Abs

I gave birth to my second child about two months ago. I've begun exercising again, and I'm determined to strengthen my abs better this time around. After my first kid, I tried half-heartedly to work on my core but never really saw much improvement. Two friends posted ab/core workouts on the same day, so I thought I'd give them and another I'd pinned earlier a try while both kids are down for their naps.

The first is specifically geared toward women who've had kids, as the abdominal muscles can not only stretch but also separate during pregnancy. This is particularly a problem for women who have had C-sections. I liked this but got a little lightheaded during the second exercise. I'm probably breathing wrong. Also, I don't have a stability ball, so the fifth exercise was hard to do. I'd like to continue with this series of exercises, but I think a lot of the impact comes from just keeping your abs tight. I can do that without a big set of moves.

The second is a Jillian Michaels workout on YouTube. I have an aversion to Jillian Michaels after doing her cardio yoga video a year or so ago, but I think that was because she was so out of her element. This video seemed much more her style, and it's hard to argue with the results of her body. The video is about 6.5 minutes and does a great job at targeting your bottom and thighs, but there was only one ab strengthener. I'd like to find another video of hers that deals more with abs.

The third is from Prevention. I pinned it because it doesn't require any extra equipment—just you and your mat and a wall. Again, the ab part of this was less noticeable (we'll see how my tummy feels tomorrow), but I imagine this workout would be very effective in slimming your bottom and thighs.

http://pinterest.com/pin/353180795747742470/
http://pinterest.com/pin/353180795747742653/
http://pinterest.com/pin/353180795747673277/