Tummy and leg toning

Has anyone got any really good techniques on how to tone your tummy and legs? At the moment I'm running a lot but I should probably be doing some kind of sit-up exercise too maybe? I'm really not clued up on these things so would really appreciate if someone could help! Thanks!

I've got a bit of a thing about Burpees at the moment - tremendous exercise - activates virtually every muscle in your body and really intensive, so an absolutely brilliant fat burner.

Be warned though - they're not for everyone, any knee or back problems in-particular and burpees are going to find you out. They're also not suitable for anyone who is hypertensive. Low blood pressure can be a problem too.

Start off by seeing how many you can do continously before you have to stop, don't be surprised or embarrassed if its only about 3 or 4, it commonly is. Bit by bit, build yourself up to doing them constantly for 1 minute. That's right - just 1 minute!

Try doing them as the final part of your warm up before your run, and again at the end of it (after your run  will be tough, I promise you). Bet they make you run faster too .

Hard to find a video with good technique, easy to find bad ones. This is just about the best I've seen for technique as most of the others show a more advanced version which includes a push up. Do it the way she shows in the first demo, ignore the 2nd one, and speed it up a bit if you can, it should be one smooth, flowing motion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TH3nbbMuIs&feature=related

Enjoy ! 

Thanks Rob. I can't watch the video at the moment because I'm in work but I will do later. Thanks for the advice. I've never heard of a Burpee before. Can't believe you only have to do them for 1 minute. Bet they're intense though.

I never fail to feel sick if I do a circuit with burpees in them. They are intense.

Lunges and squats with hand weights will strengthen your legs, if you work the small muscles in with the larger ones you get better fat burn and you exercise more muscle groups. Lunges with tricep dips or squats with bicep curls for example. Make sure someone shows you the correct technique, with squats and lunges you should never go over the knee and your posture needs to be upright and relaxed.

Also work the front with the back, if you spend 10 minutes on stomach exercises, spend 10 minutes working the back to make sure you're building muscle evenly. The Transverse Abdominis is the deep muscle of the stomach that supports the smaller, superficial muscles. Pilates in particularly focuses on the deeper and larger muscles of the body and helps you to become aware of how the muscles are working and moving. If you can get to a few classes you will pick up a lot of tips.

Free-weight training with good posture will also help build strength. If you're relying on your own body to keep you stable, you work a wider range of muscles. Squats and lunges will indirectly help to tone your somach if you are keeping your posture correct.

All good advice there BitterLemon . I guess that by "never go over the knee" you mean don't allow the knee to travel forward of the toes (worth having a peep at yourself sideways on to a mirror if you can) as this can seriously overload the knee joint. Please don't take that as criticism in any way, I'm just trying to clarify for the benefit of others. I do like what you're saying here, especially about balancing the work between abs and back, so many people neglect this.

Yes, I meant that. Don't allow the knee to go over the toes, it's very bad for the joints!

Burpees sound awful! Someone in my office just demonstrated it because I didn't know what they were!  They sound worse than the bleep test and that is bad enough!

They're not awful Helen - they're brilliant ! Tremendously effective exercise. The thing with them as with all things is to go at your own pace - if you can't do them continuously - don't, but do keep doing them, eventually your body will adapt and you'll be able to string a few together.

Let's hope it was a good demo you got in the office .

It was a brilliant demo Rob!  Inspiring to say the least- however I just don't think I could hack them, I'm not a lover of strenuous exercise, I think i'll stick to yoga and pilates and walking my dog :)

They are killer, I hate it when they are part of a big circuit session

How many should you try and do at a time?

Oh god I've tried these they're so tiring and they definitely make you feel sick :( not good!  Yeah yoga is the way to go!

My coach has got me crawling around the floor and doing teddy bear rolls as part of my warm up. Good fun and you soon get the hang of it.

They sound a lot more "accessible" than these burpees! Watched the video though and can see how that would firm you up in places you didn't even know existed!

I'm in the 'burpees are awesome' camp :D Full body exercise, bodyweight only so no equipment required (well, other than a floor...), and they can be done practically anywhere (a prison favourite apparently, get strong in a cell!)

You can modify them to make them easier or harder too:

Stand - Squat - Hands to floor - Kick feet back to pressup position - Tuck knees back up to chest - Slow raise to standing

Stand - Squat - Hands to floor - Kick feet back to pressup position - Tuck knees back up to chest - Explosive starjump to standing

Stand - Squat - Hands to floor - Kick feet back to pressup position - Hold plank for X seconds - Tuck knees back up to chest - Explosive starjump to standing

Stand - Squat - Hands to floor - Kick feet back to pressup position - Pressup - Tuck knees back up to chest - Explosive starjump to standing

Stand - Squat - Hands to floor - Kick feet back to pressup position - Hold plank for X seconds - Pressup - Tuck knees back up to chest - Explosive starjump to standing

Stand - Squat - Hands to floor - Kick feet back to pressup position - Clap pressup - Tuck knees back up to chest - Explosive starjump to standing

Stand - Squat - Hands to floor - Kick feet back to pressup position - Hold plank for X seconds - Clap pressup - Tuck knees back up to chest - Explosive starjump to standing

I can't do a clapping pressup at the best of times, nevermind as part of a burpee, so I can only go as far as including plank and pressup. It doesn't take many of those to wear me out!! Time efficient exercise :D

As many as you can Ruby, as many as you can. Always work within your limits & do what feels right. Do it regularly, and those limits will increase. Save pushing beyond your limits for days where competition counts, such as racing.

I managed to do one (GO ME!) haha ;) and it was okay, but I bet any more than 3 would be so hard! I have a poorly foot so I couldn't do any more than 3, although as soon as it gets better I will practise them and hopefully be nice and toned for my August holiday! x 

I managed to do one (GO ME!) haha ;) and it was okay, but I bet any more than 3 would be so hard! I have a poorly foot so I couldn't do any more than 3, although as soon as it gets better I will practise them and hopefully be nice and toned for my August holiday! x 

That's ace - well done Laura! I went to circuit training for the first time yesterday and we did some there - bloomin' eck - they are brutal! Safe to say I was an awkward shade of red by the time I'd finished - well worth it though, feel like I had a really good workout.

Go Laura !

Take it easy on that foot.