100 sit-ups everyday

[seven]

if i make this part of my daily routine, would i expect a flatter mid-section? http://www.pinoyexchange.com/blush.gif

don't worry, i know how to do sit-ups the right way. :)

what other guidelines should i follow?

[Ira]

We never really prescribe sit-ups, just abdominal crunches. Sit-ups can cause slipped discs.

I think an abdominal routine every other day instead of daily would be more than ample. You need to let your abdominal muscles rest.

As for guidelines, there's really none--just remember to warm up properly (at least 5 minutes), maybe via stretching exercises or even just walking around before starting.

[tsadi]

pano po ba ginagawa ang abdominal crunches doc Ira ?

[Ira]

1. Lie flat on your back, bend knees and bring feet close to the buttocks.

2. Either fold your arms across your chest or place your hands behind your head with fingers interlaced together, and tuck your chin into your chest.

3. Lift with your abdominal muscles the upper body towards your thighs while keeping the lower back on the floor.

4. Hold the contracted position for a slow count of 1-3 seconds.

5. Lower shoulders and upper body slowly and with control.

[coZee]

aside from the sit-ups and crunches do some cardiovascular exercise too like running/jogging.

[PaJaMaS]

for how many minutes should i do it?

[Ira]

Start with a few repetitions (maybe around 8-16 counts, or until you're tired), then gradually increase every 2 weeks. There's no set rule on how much you should do.

[§ínned™]

Just wanna add (para kasing wala 'ata 'yung breathing sa sinabi ni Ira. :D):

Exhale while crunching and inhale while going back to the starting position. This is the proper breathing when doing your crunches.

§inned™

[Ira]

Ooops. :D

[wAgKaNgMaKuLiT]

ah... kaya pala muntik na akong mamatay nung ni try ko... kidding! http://www.pinoyexchange.com/lol.gif


.


:D :D :D

[nash999]

lol :) comedy ka talaga wagkangmakulit

[uptowngirl]

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/lol.gif@Sinned

Sana gumanda rin abs ko. :D

[tRiStAn]

Doc, paano pagpalaki ng pectorals?

[Ira]

You will have to do weightlifting exercises for that--or, as an alternative, start a regular swimming routine. Breast stroke (swimming stroke, ha?) helps.

[tRiStAn]

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/lol.gif Thanks.

[Mister Dean]

The breaststroke does nothing for me. ;)

[SaintOfKelots]

ANONG IBIG SABIHIN NG SLIPPED DISCS?

[Ira]

What's with the all caps?

Slipped disc is a layman's term for what is known in medicine as "spondylosis". A part of the disc (the annulus fibrosus)is weakened or torn by degeneration, causing another part of the disc (the nucleus pulposus, which is at the center) to bulge or protrude towards the back where the spinal cord is. Depending upon its size and position, the bulge may press upon the ligament and the nearby nerve roots. This pressure causes pain in the back and extending into the leg on the affected side, and if the bulge increases further, it may constantly compress the nerve causing pins and needles, muscle weakness or numbness in the lower part of the leg.

[dudung]

Doc Ira,

Does regular clubbing (I mean, heavy dancing in a club) would help develop the muscularity of the upper part of your body? Is it a good form of exercise while you socialize? ('Coz I see a lot of clubbers (including ravers)with very good, toned bodies. Do they get it from the gym or a regular clubbing routine? Just curious.)

[Ira]

Dancing is more of an aerobic form of exercise, and while it's a good form of cardiovascular exercise, it hardly builds muscles. It's probably just because the people who are comfortable with heavy dancing are the same ones who keep fit. Siguro mas shy o self-conscious lang sumayaw ang medyo mabibigat. :)

[Gsweetie]

Hi doc!
I've been wanting to get into a regular exercise routine and thought of swimming (para hindi pawisan :D hehehe).
However, this friend of mine says swimming doesnt make you lose weight...only strengthens certain muscles. Is this true?

[Ira]

Any physical activity which burns enough calories can make you lose weight (even going window shopping). Losing one pound requires that you burn around 3,500 calories. Swimming builds the muscles of your upper torso since you're working on your chest and arm muscles when you do laps, but at the same time, it also burns calories. Gets? :)

[Mokkori]

What about combat sports? Karate, taekwondo, judo, etc.? Are those recommendable sports for fitness? I heard some issues concerning high injury rates in high impact sports.

[dudung]

Dear Doctor,

Eh iyong six-pack abs. How can I achieve that? Dapat ba hindi kakain tsaka dapat ba ita-tuck in ang stomach :)?

Dapat ba merong supplements (e.g. protein bars tsaka iyong mga powder na nabibili sa gym shops)? Do these help at all?

Thanks ulit.

Cheers!

[batang uliran]

Those contact sports will keep you fit but there is definitely a risk of injury. Like many things, one has to consider the whole picture. For instance if you are after endurance and cardiovascular fitness then go for distance running or swimming. If you value strength the most then lift weights. If you value discipline then perhaps karate or judo is for you.

[Ira]

For "six-pack abs", you will have to do regular abdominal exercises for that. Not eating will make you lose weight, but it does not do anything to firm up your abdominal muscles.

[§ínned™]

Ira, 'di ba eating has something to do with gross abs? :D I've read a million times that ab muscles are hidden by unscrupulous fats :D, now by doing regular ab exercises AND cutting on calorie intake or having a diet low in fat, your 6-pack abs will be visible? Kasi kahit na mag-crunch ka buong araw if your diet is bad then wala rin, 'di ba? Dudung ako may beer belly. :D

May sense ba 'yung sinabi ko, doc? :D

§inned™

[Quiet Storm]

One of my frustration is body building. I can't go into such coz of my scoliosis. I got this for almost 10yrs na. It's almost 25 degrees na. Is there any other way to develop my muscles? Once i've tried lifting weights and I had a hard time proportioning my triceps.(di kasi pantay shoulder ko. Too bad)

[Ira]

Sinned: I think I kind of get what you mean. Dieting will make you lose the fat pads in front of your abdominal muscles, but if you don't work out, all you will get is a flat abdomen (walang spare tires), but you will definitely not get defined muscles purely by dieting.

[Ira]

Quiet Storm: If your scoliosis angle is almost 25 degrees, I'm afraid you'll have to be a little more careful with the exercises. I think dumbbells are allowed in your case (not barbels!), but please get a clearance first from your orthopedic surgeon before you start on this.

[Quiet Storm]

Originally posted by Ira:
Quiet Storm: If your scoliosis angle is almost 25 degrees, I'm afraid you'll have to be a little more careful with the exercises. I think dumbbells are allowed in your case (not barbels!), but please get a clearance first from your orthopedic surgeon before you start on this.

Tnx IRA. By the way, may i ask? How old r u na? Curious lang ako coz i find u interesting. :l

[fox]

hhhhmmmmmmm, i smell something.....

[tRiStAn]

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/lol.gif@Quiet Storm

/me waits for Ira's reply... http://www.pinoyexchange.com/wonder.gif

[Quiet Storm]

She can answer all ur medical problem pero yung question ko sa kanya about her age nahirapang sagutin. Hmmm....I just want to know more of you lang naman. Tnx :l

[Ira]

Secret.

[asterisk]

"Secret" means talagang thundercats, otherwise sasabihin niya. :) Bakit ba iyon ang gusto mong unang malaman, QuietStorm? Ang tip ko para mahuli mo siya itanong mo muna kung anong year siya grumadweyt college, at kung anu-ano pa (mga tipong "safe') tapos i-add-add mo na lang yung mga info. Hehe

[§ínned™]

I think Zen told me Ira's age when we were talking on the phone. Just slipped me. Teka tawagan ko uli si Zen. :D

Whoops, off-topic, but NO! I'm doing crunches while typing this, Ira ha.

§inned™

[Quiet Storm]

Originally posted by §inned™:
I think Zen told me Ira's age when we were talking on the phone. Just slipped me. Teka tawagan ko uli si Zen. :D

Whoops, off-topic, but NO! I'm doing crunches while typing this, Ira ha.

§inned™

(I'm doing sit-ups ha?)
Cmon buddy. Tell me. (I'll treat you sa Padi's pag sinabi mo :inluv :)

IRA: Cge na pls. Hulaan ko na ***. between 20 and 27?

[Gsweetie]

Oh, no...this got me pretty worried-recently, each time I bend my knees, there's a cracking sound (tok!)...it's not painful naman but it gets a little bit embarrassing...what should I do about this doc? Do I need an x-ray?

[Ira]

Gsweetie: If you don't have a recent history of trauma on that area, it's not painful, it doesn't occur 100% of the time when you bend your knees, and you don't have any limitation of motion, relax. It will most probably disappear after a while.

[prizecision]

ok clarifications muna:
1. better if you dont interlace your fingers when you do your crunches; there's a tendency to push your neck up--delikado; the pressure should be on your abs not your neck
2. for six-packs; it takes time, proper diet and exercise--not eating helps you lose weight but it wont make your ab muscles show--oo nga pala the ab muscles are the last to show--this takes both aerobic exercise (running, dancing, etc. ) AND strength training (ab exercises) both kailangan otherwise they won't show.

**cheaters lane--if ure worried about your gut, try building up your back and chest area, when you gain muscles there; you will look more proportioned

3. to build your pecs: bench presses: flat, inclined, and declined: both barbell and dumbells--just ask if you need info on these

--try to get into an exercise regimen or sport that you enjoy; that's the best way to get healthy! :)

[silver]

i also do crunches regularly (well, at least i try to do it regularly :D)... but what i do is doing crunches and reverse crunches at the same time... reverse crunches is what i call to that i do when i bring my hips a few inches off the ground... i do not know if this is what it is commonly called... anyway, when i already feel my abs start to hurt my lower back hurts, too... should that happen?... if i am not doing it correctly, what is the correct way?

[prizecision]

hmmm...its very easy to feel some pain sa lower back with crunches--as long as its not stabbing pain ok lang; just to be sure try doing the reverse and the crunches separately and see if the pain is there. anyway reverse crunches should is you bring your knees to your chest--not too sure about the hip thing. as i understand from your post, parang pelvic thrust yung ginagawa mo

[Ira]

Originally posted by prizecision
hmmm...its very easy to feel some pain sa lower back with crunches--as long as its not stabbing pain ok lang; just to be sure try doing the reverse and the crunches separately and see if the pain is there. anyway reverse crunches should is you bring your knees to your chest--not too sure about the hip thing. as i understand from your post, parang pelvic thrust yung ginagawa mo

It is not, and I repeat, NOT okay to feel any kind of lower back pain with abdominal exercises! If you are developing back pains, discontinue the exercises immediately!

[silver]

i think that is what i meant, prizecision about the reverse

i do not always feel lower back pains... i just felt it once when i stopped doing crunches for awhile but i don't feel them anymore... at least now i know i should not feel any lower back pains... thanks, doc ira :D

[tokfu]

to sum it up, people here says that it is recommendable to do crunches until you feel tired of doing it, tama ba ako?

any other exercises na effective, like push-ups?

how about exercises you can do if you have a 10-30 lbs. of dumbell?
sorry kung marami akong tanong ha, just want to improve my body, and am also very curious. thanks for the understanding. :)

[Ira]

Rule of thumb would be to do the exercising in gradually increasing increments. Mild to moderate pain is expected and is okay especially after a sedentary lifestyle; severe pain isn't. I'm sure you're intelligent enough and you know your body enough to say when you're already abusing it.

Pushups and dumbbell lifting aren't effective as abdominal exercises.