TFI Friday and it’s the final part of our shape up series! If you missed Bingo Bettys (thats arms for the uneducated) and Lilly Long Legs (self explanatory I feel,) check them out to complete the work out.

I’m going to hold my hands up and say it. I hate my stomach.

Apart from being the part of my body that just never looks slim (especially when you’re doing the side on shuffle in the full length bathroom mirror, pre weigh in,) it’s also the bit I find most resistant to my gym efforts.

I mean, what is it with that little bit below your belly button and above your knickers? No matter how hard I try, it never wants to shift.

But don’t lose heart. I’m not hear to moan and groan but to share a bit of flat ab-ed success with you all. Since I started doing the exercises I’m about to spill the beans on, my tummy is noticeably flatter and I put it all down to tone. Why is that I hear you ask? Because right now, I am at least half a stone heavier than on my wedding day and though my tummy may be bigger, *cry* it is definitely flatter than it used to be. So get crunching and tell us all about the results!

Exercise 1 – Bosu crunch

It’s time to get back to the Bosu ball guys, and perhaps to reconcile your differences after the leg workout it put you through on Wednesday (I hope . )

This one is great for that stubborn, below the waist area I spoke so fondly of above.

1. Put the Bosu ball, flat side down, on the floor. Sit on the very edge of it, so your bottom is almost as far off it as you can get without sitting on the floor itself. Bend the knees up gently and lie back across the ball so the natural arch of your back is accentuated and you are lying flat. (Shown below right.)

2. Place the finger tips either sides of your ears lightly and whilst looking up at the ceiling raise your head and shoulders up.

3. Try and imagine a rod running from the bottom of your back up to your neck and keep the back straight like that as you raise the head and shoulders.

4. Only lift to about 45 degrees, until you achieve a completely straight back, and as you do contract the tummy muscles below your belly button.

5. You should have lifted slowly, and now you can slowly lower yourself back down but not to completely flat, stop 2 or 3 inches above your starting point.

6. And Repeat. Aim for 3 sets of twelve.

Images from eHow and Jewells Gym.

Exercise 2 – Stretch, balance and crunch

Another one with the Bosu ball and a multi function exercise. Tricky at first, your core soon kicks in to support you and in the mean time you’re working it extra hard to trim your whole waist line, from every angle.

1. Start with the Bosu ball flat side down. Sit on the edge of the Bosu ball, with your bottom about half way between the central point of the ball and the edge. Bend the knees.

2. Place your hands behind you, at about the same point on the ball as your bottom is. Lean back to let your arms partially support you and lift your legs of the floor – still with bent knees. (See above left)

3. Lean back and simultaneously stretch out the legs straight, not letting them touch the floor, and then crunch back up to your starting position.

4. Repeat. Aim for 3 sets of 12!

Exercise 3 – Pass the bulge not the buck!

I love this next one as it tones the stubborn inner thigh, core and arms shoulders too. You gotta love a one exercise does it all trick!

1. Lie flat on your back and place the Exercise ball, (or beach ball, or any other large ball that comes to hand,) between your lower legs/ankles. Stretch your arms out on the floor behind your head. (Please ignore the small ball shown in the demo pictures above.)

2. Lift the legs and arms simultaneously to bring the ball up (keeping the legs straight) to meet your hands.

Images from Kiran Sawhney.

3. Transfer the ball into your hands and lower both the legs and arms simultaneously, whilst keeping them both straight.

4. Do not allow the ball or your legs to touch the floor, instead stopping them 2-3 inches above.

5. Repeat, to bring the arms up to meet the lags and transfer the ball back again, lowering them both down to the start position, BUT WITHOUT TOUCHING THE FLOOR! This is one full repetition of the exercise.

6. Repeat. Aim for 3 sets of 12, building up to 15 or 20.

And that’s it.

Punishment over.

It’s Friday and in the Contra household that means Wine and Pizza. Yum Yum. I’ll be getting myself to the gym first though so I can have an extra slice

Tell us if you are getting in shape for your wedding day, what you are doing and if this series of Shape up work outs are something you like. RMW is 100% for our readers so if you like it, we’ll do more. Simple.

Yours Truly,

(A soon to be toned again,) Contra
xoxo

• Previous Entry: Life’s Too F***ing Short
• Next Entry: Canadian Cool… Part 1