The stability ball is a great piece of equipment. In addition to increasing range of motion for crunches and other abdominal exercises, the stability ball also improves your balance and coordination. You can start with the basics such as regular crunches or oblique crunches.
After mastering crunches you can move to something more challenging such as roll-ins or piques. In roll-ins and piques your feet are placed on the ball while your hands are on the floor.
The stability ball ab exercises are a good addition to your ab workout.
#2 The Medicine Ball
The medicine ball is simply a weighted ball. Although some people may think that medicine balls are only for boxers and athletes, medicine balls can really enhance your core workout.
When basic crunches or other ab exercises become too easy, adding resistance in the form of a medicine ball is a great way to increase the intensity of your ab workout. Some of the best medicine ball exercises are seated Russian twists and medicine ball toe touch crunches.
#3 Ankle Weights
Medicine balls are a great way to add resistance to your upper body, and ankle weights are a great way to add resistance to your lower body.
Ankle weights can increase the intensity of reverse crunches and leg raises. When regular leg raises become really easy, you can add ankle weights to increase the muscle work in your abs.
#4 Cables or Resistance Tubes
Here is another way you can add resistance to your abdominal muscles to break through strength.
You can perform cable crunches from a low cable tower by lying on the floor and holding the resistance behind your head. Or you can perform cable crunches from a kneeling position.
The cables add a very different feeling to your abdominal muscles because of the constant tension from the weight stack, so your abs get a burn throughout the entire range of motion.
#5 Ab Wheel
The ab wheel or power wheel is just what it says it is. It is a wheel with a stick in between it. You basically use the ab wheel for roll outs, and this is a very challenging abdominal exercise.
There are hundreds of ways to work your abdominal muscles, and above are just 5 good pieces to include in your ab workouts.
An if you don't have any ab exercise equipment available, the floor is always a good option. Some of my favorite ab exercises are bicycle crunches and the plank. So no excuses. Start working your abdominals.
When you have spent a small fortune to purchase exactly the right treadmill for you, it is perfectly natural to want to take good care of it. Fortunately, newer pieces of exercise equipment such as the treadmill exercise equipment don't require a lot of maintenance because they are now designed that way. Even better, you won't need to spend more than a few minutes a month on the maintenance of your equipment to keep it looking brand new.
Maintenance Tip #1: Wipe Off Perspiration
At the end of each workout, you should wipe any sweat off the treadmill using a dry towel. Because of its corrosive properties, sweat can damage over time the belt on your treadmill exercise equipment. In addition, sweat can make the belt slick and, consequently, unsafe for anyone planning to exercise on it after you.
Maintenance Tip #2: Remove Dust
As you might suspect, dirt and dust can create two problems: they can inhibit the movement of the belt and they can interfere with your electronic board. Consequently, it is highly recommended to dust your treadmill exercise equipment at least once a week. The best tools for this task would be a clean dry cloth to remove dust from the belt and the area under the belt, and a moist cloth on the electronic board. Make be sure the cloth is only moist, and not dripping wet. Another thing to remember is to never use furniture products or polish like Endust on your treadmill exercise equipment.
Finally, every couple of months, it would be a really good idea to remove the hood of the machine to wipe away any dirt or dust that has accumulated inside.
Maintenance Tip #3: Check the Belt
You should check the belt on your treadmill to make sure it still fits snugly ant that it is aligned approximately once a month. After the first few uses, the belts on some of the new machines especially tend to loosen. Usually, you will find the screws to tighten the belt at the back of the machine. However, be very careful not to tighten too much. It may only take a quarter turn. If the belt is askew, simply giving it a gentle tug will get it back into alignment. Always remember to seek advice from the manufacturer or the fitness store where you bought your treadmill exercise equipment if you have trouble realigning or tightening the belt.
Since most new treadmills do not require belt lubrication, you should only lubricate your belt if and only if the manufacturer of your treadmill specifically recommends it. If that's your case, your manufacturer probably sells lubrication kits accompanied with instructions and all the equipment you will need to accomplish that task quickly.
Here are two good reasons to take care of your treadmill: 1) it is not at all time consuming and 2) giving proper care to your equipment will extend its life in the long run. The best course of action is to contact the manufacturer of your treadmill exercise equipment to obtain additional information if you are not certain about the specific care that is recommended for your treadmill.
Both Charles Inniss & Nathalie Lafleur are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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