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Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women
Shaping your core, butt, and legs
by Frederic Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau
Series: Anatomy
144 Pages
Get an inside view of muscles in action. Like having an X-ray as you work out, Delavier’s Sculpting Anatomy for Women features full-color photos and detailed anatomical illustrations of exercises for slimming, shaping, and toning the core, butt, and legs.
Whether you’re looking to eliminate love handles, tighten your glutes, or add definition to your legs, Delavier’s Sculpting Anatomy for Women presents the exercises, programming, and advice for the results you want. It’s all here and all in the stunning detail that only Frédéric Delavier can provide!
Step-by-step instructions work in tandem with the anatomical illustrations to ensure clear understanding of how to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of each exercise. You’ll see how muscles interact with surrounding joints and skeletal structures and learn how variations can make each exercise easier or more intense.
Delavier’s Sculpting Anatomy for Women also includes nutrition recommendations; breathing techniques; and a customizable program for toning, strengthening, and sculpting your abs, glutes, and legs in just 90 days!
The former editor in chief of PowerMag in France, author and illustrator Frédéric Delavier is a journalist for Le Monde du Muscle and a contributor to Men’s Health Germany and several other strength publications. His previous publications, Strength Training Anatomy and Women’s Strength Training Anatomy, have sold more than 2 million copies.
Your Mission: A Flat Belly and a Sexy Butt in Three Months
Five Tips to Get You Started
1. Motivation Is Essential
2. It’s Never Too Late to Reshape Your Body
3. Exercise for Your Health
4. Listen to Your Body
5. Exercise for Beauty
Nutrition: The Foundation of Your Health
Rules of Nutrition
Nutrients That Give You Energy
How to Work Your Buttocks and Abdominal Muscles
Sculpt Your Butt 24
Sculpt Your Abs 27
Get Rid of Cellulite
Two Types of Cellulite
Reasons You Get Cellulite
How to Beat Cellulite
GOAL 1: SLIM YOUR WAIST
Static Stretch for the Waist
Standing Side Bend
Torso Twist With a Stick
Lying Torso Twist
Side Plank
Swimming
GOAL 2: STRENGTHEN YOUR ABDOMINALS
Crunch, Feet on the Floor
Crunch, Legs Raised
Sit-Up, Feet on the Floor
Crunch, Feet on a Bench
Oblique Crunch, Feet on the Floor or a Bench
Oblique Crunch, Legs Raised
In-and-Out
Reverse Crunch
Bicycle
Oblique Bicycle
Sphinx
GOAL 3: SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Leg Lift to the Side
Leg Lift on the Belly
Leg Lift on the Knees
Leg Lift With a Bent Knee
Opposite Arm and Leg Raise
Side Leg Raise on the Knees
Bridge
Bridge, Feet on a Bench
Bridge With One Leg Raised
Lying Hamstring Stretch
Buttocks Stretch
Leg Extension to the Back
Leg Extension to the Side
Lateral Leg Curl
GOAL 4: TONE YOUR LEGS
Standing Knee Raise
Body-Weight Squat
Deadlift
Squat With a Bar
Wide-Leg Squat
Good Morning With a Bar
Step-Up on a Bench
Forward Lunge
Forward Lunge With Dumbbells
Alternating Side Lunge
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Hamstring Stretch Using a Bench
Standing Calf Raise
Calf Raise Using a Dumbbell
Calf Stretch
DEVELOP YOUR OWN CUSTOMIZED PROGRAM
Know Your Body Well So You Can Train Effectively
Dominant Characteristics
Personalizing Your Training
Design Your Program
Morphology A, Program 1: Beginner
Morphology A, Program 2: Intermediate
Morphology A, Program 3: Advanced
Morphology B, Program 1: Beginner
Morphology B, Program 2: Intermediate
Morphology B, Program 3: Advanced
Morphology C, Program 1: Beginner
Morphology C, Program 2: Intermediate
Morphology C, Program 3: Advanced
Frédéric Delavier is a gifted artist with an exceptional knowledge of human anatomy. He studied morphology and anatomy for five years at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and studied dissection for three years at the Paris Faculté de Médecine.
The former editor in chief of the French magazine PowerMag, Delavier is currently a journalist for the French magazine Le Monde du Muscle and a contributor to several other muscle publications, including Men's Health Germany. He is the author of the best-selling Strength Training Anatomy, Women’s Strength Training Anatomy, The Strength Training Anatomy Workout, The Strength Training Anatomy Workout II, Delavier's Core Training Anatomy, and Delavier's Stretching Anatomy.Delavier won the French powerlifting title in 1988 and makes annual presentations on the sport applications of biomechanics at conferences in Switzerland. His teaching efforts have earned him the Grand Prix de Techniques et de Pédagogie Sportive. Delavier lives in Paris, France.
Jean-Pierre Clémenceau, a graduate of Etat, is the fitness coach of the stars. He has worked with legendary actresses, including Charlotte Gainsbourg, Emmanuelle Béart, and Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche. He has trained numerous French personalities using an approach based on positioning and breathing. He is also the author or coauthor of a number of books related to fitness and health, including Delavier’s Stretching Anatomy.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Improve the overall look of your body by sculpting your abdominal muscles
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
SCULPT YOUR ABS
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body's aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The abdominal wall is made up of four muscles:
1. The rectus abdominis is usually called the abs.
2. The external oblique is located on either side of the rectus abdominis.
3. The internal oblique is located underneath the external oblique.
4. The transversus abdominis is located under the obliques.
Unlike other muscles where you want to develop some size, here the focus is on keeping the waist small by having well-defined muscles.
Muscles in a Slim Waist
The rectus abdominis does help contain the belly, but there are some less well-known muscles that make the waist as small as possible:
> Transversus abdominis acts just like a corset.
> Internal and external obliques, to a lesser degree, also help to refine the waist when they are toned but not too muscular.
ROLE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
When talking about the abdominal muscles, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely looks: Well-defined abs are synonymous with a flat belly void of any extra fat. But Mother Nature did not give you abdominal muscles just to look nice. The abdominal wall fulfills vital functions for movement and health. There are six good reasons to take care of your abdominal wall:
1. Increase your athletic performance. The core plays a large role in all physical activities requiring rapid running or twisting of the torso (such as golf or tennis).
2. Protect your spine. In concert with the lumbar muscles, the abdominal muscles support the spine. Weak core and abdominal muscles and a large belly increase the risk of lumbar degeneration.
3. Reduce muscle tension. A few minutes of core and abs work before going to sleep will relax the lumbar muscles, allowing the spine to decompress from the pressure experienced during the day. No more waking up in the morning with back pain.
4. Improve digestive health. Core and abs work improves digestion of food, thereby preventing bloating and constipation.
5. Reduce risk factors for health conditions such as diabetes.
6. Maintain cardiovascular health. Working the core and abdominal muscles is an excellent cardiorespiratory workout, similar to running but without the trauma to the knees and the spine.
Unfortunately, the lower part of the abdominal muscles is much more difficult to strengthen than the upper part. It is possible to do bridges primarily using the strength of the upper abdominal muscles. However, the lower abdominal muscles play the most important role in protecting the spine and preventing bloating in the abdomen. And it is also this part that tends to accumulate fat most easily. A good training program should therefore work both the upper and lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You should know that exercises that involve raising the torso recruit mostly (but not exclusively) the upper part of the abdominal muscles. Exercises that involve lifting the pelvis target the lower part a little better.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> It is important to breathe well during a set of abdominal and core exercises. The tendency is to hold your breath, but this is a mistake since breathing gives you more endurance by providing oxygen to your muscles during exercise.
> Beware of fake abdominal exercises! Fake exercises, unfortunately, are very common. They are ineffective and put the spine in danger. There is a way to differentiate the good exercises from the bad. When the abdominal muscles contract, they round the lower back. So any exercise that arches the lumbar region instead of rounding your back cannot work the abdominal muscles effectively.
> Beware of your head position! The position of your head has a profound impact on muscle contraction; when you lean your head back, the lumbar muscles that support the spine contract reflexively, while the abdominal muscles have a tendency to relax.
Even if this contraction is not very strong, it is inevitable. On the contrary, when you lean your head forward, the abdominal muscles contract while the lumbar muscles relax; the body tends to round forward. The most common mistake is to look up at the ceiling, when you actually need to keep your head leaning forward and your back rounded. Ideally, you should always keep your eyes on your abs. What you must avoid above all is moving your head from side to side. This movement is not useful and can hamper proper muscle contraction. It also can cause cervical problems. In the same way, it is counterproductive to move your head frenetically when the exercise gets really difficult. Instead, your body must be very stable when an exercise gets difficult.
> Take care in the placement of your hands and elbows during sit-ups. To avoid pulling too much on your neck, do not cross your hands behind your head; rather, place them on your ears. Note that the wider you place your elbows, the harder the exercise will be. Conversely, the closer your elbows are together and the more they tilt toward the front, the easier the exercise will be.
> Do not confuse pulling your abdomen in with contracting your abdomen. When you have to pull on a pair of tight jeans, you suck in your abdomen by pulling the abdominal fibers up (without any particular tone) so you can fasten the button. However, abdominal contraction is a compression of the fibers that lets you strengthen and tone this part of the body. Do not forget that all your strength comes from your core and that this contraction stabilizes the body, providing support and power. If you do abdominal work by pulling your abdomen in, you will have no chance at all of developing your abdominal muscles.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Get started with your workout program and begin reshaping your body
The core and abdominal muscles play an important role in the body’s aesthetics. Getting a muscular and toned belly in a few months is possible with targeted exercises. Say good-bye to your love handles and belly!
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO RESHAPE YOUR BODY
Women who are over 30 who have avoided the slightest physical activity throughout life and want to start exercising always ask me (Jean-Pierre) the same question: “Is it too late for me to develop my muscles?” The answer is no, because even if you have not used your muscles very much, they are still there, just waiting to give their best effort. So do not hesitate to start on the path to getting into shape, even if you have not exercised in years.
Muscle weakness makes the entire figure seem softer. Skin, which can expand, takes on the shape of the muscle, and of course, the weaker the muscle is, the more the skin tends to collapse. Over time, skin loses its elasticity; thus there's a need to maintain a certain amount of muscle tone or to redevelop muscle. Still, the later you begin, the longer and more difficult strength training will be. It will take two to three years for a 60-year-old person to develop the triceps muscle, while a 30-year-old can do it in two to three months. And for all those 50-year-olds who are despairing because they never exercised when they were younger, know that you can build muscle even up to age 70. So, to your weights! But be careful to adjust your workout routine to match your age and abilities.
Some of my students are 70, 75, even 80 years old. Maybe they exercised all their lives, or perhaps they only started around age 40, but they continue to train regularly. Of course, I would never ask them to do 30 push-ups to develop the muscles in their back! Even if they are in great shape, their hearts cannot tolerate the intensity of certain exercises. I will share with you an anecdote about one of my students, 70 years old, whom I train regularly. She played tennis her whole life but had to stop a few years ago because of severe back pain. Three years ago, we began working to develop her buttocks, back, and core muscles. Today, not only has she begun playing tennis again, but she is beating some of her friends who used to be stronger than she was! You can imagine how happy she is.
“I have given myself a second chance at youth,” she confided to me. Yet she hates working out. Those few exercises and the well-being she gained from them changed her mind. Her muscles are stronger, and her bones are too because, like muscles, bones grow stronger with physical activity.
Advantages of Working Out at Home
There are many advantages to exercising at home. First, it is more practical (you save time and you can work out whenever you want to), and it is more economical since you do not have to pay the high cost of a gym membership. Using this book and the professional advice from leading coaches, you will learn that exercising at home is just as effective as going to a gym. Your concentration will only improve during a quicker and more productive workout.
One simple tip is to film your workout. Even if you exercise in front of a mirror, seeing yourself on video will help you truly determine whether or not you are performing the exercises correctly. This way you can correct yourself and keep improving.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
Learn more about effectively working your buttocks and abdominal muscles
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women.
HOW TO WORK YOUR BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Working the buttocks and abdominal muscles will help you sculpt a beautiful silhouette and shed unsightly fat. Before you begin your training program, here is what you need to know to obtain the results you desire.
SCULPT YOUR BUTT
Aesthetically, the buttocks certainly have a unique role. Well-rounded buttocks attract attention. Through targeted work, your goal is to shape them and improve their contour.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The buttocks are made up of several muscles. Each has a specific function and influences your curves.
> The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It makes up most of the buttocks. When it is toned, it gives a rounded aspect to the buttocks.
> The gluteus medius is an abductor situated laterally. When it is muscular, it firms the upper buttocks and creates an appealing curve, making the small of the back beautiful. It allows the extension of the hip during lateral raise exercises.
> The gluteus minimus is also an abductor situated deeply below the gluteus medius. This is the muscle that, when it is not firm, forms fat reserves commonly called saddlebags.
ROLE OF THE BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
The butt is made up of a large amount of fat and muscles, together called the buttocks. The buttocks support the muscles of the thighs, called the hamstrings, when you need to increase your running speed. Thus, when you walk slowly, they work very little, but as soon as you speed up, they begin to work.
TIPS FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT
> If you desire toned buttocks, then you need to perform regular physical activity and eat a balanced diet. In fact, to increase the effectiveness of localized muscle development, exercise must be combined with an ideal diet. It is also recommended that you do firming exercises, preferably before meals.
> To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, squeeze your buttocks as tightly as you can throughout the exercises. At first, you might have trouble doing this. But after several sessions, this reflex will become automatic if you are really concentrating.
> If you do not have a lot of fat to lose, know that these exercises can be done preventively. In fact, fat typically accumulates above muscles that are not used often in daily life. The butt and the abdominal muscles rarely work; this is why fat often accumulates in these areas.
Read more from Delavier's Sculpting Anatomy for Women by Frédéric Delavier and Jean-Pierre Clemenceau.
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