Whittle Your Middle

Denise Austin exercises for your waistline

by Denise Austin

More on this in Health & Fitness

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Deal with Love Handles Firmly

No More Sit-UpsIf you look in the mirror and think, "Boy oh boy, does my body need a good dose of middle management!" then you've come to the right place, because the following three exercises were designed especially for you.

Remember: when you work your abs, you're strengthening your core muscles. There are, of course, many exercises that can accomplish that goal. This month, we're going to start by dispensing with the crude crunches. Pretty is just as powerful!

What we'll do instead is refine your ab workout with elegant Plank Dips and a Seated Twist. This floor routine will whittle your waist, strengthen your back, and elongate your spine, giving you a tall, graceful look. And that look will be backed up with improved balance and coordination.

While doing these moves (three or four times a week is best), keep your abs, obliques, back, and legs contracted as you make smooth, even movements.

Side Plank Dip

A. Lie on left side with right foot crossed over left and right hand behind head. Rest left forearm on floor perpendicular to body, elbow under shoulder. Lift hips so legs are off floor, keeping forearm on floor for support.

B. Slowly lower hips to 1 to 2 inches off floor. Do 10 reps. Switch sides and repeat.

Don't:

...roll forward or hunch shoulders

Seated Twist

A. Sit on floor with legs in front, knees bent, and feet on floor. Grasp both ends of a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell and extend arms out in front of chest.

B. Lift left leg and, keeping arms straight, contract abs and obliques, twisting to left side and bringing dumbbell down toward floor. Return to start position, then twist to right side. Continue, alternating sides. Do 10 reps.

Oblique Stretch

Sit on floor with both legs bent to left in a comfortable position, right foot by left knee. Hold left shin with left hand and extend right arm overhead. Look up at right hand as you gently stretch toward left. Switch sides and repeat.

Denise Austin is the author of several books including Sculpt Your Body with Balls and Bands and the host of two Lifetime Television fitness programs.

Butt Toning Exercises: How to Sculpt Your Rear

Provided by iVillage.com

More on this in Health & Fitness

Big Butt Squats (legs and butt) The Truth About Cellulite Q:How can I tone my butt? What exercises can I do in the gym and at home that will make it more perky?

A:Squats are my favorite lower body exercise. They recruit more of your large leg muscles than any other exercise and are great butt toners. You can do squats in the gym or at home. You can do them with your own body weight, while holding dumbbells in your hands, or, for more resistance, with a barbell across the back of your shoulders (use a spotter (*1) when you do this).

Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart (wider if you have long legs) and your feet parallel, or slightly turned out.

Cross your arms in front of your chest, or hold dumbbells in your hands and rest them on your hips.

Inhale as you squat, going no lower than the point at which your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your head up and your back straight. One way to keep your head up is to focus on a point high on the wall, near where it meets the ceiling (unless you're training in the Astrodome).

Exhale as you stand up. Straighten your legs (*2) completely, but don't lock your knees. Also, make sure your knees don't jut out beyond your toes. This avoids knee strain (which is also the main reason for not going lower than knees parallel to the ground) and won't recruit your hip extensors as much. Do up to three sets of 12-15 repetitions.

Squats are a power exercise, and you should eventually do them with some added resistance. There is a lot to keep track of while doing squats. It is very helpful to do them in front of a mirror.

One tried and true floor exercise (*3) that works your butt is the kickback. Start out on a mat on your hands and knees, with your weight evenly distributed among your points of support. Draw one knee forward underneath you as far as you can, and then extend your leg straight behind you. Although the exercise is called a kickback, the extension of your leg should be smooth and gentle. Avoid excessively arching or rounding your back while doing this routine. Do this on one side for 15-25 repetitions, and then change to the other side. When this gets easy, wear ankle weights for more resistance.

Finally, if you want to have fun and work your butt at the same time, try in-line skating(*4). If you skate with good form (back flat, legs tucked under the body before the stride is initiated), you'll get a tremendous glute workout, as well as important aerobic exercise.

(*1) Weight Room Safety

How to avoid being the big dumbbell at the gym

by Catherine Censor (see more from this expert)

For reasons I don't fully understand, there are people out there who think the weight room is a dangerous place. Cardio classes where you bounce like an over-caffeinated cheerleader? No safety issues there! But pick up a dumbbell and you're just begging for an injury. Obviously, I disagree. Weights are not dangerous. Morons with weights, however, are very dangerous indeed.

Weight room safety comes down to two things: good form and common sense. Here's a primer on both.

Warm up. Aptly named, the goal of a warm-up is to raise the temperature of your muscles and connective tissue, reducing the risk of injury. Warming up also redirects blood flow from the abdominal area to the active muscles. Five to ten minutes of an aerobic activity at a fairly easy pace will do the job. If you're going to work your lower body in the weight room, go ahead and choose a bike, treadmill or stairclimber. But if you're there for an upper body program (or some combination of lower and upper body), opt for something that also works your arms. Try a rower, elliptical machine (with arms that move) or simply swinging your arms more vigorously as you use a bike or treadmill.

Know your limits. If you can't control a weight, it's too heavy for you. Even if it's not so heavy that you're likely to drop it on yourself or an unsuspecting neighbor, you won't be able to maintain proper form and cadence. At worst, this is a setup for injury. At best, it's a less effective exercise. How do you know if you're lifting the right amount of weight? For general fitness training, it should take eight to 12 repetitions of a given exercise to reach temporary fatigue. If you have to dig a little to make it through but can maintain proper form, you're at the right intensity.

Pick up weights the right way. Be kind to your back and joints. Bend your knees and keep your elbows bent when you lift weights, plates or barbells off a rack.

Rack 'em right. Don't drop your weights! Not only is the deafening sound annoying to fellow gym-goers, but it can also be dangerous. For example, if you drop your weights in the end position of a dumbbell chest press or fly, you're perfectly positioned to wreck your shoulders.

Don't hold your breath. It's called the Valsalva maneuver and it's a very bad move. Breath holding causes your blood pressure to shoot up and then crash back down when you finally exhale - very dangerous if you have a heart condition or are already hypertensive. You don't have to get funky with fancy breathing techniques, just make sure you do the basic in-and-out while you lift.

Slow down! Not only is this safer than ballistic pumping and pressing, it's better exercise. Your muscles respond to time under tension. If you're just throwing the weights around, your muscles are getting an unearned break. Take two counts to shorten the muscle (this is known as the "concentric" or positive phase of the exercise) and four counts to lengthen it ("eccentric" or negative phase).

Keep your joints in line. For optimum safety, when performing a lower body exercise such as a squat, leg press or lunge, your knees shouldn't travel beyond your toes. When you're performing an upper body exercise, keep your wrists in line with your elbows. And no matter what you're doing, your head should be in line with your spine. (*2) Get Sexy Legs

An exclusive routine to tone your butt and thighs

by Liz Neporent, MA (see more from this expert)

Whether it's in a bikini, a miniskirt or short shorts, your butt and thighs are bound to be on full display all summer long. So, if you want to look your finest, it pays to whip your lower body into the best shape possible. To this end, we tapped some of the best known personal trainers on the planet to get their go-to, results-guaranteed, best-pick moves for remodeling all parts south of the belly button in one, easy-to-follow workout.

To do this routine all you need is a set of dumbbells, a deck of playing cards and a chair. Do 1 to 3 sets of each exercise, and aim for 12 repetitions per set. Rest 15 to 60 seconds between sets. If you do this workout at least twice a week, you'll be rewarded with a firmer butt and shapelier legs when it's time to hit the beach.

Butterfly PlisDesigned by: Ellen Barrett, star of the new exercise video Self Bikini Ready Fast! (Amazon.com)

The Payoff: Like all plis, this move works the buttocks, hips and thighs. It also works your shoulders and arms and helps to perfect your posture.

The Setup: Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms in front of you, wrists crossed, palms facing in. Stand tall with feet wider than hip-width apart, toes angled outward and knees aligned with toes.

The Move: Bend your knees and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. As you stand back up to the starting position, raise your arms up overhead into a "V," palms facing forward.

Swing LungeDesigned by: Kristin McGee, star trainer for Push customized exercise videos. (Push.tv)

The Payoff: This lunge is unbeatable for firming your hips and thighs fast, as well as toning core muscles and improving sense of balance.

The Setup: Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides and stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.

The Move: Do a "front lunge" by stepping your right foot a stride length forward and bending your knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left thigh is perpendicular to it. Next, press off the right foot to stand back up, but instead of stepping back to the start, bend your right knee up to hip height, hold a moment, and then step your right foot behind you into a "back lunge." Complete all reps with your right leg then repeat with the left

Runner's LungeDesigned by: Tamilee Webb, author of Defy Gravity Workout, Fair Winds Press, 2005. (TamileeWebb.com)

The Payoff: You will feel your butt, hips and thighs working overtime when you do this unique move. The core muscles of the lower back and abdominals also get into the act.

The Setup: Stand with your right side next to a chair and place your right hand on the seat. Crouch down into a low lunge with your right knee forward and your left leg extended behind you, heel lifted up and left hand on the floor for support.

The Move: Staying low, rock forward, bend your left knee and place your left foot directly behind your right heel. Rock back to the start. Complete all reps with your right leg then repeat with your left leg forward.

Skater's LungeDesigned by: Grace DeSimone, director of group fitness, Plus One Fitness, New York City. (PlusOne.com)

The Payoff: This one hits the entire lower body with a real emphasis on the outer hips and thighs.

The Setup: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.

The Move: "Skate" by stepping your right toe back behind you and across to the left as you extend your left arm up in front of you. Bend both knees a few inches, stand back up to the start, then "skate" to the left. Alternate left and right skates to complete all reps.

Pickup LungesDesigned by: Kathy Kaehler, Today Show fitness expert and author of How to Get a Hollywood Body in Just 30 Minutes a Day, Broadway Books, 2005. (Amazon.com)

The Payoff: What's better than a lunge for shaping buns and thighs? Nothing! This one pushes you extra hard by challenging your balance and coordination.

The Setup: Hold 24 playing cards in your left hand, hold your arms at your sides and stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.

The Move: Step your right foot a stride length forward and bend both knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left thigh is perpendicular to it. As you lower yourself down, take a card with your right hand and carefully lean forward to place it on the floor near the outside of your right foot. Press off your right foot to stand back up to the start. Lay down a total of 12 cards to the right, then switch to left lunges and place the remaining cards near the outside of your left foot.

Hold Squat TapDesigned by: Tom Holland, star of Tom Holland's Total Body The Payoff: Squats are tops for sculpting the butt and thighs. Holding the squat position tones even the deepest, hardest to reach lower body muscles; the tapping tones and strengthens those oft-neglected calf and shin muscles.

The Setup: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.

The Move: Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold in this position and lift your toes 10 times. Stand back up to the start.(*3) Please tell me what exercise to do to get rid of those love handles on my hips and sides of my stomach that hang over the sides of my jeans. You ladies know where I'm talking about.

Sorry, but you can't magically make those "love handles" disappear. The belief that you can somehow spot reduce (selectively zap fat from an offending area of your body) is a persistent misconception among exercisers. If only you COULD spot reduce! Then doing thousands of sit-ups would melt away your spare tire. But as many have found out the hard way, this approach simply won't work. Specific exercises will not result in loss of body fat from specific areas. Period.

"Problem areas" are just genetically determined places on an individual's body where excess fat tends to be stored. The only way to lose fat deposited on any area of the body is to reduce the overall level of fat storage. Sensible eating habits designed to reduce calorie intake and regular exercise designed to burn off excess calories will help reduce overall body-fat stores. Here's the best, if not the most earth-shattering, approach to getting a handle on those love handles:

Try to maintain a consistent schedule that includes 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week or more. In addition, doing a total-body strength-training routine twice a week will increase your lean body composition, which will help you burn more calories even when you're at rest. This in turn will further enable you to reduce your overall fat stores, including those love handles, saddlebags, etc. As for diet, eat five or six small, low-fat meals a day to keep your blood sugar steady and your metabolism stoked and to prevent cravings and pig-outs.

You can also improve the overall appearance of your waist by spot TRAINING to tone the muscles underneath the fat deposits. Doing 2-5 abdominal exercises twice a week will adequately train those muscles so they become visible as you lose total body fat. Do 8-15 repetitions per set; move slowly and deliberately so you really feel every rep. Here are a few you might want to try:

Basic crunch: Works the rectus abdominis, the wide flat muscle that runs from your breastbone to the top of your pelvis.

. Lie on the floor with your feet hip-width apart. Cradle your head in your hands without lacing your fingers together and with your elbows rounded slightly inward. Tilt your chin a small way towards your chest and pull your abdominal muscles in.

A. Exhale through your mouth as you curl your head, neck, and shoulders up off the floor. Hold at the top of the movement for a moment, then inhale as you slowly lower down.

A. Twist crunch: This exercise works your rectus abdominis as well as your internal and external obliques, two muscle groups that wrap around your waist.

. Same as the basic crunch

A. Exhale through your mouth and curl your head, neck, and shoulders up and towards the left. Hold at the top of the movement, then lower to the start. Twist to the right on the next rep, and continue alternating until you complete the set. Note: Don't just twist your elbows from side to side. Really concentrate on twisting from your middle.

A. Anchoring: This exercise uses all of your abdominal muscles, including the deep, underlying transverse abdominis. Your lower back also gets a workout.

. Lie on your back with your left foot on the floor. Lift up your right leg and bend your knee so that your thigh is perpendicular to the floor and directly in line with your hip; flex your heel. Raise your arms up over your chest and clasp your fingers together.

A. Slowly lower your heel and your arms towards the floor. As you do so, concentrate on keeping your abs pulled inward, and don't allow your lower back to pop up off the floor. This becomes harder the closer your heel and hands move towards the floor. When your heel has almost touched the floor, slowly return your arms and leg to the start. Repeat this exercise four times with your right leg, then four times with your left.

But remember: Doing hundreds and hundreds of crunches, sit-ups and so forth will not reduce the fat stored in the abdominal region. You'll achieve better results by doing the aerobic exercise and a total body, strength-training routine, targeting your middle with strength-training exercises and following the eating tips described above.

Got a question or comment for Liz? Post it on the Fit by Friday message board! (*4) In-Line Skating 101

Terry, I just got in-line skates and I want to know the best way to get started. I am more used to the old roller rink-type skates and am a little shaky on these. Do you have any suggestions?--aluress101

Aluress, I think in-line skating is a great way to stay in shape while having fun. The first thing I would do is get some lessons. I know my local skate shop sponsors free clinics for people just getting started. Usually there's someone who works in the shop who gives private lessons as well.

Equipment:

If you haven't done so already, get a helmet and wrist guards. Knee pads and elbow pads are also available. The greatest potential danger is falling and hitting your head. Wrist injuries are common because the natural tendency is to stick out your hands to break a fall.

Starting to skate:

Learn how to stop. When I bought my first pair of in-line skates I was most impressed with their maneuverability and their speed. My first challenge was learning how to stop confidently. Also important is planning direction changes ahead of time when cruising along at high speeds, especially on downhills. You have to think like a downhill skier, picking your line ahead of time.

Seek out a car-free, relatively quiet location to start working on technique. If you don't have a park with paved paths near you, find an empty parking lot or a school campus. Just pick a place where there won't be too many other skaters, bikers and runners to distract/annoy/run into you.

Getting in shape to skate:

Strengthen your legs. Skating places tremendous demands on your muscles. Squats and lunges will work your hip and butt muscles, as well as your quads and hamstrings. All the power needed for the skating stride comes from these muscles. If you go to a gym, add leg extensions and leg curls to your workout for a more thorough leg routine.

Strengthen your back. To get faster on your skates you'll have to get lower to be more aerodynamic and to get more push out of each stride. This places a strain on your lower back muscles. In fact, my lower back is the determining factor in how long I can skate. To work your back, do back extensions lying on the floor or on a bench made for hyper extensions at a gym. To balance strong back muscles and to assist in stabilizing your torso when you skate (or any time for that matter), strengthen your stomach muscles with plenty of crunches.

Be sure to stretch all these muscles that you're using so they won't get too tight. Stretches for the quads, hamstrings, lower back gluteus and calves should be performed after strength training and also after a skating session.

Strengthen your upper body. If you've ever seen the legs of a speed skater, you know they're awesome. Why not balance your lower body development with some upper body work? Do push-ups at home, or do a light upper body circuit at the gym a couple of times a week.

Add in some cardio work. Skating is an endurance sport, so any cardiovascular exercise will help your stamina for skating. Run, bike, use a stepper, or do aerobics to help increase the time you can spend on your skates having fun.