Ask The Fitness Trainer

Q: Is spot reduction of fat possible if I do a lot of high repetition abdominal work such as sit-ups or ab crunches?

A: No. While it has been shown there is a minor amount of fat spot reduction during abdominal exercises, it is such a small amount it would be impossible to notice. A better method of reducing body fat is to eat a healthy diet consisting of lean meats, vegetables, whole grains and an appropriate amount of healthy fats such as fish, olive and canola oils while using a training routine of maximum effort multijoint exercises such as barbell squats, leg presses, bench presses and dead lifts. These exercises train the large muscle groups of the body. Since it takes a sizable amount of calories to fuel these muscles, you will lose much more fat with these movements than endless amounts of abdominal training.

Q: What are good exercises for women to get rid of flabby arms?

A: A common problem area for women is flabby arms, especially at the back of the arm. The muscle at the back of the arm, the triceps muscle, becomes weak and flabby as a result of being untrained. Some great exercises are triceps kickbacks using a dumbbell, bar dips and close-grip bench presses. Triceps kickbacks are done by grabbing a pair of dumbbells, and while bending forward, extend- ing the dumbbells back while keeping your elbows pinned to your sides. To perform bar dips using parallel bars, lower yourself down to get a full stretch before pressing yourself to the top. Maintain an erect position during this movement for best result. Close- grip bench presses are done while lying on a flat bench. Press two dumbbells straight up from your chest until your arms are nearly fully extended. Do a total of 1012 repetitions of each exercise.

Q: Does using a wobbly board or stability ball during training exercises increase the effectiveness of my training routine?

A: These pieces of equipment are being promoted by various groups as ways to increase the strength of your “stability muscles.” While at first glance they may seem helpful to use during your training, they are actually very dangerous. There are instances where trainees have been using Bosu balls while bench pressing and have rolled off the ball and injured themselves badly.

Your so-called stabilizer muscles are actually your abdominal, lower back and other nearby muscles. They are best trained not with an unpredictable ball but more traditional exercises such as sit-ups, ab crunches, side bends and machine or free weight rotational exercises. Don’t do endless sets of high repetitions but instead do a more moderate routine such as one set of 15 repetitions of each of the above exercises.

Q: Which exercises are the best for developing and toning the muscles in my legs?

A: Leg extensions are a great exercise to use as they isolate the thigh muscles in the upper leg area. Sit on a leg extension machine and extend both legs outward to full extension. Pause for a second then return. Squats using a barbell or smith machine are great for working the entire legs if a low enough descent is done. It is best for someone beginning training to use a smith machine due to safety concerns. Lying leg curls are a great exercise to isolate the hamstring muscles on the back of the leg. To develop the lower leg (calf) hold a dumbbell at your side. Lower your foot all the way down while standing on a block with the ball of your foot and extend your foot to the top. Do 15-20 repetitions on these.

David Groscup is an experienced personal trainer and is now accepting new clients of all ages and can be reached at 610301-4352. He has authored ten books, which are available at: www. amazon.com/ author/davidgroscup Read his blog at: drhitshighintensity bodybuilding.blogspot. com/