kong1971 said:
Aaagh! Okay...learning mode. Now, is there any certain types of exercises that you would say work better and quicker than others? I don't have access to a gym. My son has some barbells but I am going nowhere NEAR his room. It's a deathtrap. We're talking very, very basic here, okay? I can go to other websites and try to absorb, but I was hoping someone here can say, "I had manboobs and here is what I did to get rid of them. Do fifty ....... every night." You're talking to the king of lounging here, okay?
Kong, I think what I would tell you in terms of advice on how to shape up your pex is this:
Begin a small routine of ab exercises. This slims down your mid section and makes your trunk more shapelier in the way that those body building guys' chests have. Next do plenty of pushups. I still think that my pex has been shaped or toned better through pushups as opposed to any exercise on the bench...(it's mainly because I can't bench much without losing form but still) Also the cardio as someone else suggested will help. You don't even need too much of it either to get results if you begin this ab routine I am going to describe.
The reason I suggest push ups is because while the basic bench press would help your stomach muscles aren't as involved whereas with pushups your mid section is stretched and flexed.
The ab workout should be something like this but whatever exercises you choose you should work your abdominals if you want to have a
toner shape to your pex:
Exercise: Muscle Function: Reps:
Thin tummy Hip Flexion 10- 5 sec. holds
Curlup Trunk Flexion 10-15
Seated thin tummy and AB-glute co-contraction 10- 5 sec. holds
cheek squeezes
Lateral leg lowering Trunk rotation 10-20
Pushup hold Integrated trunk movement 10- 5 sec. holds
Side raise Lateral flexion 10-20
Thin tummy- lie on back, knees bent, feet flat with hands below belt line with fingers heading down toward the pubic area and thumbs higher up on abs...thin your stomach by contracting your lower ab muscles between the belly button and groin (so as to make yourself skinnier) hold for 5 seconds then rest for 5 and repeat
Curlup- lie on back, knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat,...slowly raise your torso at a constant speed without any kind of acceleration with hands touching opposite elbows
sort of like in a situp, as your torso ascends slowly move your arms so as to make them parallel to the floor, then lower just as slowly to the beginning position.
Seated thin tummy and cheek squeeze- sit on the end of a bench with knees bent and feet close together on the floor while maintaining a straight posture. Place your hands on stomach the same way as in the thin tummy...contract your lower abs making the thin tummy allthewhile contracting your butt cheeks making yourself raise off the bench a little
Lateral Leg movement- lie face up on the floor with legs together in the air and your arms out at a 90 degree angle to your body. Keep your head on the floor...lower your legs to one side going all the way down to but not resting on the floor and keeping them at a 90 degree angle to your upper body. Lift your legs back up to a vertical position and lower them to the other side in the same fashion.
Pushup Hold (my favorite)- Lie face down on the floor with your legs straight and together, set hands beneath chest like with a pushup...raise your body imto a pushup position with your body in a straight line from neck line to ankles (your body will be diagonal rather than parallel to the floor this way) and hold for 5 seconds, lower, then repeat.
Side raise- lie on back, knees bent to about 90 degrees and keep them together, roll knees together to one side so they're on the floor, with your shoulders and upper back still flat on the floor, cross your hands over your chest touching opposite shoulders...now flex your trunk toward the ceiling, pause and then lower back down to floor.
Good luck on your journey and I hope this helps you acheive your goal!
