Florida Agenda

Summer in sunny tropical Florida is about to turn into autumn. Sure, that means a hurricane scare or two, and maybe a little less humidity, but all in all, we still have several more months of sun and fun in store for us. If your summer workout routine has been less than sizzling, then let’s take advantage of the brand new season ahead to put some growl back into your workouts.

I have a fantastic little formula to stoke up anyone’s workout and it’s called the Five “R’s”. When you are in the gym pay attention to each of these five elements and your time there will pay off 5, 10, 20 fold! Whether you are a beginner or a pro you are sure to benefit from following these principles.

The first “R” stands for range of motion. When I speak of range of motion, I mean the complete movement capability of a joint. Every exercise from a bicep curl, lunge or crunch should be performed through the muscle’s complete range of motion from a fully stretched position to a fully contracted position. For example, during a bicep dumbbell curl, begin with your arms at your sides, then curl each dumbbell to your chin by fully flexing your elbow, contract your biceps with all your might and supinate your forearm. Pause at the top of the motion for a fraction of a second and squeeze your bicep before you slowly lower the weight back to starting position.

The second “R” stands for resistance (or, the weight that is moved). Resistance must be small enough that the exercise can be performed through the full range of motion without cheating, swinging or jerking the weight. Yet, resistance must be such that it taxes the muscles for the desired number of reps. Your 1 rep max is the most weight that you can safely raise for one rep. A rule of thumb is to keep within 55% – 85% of your 1 rep max when doing your reps and sets.

The third “R” stands for repetitions. When choosing the number of repetitions (how many times the exercise is to be done in a set), you must first decide what you want from your workouts. Generally, low reps (3-8) with heavier weights, will produce greater strength. Medium reps (10-20) with moderate to heavy weight are best for producing size. High reps (20 or more) with lighter weights are best for tightening, toning and producing aerobic strength endurance.

The fourth “R” stands for rest. A working muscle needs about 1-3 minutes rest between each set of reps before it is ready to function near full strength capacity again for the next set of reps. This period of time gives your body time to replenish ATP and phosphocreatine, the two chemicals your muscles need for every contraction. Between sets, don’t just sit there, get up, walk around, stretch and re-hydrate yourself.

Finally, the last and fifth “R” stands for recovery. Recovery is crucial for muscle growth and rebuilding. Muscles fibers cannot grow unless you allow them to rest between workouts.

As a rule, you should not exercise the same muscle group two days in a row, and usually not more than 3 times a week. Allow 48-72 hours of rest between workouts for each muscle group. For example, if you work chest on Monday, don’t work it again until Thursday. Allow yourself at least one day of rest per week, otherwise your body will become over trained or injured.

Need more sound advice on working out? Contact trainertomb@aol.com!

Tom Bonanti is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc Gym at
1271 NE 9th Ave, Fort Lauderdale. For more tips on how to maintain your muscular,
toned summer body, give me a shout at TrainerTomB@aol.com

Andy Kress

In America, there are almost as many views on what good health really means as there are diets and workout regimens. One school says that Americans are too sedentary and need movement and exercise. Others suggest that it is the American diet and the way we eat that is at the root of our problem. One thing no one can argue about: Widespread child and adult obesity plagues our country big time, and it’s an issue that needs to be dealt with now.

Nutrition is a fundamental necessary of life. We all eat—just not particularly well. Fail to get enough hydration, air, and food, in that order, and you will most assuredly die. While most of us aren’t at that extreme, the majority falls into that giant arena of nutritionally deficient. Millions and millions of Americans, gay and straight, have only a vague perception of healthy eating. Among them are the millions that dutifully go to the gym and workout without ever realizing  that their efforts are futile without giving the body the fuel it needs to benefit from exercise.

While following a varied diet (as illustrated in the pyramid plate) is always a good idea, eating proper portions of these healthy foods is just as essential. Too much of anything is gluttony, so try keep your portions around the guidelines of a 2000 calorie diet—or slightly less if weight loss is your goal.

Eating these foods at the correct time of day is just as critical as the portion size. Eating less food more often provides a continuous source of energy for your body, whether it is exercising or not. Keep in mind, that your body burns calories even in the most sedentary individuals, due to the fact that the human body needs to maintain organ and brain functions to stay alive.

Exercise is important and needed in everyone’s life to maintain muscular and skeletal strength. Without it, muscles eventually atrophy. Tom Bonanti’s Fitness column offers some excellent ways to vary your routines.

Unfortunately, in today’s world, the most common type of exercise is carrying excess fat as we walk around—and then only just enough to make it from one seat to the next. Appetite alone motivates most of us from one meal to the next. It is imperative that we  re-assess that behavior immediately. Do anything less and you absolutely
are shaving years, if not decades, off  your life.

While exercise is vitally important in the mix, it must take second place to nutrition. Without adequate nutrition, you cannot have good health. Without good health, you will not be able to work out effectively, even if common sense tells you you must.

Only by putting these two elements together can you ever hope to achieve dramatic results. Proper diet and exercise can do wonders for the mind and the body, as well as lift your spirits. Eating portioned controlled meals (especially as we age) throughout the day, coupled with moderate exercise during the week, is the state-of-the-art way to achieve overall health.

No crash diet or pill, or hurried explosive exercise routine will last long. These are short-term fixes for what should be a long-term goal. Knowing the facts on what it takes to be healthy is the best start to overall success. Please choose wisely and remember to keep all things (nutrition included) in moderation.

Fast facts: The correct diet will trim the fat; the correct exercise will tone the muscles. Pair them together and become the best you can be. Forever.

 Andy Kress is a nationally certified fitness trainer, yoga instructor, and nutritional counselor.  He can be  reached at 954-789-3930 or via email at:andyfitnesstraner@gmail.com

By Tom Bonanti

You could not have made a better New Year’s Resolution than to dedicate more time to achieving a fitter, healthier, more beautiful body. Now that we are nearly finished with January, why are you still making excuses to put off going to the gym? Perhaps you need to be reminded that besides making you look better, regular exercise can also prevent obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, and Type 2 diabetes. In addition to these bonuses, many people who suffer from anxiety and depression have found that regularly working out can significantly elevate their moods and boost their self-esteem.

Here are a few commonly held excuses for not exercising, and why you need to get over yourself and get to the gym today:

1. “I’m too damn busy to exercise.”
Well, that just doesn’t hold water with me. You must make time for those things that matter to you most – your family, job, social life, etc. Your health is just as important as any of these. Schedule your workouts into your daily activities and stick to it! Get up an hour earlier and take a power walk before going to work. Pack a gym bag and stop at the gym on your way home instead of going to “happy hour.” You must make time for those things that are important to you. Some of the busiest, most successful people I know are also some of the fittest and healthiest as well.

2. “Exercise is boring.”
Maybe you are the one who is boring. Doing the same things every time you hit the gym will produce diminishing results, and leave you bored and frustrated. Define your goals, change your workouts, and hire a personal trainer to help you come up with a new routine. Try yoga, swimming, or any of the classes offered at your gym or community center. Don’t be lazy or shy. There are a myriad of opportunities to become fit and healthy in sunny South Florida.

3. “I’ll put off exercising until it gets warmer.”
While you procrastinate, you also become fatter and more sedentary, and unhappy with yourself. There’s no time like the present to get up and get moving toward a new healthier lifestyle. Start with one morning power walk or one yoga class after work. You’ll see just how great you feel. And there’s no cure for those winter-time blue moods than stimulating and challenging activities.

4. “I can’t exercise because I have aches and pains and health issues.”
You should never begin a new exercise program before getting a check-up from your doctor or health care professional. Sure, herniated discs, arthritis, high blood pressure, etc., are serious issues, but not impossible to deal with. For the most part, exercise that‘s done right can help you build flexibility at the joints and manage the pain of arthritis better than some traditional treatment programs. Regular training with manageable weights, yoga, stretching classes, and low impact aerobic routines have been shown to decrease pain and increase overall fitness levels.

As the New Year unfolds, don’t get left behind by friends and co-workers who have already embraced the fitness lifestyle. Stop making excuses to yourself. Just get up, get moving and join the fun today. Contact Tom Bonanti at TrainerTomB@aol.com for more inspiration.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com     Facebook: TrainerTomB.      www.pumpnincgym.com

By Tom Bonanti

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re spinning your wheels and getting nowhere “doing your cardio?” It’s bad enough that life can seem like the proverbial treadmill, you don’t need to be frustrated and bored when you go to the gym too! This week, let the Florida Agenda give you some tips that will put the mojo back into your cardio and help you to go from feeling sluggish and bored to super charged and rearing to go!

First, let’s answer the above question with a decisive YES! Cardio work-outs are indispensable to any effective training program. They can be any activity that raises and maintains your heart rate over a predetermined amount of time, such as power-walking, biking, swimming, wrestling, martial arts and elliptical machines. By doing this, you strengthen your cardiovascular system and lower your resting heart rate. Doing regular and monitored cardio will help you live longer PERIOD!

Cardio workouts burn fat. Weight training builds muscle. Any fitness regime must include both to be effective and successful! A bout of cardio will use up more calories than lifting weights over a prolonged period of time.

Yet the more quality lean muscle you build, the more calories your body will burn all the time, even in a resting state. Bigger muscles make you stronger, but cardio fitness gives you endurance.

Although cardio training programs can vary from individual to individual, here are some pointers that can benefit everyone.

• Drink water before, during and after any cardio workout. Stay away from sports drinks that are loaded with sugar and caffeine.

• You can perform cardio on an empty stomach, preferably early in the morning if you need to jump start fat loss. But remember that early in the a.m. your body is already in a catabolic state, so you may need to eat an hour and a half or so before you hit the treadmill so that you won’t pass out from hunger or lapse into a hypoglycemic episode.

• Always include a 5-10 minute warmup and cool-down, consisting of a brisk walk, slow jog and some stretching with each lifting session.

• Many cardio machines have heartrate monitors that are built into the equipment. Use these to monitor your heart rate. Or, consider investing in a heart-rate monitor. Purchase a model with a timing device, especially helpful for interval training sessions.

• Learn to calculate your target heart rate range in order to maximize the benefits of your workout. Ask a certified trainer about the Karvonen Method which is the most effective, but more complicated way of determining target heart rate range. In general, anyone can approximate maximum heart rate or “MaxHR” by subtracting your age from 220. For example, 220 – 40 = 180. This is the starting point for all your calculations. Depending upon your age and fitness level, determine a safe, but challenging range to work with. For example, a beginner may try a range between 55-65 percent of his maximum heart rate range for best cardio and fat burning results.

• Remember to consult your physician or health care provider before beginning any new exercise, nutrition or supplementation program, especially if you are on medication or being treated for a medical condition.

Need a few more tips on cardio effectiveness? You can always contact TrainerTomB@aol.com!

Tom Bonanti is a certified persinal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale,
FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com Facebook: TrainerTomB. www.pumpnincgym.com

By TOM BONANTI

Staying fit takes more than just pumping iron and downing protein shakes. You must have patience and practice persistence and consistency. Whether you’re a bona fide pro, or just an average guy trying to get into shape, there comes a time when you feel a little frustrated, burned out and, yes, even a little bored. Just as there are a zillion ways to get fit, there are the same numbers of ways to keep up your mojo in the gym.

Make working out your special “me” time. Pressures and hassles abound at work and even at home. When you’re at the gym, you are building your body first and foremost for yourself. Shut out all mental distractions. Limit conversation. If you’re working out with a partner or trainer, make sure that accomplishing your routine comes before socializing.  Lock your cell phone away somewhere. Tune in to some high energy music and kick ass in the gym – your ass! Stay focused on using correct form and feeling the burn with each muscle contraction. Stay in tune with your body, how you feel, what you are thinking as your body goes through the marvelous changes that accompany working out.

Everyone needs short-term and long-term goals to work toward while in the gym. Otherwise, you’re left spinning your wheels.

Periodize your training by setting long-term goals for the year.

Break up the year into shorter two or three month periods, each with its own goals. A short-term goal might be wiggling that hot ass of yours into a new bathing suit. There’s no better long-term goal for working out than anticipating all the new friends you’ll make on the Atlantis Cruise you’re taking early next year. Whatever it is, give yourself something to look forward to! And hell, while you’re sculpting that gorgeous body, you may even be improving your health by lowering your blood  pressure and building cardio-vascular strength!

Insanity has been defined as doing the same things, the same way, all of the time–and expecting different results. The same can be said about your workouts as well. Think of ways to vary routines without losing the progress you’ve made. Check out the strides you can make with interval training or circuit training. Change from the same old machines you use at the gym to more free weights. Change the days you work out and the time of day you hit the gym. Change gyms if necessary. Just remember, change can be a very good and exciting thing.

Book your workouts into your schedule. Your workouts are as essential and vital to your well being as business meetings, power lunches and conference calls. Furthermore, any boyfriend, boss or co-worker that doesn’t understand your commitment to working out needs a reality check. A fit spouse makes a better lover and happier companion. A healthy employee is less likely to have “down time” being puny and sick.

Try to make each workout fun and productive. Remember to set goals and stay consistent. Fitness is a lifetime commitment. You owe it to yourself, Gorgeous! For more inspiration, contact TrainerTomB@aol.com!

 Photo courtesy, XTG

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com

Even serious fitness enthusiasts and body builders need some variety in their training sessions in order to prevent boredom and guarantee solid results. Supersets (working two opposing muscle groups at the same time) and compound sets (using two or three exercises for the same muscle group until fatigue) are great ways to insure a burn. Intersperse heavy training days with lighter training days now and then to prevent burnout. Experiment with different exercise routines and if you like them add them to your regular workouts. Experienced trainers and athletes alike, however, agree that free weights–namely dumbbells and barbell–are the best and most versatile way to train!

Here are a few reasons why free weights should be the basis of everyone’s resistance training regime no matter what:

When you workout with dumbbells and barbells, it’s easier to take your joints through their full range of motion as you work out the muscles. Standing, with your feet spread apart at shoulder width, back straight and head looking straight ahead is the preferred stance when lifting weights. This way you are more effective in developing the smaller synergistic (helping) muscles and stabilizer muscles when you are targeting a muscle group as you perform your rep.

Barbells and dumbbells are more versatile and convenient. You can easily grab two 35 pound dumbbells and do three sets of curls for biceps and then move a few inches down the rack and do triceps kickbacks with the 40 pound weights. Just make sure you rack your weights when you’re finished!

Power is improved more efficiently and to a greater extent through the use of free weights.

Other crucial aspects of fitness including lifting for size, improving flexibility, reducing body fat and muscle toning are all achieved more efficiently through the use of few weights.

There are a couple of disadvantages to free weights. Dumbbells and barbells are sometimes clunky and have to be maintained and stored (if you pump up in your apartment or garage). Most importantly, in certain exercises, it is a little more difficult to derive maximum isolation of a muscle or muscle group.
Here are a few good reasons to use machines:

Some machines, like the pec deck for the pectoralis major, are more efficient in isolating the muscle group. For group use, some machines are better in terms of space utilization. A case in point: one jaunt around the Universal machine and you can practically get a full body workout. Plain and simple, machines are more convenient to use, and therefore faster workouts are possible. Less time is wasted changing plates and waiting for your spotter to get his butt out of the locker room.

The disadvantages of machines are many. Most machines are very large to store, extremely pricey and tend to isolate only one muscle or muscle group at a time. The majority of these muscle building contraptions are built to serve an average sized person. Very short or very tall people find it almost impossible to use many of the machines currently on the market.

Finally, the space-age appearance of many machines lulls users into believing that high technology equals maximum efficiency in achieving fitness goals, a sentiment that is definitely not true. Nothing beats hard work and good old fashioned sweat!

For more tips on how to maximize your time in the gym, contact TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com

By Tom Bonanti

Besides being fun and essential to your health, there is a science to working out. With some planning, a little skill and concentration – and some good old fashioned sweat – you can get one hell of a great workout in less than an hour. The trouble is that most guys fall into ruts by wasting time. Try leaving your cell phone and iPad in the car. Conduct business and chart your social calendar when you get back there. Stay focused on what you wish to accomplish during your workout and try to ignore other distracting stimuli. Save the gossip for the juice bar or the water cooler at work. You can cruise the parking lot, steam room and internet after you’ve performed your sets in the gym.

There are also other ways to waste time in the gym. Certain commonly used exercises and techniques are ineffective and just plain unsafe. Here is my list of some time-consuming mistakes and bad habits to avoid in the gym. Let me share just a few of them and save you not only time, but also injury as well.

• Jerking heavy weights on the leg extension machine in an attempt to blast your quadriceps (the muscles on the front of your thighs) is a recipe for a knee disaster. Besides straining knee ligaments, this exercise can over-develop your quads causing your hamstrings (the muscles on the backs of your thighs) to become excessively tight and inflexible. Tight hams in turn can cause low back pain and contribute to injuries. Avoid all this lower body “drama” by sticking with squats, presses, and lunges.
•  I’ve said this before: Any exercise where you push or pull a bar that’s positioned behind the neck can damage the rotator cuff muscles that attach your humerus (arm) to your scapula (shoulder). Once you strain or sprain these muscles, you can expect a royal pain in your neck or back. When you do wide grip lat pull downs or barbell or dumbbell shoulder presses, sit up straight, point your chest outward and pull or press the weight in front of you.
• Doing cardio can be a boring waste of time, especially if you set your cardio machine too slow each and every workout. Actually varying your pace and intensity during your hour or so of cardio is a more successful fat-loss strategy. The best way to burn calories is by mixing fast and slow speeds.
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  This is also the best way to address the body’s different energy systems and muscle groups.

• Sit-ups are as useless and ineffective as a high school phys. ed. teacher. Locking your feet under a rack or bench and rolling up on your lower back as you pull for dear life on your seven cervical vertebrae will only give you a sore back. Instead, you must do crunches. Keep your feet flat on the floor or slightly elevate your legs over an exercise ball to stabilize your hips. Extend your arms and crunch your torso, bringing your elbows to your knees. You can feel the burning in your abs already!

•  When you go to the gym, your main goal is to lift weights, so for goodness sake, use a weight that’s heavy enough so that your muscles feel worked by the end of a set of eight to 12 reps. Pyramid your weights up with each set, but be careful to maintain good form with each rep.

For more tips on how to maximize your time in the gym, please contact TrainerTomB@aol.com

Tom Bonanti is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com Facebook: TrainerTomB. www.pumpnincgym.com

By Tom Bonanti

I have been working out all my life. In that time, I have read a lot, heard a lot and I’ve seen everything. Everyone has an opinion about how to bulk up, cut up and trim down.

Some of this information has proved invaluable; some of it is pure bull. Let’s look at some common myths that just may be holding you back and/or even totally derailing your workouts.

Myth #1: If you want to build mass, cut out the cardio.

Aerobic fitness is achieved through regular cardio-vascular training and it is among the most preventative medicines available. What good is having gorgeous muscles if you drop dead of a stroke or heart attack! While building solid lean muscle is important, cardio vascular fitness is essential. And the best way to “pump up” the lungs and heart is by exercising aerobically. According to the International Sports Sciences Association, three to four 30 –45 minute sessions of cardio per week will definitely help to build cardiovascular fitness. Whether it’s running, swimming, biking, doing the precor or treadmill in the gym, you’ve simply got to
do cardio in order to stay healthy and live longer.

Myth #2: I’m hurting, but if I just keep training, I can work through the pain.

Only a real horse’s ass or the former governor of California still believes the adage, “No pain, no gain.” This long-running myth can potentially have dangerous effects on your body. There is a difference between pain, and the soreness and discomfort you feel after a really “kick-ass” workout. The latter is called ‘delayed onset of muscle soreness’ and it is a natural reaction to a really tough workout. Stretching, rest, massage and contrasting hot and cold showers can help ease this discomfort. Any indications of real pain (joint sprains and swelling, chest pains and difficulty breathing, etc.) should signal you to see a doctor. Working out with such serious symptoms could cause major damage to your body. See a physician as soon as possible.

Myth #3: I can only get “big” if I take the latest, most expensive supplements and steroids.

Just because a prominent bodybuilder is pitching a particular supplement or pro-hormone in one of the muscle rags does not mean that you need to buy it  or use it. You can achieve greatness in “muscle-dom” by working hard in the gym, eating healthy and clean, and getting enough quality rest between workouts. Always consult a doctor before taking any supplement and, by all means (especially for guys over 40), have your testosterone levels checked.

Myths #4: Drinking enough water during exercise is not important; in fact it can cause cramps.

Drinking enough water during workouts is vital. Most of us never get enough water. You need water throughout the day, especially before, during and after  a workout or other physical activity. Lack of water can lead to headaches, fatigue, body aches – and even death!  The International Sports Sciences Association recommends 8-12 glasses of water per day. On strenuous workout days, drink 16 ounces of water for every pound lost during exercise.

If you’ve got questions about your fitness routine, please send an email to  TrainerTomB@aol.com today!

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com

Looking for a way to add some bounce to your routine in the gym? Try adding a Swiss Ball to turn easy exercises into more challenging maneuvers. Balancing on a ball as you crunch, press, curl, etc., helps bring more muscle groups into play and forces you to concentrate on maintaining proper form and balance. And there’s no way better to work those core muscles like the abs, obliques, and quadratus lumborum, etc.

Performing resistance exercises on a ball is a more effective way to train for sports (i.e., track and field, martial arts, etc.) since in any kind of competition you are in motion and often off balance. Here’s a surefire routine that’ll put some “balls” in your workouts – Swiss Balls, that is!

There’s no better way to train abs than by doing crunches on a ball. Lie on your back across the ball with legs bent, feet flat and hands behind your head. Proceed by raising head and shoulders up a few inches. Pause, squeeze your abs and return to starting position. To add resistance, clasp a dumbbell or weight plate to your chest as you crunch. Perform as many reps as it takes to get a nice burn. Try reverse crunches by laying flat on the mat with your heels on the ball then crunch as you move the ball simultaneously by bringing your knees up toward your elbows.

Don’t forget your obliques – or your “side abs”. Lie on your right side over the ball, left leg over right, hands by the sides of the head, elbows out. Proceed to bend upward as high as possible. Pause, return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps.

Lie on your left side for another set bending up the other way.

Swiss ball squats are a great and safe way to build up the butt and legs without chugging a loaded barbell across the back of your neck and shoulders. Stand with the ball between your back (actually the small of your back) and the wall. Squat slowly down until the backs of the thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause. Then return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps.
Make push-ups meaner and more effective by using the ball. Place your hands on top of the ball with arms bent at a 90 degree angle, legs out behind you and extending up on toes. Proceed to push up to arms’ length. Pause. Then return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps.

To make dumbbell curls, shoulder and chest presses and/or front and side raises more challenging, try them seated on a ball. Of course, use lighter weights at first. Use your Swiss Ball on a mat area for added safety. Swiss Balls come in sizes small, medium and large and can be purchased at any sporting goods store. They usually come with a pump to keep them firm and bouncy! Get one and put some balls into your workouts! For more tips on how to use the Swiss ball in your workouts, please contact TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com

Ways to Avoid this Unwanted Baggage

By Tom Bonanti

It’s a given that most guys consider a six pack to be sexy. Yet a strong, toned midsection is also important because  it helps to anchor your lower back. Exercises like crunches and leg raises are essential to developing killer abs and a healthy lower back, but that’s not all you need. The obliques (although they are so deep that you’ll never see them even on the leanest physique) are also an important part of your core as they  girdle the abdomen on both sides of  the body. As such, these babies require a program of their own.

“Love handles” are the term “affectionately” used to describe those problem areas where fat accumulates around the waist and oblique areas. To avoid the unwanted baggage, you must, of course, watch your nutrition –that’s 80% of the battle! In addition, you must keep these muscles strong and toned with such movements as twists, bends and lunges. The following exercises employ a broom handle or a smaller weight-free barbell. Perform repetitions slowly. Put 2 or 3 of these exercises into your ab routine and complete 25 to 50 reps on each side and you’ll soon see and feel the difference.

Standing twists are the most basic. Stand grasping a bar behind your head on the upper traps, with feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping the lower body stationary, proceed to twist to the right, pause, and then twist to the left.

For variation, try bent-over twists. Stand grasping a bar behind your head on the upper traps, with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend over carefully until your torso is parallel to the floor, then proceed to twist to the right, pause, then twist to the left.

Seated twists help to isolate the obliques a little better than the above. Sit on a bench – or better yet, an exercise ball. Grasp a bar behind your head on the upper traps with legs together. Keeping the lower body stationary, proceed to twist to the right, pause, then twist to the left. You can also do these holding a medicine ball in front of you. From the same position, twist your torso as you pass the ball rapidly from one side to the other side.

Twisting lunges allow you to put your ass (more technically, your glutes) to work as well as your obliques. Stand grasping a bar on the upper back, with feet wide apart. Proceed to bend the left knee and twist down that side. Pause, then rise to starting position and perform the next repetition to the right.

Twisting waves get your upper body more involved. Stand grasping a bar out in front of you with feet wide apart. Proceed to bend the right knee and simultaneously lower the left hand across your body while raising the right hand. Pause, then rise to starting position and perform the next rep to the left.

While the terms “love handles” and “muffin top” may sound cute, the realities are not. If you watch your nutrition and perform these oblique routines regularly, you will build a healthy core and tight lean midsection. For more tips on core fitness contact Tom?Bonanti at  TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com