The myth of ABT

Actually, not just ABT. Bodyworks as well. Now and again I've met people bent upon doing crunch, and only crunches all the time to get a flat tummy. Or somebody might be unhappy that the fitness instructor included cardio excercise in her bodyworks class because all she wanted to do is lift weight, that's all.

The thing is, there is no such thing as spot reduction. You can't just lose the fat on your, say, waistline alone. It did not work that way. You need to reduce overall body fat before your ABT (body conditioning) and weight training would show their effect. You could do chest press all day and all you could achieve is increase in muscle endurance.

So that was the reason why ABT and Bodyworks classes were preceded with cardio workout. To start the calorie burning.

Here is an interesting article i found on the net:

Now for the “what won’t work” glute list:

Butt Blaster Machines – These machines, sometimes called “butt blaster” or “butt burner units,” have you positioned on your hands and knees. You place your foot on a platform above your glutes and behind your upper body – and then push up towards the ceiling with your foot.
This is an ineffective exercise. It places some resistance on the butt, but nothing that will stimulate any type of significant change. It doesn’t matter if you perform 10 reps or 30.
You’d be better off performing a lunge which places excellent resistance on the glutes/legs and allows it to be worked more effectively, or even an angled leg press, which works the legs and glutes as well.

Focusing Only On Butt Exercises – Some people will do a 10-minute weight workout, 10-minute cardio workout and then spend 20 minutes working the glutes. This will not give you the results you seek. This method assumes that constant work of the butt will make it smaller.

Fire Hydrant Exercise -- Did you ever walk by a cardio class and see people on all fours as they raise one leg (with bent knee) up to the side. This is called a Fire Hydrant. Again, an overrated exercise that is ineffective.

Why is it ineffective? A muscle responds to overload and resistance. You simply can’t place enough overload on the glute in that position. You’d need the heaviest ankle weights on earth and it still wouldn’t work.

Very High Repetitions –- This applies to any lower body movement, including the glutes. Very high reps for the lower body (over 20) will not place enough overload and stress on a muscle to make any cosmetic change. So, the people who perform 100 kneeling rear leg kicks, 50 reps of leg presses etc. are simply training for muscular endurance -- that’s about it. One might say that at least they’re burning calories, but if that’s the goal, there are better ways to burn calories (i.e. cardiovascular exercise)

The formula for success remains clear -- calorie reduction to lose fat; cardiovascular exercise to burn more calories, weight training to stimulate the metabolism, including strategic lower body exercises such as squats, lunges and leg presses to tighten the legs and glutes.

Now, go get that bodacious butt you’ve always wanted.

Article from eFitness.com (by Raphael Caldazilla)