Before you skip this article because it doesn’t have any exercises for a flatter stomach on it STOP and read it as it has some important information that will benefit you.
The problem with becoming obsessed about getting a flatter stomach is that if we;re not careful we’ll assume that if 10 mins Ab work is good a 100 mins must be better. Skipping the obvious it’s not possible to spot reduce which I’ve written about elsewhere there is another aspect of overworking one particular muscle group that you need to be aware of.
I’ts balance. Our bodies are designed to be balanced to enable them to work efficiently and to ensure we remain pain free. One of the surest ways to have a body that is in constant pain from back, neck, shoulders, knees etc is to have a major muscle imbalance.
When we work one muscle group more than another guess what you’re promoting. Yup a muscle imbalance which although maybe small to start with will get larger if you don’t do something to correct it.
Exercise programs like Pilates are excellent because they promote balance and classes are designed to not only be balanced but to help correct postural imbalances you may already have. When designing an exercise program for yourself you need to ensure it’s as balanced as you can make it.
If you’re unsure and don’t know how to do it consider:
- Employing a Personal Trainer to design you a balanced program
- Start Pilates and your Instructor will point out any imbalance you have and show you how to correct them
- Buy a workout that you know is balanced
In my experience although you may well get away with muscle imbalances and programs that promote imbalance for a while eventually it will cause you a problem either in loss of flexibility, mobility or in some cases pain.
Work your entire body and all muscle groups in a balanced way and don’t just focus on your Abs.
Related Posts:
Best Stomach Flattening Exercises
Is Pilates A Good Ab Workout?