Health and fitness promoter Tony Little sells a variety of exercise products, including several that can be used for abdominal workouts. The Gazelle fitness machine, Easy Shaper Home Gym, Ab Lounge, Nubs Ball and workout DVDs, such as his "Awesome Abs" program, include specific exercise recommendations for improving core strength. Products such as the Gazelle offer limited abdominal exercising, while the "Awesome Abs" video requires no equipment and focuses on correct technique for each exercise.
"Awesome Abs" Exercises
The "Awesome Abs" workout DVD includes a variety of crunches, as well as back extension and neck exercises. A total core workout concept is the theme of the video, more so than any one exercise. Little demonstrates the correct technique for each exercise, and goes through an entire workout, including warm-up, workout, cool-down and stretch. The video tells beginners when to drop out during exercises and continues on for intermediates and serious fitness buffs.
Exercises include the side crunch, performed with one ankle on one knee, having you move yourself forward from the opposite side---left shoulder to right knee, then vice versa. Another exercise is the bicycle crunch, which has you start on your back with your shoulders off the ground, and your legs pulled toward your chest. You pull your right elbow to your left knee while you extend your right leg straight, repeating this movement on opposite sides of your body for the duration of the set in a pedaling motion. You perform a reverse crunch by starting on your back on the floor with your hands by your sides, bringing your knees up to your chest, then straightening and repeating.
Easy Shaper Exercises
The Easy Shaper is a lightweight metal bar with resistance cords attached. The more you wrap the cords around the bar, the more resistance you get. You can perform many standard ab exercises using the Easy Shaper to provide resistance.
Start on the floor, on your back, with your arms fully extended behind your head holding the Easy Shaper, which is also attached to your feet. Lie on your back and keep the bar behind you as you raise your legs and bring your knees toward your chest. Pause, then straighten your legs against the resistance of the cords. For a double crunch, perform the previous exercise raising your shoulders off the floor while bringing the bar forward until it gets over your bent knees. Pause, then move back to your original position, pushing against the cords as you straighten your legs.
Gazelle Exercises
The Gazelle provides a total body workout, but few abdominal exercises because of the way the machine's pedals and levers are positioned. Holding in your stomach muscles while you work out creates isometric contractions.
To specifically target your abdominal muscles on a Gazelle, perform the longest stride you can, then hold for several seconds. This provides more lateral core movement than other exercises on the Gazelle, and requires isometric contractions by the abdominal muscles to hold the stretch. Switch legs, repeating this exercise the number of times you wish to create a set. Repeat this exercise three or more times during your Gazelle workout for stomach toning.
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