QUESTION:

Hello, I'm a 5'4" 125 pound woman. I have a Bowflex revolution, home gym. I am trying to find work outs that concentrate on my abs using this machine. Is it possible to achieve my goal with this machine? Must I use floor exercises or a fitness ball in conjunction with this?

ANSWER:

By looking at your body dimensions (5'4" 125 pounds) it would seem you do not have too much body fat to lose but keep in mind that the #1 way to get visible results with your mid-section is to control diet, reducing your body fat levels thus lowering your body fat percentage. Get your body fat % measured for peace of mind and take away the guessing game.

As far as exercises go, the Boxflex Revolution is a good home gym designed for a full body exercise program. This whole body exercise program along with cardio and a low calorie, balanced diet is what is going to reduce your body fat and tone your abdominal area most efficiently. The best ab exercises have always been using just body weight for resistance. Using exercise balls can help this because they increase range of motion as well as muscle recruitment.

Floor core stabilization exercises are optimal for tightening the deep core muscles and reducing the circumference the mid-section. Keep in mind they do not "spot-reduce" the fat surrounding the abdominal muscles which is an impossible fitness myth.

You can find ab exercises using multiple pieces of equipment and targeting multiple abdominal and deep core muscles here:

100 Abdominal Exercises