The Ab Clock is a relatively easy exercise and can be performed by almost anyone able to lie on their back and produces astounding results. One Pilates client at Sommet Fitness in North Scottsdale exclaims “My abs were so sore I actually lifted up my shirt to see if there were any marks because my abdomen felt like it had been bruised!” As another client performed the exercise, she asked “Are you sure I’m doing it right? It’s such a small movement and I’m not really feeling anything.” At her next session two days later she was astonished at how sore her abdominals had become. Known as Delayed Onset Muscle Pain (DOMS), it is caused by microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers as they recover and build (http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/doms.htm). DOMS is a good indication of deep muscle contraction and what results is greater strength and stamina.
Starting Position:
Laying down supine face up with knees bent up towards the ceiling, feet should be placed directly in front of the sits-bones of the pelvis and planted firmly on the ground with weight equally distributed over all five toes. Hands are palm down next to the sides of the body and shoulders should be relaxed and drawn away from the ears.
The Exercise:
With the belly button being at 12 o’clock and the pubic bone at 6 o’clock imagine rolling a marble back-and-forth by tilting the pelvis posterior without lifting the butt of the floor, the tailbone tucks in between the legs reaching up toward the ceiling, and then arching slightly as the lumbar spine lifts off the floor. The tendency is to use the upper hamstrings when tucking or lifting one shoulder off so be sure to use only the abdominals. Knees should be kept pointing up toward the ceiling the entire time and most importantly, the belly should be keep pulling back to the spine and lifting up toward the chest like an elevator. Do 10 pelvic tilts at each number and continue all the way around the face of a clock back to 12 o’clock to finish.
The Ab Clock is particularly effective because the slightness of the movement allows for anyone despite age or ability to effectively tone the abdominal muscles. In contrast to traditional ab crunches where the neck becomes strained, requires over 100 repetitions to become effective, and only works the rectus abdominis, the Ab Clock does not cause unnecessary pain to any of the joints and targets both the rectus and transverse abdominis, and the internal and external obliques.
Two days after performing this exercise for the first couple of times abdominal muscle soreness can be expected, but it will subside after a couple of days. Results will vary according to the frequency of doing the exercise, but no doubt the tummy will become taut, toned, defined, within a few weeks!
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