the Ladies

Trimming the Midsection...

we all want. Of course a well-planned diet goes hand in hand with the program we will outline as food intake must be cut down to reach our objective. To be sure you are on a proper diet suited to your individual need it is wise to consult your doctor. Every body is just a little different and where certain foods and calories might be ideal for the girl next door it may not be right for you.

There are many body types and in my own observation even the slimmest girls still need help in getting and keeping firm midsection. This certain type has the biggest problem as in most cases they need to gain weight in other parts of the body and cannot go an a diet along with their exercise routine. In a case of this type an allround bodybuilding program for three days a week, and a specialized midsection routine six or seven days a week will bring the desired results. As the food intake would not be lowered plenty of sets and repetitions will be a necessity.

The exercises illustrated here are varied and designed to wear down superfluous flesh in the lower back area as well as the upper and lower abdomen. To keep the waistline down to

Exercise No. 4-Leg swings. Keep legs straight and swing from hip, kicking or swinging as high as possible. As one leg is lowered the other comes up, in scissors fashion.

PHOTOS OF JOYCE PLAVCHEK BY AL CHRISTENSEN

Exercise No. 5-Leg push-aways. Keeping feet at same height level, you alternately bring knees in and then straighten legs, thus keeping tension on abdominal muscles.

Exercise No. 2-The Sit-up. With feet held down, hands overhead, you sit-up and touch toes with extended hands. The exercise may be made progressive by increasing incline of bench.

By VERA CHRISTENSEN

ETTING AND KEEPING a small waistline and a flat

tummy is probably woman's biggest problem, and the one that requires the most work. Excess weight seems to thrive and grow in this area due to a lack of any twisting or bending movements in our everyday activities. The usual kind of housework is very tiring and many women think a hard day of this has given them all the exercise they need. But they are wrong.

Sports such as bowling and swimming are not even enough in themselves to keep that stylish slim waistline. Bending and twisting type movements with plenty of repetitions and sets is the only way to get the results

(Above) Exercise No. I is the leg raise as described in text. (At Top of Page) Exercise No. 3-Side-bends with hands clasped overhead."

STRENGTH AND

HEALTH

its smallest possible measurement we have to concentrate on trimming any excess from the lower back and also that "overlap" that seems to grow around each side.

The most important thing for a satisfactory tummy trimming program, as mentioned before, is plenty of REPETITIONS and SETS of each exercise. A variety of movements are also necessary in order to constantly wear down undesired fat from every possible angle. Be sure to do at least a few of these stomach exercises at least five days a week and every day if possible. We cannot stress too much the very important item of being CONSISTENT

DECEMBER,

1956

with your program to obtain the best results.

All the exercises shown should be started by beginners with only five to ten repetitions and gradually worked up to around twenty-five consecutive counts before raising the angle of the incline board or otherwise making the movement harder by adding weight. One set of each exercise will be sufficient to begin with while working up to three sets over a period of six weeks. All the exercise photos were posed for by Joyce Plavchek, a secretary who has been active at our studio for six months. Joyce has trimmed more than two inches from her waistline and has

represented our club in several south Florida beauty contests.

Exercise No. 1. Leg Raises-From a lying position to begin with, lift the legs as shown until they are straight and at right angles with the floor. Gradually raise the angle with the head higher when you have reached twentyfive consecutive repetitions. Don't forget to be very cautious to begin with, and in extremely out of condition cases it would be advisable to begin by performing this movement using only one leg at a time. This exercise really works that lower abdomen where the first signs of a tummy always appear. (Continued on page 65)