BODY SCULPTURES

These individuals have sculpted muscle into works of art, building strength and athleticism at the same time.

 

Moorea Wolfe

This fantastic looking girl from Arizona has been training and competing in bodybuilding since the early 2000’s, having started at age 19. She started out dancing and competing in gymnastics before she moved on to fitness competitions. On top of her competitive career she has also worked as a personal trainer.

 

 

Born and raised in Nairobi Kenya, Jane Mukami is probably the sexiest female body builder in Kenya. Currently residing in Atlanta, Jane also known as ’fitkenyangirl’ could be pass for a model with her sexy and trim shape.

 

Charlize Theron












 

 

BUST STOMACH FAT WITH THE PLANK!!!

Culled from fitness bloggers

 

For a long time this has been one of my favorite exercises. It’s one of those that you see someone doing in the gym and you think to yourself, “Yeah that looks pretty easy!” Of course in reality its a lot harder than it looks, but what does it do? Put simply it’s a core exercise designed to improve strength and tone in the stomach and lower back. It’s particularly favored by both serious athletes and newbies alike. Even post-natal moms are often advised to do the plank as static stomach exercises place less aggressive stress on your stomach muscles following child-birth.

 

Performing the Plank

First bend your elbows at 90 degress, forearms on the floor, elbows beneath your shoulders. Your body should be straight like a plank of wood from your head to your feet. This is important. Many newbies will lift their bum up in the air so they look more like a hump-back bridge! This is not a plank. For those who are struggling with the plank then a modified plank with your knees on the floor will make it a lot easier.

 

Whats a Good Time For The Plank?

I’ve always been able to hold the plank for a reasonable while. I remember in my early 30′s being able to hold for 3 minutes. Nowadays I can do about 2 minutes. The plank is an exercise that with practise you can greatly improve your own time. In fact the best way to develop your strength is to do the plank in steps, 30 seconds and then a pause for 10 (or however long you need) and so on.

 

Plank Variations

The great think about the plank is that there are plenty of variations and tweaks you can make to vary things up a little, from one foot off the floor to even one arm off the floor (what I call hitch-hiker planks).

 

The World Record for the Abdominal Plank is 1 hour and 5 minutes…ouch! I wince just thinking about that!

 

If you’ve tried it, how long can you hold the plank for?

Physiques to blow your mind!!!!

Why You have that Stomach Fat

Before you begin burning belly fat and toning your abs, you need to understand a bit more about how your body works and discover why you are battling the bulge.

A lot of people believe that it stems from improper eating or lack of exercise. While this may be the most common case, there can also be other reasons:

Menopause

After menopause occurs in women, fat begins storing itself in different places and often times focuses around the tummy.

Genetics

There are two common body types: apple and pear.

If you gain and store fat in lower parts of your body then you would be considered pear-shaped.

If you’re the kind of person that stores more fat in your stomach and middle section than anywhere else then you would be considered apple-shaped.  

Think about your relatives…especially those that are overweight.

If a lot of them are heavier around the middle area then it’s quite possible that you have the genes that make you genetically apple-shaped when you put on excess weight. Meaning your body is more likely to store its fat in your stomach than anywhere else.

Stress

This is a big one. And of course, stress doesn’t just make your stomach bigger, it can make everything bigger if you’re not careful.

When you are under stress, your body releases the hormone cortisol. In turn, this hormone causes your liver to make excess sugar that your body doesn’t really need. As a result, you begin to feel hungrier and begin to eat more.

And guess what…a lot of those calories go straight to your stomach!

Improper Digestion

This can also be caused by stress. Improper digestion due to stress may cause several kinds of gastrointestinal problems leaving you gassy and bloated.

Many people who complain about persistent belly fat often times have gas which causes the bloating effect.

Slow Metabolism

As we get older, our metabolism tends to slow down. That means you don’t burn calories as fast or as easily as you did when you were younger. A slower metabolism can also result in extra storage of fat…particularly around the middle.

Poor Posture

Bet you never thought about this one! If you have poor posture, it can give you that "pot belly" appearance. Stand in the mirror hunched over and look at your abdominals. Now stand erect. Look at the difference in how your belly protrudes when you are hunched.

Don't get me wrong, there is probably some unwanted fat there too, but your posture can make a huge difference in how your stomach looks.

Eating Late at Night

If you want to control your stomach fat, you should never eat within three hours of your bedtime. You want your food to have a chance to fully digest before you retire for the evening.

Going to bed with a full stomach puts you at greater risk for fat storage around the middle area. If you are going to munch late at night, eat something healthy like a banana or a small handful of almonds.

Determine Your Cause

As I said earlier, the number one cause of excess stomach fat is improper diet and lack of exercise. We all need to be mindful of that no matter what size we are.

However, as you’ve just seen, there are other factors that contribute to tummy fat as well so it’s important to learn more about why you may have this problem. Particularly if you tend to gain more fat in your stomach than any other part of your body.

The 6 second Ab workout

Basic Crunch

The 6 Second Abs basic crunch is like performing a regular crunch in a seated position.

·         Sit on a stable surface with your feet flat on the floor. Your torso should be upright.

·         Hold the 6 Second Abs machine on your lap with the padded base against your thighs. Hold the handles with your palms facing up.

·          Crunch forward by rounding out your lower back and pressing down on the ab machine.

·         The unit will click six times telling you that you have completed the crunch.

·         Slowly return to the starting position.

Side Crunch

The side crunch with the 6 Second Abs machine targets the obliques, or side abs.

·         Sit on a stable surface with your feet flat on the floor. Place the device next to your right thigh.

·          The base should be sitting on the surface next to you and your arm should be hanging over the unit with the handles pressed into your armpit. Crunch to the right, bending at your waist.

·          Complete the full crunch through all six clicks before returning to the starting position. Complete all repetitions for one side, and then move to the other side.

Reverse Crunch

The reverse crunch is used to target the lower half of the abdominal wall, often called the lower abs.

·         Start in an upright seated position with your feet flat on the floor. The base of the 6 Second Abs device should be against your thighs.

·         Hold both handles with your palms facing up.

·         Keep your upper body still, pulling your feet off the floor and pressing against the  machine with your legs. Continue pressing up with your legs through three clicks before slowly returning your feet to the floor.

    6 Second Abs is very helpful in developing correct form and building discipline while performing crunches.