the muscles of that leg working to support you – especially in the ankles.

It’s good to be aware of the need for muscular awareness, right? I’ll never lift a box or brush my teeth the same way again.

I recently heard someone talk about “stomach vacuuming” to help flatten the tummy. The first thing to pop up in my crazy brain was someone getting liposuction, but I was pretty sure they weren’t talking about plastic surgery.

Even though I’ve been in the fitness industry for over twenty years, I had never heard of stomach vacuuming before. As far as I knew, stomach vacuuming was nothing more than attaching a vacuum hose to your belly. I have a very short torso and have always struggled with having somewhat of a pooch, so I was immediately intrigued. Besides, what girl isn’t eager to check out a new ab-flattening trend? The investigation began.

How It Works

To my surprise, I did not have to pull out my credit card and order some awkward stomach vacuum device. Not only did stomach vacuuming not include an actual vacuum, there was no shortage of information on the topic. The stomach vacuum was an actual exercise, and the Internet was riddled with websites and instructional videos on how to perform the mysterious stomach vacuum.

When I watched one of the how-to videos online, it found it incredibly difficult not to giggle. I was expecting so much more than someone just breathing out all their air and sucking in their abs. However, that was pretty much the extent of the exercise.

The stomach vacuum exercise requires you inhale as much air as possible and then exhale as much as possible, while sucking your stomach in as much as possible. After you blow out all your air, you hold this position for at least 20 seconds (while, get this, attempting to breathe normally) and repeat for several sets.

The concept behind the stomach vacuum exercise is it targets the deeper abdominal muscles, called the transverse abdominals. These muscles act like a girdle to the waist, which are responsible for holding your stomach in tight.

While the whole stomach vacuuming terminology was new to me, I’ve done this exercise for years. Even though I never realized it was actually a true exercise, it was something I did throughout the day (like while driving my car). I would contract my stomach muscles and hold them tight while sitting at a red light to help train my stomach muscles to stay flat.

After doing more research, I discovered the stomach vacuum exercise had been around for a very long time. Maybe it recently reached fad status after making a few appearances in some popular magazines, like Shape and Men’s Fitness. Who knows what makes something rise to the top of the fad chart, but at least this fad has some validity to it.

Pros and Cons

Could the stomach vacuum be the answer to your poochy problems? No doubt, this exercise does work the transverse abdominals. You can feel the muscles working as you do it. And, if you are not used to working the transverse abdominals, you may even be sore afterwards. However, I wouldn’t count on it fixing all your tummy troubles.

The process of sucking in stomach and flexing your abdominal muscles for a few seconds is called an isometric contraction. During an isometric exercise, the muscles do not noticeably change in length and actually require little to no movement at all. Isometric training (like a wall sit or plank exercise) definitely has its place and can increase strength, but only to a certain point. Your body will adapt to the training and you’ll eventually need something more to continue making improvements.

In addition, stomach vacuuming won’t fix belly fat. Most people who have bulging bellies are fighting two different battles – a battle with weak abdominal muscles along with poor posture and another battle with food. You can do all the stomach vacuuming you want, but don’t expect visible results if you continue to be a food vacuum. If you don’t change your eating habits you will not only keep the fat around your belly, it will be harder to hold your stomach in with a stuffed gut.

Lastly, stomach vacuuming is not the best exercise for everyone. Like all isometric exercises, stomach vacuuming can be dangerous for some people because it increases blood pressure more than other traditional exercises.

The Bottom Line: Fit or Flop?

Working your transverse abdominals is essential to having nice abs, but so is reducing body fat. Used alone, stomach vacuuming would flop. However, combine this exercise with a lean diet, cardio and resistance program, and you will likely find stomach vacuuming to be a good Fit!

Needless to say, I’ll be adding stomach vacuuming back in my daily commute to work again.

Fit Tip: Top 10 Tummy Tightening Exercises

Stomach vacuuming isn’t the only exercise to work your transverse abdominals. Here is a list of my favorite top 10 tummy tightening exercises.

1. Plank 

2. Side Plank

3. Ab Roller

4. Diagonal Knee Plank (Slow Cross Body Mountain Climbers)

5. Swiss Ball Pike

6. Swiss Ball Jackknife

7. Swiss Ball Roll-Out

8. Plank Up Up Down Down

9. Side Plank Pulses

10. T-Plank

POWER PLANK WORKOUT

Try this plank workout demonstrated by my husband, Steve Pfiester.

5 Push Ups

5 2-Point Stance (5 on each side, 10 total)

5 Side Plank with Abduction (Leg Lift) LEFT

5 Crab Leg Lifts on each side (10 total)

5 Side Plank with Abduction (Leg Lift) RIGHT

45 Second Plank Hold

Repeat 3-4 times with little to no rest in between.