Are treadmill and elliptical machine exercises your favorite regimen during your gym workouts? Do you find yourself spending more warm-up time in stationary bicycles prior to starting your weightlifting and belly fat exercises? Have you done all these exercises and you still have not achieved your goal to lose belly fat. I don't want to offend you, but the truth is that using these machines are not so beneficial in getting the results that you want. This is especially true when doing your regular abs workout. Let me explain why this is so.
The reason why I don't recommend treadmills, elliptical, and cardio machines is that they offer just the same paces for the same period of time. They are not effective as methods in doing abdominal exercises. Remember those sessions when you used these exercise machines? Prior to starting your treadmill, you set the speed of the machine to "low", and increase the speed to "medium" after few minutes of jogging. You get bored, and you switch it to "high." As you can see, the machine cannot spontaneously vary its speed automatically at the demands of the user, and is not helpful in your abs workout. Your body actually easily adjusts to steady paces of exercise, and this is the reason why you usually get bored during your usual training sessions. As a result, they are not effective in achieving your dream to get six pack abs.
Why is it that steady pace exercises are not advisable in developing muscles in order to lose belly fat? It is because of the way the body reacts to certain physical stress. As far as physical activity such as belly fat exercises are concerned, the human body is not actually designed for steady paces for a longer duration than what is usual. Since the body gradually adjusts to this typical pace, you don't feel very tired when doing constant rates, especially when you want to lose lower belly fat.
The best way to "challenge" your body is to do short bursts of exertion followed by resting time. This is known as variable training. Due to spontaneous physical activity, your body reacts by rapidly adjusting to stress stimuli. It releases adrenaline and other hormones to prepare itself for intense physical activity such as lower abdominal exercises. When you rest, it returns to its "average" state, and when you jump start in your exercise once again, the body returns to its "active" pace and helps maximize your ab workout. This "stop-and-go" motion is very important if you want to keep your body primed and fit, and it can help you lose stomach fat. Since treadmill exercises do not apply this variable exercise training principles, these techniques will just maintain your regular metabolism and stamina. Hence, it is better to look for other exercise regimen that uses "stop-and-go" motion so that you can get six pack abs.
If you are to observe closely, treadmills, elliptical, stationary bicycles, and cardio machines have many disadvantages, especially when you want to integrate belly fat exercises. The following are negative points of treadmills and similar equipment:
1. These types of exercises are so boring because you have to maintain your pace for quite a long period of time. This boredom makes you think of other things while doing your treadmill or using your stationary bike, and will not help benefit your ab workout.
2. Furthermore, the steady state of doing your treadmill training makes you less focused on what you are doing, and will tend to discourage you in performing exercises that help you take out that lower belly fat. We humans have the tendency to multi-task or do other activities when bored, and this is the reason why gyms set up television sets in front of their treadmills and stationary bicycles. In doing physical fitness programs, it is essential that your mind and body are synchronized with each other in order to gain success in your workouts. Due to the boredom of doing treadmills, you tend to disassociate yourself from what you are doing by watching TV or reading magazines. Thus you get less satisfaction on your treadmill activity, especially when your target is to lose lower belly fat.
3. Treadmill running does not simulate the normal wind and weight resistance that your body encounters during your normal jogging or running exercises. The reason is this: The machine actually makes running easier because of its moving conveyor belt, and offers you less resistance. Hence, you get bored during your exercises. In addition, these are less effective as abs workout because they put minimal focus on your abs muscles.
4. Treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bikes are typically very expensive. These are now equipped with the latest electronic cardiologic gadgets, and they cost you more money if these get damaged. If I am a gym enthusiast and I am planning to buy equipment, I wouldn't choose treadmills and similar machines. I would rather prefer other equipment such as bench presses and multi-function torso, lower extremity machines as well as an ab workout gadget. I will decide to jog, do variable intensity walks at the park, as well as perform standing abdominal exercises and lower abdominal exercises.
5. Among workout options, the ones that involve treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bicycles are the most ineffective way in building up your muscles and increasing your tolerance to physical stress. Why? It is due to its steady pace nature that does not jump start your body and stimulate metabolic and aerobic changes, minimizing your goal of losing lower belly fat. If you want to feel incredible changes in your stamina, breathing rhythm, and muscle development, it would be better to give up your treadmill sessions, and focus on ab workouts that help you lose belly fat as well as other forms of physical activity.
If you are planning to set up your exercise regimen, engage in belly fat exercises, and in putting up your own gym, you need just the basic equipment that will strengthen your whole body. You need a barbell, a set of dumbbells, kettle-bells, a jump rope, a stability ball, and an exercise mat. You can also add an exercise bench and upgrade your kit as time goes by. But I suggest that you rather not buy treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bikes. You should target on how to lose belly fat by focusing on abdominal exercises.
Here are the following tips that I would recommend to you as alternatives to treadmills: * When using a jump rope, vary your pace of your exercises. At first, do some jumping at your usual pace, then try speed jumping for a change. If you have already maximized your skills when doing the basic steps, try complex ones such as crosses and double jumps. Jumping ropes are actually good forms of standing abdominal exercises because they promote heavy breathing and strengthen abdominal muscles.
* Bodyweight training is another form of exercise that involves carrying your body weight to strengthen your limbs. This includes pushups, jumps, bear crawls, and squats. Exercises focusing on squats are very good forms of abs workout. On the other hand, outdoor activities that apply bodyweight principles are mountain climbing, rappelling, and climbing rope exercises. Variable training techniques can be applied to your training by varying the rhythm in different time frames.
* Kettle-bell training is a type of exercise that uses kettle-bells. To maximize your exercises, do fast repetitions, swings, cleans, presses, and snatches. Try to vary slow reps alternately with fast ones. Rest immediately if you feel that you are already fatigued. When applied properly, you can use this strategy to lose stomach fat.
* Outdoor wind sprinting is another training, in which a person runs as fast as he/she can on a flat surface, and followed by less intense jogging or rest. Doing this faithfully will greatly improve your breathing rhythm and you are likely to develop a muscular body, just like sprinters. Sprinting develops a strong diaphragm due to your increase breathing rate. This will help you get six pack abs.
* Hill sprinting is another technique in running that involves a gradually steep incline. This is more challenging compared to the typical sprint that is performed on level ground. A similar regimen is running up and down staircases; nevertheless, this is dangerous. You can trip, fall, and this can result in serious injuries or even death. It would be a better idea to run up and down on a slightly inclined hill. Just remember to have sufficient rest after pushing your body to the limit, and take care not to strain when doing lower abdominal exercises.
* Variable exercise regimen can also be applied when doing your swimming sessions. Swimming is a very good workout because it is a whole-body as well as an abdominal exercise. Using variable training techniques such as swimming very fast in one lap, followed with regular speed on the second lap, can develop your arm and leg muscles. Not only that, you get the benefits of having a strong respiratory system.
* Do you know that the variable exercise technique can also be applied to punching bag training? Yes, it can be used in other similar exercises such as heavy bags, kicking bags, speed bags, and rebound bags. You will develop fast, strong punches and kicks, making you a better boxer or a martial artist.
* Shadow boxing is another exercise where you can apply the "stop-and-go" principles. Both at gym and at home, you can do this regimen and develop quick response to unexpected attacks by lawless persons. This is very important to self defense.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity of sharing the benefits of variable exercise techniques that you can apply everywhere when you need them. I encourage you to invest your time and effort in doing the new exercise regimen that I have taught you. Please be persistent in your training so that you can lose stomach fat. Don't waste your money and energy on treadmills, elliptical trainer machines and stationary bicycles. You will thank me for it.
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