Los Angeles Personal Trainer

Hi Lalo -

Of course, the secret to "visible abs" is low body fat, but can certain exercises, or too many of certain exercises, actually be detrimental to the appearance of the midsection? If so, what exercises should be avoided, and what exercises can strengthen the core without adding bulk?

Thanks, Lalo. Kudos to you and your team, and keep up the good work!

~ Lorraine

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Hi Lorraine,

I wouldn’t worry about the exercises you do for you abs, worry about the times you don’t do your exercises . I can’t think of an exercise that would be detrimental for the appearance of your abs. The only thing that comes to mind is when doing abs, concentrate on low weights and high reps instead of heavy weight and low reps and don’t use any equipment. Also, focus on your abs and good posture while doing the exercises.

Take care!

Lalo Fuentes, CSCS
Personal Trainer & Lifestyle Coach
Los Angeles, California

Dear Lalo,

I have been using the LaloFit V.1 workout 3 times a week for the last 5 weeks and my body has become more toned - THANK YOU! But I also feel that my body has gotten used to the exercises and it is now easier to work through each movement.

My goal is weight loss. How long should I stay on a workout program before changing it up?
Thanks,
Lay

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Dear Lay,

Each person responds a little different to each training program. If you workout three times per week and also do cardio and eat healthy you should be ready to change your workout regimen after eight weeks. The body (muscles & bones) needs this amount of time to adapt to certain movements and get results. While in a fitness program, not only your muscles will benefit from it, but also your bones.

When you start a new exercise program you muscles as well as your bones need to adapt to the new challenges or stress your body is experiencing. Your muscles will become more developed and your bones will gain density. The trick is that, not your whole body will get these benefits, only the muscles and bones where the stress is being applied repetitively for a certain period of time, which is about 8 weeks. That’s why I included a full body workout mixed with cardio in my fitness DVD’s, so you can get the most amount of muscles worked within one hour.

It is very important to always change your workouts. You can have a few different workouts you do for these eight weeks and put them on rotation. After those eight weeks, you should change it around and do something different for another 8 weeks. You can either try the same technique with an advanced and new set of moves or change the technique and style of workout all together for something completely different. You can always come back to your original workouts but this time around you will be adding more intensity to it and still expect results.

If you’re thinking about increasing the amount of weight because your workouts are getting easy, concentrate on your posture and technique before you do that.

Have fun!

Lalo Fuentes, CSCS
Personal Trainer & Lifestyle Coach
Los Angeles, California