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anna@shestrength.com

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August 1, 2020

An Ab Workout to Target those Love Handles

Finally!! An ab workout to target the love handles, AND why you may be struggling to shrink these areas.Nobody likes the parts of their stomach that drip over the sides of their shorts. I've heard it called many things: "spare tires" "love handles" "muffin top" "baby fat" and many more! Either way, nobody wants it. First off, let's discuss there are many variables that play into why a person carries fat there AND it's nearly impossible to reduce fat in certain areas compared to others--we can't spot reduce. BUT we can spot-train and build strength in certain areas we just have to be in the right position.So besides getting your nutrition under control. And also addressing any hormonal imbalances you may have, while also realizing some of the issue may be loose skin that is very hard to tighten up in some cases--let's look at this workout option to strengthen the obliques. These are the muscles that run down the side and back of our core, they are like rubber bands around the sides of our torso inside and out. Therefore we have to train them that way. The main thing most people do wrong is rotate through their lower back and not through their core--this places the load on the spine and NOT on the actual muscles. To read more information about this, please visit: inmotionsmj.com/ and listen to Dr. Jared Shoemaker describe this struggle and why sometimes ab workouts can cause low back pain instead of actually training the muscles.So grab a basketball, playground ball, medicine ball, weighted bag, pillow, whatever you have close to you...and let's give this workout a try!Russian Twist 3 x 10 per sideCues: Keep back straight. Feet down on the floor. DO NOT let your legs collapse to either side as you rotate and don't lean side to side. Try to stay as stiff as you can through your torso and only rotate through your obliques, NOT your hips and shoulders.Deadbug Transitions 3 x 10 per sideCues: Keep back flat on the floor at all times. Keep knees/feet up at 90 degrees or higher above your hips and the floor. Keep the ball centered directly over your belly button. Alternating extending one arm and the opposite-side leg out and back. Only extend limbs as far as you can without letting your back lift or the ball fall.Lower Leg Oblique Twists 3 x 10 per sideCues: TRY to keep low back down, torso stiff. Do not let head/shoulders lift off the floor either. Only drop and rotate knees as far as you can without your body lifting off the floor. Hold the ball over your chest with neck/shoulders relaxed as much as possible.See video demonstration below:https://youtu.be/nG0u0RsHU6cFor more workout ideas like these: inquire at: shestrength.com/programsAnna provides programming for women of all ages and abilities, but spends most of her time teaching women how to train correctly to best elicit weight loss and strength to look and feel better.

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