Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

For questions or comments about health, diseases, exercise or weight.

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby nordgirl » Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:27 am

Okay, I'm going to have an instruction session with husband today. Those planks are just what I need, my weight is perfect but my tummy needs some toning after having two kids :) Stay tuned.
My type 2 diabetic husband and I have lost a total of 65 pounds thanks to Dr. McDougall. I'm cooking for a household of 7 McDougallers, and enjoying good health and a renewed sense of well being.
- Lisa P.
User avatar
nordgirl
 
Posts: 466
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 2:14 am
Location: France

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby Acura » Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:54 pm

Please keep us posted on your progress. Let's see if you can repeat the performance.
CC
Acura
 
Posts: 868
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:07 am

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby r-marie » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:25 pm

Ha Ha !!!! I thought a plank was yet another new exercise thingy - till I followed the links. Got right on the floor and was able to do about 60 seconds. Wow I can feel it all over. I do 20 to 30 pushups almost every day but I like the 'whole body' effect of the plank a lot more than pushups. I will definitely include this in my exercise routine. Thanks to all!
r-marie
 
Posts: 298
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 2:54 pm

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby GeoffreyLevens » Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:06 pm

Plank notes: !!! I tend to take this for granted because I have an unusually good kinesthetic sense and tend to perform movement in good form and if not, I can sense that and correct it. You can easily build strength on top of dysfunction and cause yourself even more problems in the future than if you had just stayed "weak"! Planks need to be done with a neutral spine, not arched and not totally flat. Maybe slight rotation of pelvis, very slight, to help activate the abs. Also, knees need to be straight, not bent. And very important, shoulders need to be "packed" ie lats flexed strongly, as if you are trying to squeeze a sponge in each arm pit. The shoulder blades need to be flat against your back, now winging out. All these things may well make the exercise feel "harder" and that is a good thing! It means you are actually training/retraining your body to hold healthy, functional position under load. Hip flexors need to be flexible! And really, while holding the position, every muscle in your body should be flexed, even your hands/forearms--your fingers should be digging into the floor!!! Seems counter intuitive but this will make your abs contract harder and you will make gains in strength and endurance faster.

Best advice really, is if you can find find a skilled trainer. Second best would be find youtube vidoes of people who are highly skilled to watch and try to copy...
GeoffreyLevens
 
Posts: 5871
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Paonia, CO

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby Faith in DC » Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:23 pm

Planks are the bomb. I always have a plank series in my yoga class. I add plank then knee to elbow (opposite), and then side planks, and finally a few lowering the body until the arm is a 90 degree angle (Chaturanga dandasana in yoga).
Faith
I'm in training for maintaining
User avatar
Faith in DC
 
Posts: 4325
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 7:45 pm
Location: Falls Church, VA

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby r-marie » Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:23 am

I hope you guys won't mind if I post a link from Mercola, but I just came across this exercise page and it is exactly what I - and many of you - have been looking for: The right way to do pushups including the 'plank' and what's even more important the many DIFFERENT WAYS to do pushups to achieve different results. I've been doing mine pretty much the same way. This is what I needed.The video is great and I made a print out of the write up to help me do it right.

I like portability in my exercises that's why I do pushups and yoga and walking/running - you can do it anywhere :-D

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitnes ... ques.aspx#
r-marie
 
Posts: 298
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 2:54 pm

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby didi » Wed May 02, 2012 1:30 am

The key words for me were--you can do yourself more harm than if you stay weak if the exercise isn't done right. So I am thinking of hiring someone to do them for me.

Didi
didi
 
Posts: 2777
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:35 pm

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby pinkrose » Wed May 02, 2012 3:14 am

didi wrote:The key words for me were--you can do yourself more harm than if you stay weak if the exercise isn't done right. So I am thinking of hiring someone to do them for me.

Didi


Ha ha! :D Didi...if it would help you, I think several here would volunteer to exercise for your...but since that would not help you :shock: ...please MOVE!!! :-D
Last edited by pinkrose on Wed May 02, 2012 4:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
pinkrose
 
Posts: 4829
Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2009 4:18 am
Location: Nanning, China

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby GeoffreyLevens » Wed May 02, 2012 9:18 am

didi wrote:The key words for me were--you can do yourself more harm than if you stay weak if the exercise isn't done right. So I am thinking of hiring someone to do them for me.

Didi

How much are you offering to pay???
GeoffreyLevens
 
Posts: 5871
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Paonia, CO

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby KatherineUK » Thu May 03, 2012 6:36 am

My advice would just be to start small, very very small. I still haven't fully recovered from a yoga class over 6 months ago where a new teacher devoted half an hour of the class to the sun salute. I've been doing yoga for several years but it really seems to have affected my forearms.
In Democratic countries the violent nature of the economy is not perceived, whereas in authoritarian countries what is not perceived is the economic nature of violence- Brecht

If we don't try we don't do; and if we don't do why are we here on this earth?
KatherineUK
 
Posts: 819
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:48 pm
Location: UK Oxford

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby Acura » Mon May 21, 2012 6:13 am

Got a question for Geoff and others. After reading this thread I have started doing planks and I see some change. Can you guys give me some sense, how long you hold it and how many planks a day? I know it will vary greatly in accordance with an individual but would like to get some ballpark idea to make sure I'm not doing too little. May not be on the top side of the spectrum and that is fine just don't want to do too little. Like right now I can hold first plank from 45secs to 1 min, after a pause, I can then hold it for 30 secs.
CC
Acura
 
Posts: 868
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:07 am

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby GeoffreyLevens » Mon May 21, 2012 8:27 am

Chimichanga (hmmm, deep fried burrito??), that is pretty good amount of time! I just learned a "better" way I think. Stuart McGill is a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo who has written book that has become practically "Biblical" amongst weight training crowd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey9uiWiiL6I
McGill also likes regular planks but this takes less time and you can put a lot more load on the muscles more easily.

Step one video for this one that he mentions is no longer available but you will get the idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzzTVGeCsKA
GeoffreyLevens
 
Posts: 5871
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Paonia, CO

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby nordgirl » Mon May 21, 2012 9:51 am

The McGill crunch looks easier than the planks which I still haven't done :oops:
My type 2 diabetic husband and I have lost a total of 65 pounds thanks to Dr. McDougall. I'm cooking for a household of 7 McDougallers, and enjoying good health and a renewed sense of well being.
- Lisa P.
User avatar
nordgirl
 
Posts: 466
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 2:14 am
Location: France

Re: Belly fat going thanks to Geoffrey Levens

Postby GeoffreyLevens » Mon May 21, 2012 11:39 am

Forgot to mention, you want to contract as hard as possible for the 10 seconds. These are isometrics to build strength and the McGill crunch is plenty challenging if you really cinch up your abs, as if trying to touch lower ribs to pubic bone and then deep breathe behind the contraction. Tons of fun!
GeoffreyLevens
 
Posts: 5871
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Paonia, CO

Previous

Return to Health Issues

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests



Welcome!

Sign up to receive our regular articles, recipes, and news about upcoming events.