SPORTING LUFE Q: Thave been doing 100 crunches a day for eight months and my belly still looks the same. Should [ increase to 150 crunches a day? A: The theory ef exercising a muscle group in an effort to reduce the body-fat surround- ing that area is referred to as “spot reduction.” It would be great if this was all that was required to fose fat, however, spot reduction is a inyth. You can do abdominal crunches every day and still not lose fat from your waistline. Abdominal crunches are effec- dive in strengthening your abdominal muscles and may tighten up the muscles under the fat. So yes, you may feel leaner, but there is no correla- tion between exercising a mus- cle and losing far in a particu- far area of your body. So, instead of increasing your abdominal crunches, try increasing your cardiovascular exercises and eating a balanced diet. Personal trainer Shaun Karp owns Karp Fitnes and Rehabilitation. Visit bis Web site wwwkarpfitness.com. Crunch Technique important for good resulis IT’S “krunch time.” Right here, right now! So, stop reading and get to work on those abdominal muscles. Before you do this, I want to make sure vou are doing them correctly. You'll need some basic techniques that'll help you get the most from your efforts. Here are some major technique pointers to keep in mind whenever you work your middle: @ Follow the directions Doing the exercise exact- ly the way I describe it is vital. Otherwise you may do a lot of work without secing the changes you were expecting and then you'll blame me tor it. For example, I will tell you not to face your fingers behind your head and to not tug upward on your head and neck with your hands when you do cranch style abs. These mistakes may lead to pains and cramps in your neck, they will diminish the effectiveness of the exercise. @ Breathing Exhale through vour mouth as vou exert an effort and inhale through your nose as you release it. This technique will remind vou to use your abs since more of your musele fibres get into the act when you breath forcefully. Bi Monitor your speed Always work slowly and with control. Don't bounce up off the floor between reps or rock slowly wildly up and down to power your moves. @ Anchors away Keep your lower back “anchored” — pressed firm- ly — into the floor during any exercise in which you are lying on your back. This will prevent injuries towards your lower back region. @ Going through the motions? Don’t! p your Flopping your body up and down a few dozen times and then declaring “There! [ve worked my abs” won't cuit. For the exercise to be really effective, you must focus your attention on the muscles being trained. @ Rules of the game Before you flop yourself down on the floor and start crunching, twisting, and rolling away with a vengeance, hang on a sec- ond. You need to know how to cake all these exercises and put them together ina way that makes sense. B How long? Of course vou must fac- tor into your program your shape. Are you a beginner exerciser or advanced. Try and target all four major ab muscles and 15 minutes should be plenty of time. Plus the abdominal muscles are really the oniy muscle group you can work out everyday since we must use them at all times when we are awake. @ Facts Eighty per cent of ail Americans have low back pain. Strong abs help reduce back pain and thus annoying whining. Consumers buy Stay put, stay safe and stay alive North Shore Rescue outdoor safety tip: Stay put. Stay where you are because help will come. Do not continue to move. People who contin- ue to travel, after becoming lost, usually get fur- ther from the trail and further from people who are looking for them. Do not go downhill. On the North Shore, going downhill, or following the fali-line often leads to natural drainages. These drainages have the common features of very thick bush, expansive cliffs, and waterfalls. For more information, go to wwmnorthshorerescne.com LOOK FOR OUR 1/2 MARATHON CLINIC STARTING IN JUNE NORTH SHORE ATHLETICS Friday, March 31, 2000 - North Shore News - 29 ever 100,000 Belly Buster virdies a vear and spend over $40 billion on ab roller gad- gets. Over 50 million Americans eat Spam every year. Apparently this is out an of choice. Now you can stop read- ing and do some &runching. if vou would like any more info e-mail me at . Rumner’s World “Best Buy” December 99 Consumer's “Best Buy" 8 years in a row! ’ Starting-at 99 99 Aerobic Belts & Accessori 101-4200 Lonsdale Ave. at 12th © 990-S8S8 ° nsa@telus.net