Fitness & Exercise Community

Hi SilMarillion,

This sounds similar to c-section. The middle of the abdominal muscles is tissue called the linea alba and when it doesn't always heal consistently when there is an incision. This can make the results you get in terms of building muscle in the abs unpredictable. The abs can definitely tighten up, it's just the incision may affect the results. As far as you doing ab work, you need to speak with the surgeon about what it is safe. That only the surgeon or your doctor should answer for you, unless you've been to physical therapy in which case the therapist will be able to help you. As for what you're doing, the cardio will help burn calories and fat, and if you do resistance exercise, it will tighten your abs as I mentioned, and your slacks may even start to fit looser as a result.

What you're asking for to reduce fat on your abs is spot reducing. Unfortunately, you cannot spot reduce or target a specific area of your body for fat reduction (e.g., you can't do abdominal exercises and expect to burn fat on your abdomen). It would be nice if you could get on the Elliptical machine and say, "Okay, today, burn fat from my thighs," or, "Okay situps, get rid of my love handles," but that's not how it works. Resistance exercises will tone the muscle under the excess fat, and they can even help tighten you up enough to lose a pants size (without losing any weight), but it will not reduce the fat.

As for diet questions, post them to the Diet Community:
http://exchanges.webmd.com/diet-exchange

Keep exercising. Over time, you will reduce fat and tighten your muscles.

Good luck,
Rich

I somewhat agree in that incision is similar to a c-section, except that my incision goes up\down the abdominal muscles, and most of the c-sections I've seen go left\right....

I will contact my surgeon concerning the correct and safe exercise to perform.

Thanks

Yes, that's right, they are horizontal. What I was referring to was that the linea alba is cut and that's generally the problem with healing of abdominal incisions. But you can still lose body fat with cardio and reduction of calorie intake, and tighten muscles in the abs and elsewhere with resistance exercise. There will certainly be results but you have to put in the time to see how it goes. I will post some very effective ab exercises for you, but if you have concerns about them you should should check with your odctor to make sure they are safe.


Make sure to stretch your low back before and after doing them (knee hugs, knee drops, knee-crossover, and hamstring stretches all will help). Here they are:

1. Bicycle Maneuver: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring knees up to about 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Keep even, relaxed breathing throughout.

2. Captain's Chair: Stabilize your upper body by gripping the hand holds and lightly pressing your lower back against the back pad. The starting position begins with you holding your body up with legs dangling below. Now slowly lift your knees in toward your chest. The motion should be controlled and deliberate as you bring the knees up and return them back to the starting position.

3. Crunch on Exercise Ball: Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor. Let the ball roll back slowly. Now lie back on the ball until your thighs and torso are parallel with the floor. Cross your arms over your chest and slightly tuck your chin in toward your chest. Contract your abdominals raising your torso to no more than 45 degrees. For better balance, spread your feet wider apart. To challenge the obliques, make the exercise less stable by moving your feet closer together. Exhale as you contract; inhale as you return to the starting position.

4. Vertical Leg Crunch: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands behind your head for support. Extend your legs straight up in the air, crossed at the ankles with a slight bend in the knee. Contract your abdominal muscles by lifting your torso toward your knees. Make sure to keep your chin off your chest with each contraction. Exhale as you contract upward; inhale as you return to the starting position.

5. Reverse Crunch: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head or extend them out flat to your sides-whatever feels most comfortable. Crossing your feet at the ankles, lift your feet off the ground to the point where your knees create a 90-degree angle. Once in this position, press your lower back on the floor as you contract your abdominal muscles. Your hips will slightly rotate and your legs will reach toward the ceiling with each contraction. Exhale as you contract; inhale as you return to the starting position.

6. The ab exercise that almost all ab exercises are judged against is the simple crunch. The form is on your back, legs in air, knees and hips both at 90 degrees, arms in the air slightly pointed up and backward behind the head, and then contracting the abs while crunching up.

I hope that helps.

Take care,
Rich