George Clooney’s girlfriend Stacy Keibler has abs most of us would kill for.
The former professional wrestler tweeted a picture of herself working out in Italy yesterday, where she is holidaying with dreamboat George to celebrate their first anniversary. Bless.
The pictures helped dismiss rumours that Stacey was pregnant by showing there was definitely not a bump in sight!
But how can we get abs like that (and hopefully bag ourselves our own George in the process)?
We asked TenPilates Master Trainer Luke Meessmann for his advice…
“To get abs that look hard enough to crack walnuts on, especially for fashion statement beachwear, it’s all about focusing on the core muscle groups…
Oblique curl ups
Start position: Lying on your back with your legs in the double tabletop position (feet off the floor, knees sitting just above your hips, shins parallel to the floor). Set your neutral spine and maintain activation of deeper abdominal muscles. Hands are behind your head supporting your neck, chin slightly tucked, elbows wide and shoulders drawn back and down away from your ears.
The exercise: Breathe in to prepare. Breathe out and slowly curl up off the floor and rotate to one side. Breathe in as you rotate back to the middle and roll back down to the floor.
Make sure you keep your upper body as set in the start position – try not to bring your shoulder around and try to touch your knee – instead imagine your are trying to connect your rib cage to your opposite hip bone – drawing your ribs down as you rotate will activate the muscles of your waist a lot more. Aim to keep your hips and lower back absolutely still as you rotate. Perform for 1-2 minutes.
Roll Back Twist
Start position: Seated with a ball between your knees.
The exercise: Hold a squeeze on the ball as you gently lean back keeping your toes on the floor. When you feel your abs tense, open your arms wide and rotate your body side to side. Repeat 10 each side.
Alternate oblique curl and leg extension
Start position: Lie on your back with your knees bent and one leg raised into the tabletop position (knee directly above your hip, shin parallel to the floor).
The exercise: With your hands behind your head and elbows wide, slowly draw your ribs towards your hips and curl your head and shoulders off the floor and rotate your torso towards your bent knee. As your return to centre and roll back down, slowly extend your raised leg and hold for a second. Lower your extended leg to the start position and then repeat the exercise on the other side. Repeat until fatigue. At all times try to maintain activation of your deeper abdominals and limit and movement of your lower back.
The plank
Start position: Position yourself on your elbows and knees.
The exercise: Keeping your shoulders over your elbows, start to walk your knees back so they are now behind your hips and your thighs are at a 45 degree angle.
Lift your hips so they are at the same height as your shoulders. Tip your pelvis back, as though you are pulling your tail bone between your legs. Hold the position for 10-20 seconds, two to three times with a short rest between. This will help to grind down muffin tops.
Oblique reaches
Start position: Lie on your back with your legs in table top position (feet off the floor, knees over your hips, shins parallel to the floor) set your neutral spine and deeper abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine.
The exercise: From here extend your hands out towards and beyond your hips, palms facing the ceiling and lengthening your fingers away straightening the arms, pulling your shoulders away from your ears. From here gently squeeze your abdominals and lift the shoulders off the floor, look just above your knees, maintaining this position breathe out, reach as far to your left as you can, breathe in return to the middle then breathe out and reach across to your right, breathing in returning to the middle. Repeat this for 60-120 seconds or until fatigue.
Finish with:
The stretch: Knees to chest. Hug your knees to your chest and roll from side to side, this will relax your abdominals and stretch your lower back.”
Thanks Luke! We’re on it….
To find out more, visit www.tenpilates.com
The easy bride-to-be fitness plan
Cameron Diaz is to write a nutrition book for young girls
Try Hula-Hooping for a fun retro workout!
More Diet and Fitness articles from handbag.com
handbag.com Competitions and Offers
