manchester

healthy options

general health

Six-pack

WERE you impressed by Denise Lewis' toned-to-perfection stomach or do you prefer to see a six-pack in the fridge?

Most people acknowledge that the rippling muscle definition achieved by Olympic athletes is beyond their grasp - all we really want is a flat stomach.

Sue Gardener is a personal trainer at Prema Health and Fitness in Manchester. She said: ''A flat stomach is probably the number one priority for most women and an awful lot of men.

"The good news is that it is perfectly possible, the bad news is that you have to work at it and the key thing is consistency. You cannot blast your stomach muscles in one session and then do nothing else for a week. You have to do it every day.''

The startling thing is that most people are going about achieving a flat stomach completely the wrong way.

''It is all in the technique,'' explained Paula Litherland who runs an abs and back class at Prema. She said: ''You have two sets of muscles shaping your stomach - the rectus abdominus, which runs vertically centrally down your stomach, and your transversus abdominus, which wraps like a band around the lower half of your stomach and controls your tummy.

Most people concentrate on the lower muscles which control that saggy tum but to achieve a totally toned stomach you have to work both.

''If you are out of shape, the temptation is to concentrate on the larger rectus muscle. The problem is that it will initially be stretched and flabby and you will simply be strengthening and toning it in the wrong position.

''You need to first shorten this muscle by working the transversus which in turn pulls it in. You should also ensure you are strengthening your back muscles at the same time, so in effect you are creating a toned, girdle of muscles back and front. This helps you stand tall, improve your posture and reduce backache.

''How you exercise the abdominals are crucial. The old advice was to lay on the floor and do a pelvic tilt - press the lower back into the floor -and then curl up and raise your shoulders off the floor.

''If you actually feel your stomach muscles as you do this you will feel them come out, giving a convex shape. Many people also got severe neck strain as they forced their heads up instead of using their stomach muscles. These sit-ups are hard, painful and can be damaging.

''What you should have is a neutral back, where you can slide your hand between your back and the floor. Any movement must be very controlled and there is actually hardly any lift, it is all about squeezing the muscles in, feeling the tension throughout the abdominals.''

Three moves for a flat tum

The curl:
Lie on the floor, one leg bent the other extended. This ensures your back stays in neutral. Put fingertips to temples and concentrating on your transverse muscles, tighten them, and at the same time raise your head and shoulders just off the floor. Breathe out as you come up and breathe in as you return back but do not release the muscles, keep them tight. When down, relax. Repeat 10 times.

The reverse curl:
Lie on the floor again with back in neutral. Raise legs from hips and cross loosely at the ankles. Again concentrating on lower transverse muscles slowly raise your bottom a few centimetres off the floor, aiming your hips to your rib cage, as you pull in. Then lower not releasing the squeeze until you are down. Breathe out on the way up and in on the way down. Repeat 10 times.

The plank
Lie on your stomach, elbows bent, forearms on the floor close to your body. Resting on your forearms lift your hips off the floor. Keep your shoulders down and relaxed and concentrate on lowering your rib cage and squeezing in all the abdominal muscles holding yourself taut. Focus on pulling everything into the centre, you should feel like your stomach is keeping you up off the floor. Hold for a count of 30 and return to the floor and release. Repeat 10 times and remember to keep relaxed and breathing.
Flat tum on the move
The muscles you are aiming to work in all the above are those you pull in as you stand posturing in front of the mirror in that little black dress, or for blokes, those you pull in when the girl you fancy approaches the bar.

at the bus stop
Be conscious of your posture as you walk to the stop and once there, don't lean on the shelter, stand straight and consciously pull in your lower tummy muscles. Hold till you count to 25. Relax and repeat until the bus arrives. This is particularly effective during strike action.

on the bus
Every time the bus halts at a stop concentrate on those transverse muscles and tighten them. Hold it until the bus moves off again but don't forget to keep breathing. This is obviously a harder exercise if your route to work involves the A6 into Manchester during term time!

in the car:
Every time you come to a red light, relax your shoulders and pull in your stomach.

Keep breathing and hold the tension until the lights change. Try and remember to put the handbrake on first.

at the supermarket:
Welcome a lengthy check-out queue as an opportunity for a work-out.

Tighten those transverse tummy muscles as you wait in line.

at the office:
Give those muscles another quick jolt as you wait for the kettle to boil, the photocopier to finish, the meeting to end.

Practice at home first in front of a mirror though to make sure you are not squeezing your face into contortions at the same time - these are supposed to be subtle, silent, secret, exercises.

But sadly a trim tummy will not appear by exercise alone. Sue Gardener said: ''If you are carrying a lot of excess fat then no amount of exercise is going to give you a flat stomach on the beach.

"You need to combine the exercises with a good aerobic session which gets your heart-rate up and burns fat. Forget the scales though, muscle weighs more than fat and what you are interested in is improved shape and you don't need scales to tell you that - just a bikini.''