Introduction
Men rule the world and women rule the men. So, when it comes to women liking men, there is always a weakness for big biceps. Or so the men think. It’s a bit more complicated than that. But that’s just one of the reasons why men want big biceps just so that we can look like our comic book fantasy such as ‘The Incredible Hulk’, and perhaps to have the women go ‘Aaaahhh’.

In the real world, however, you can get those biceps that you want but not necessarily the green tint not unless envy becomes you!

OK, boring. Let’s cut to the chase here. What can one do to enlarge their bicep size?

Particular exercises, but it has to be complemented with the right nutrition.

But before that, let’s identify the bicep muscle in the arms and understand how it can be strengthened.

Biceps Brachii Muscle
The biceps brachii muscle is located in the upper arm (as shown in the figure) with the dual function of rotating the forearm and flexing the elbow.

Yes, it’s as simple as that.

And in order to make it stronger, weight and resistance training methods work very well. One example of how you can focus on the biceps in the arm is by performing the well-known ‘curl’ that can be accomplished with commonly used fitness equipment like dumbbells and barbells.

And since big biceps are characteristic of a man’s strength and sexuality, let’s discuss how we can enlarge them to a manly size.

Bigger Biceps – How?
Nutrition
In order to build and maintain a rock hard body, it’s protein and carbohydrates for life! And you’ll find a plethora of weight training supplements to help you reach this goal of getting bigger biceps not unless you’d like to keep to the food. You’ll have to speak to a certified (and registered) dietician before taking the dive into that sort of thing.

Exercise
The exercise part is bit more complex than that as it not only pertains to the biceps but also the muscle that connects it to the triceps (look at the figure above). That’s how you’ll get the most out of exercises which is by working on both these muscles.

Weight training (anaerobic) seems to the most effective way to getting bigger biceps using the implements mentioned in an earlier section. And if you don’t know this already, there are a wide range of exercises (just the variation of ‘curls’ will blow your mind) that you can try.

Personally, I would rather work out with free weights rather than machines designed for workouts. And this again depends on what your overall goals are, in terms of how you want your body to look.

Just surfing the internet will give you enough material to use for muscle building. I, for one, have improved [read: from gutbucket to a relatively flat tummy] after buying Mike ‘O Geary ‘The truth about Abs’ which not only focuses on the abs but the overall exercise routine for beginners and for those who consider themselves experts.

In Closing
If you are looking for exercises & nutrition that will help you get bigger biceps, you can consult a physical trainer or look over the internet for a lot of information (both free and for a fee) or both that will help you build bigger biceps to get that macho look.

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Introduction
In any esoteric study that you undertake, there’s an understanding of one going through cycles of regression and progression, breakdown and build-up. It’s a universal law that either subtly or very strongly affects out lives that interwoven between the strands of our lives that are controlled alternatively by causality and fate.

Our body is governed by the same rules that are a direct result of causality through exercise which facilitates a process of build-up and breakdown. The greatest example of them all is the muscle recovery process, which clearly shows us how muscle recovery and rebuilding works.

Muscle Hypertrophy
So how does one acquire stronger muscles? (Read: hot body while being in prime health)

Exercise, right?

Following the right diet as well, right?

Right.

Well, at this point you might say… so, that’s pretty obvious isn’t it? Hold your horses (especially if you’re the gambling types)!

Our body consists of muscles namely skeletal, smooth and cardiac.

Of these three types of muscles, the skeletal muscles (tendon-to-bone type of muscle) are the ones that you focus on through weight training, integral to our body’s functions of locomotion and in maintaining body posture and of course, looking good.

So, before we go into depth as to what happens when you work out using ‘strength training’ methods, you should understand how implements used in weight lifting exercises actually work on your muscles.

For example, if you are working on the biceps muscle, one repetition of the exercise in question (also known as a contraction) helps you in learning to use the muscle. And this is advantage number one leading to observable gains in strength of the muscle within the first few days. This gain in strength is attributed to a phenomenon otherwise known as ‘hypertrophy’.

So, what is hypertrophy?

From a surface level, it is the increase in mass or girth of a particular muscle through external stimuli, and in this case, through exercise.

At a biological level, even before you notice this increase, a breakdown or damage of muscle tissue occurs to which the whole process of muscle recovery responds to the external stimuli (strength training in this case) by building itself up so that it increases in strength by the biological increase in size of muscle fibers also known as muscle hypertrophy.

The reinforcement process involves increasing the size of muscle fiber that causes cells to expand while putting pressure on the nerves and arteries. This expansion pushes against the compartment each of these cells are ‘housed’ in, and the enlargement of each cell forces its compartment to increase in size as well, thus inducing pain. However, if you focus on exercises that focus on concentric muscle contractions rather than eccentric muscle contraction, you can increase your muscle size without having to endure the aftermath of DOMS, as we would have experienced it at one time or the other.

In Closing
As muscle recovery takes way more than two days as assumed normally, it is imperative to understand that giving the body rest is vital to building a good muscular body. Most experts say that until the muscle recovery process is complete, one should not get back into training again. For it is better to take another day off rather than get back into training leading to muscle damage that is irreparable and just plain harmful to physical fitness process.

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Chest Training

So you want those perfect chest muscles that shout out your manliness? I’m sure you’ve heard and experienced how difficult chest training can be, but worry not. Here are a few steps to get you going in that direction. And if you follow these steps staunchly, there’s absolutely no hindrance to achieving a perfect wide chest:

Chest Training Exercises

1. Perform push ups. This frequently ignored exercise permits a great pump, driving nutrients to the muscles. Keep your hands spaced out at shoulder width. When you initially start with push ups they are likely to be tough. But when you continue doing them, they will seem relatively simple. Push ups also exert your triceps and shoulders (deltoids). Push ups also have a result on shoulder/back muscles, as an additional benefit.
2. Bench presses. Bench presses are the most popular chest building work out of all time. Decrease the bar along the chest till the time you reach about 1 inch from your chest. Bench presses also work out your triceps and shoulders (deltoids). Bench press again and again, and then a little more to really feel the burn – maintain it to a point where you believe that you are snapping, but you won't, hardly. This assists the blood flow carry glycogen all through your body, so calories will be effortlessly be burned and the exercise can persist with the help of adrenaline.
3. Incline bench presses. These are similar to bench presses, the difference being that it centers more on your upper pectoral muscles.
4. Decline bench Presses: Similar to bench presses, it focuses on your lower pectoral muscles. A good number of people don't use this exercise but it is necessary in obtaining a full and rounded chest, or else your chest can look rather odd.
5. Perform flies: This will not radically amplify your strength, but shapes your pecs in a grand way; what's more, it’s a great stretch for your pecks.

While you are fully endorsed in working out yourself to the extreme, do not forget to take rest at least 72 hours amid working the same muscle group, rather if all soreness is gone. The nutritional value of protein has been highlighted time and time again. And when your body is sweating under pressure from exercise, you need as much nutrition as possible. You would need about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Acquire your protein from meat, chicken, milk, beans, pulses, fish (tuna has a very low quantity of fat and calories but a large amount of protein), and eggs as they are economical and a fine source of protein.

In case you’re among the vegans, worry not. Vegetarians do not have to be short of protein, soy products (typically hold the majority protein of all) are available inexpensively at grocery stores and food markets.

Make sure you get a healthy dose of sleep when working out or exercising yourself. It is imperative that you relax your muscles in turn to develop. Remember, you have to work out intelligently.

What are some of your favorite chest training exercises?

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Get your dream body: It’s in human nature to always be in a rush to get things done; a rush to get slim or a rush to put on some muscle. In the fitness industry, there are different ways to approach this. Artificial pills are discouraged by medical and fitness experts alike. So how can you naturally put on some muscle mass without compromising on your health? Thankfully, it’s in our reach: Say hello to Creatine. It is a supplement which is believed to help athletes boost their performance, and helps just about anyone to build muscle mass, if you really know how to use creatine. Creatine should ideally be used as an addition to your regular workouts and exercise – to help reach your fitness goals more effectively and quickly.

Understand your supplements well: Creatine is essentially an amino acid compound which is made by the body and is used to supply energy to muscle and nerve cells – it is also found naturally in red meat and fish in very small amounts. The Creatine formed in our body is first directed to the brain and heart and then to the rest of the body. Creatine supplements were introduced for athletes back in 1993, and since then have been a medically approved supplement for sportsmen. And why shouldn’t it be — it’s all natural and practically safe for the body. Not only that, it also helps decrease the reliance on drugs by naturally inducing the adrenaline thrill and strength to the body.

Apart from this, Creatine also helps you achieve the perfect amount of muscle on your body – thus becoming a great choice for body builders. Who doesn’t want their dream of having an 8 pac to materialize as soon as possible?

However, like all things, adopting a certain routine and procedure can help maximize the effects of the Creatine supplements. Here’s how:

Be inquisitive – this is your body we’re talking about: The best tip would perhaps be to read the instructions given on the packaging very carefully, for there are different types of Creatine being manufactured. Pure Creatine is the best to use.
How to use Creatine for the best results: There is a lot of confusion about how to use Creatine, what amounts are best to use, and when to stop its use.

Our body reacts to Creatine in a positive way, but hits a plateau after several weeks of usage. To avoid that, it’s good to follow some best practices that can help you keep benefiting from the supplement. The best way to use dietary supplements is to understand their effect on your body:

1. Loading Phase: The most important phase in the Creatine cycle, this is where you get your body accustomed to the intake of this amino acid. For the first week, the best suggestion is to have a daily intake of 20 grams, phased out in 3-4 times during the day.
2. Maintenance phase: Once your body is accustomed to the intake of Creatine, it’s time to lower the consumption. Switch your phased intake to 10 grams a day.
3. Resting Phase: Give your body a rest from Creatine to maximize the outcome. From the fifth to the eighth week, use no Creatine.

The Resting phase assures that the used-to behavior your body has towards Creatine is barred, so that during reuse the effects are maximized. By following the prescribed method, you can protect yourself from all side effects and enjoy the healthy and safe use of Creatine.

What is your favorite or preferred method of how to use creatine?

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Introduction
If you’re an athlete or one who exercises diligently, sooner or later you will experience mild discomfort in terms of muscle soreness and stiffness or debilitating muscle pain. Medically, this term is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and is often felt between 24 to 72 hours after exercising, after which it gradually wears off within two to three days.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – A Closer Look
So, why does DOMS occur after exercise?

For one, there are different reasons that are responsible for DOMS to occur, but so far, this part of exercise science has a lot of grey areas… a single explanation for its occurrence hasn’t universally been accepted yet. But one thing is for sure, muscle contraction plays a large role in the development of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

So, let’s look at an explanation as to why Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness occurs.

If you are aware of the rudiments of any strength training program, you’ll also be aware that muscles when used in the method of exercise first break down to then build up again, a response to the training in question in order to reinforce itself, by growing larger and stronger than the last time. This process of muscle breakdown to build up is the process called muscular hypertrophy.

DOMS occurs during the reinforcement process, and is not caused due to the damaged muscle cells. Actually, while the muscles expand during the process of reinforcement, their enlarged size causes the pain.

Causes of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
Since the reason for to DOMS to occur stems from the manner of muscular contraction which depends on the kind of exercise you do, and how long/ fast you do it too. Yet DOMS in most cases occur when you do exercises that are not like any normal movement that you are used to. The term used to describe these odd movements is eccentric muscular contraction and some examples of this phenomenon are running downhill, lowering weights, the downward motion of squats and push-ups.

Although, DOMS happens when exercises involving normal muscle movement are completed, it is said to be worse in the case of exercises that result eccentric muscular contractions.

The reason for this is because the muscle elongates while under tension due to an opposing force being greater than the force generated by the muscle, which can happen while you are trying to lift a weight that is much heavier than the muscle can bear, or while trying smooth out the motion of the weight that you are attempting to work out with.

Treatment for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
The funny thing is since scientists and health and fitness specialists haven’t been able to verify what the actual cause of DOMS is, no treatment has been determined either.

As always, the smartest way to deal with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is to avoid it. In cases where it is unavoidable, you just have to wait until the muscle pain/ soreness wears away, as it is deemed a natural process.

Another way which seems to have been proven to work is low-impact aerobic exercises which increase blood flow, and reduce the soreness/ pain as a result. Some athletes take an ice bath, which is known to be an effective way of soothing the pain (not eliminating it completely). Some people prefer taking pain killers which help in soothing the pain.

As prevention is the best method here, it is imperative to wait until the pain or soreness subsides completely before resuming your normal exercise routine, or else this will result in aggravating the muscle soreness leading to more pain, and in some cases muscle damage.

In Closing
It’s important to note that the body requires both concentric and eccentric muscular contraction in order to build muscle but the balance between the two have to be maintained so that one doesn’t have to go through extremes of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness which, according to some athletes, feels like every molecule of air is bashing into your skin.

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With the recent release of the Mitchell Report, performance enhancing drugs in sports is the headline of the season.

While most people think they understand this topic on a basic level (put needle in butt, become magically stronger, Tarzan hit ball far), we're going to look at the issue in further detail.

First, any drug, performance-enhancing or not, can be dangerous and even deadly, given that 2 of the players named in the Mitchell Report, Steve Bechler and Ken Caminiti, are, in fact, already dead.

History of Steroids and Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Steroids were used heavily in the Olympics, particularly by the Germans and Russians, as far back as the 1950's.

A doctor by the name of John Ziegler is thought to have been the first to synthesize a performance enhancing drug in the U.S. in 1959.

These new "wonder drugs" quickly spread throughout the country among bodybuilders, eventually making their way into professional sports like the NFL.

How Do They Work?

Every drug is different, but one thing is clear: You still have to put in the hard work and training effort to get results.

As Gary Gaffney, M.D., associate professor at the University of Iowa’s College of Medicine, says, "[Performance enhancing drugs are] going to pay off most for the person with a tremendous amount of talent—you can give me all the steroids and HGH in the world, and I’ll never dunk a basketball."

Many steroids shorten recovery time, allowing an athlete to train harder and longer than he could without them.

What is HGH?

Human growth hormone is usually used to help older people and/or accident victims regain lost muscle and necessary abilities to function and live their life.

Athletes, who are already usually in great physical shape, use HGH to spur even faster and greater muscle growth. But as with any drug, there are several side effects of human growth hormone:

• Increased growth of existing tumors
• Rise in blood pressure
• Retained fluid
• Body aches, specifically joint-related pains
• Potentially habit-forming

As you can see, steroids, HGH, and all performance enhancing drugs can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and players may be trading years of their life for bigger biceps today.

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Have you ever shaken someone's hand whose grip strength was off the charts, leaving you wondering if you would ever be able to open a jar or pick up a dumbbell again?

That should be motivation enough to get in the gym, so you can be ready the next time the two of you greet each other.

But, just in case you aren't quite that vain or vengeful, there's another great reason to improve your grip: A study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology showed a correlation between increased hand strength and reduced blood pressure.

In only two months, study participants lowered their systolic blood pressure by an average of 15 points and their diastolic blood pressure by an average of 5 points. Even more surprising, the researchers found the grip training to be more effective at lowering blood pressure than aerobic exercise.

How to Increase Grip Strength

All that is great, but how exactly do you increase grip strength, you ask? Why not follow exactly what the study subjects did to achieve their dramatic results:

Squeeze a Grip Exerciser for 2 minutes, four times a day, three times per week.

That's only 24 minutes per week, and thanks to the small, portable device, you can perform grip training anywhere: in the car, at your desk, in bed, etc.

Besides lowering your blood pressure and competing with your hard-handshake rivals, increasing your grip strength will also lead to bigger gains in larger muscle groups.

For example, pull-ups, deadlifts, bench presses, and several other exercises depend on your ability to grasp the bar for multiple reps and extended periods of time. As your hand strength increases, you will begin to notice gains in all of your grip-related lifts as well.

So, "put her there, Jack," and show those hand-shakers who's boss!

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Rowing training can provide an interesting change-up to your usual treadmill or cycle routine. With proper rowing technique, you can work nearly every muscle in your body, while getting a great aerobic workout.

You use your legs to push off, your abs and core to sit upright, and your arms and back to pull. If you're too macho to dedicate a full workout to the rowing machine, it can provide a great warm-up at the very least.

As with any exercise, proper form is essential. Here is a list of Rowing Machine Do's and Dont's brought to you by FitSugar:

Rowing Technique: Do's

• Use the straps to secure your feet in the pedals.
• Start on a low resistance until you feel comfortable with the proper form.
• Sit up straight with a natural arch in your back, bending forward at the hips.
• Keep your elbows tucked close to your sides.
• Ease arm fatigue by switching grips from overhand to underhand.
• Use your legs to help push away while pulling with your arms.
• Pull until the handles/bar are about an inch from your stomach and your elbows are slightly behind your torso.

Rowing Technique: Dont's

• Row barefoot.
• Try to row on a high resistance that forces you to use poor form.
• Hunch forward or slump your shoulders.
• Flare your elbows way out to the side.
• Use one arm.
• Use only your back or arms without assistance from your legs.
• Lock out your elbows or knees at any time throughout the exercise.

Rowing Training: Beginner's Guide Book

Are you more of a visual learner? No problem. This is a great and simple beginner's guide to rowing technique and training: "How To Use a Rowing Machine".

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Monday is Blog Carnivals Day. A Blog Carnival is basically a collection of articles or blog posts, all relating to a similar subject, that are gathered together for your viewing pleasure. You can quickly and conveniently see a list of Article Titles and click on the ones that interest you to read the full post. Blog carnivals are a great way to see a wide variety of ideas and opinions on a similar subject. To see a list of all previous posts in the Blog Carnivals category, click here.

Want to see your article or blog post featured in the FitBuff.com Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival? Click here to submit yours now.

Brain Power

Alvaro Fernandez presents Brain Fitness Program 2.0, MindFit, and much more on Brain Training posted at SharpBrains, saying, "Review and commentary on several New York Times articles related to "brain training""

Tristan presents Creating a Winning Mindset With Hypnosis posted at The Synergy Institute, saying, "In this article, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Steve G. Jones, explains how to create a winning mindset with the tools of hypnosis."

Dating

John Hill presents How to Attract Love posted at Attracting People.com.

Exercise

seanjames presents Building Muscle: How is it really done? posted at Practical Jokes, Blogging Tips, Adsense, Insurance and Phew!!, saying, "This is a free article I found on the net. I like it and would like to share it to fellow health buffs…"

Andrew Edgington presents What is the Future for Bodybuilders? (Part 1) posted at Mick.

John Hill presents The Best Way To Burn Fat posted at Universe Of Success.

John Hill presents Consistency Builds Big Arms posted at Big-Arms.com.

John presents Calf Training Tips For Real Growth posted at Muscular-Fitness.

Paul Piotrowski presents Microaction as a Success Tool posted at Self Help Wisdom . com.

Zoe Anderson presents Pilates Words, Terms, and Glossary posted at thinkpilates.com, saying, "Pilates terms that will help you integrate with ease into a pilates based form of exercise. Also included are ways to get started with pilates. Enjoy!"

Cindy Posey presents Limited on Space: Try this Mini-Workout | Go Workout Mom posted at Go Workout Mom, saying, "With a jump rope or not, you can fit in a quality workout in any space. Limited on space and time, this workout with make the most of both!"

Grooming

Aparna presents Beauty and Personality Grooming: Homemade packs for darkened necks posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming.

Nutrition

Kara-Leah Masina presents Is unconscious fear making it hard for you to lose weight? posted at K-L Masina, saying, "Weight loss is about so much more than will-power – it's essentially all about what's going on in the mind and in the emotions. Unlock those issues and the weight will melt away."

Toni presents Good mornings with Lemon Water posted at Wifely Steps, saying, "A glass of warm lemon water is a great way to start your day — it's cleansing, zesty and super healthy!"

Talia Mana presents What's the difference between overeating and bingeing? posted at Centre for Emotional Well-Being, saying, "Guidelines to help you identify when overeating becomes bingeing or binge eating disorder."

Curtis Penner presents How I Used Food To Beat Depression posted at Be Fit And Strong, saying, "Sitting in the waiting room of my family doctor – waiting for a routine check-up, a poster on the wall scared me half to death. It read…"

Lynda Lippin presents Eat Less & Lose More-Why Counting Bites Works posted at Pilates & Reiki In Paradise Blog.

Shaheen Lakhan presents The Cigarette Century and Beyond posted at GNIF Brain Blogger.

Clara Myers presents 10 Step Guide To Looking Old Before Your Time posted at Face Natural, saying, "This is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but true."

Tiffany Smith-Ramirez presents Lose Weight posted at Balanced Ideas For Health, Happiness, & Weight Loss, saying, "You've been dieting and losing weight… out of nowhere you lose momentum… how do you jump back on the horse? Read this blog entry about maintaining your momentum."

Weight Master presents Reason why calorie-restrictive diets are unhealthy… posted at Weight Master.

Work

edithyeung presents Disempowering Phrases Successful People Never Say posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

Tupelo Kenyon presents Integrity Through Self-Reliance posted at Tupelo Kenyon, saying, "When you live your life as if the whisperings from your soul really matter, you are living life in your own way, on your own terms, based on your own realizations on what is right . . . what is good . . . and what is true for you. You are tuned into your own station. The signal you are receiving and the message you are broadcasting with the story of your life are both on the same frequency. You are joyfully and gratefully choosing your favorites from the buffet of life. (Enjoy soothing instrumental music as you read plus songs with lyrics related to each article – all free.)"

Cade Krueger presents Filling The Hole In Your Life With More Than Just A Business posted at Write To Right.

CA presents Hey, where are the bugs anyway? posted at Atlantic Canada's Small Business Blog, saying, "am sure whether you manufacture software or goods or provide services, you will have come across the above scenario at least once (if not more) in your career. But what is quality a function of anyway? I got two words for you –Value and Culture. These are the foundations upon which depend the success or failure of your business."

Be sure to tune in every Monday for the next Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival, and if you want to submit your own article for inclusion, click here before midnight (eastern time) on Sunday.

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You may have already chiseled away most of your dangerous belly flab, but you're abs still aren't "popping" the way you would like. Perhaps you've been concentrating too much on traditional sit-ups and crunches, while ignoring these great lower ab exercises.

The key is to use specific movements that target the two main components of your "lower abs":

• Lower portion of the Rectus Abdominus (the main "abs muscle" that you see in the mirror)
• Transverse Abdominus which runs horizontally under the Rectus Abdominus and wrap around your back, effectively acting as a girdle for support and stabilization (without the need for cross-dressing)

Top 5 Lower Ab Exercises

Perform these exercises in order, as they are arranged to get progressively harder and more advanced, with each building on the one before it:

1. Finding and Priming the Transverse Abdominus – The first step is to actually locate this all-important muscle, so you will be able to perform the more advanced lower ab exercises safely and effectively.
   • Sit up straight in a chair, or get down on your hands and knees (whichever is more comfortable or convenient).
   • Now, pull your belly button in towards your spine. Many people do this instinctively when bracing for a punch to the gut.
   • Hold your belly button in as tight as possible towards your spine for about 10 seconds, then repeat 5-10 times. (Remember to breathe normally throughout, and resist the urge to hold your breath.)
   • Once you can easily hold this position for 1-2 minutes straight, you are ready to move on to the next lower ab exercise.
2. Final Preparation – Just one more priming exercise, then you'll be ready to go all "G.I. Jane (or Joe)" on 'em!
   • Lie flat on your back on the floor. Because of the natural curvature in your lower spine, you should have a small gap between your lower back and the floor.
   • Activate your abs to close that space, bringing your lower back flat against the floor.
   • Again, work your way up over the next few days (or weeks, depending on your fitness level) until you can hold that position for about 2 minutes
   • These exercises may seem relatively easy for some, but they are essential in making sure you are ready for the more advanced moves.
3. Leg Lifts – This is a great follow-up to the previous preparation exercise, because you begin the movement in the same position as above.
   • Lie flat on your back, and use your abdominal muscles to keep your lower back flat against the floor, closing the gap that would exist naturally.
   • With both legs straight, raise one slowly off the floor, while keeping the other flat. Raise it as high as you can until you begin to feel a stretch
   • Now, still keeping your inactive leg flat against the floor, slowly lower your leg towards the floor, stopping right before you touch (never let your active leg/foot touch the floor until the set is done).
   • Repeat this motion 8-12 times for 2-3 sets as your lower abs become stronger, and, obviously, repeat with the opposite leg each time.
   • If you ever feel your lower back start to arch, it means your lower abs are not strong enough yet to keep up with the demand, so lower your number of reps and/or range of motion. It is very important to slowly work your way up to avoid any major injuries.
   • Once you've mastered the one-leg variation of this lower ab exercise (which could take months), you can do the same exercise raising and lowering both legs simultaneously for added difficulty.
4. The Plank – At first glance, this exercise may seem like a piece of cake. After all, there is no movement involved, and all you have to do is hold a certain position for a short period of time. But, let's see how you feel after a couple minutes of the Plank!
   • Click here for a detailed description of how to perform The Plank
5. Hanging Leg Raises – If you've made it this far, congratulations! You've won access to one of the most difficult and advanced ab exercises there is: Hanging Leg Raises. Prepare to feel the burn!
   • Click here for a detailed description of how to perform the dreaded Hanging Leg Raises

Master these lower ab exercises, along with a healthy diet, and I promise you will be sporting those eye-popping, cover-model abs you've always wanted!

How long can you hold the plank, and how many hanging leg raises can you do?

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