Benefits of Hula Hooping. Q&A

Can Hula Hooping help you lose belly fat?

If you hoop for 30 minutes, you'll burn 210 calories. The heart rates of research participants elevated to 84 percent of their maximum heart rate, sufficient for burningfat as fuel. To lose abdominal fat, calories must be burned. Hooping contributes to overall weight loss, including the extra fat across your core.

Is a hula hoop good for abs?

Fat Loss. While the claim that you can spot train to lose weight in one area is a myth, it is possible to lose fat wherever it is in excess on your body. Since working out with a Hula-Hoop is a very good aerobic exercise, it burns more calories than other ab-building anaerobic exercises.

What is a hula hoop good exercise for?

Using a hula hoop works your arm, leg and core muscles. Hula hooping is a total-body workout that not only tones your muscles, but also improves joint flexibility and balance. The rocking motion of hula hooping is also relaxing and fun, which can relieve stress.

Is a weighted hula hoop better?

In fact, any type of hula hooping, using a weighted hula hoop or a regular hula hoop, can help you meet your exercise goals and provide aerobic activity. And it can be fun! Weighted hula hoops are bigger and heavier than are traditional hula hoops. ... The weight of the hoop is up to you

What are the benefits of hula hooping?

Hooping will make you feel the (calorie) burn. Hooping has been proven to burn over 400 calories per hour by the American Council on Exercise, although thecalorie-burn from hooping may be as high as 600 calories per hour when other parts of your body, such as your arms and legs, are engaged

How many calories do you burn with a weighted hula hoop?

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) funded a study completed at the University of Wisconsin, and found that a 30 minute weighted hula hoop workout which consisted of hooping moves and twirling motions around the arms, waist, and legs burned roughly 7 calories per minute.

Think Hula Hoops Are Toys? They Could Change Your Life...

As told by Jenny Wood.......

Going through my wardrobe recently, I found a pile of brightly coloured bikinis languishing in a drawer. They can go straight to the charity shop, I thought glumly, stuffing them into a bin bag. 

When I gave birth to my little boy 18 months ago, I gained something else as well - a wobbly belly, or, as it’s affectionately known, a ‘mum tum’. So, I was pretty sure my bikini-wearing days were over.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate my body. Long walks with a buggy, breastfeeding and running after a toddler have actually helped me lose more than the three stone I put on during pregnancy. But, while the rest of me has slowly shrunk back into shape, my tummy hasn’t followed suit. Wearing anything body-hugging  still fills me with fear.

I’d love to have abs like Olympic athlete Jessica Ennis. And, it would seem, I’m not alone. In a recent survey of 3,000 women, 58 per cent said their stomach was the body part they most wished they could change. 

The problem is, like most people with children or busy lives, I can’t spend hours in the gym or afford to hire a personal trainer. But now, thanks to the latest celebrity fitness craze, I may have found an unlikely solution: hula hooping.

‘I’m all about hula-hooping right now!’ tweeted Kelly Osbourne recently. ‘Five mins in the morning, five mins at night ... in five days I lost two inches from my waistline!’ Michelle Obama, who can apparently hula while kneeling, Grace Jones, who hooped throughout her Queen’s Diamond Jubilee performance last year, and Beyoncé have all credited the humble hoop for their fantastic figures. If they can do it, I reckon, so can I.

So I arrange to meet hula hooping expert Anna Drury, 30, at a gym in South London. Anna first picked up a hoop in 2006 after seeing them used in a performance at a music festival. 

 

She’s been hooping professionally for five years now and teaches in schools, runs adult classes and performs at events worldwide, often using several hoops at once and even setting them on fire. Crikey.

The last time I picked up a hula hoop, I had ankle socks and pigtails, so I’m understandably nervous as I join the 12 other women in the evening’s class. Anna believes that everyone - even those who are hopelessly uncoordinated like me - can learn to hula hoop. 

The secret is lots of practice and the right equipment - the larger and heavier the hoop, the easier it is to control and the more it’ll help you tone up. 

As for what to wear, apparently the fewer or tighter the clothes the better. That way the hoop sticks to you rather than the fabric, so I opt for a purple vest top and blue leggings. 

As the class starts, Anna explains that hooping is like riding a bike - it’s all about finding your own personal rhythm and once you’ve got it, it never goes. Music helps you relax, making the whole process much easier, so she turns on the stereo and off we go. 

Getting the hula hoop ‘in flight’ (to use the technical term) is actually easier than I’d thought - I just hold it around my waist and fling it sideways - but keeping it twirling for more than a few rotations is going to take some practice. 

Anna’s tip is to stay positive - just concentrate on trying to keeping the hoop from falling. That’s easy for her to say, casually spinning her hoop around her neck, but I get countless knocks as mine keeps clattering to the ground. 

Anna cheerfully explains that bruises are par for the course when learning, and that my stomach will toughen up, so I should look at them as war wounds. 

Slowly, I start to get the hang of it, although I find it much easier to hoop in an anti-clockwise direction than a clockwise one (apparently this is normal for right-handed people). However, if I can learn to hoop in both directions I’ll get better-looking abs, because I will then be working the muscles on both sides of my body. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2333002/The-10-minute-workout-rolled-away-spare-tyre-weeks-Think-hula-hoops-toys-They-change-life-.html#ixzz4wKPS5HLv 


I will be doing my own trial of a different kind of hula hoop in the next few weeks with a video so wacth out for that!!

Abs and Back Toning Exercises

Stomach crunches – great for strong abs

• 2 sets of 15 to 24 reps

Lie down on your back, knees bent and hands behind your ears. Keeping your lower back pressed into the floor, raise your shoulder blades no more than 3 inches off the floor and slowly lower down. Don’t tuck your neck into your chest as you rise and don’t use your hands to pull your neck up.

Obliques – great for toning love handles

• 1 set of 12 to 24 reps on each side

Lie down on your back, with your knees bent and together, and feet off the floor. Place your right hand behind your right ear and extend the left arm out. Keeping your lower back pressed into the floor, lift your shoulder blades off the floor and curl your upper body diagonally across your chest towards your left knee and lower down.

Back raises – great for good posture

• 2 sets of 15 to 24 reps

Lie down on your chest and place your hands by your temples or extended out in front for more of a challenge. Keeping your legs together and feet on the ground, raise your shoulders off the floor no more than 3 inches and slowly lower down. Keep a long neck and look down as you perform the exercise.

Source:nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/legs-bums-and-tums-home-workout.aspx

Six Minute Oblique Workout

3 Moves To Whittle Your Middle

Enough with crude crunches. Pretty is just as powerful. Refine your ab workout with elegant plank dips and a seated twist. This floor routine will whittle your waist, strengthen your back, and elongate your spine, giving you a tall, graceful look. While doing these moves (3 or 4 times a week is best), keep your abs, obliques, back, and legs contracted as you make smooth, even movements. 

Side Plank Dip

A. Lie on left side with right foot crossed over left and right hand behind head. Rest left forearm on floor perpendicular to body, elbow under shoulder. Lift hips so legs are off floor, keeping forearm on floor for support.

B. Slowly lower hips to 1 to 2 inches off floor. Do 10 reps. Switch sides and repeat.

A. Sit on floor with legs in front, knees bent, and feet on floor. Grasp both ends of a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell and extend arms out in front of chest.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HILMAR HILMAR

B. Lift left leg and, keeping arms straight, contract abs and obliques, twisting to the left and bringing dumbbell down toward floor. Return to start position, then twist to the right. Continue, alternating sides. Do 10 reps.

Oblique Stretch

PHOTOGRAPH BY HILMAR HILMAR

Sit on floor with both legs bent to the left in a comfortable position, right foot by left knee. Hold left shin with left hand, and extend right arm overhead. Look up at right hand as you gently stretch toward the left. Switch sides and repeat.

Source:prevention.com/fitness/whittle-your-middle?cid=OB-_-PVN-_-ARR

My Latest Challenge

Over the last week I have been trying out a new exercise routine based on methods used by ballet dancers.

The exercises are intense and concentrated and although I started off not doing as many reps as suggested, I was soon able to increase the amount quickly.

After the first day I felt like I had certainly used some deep muscles I hadn't used for a while and was surprised how I felt the next day. I knew I had done something but wasn't in pain (we've all had those workouts whereby the next day you can barely walk).

I definitely like this exercise routine. I will keep you updated on how I get on and will share what exactly the routine involves very soon :)

3 Yoga Poses to Reduce Stubborn Belly Fat

Yoga is beneficial in many ways, and these three yoga poses to reduce stubborn belly fat can help stretch your body and clear your mind.

Using yoga to relax and meditate has long been accepted. The ability to strengthen and tone your body doing these exercises is overlooked but is still very effective.

Tadasana, or Mountain Pose

This pose is a good starting pose, as it gets the blood circulating better and prepares you for the poses that help get rid of belly fat.

This pose begins in a standing position, with feet flat, heels spread and big toes touching each other. Stretch your hands in front of you and touch the palms together. Next, take a deep breath and stretch your spine.

Raise joined hands above your head, stretching as much as possible. Next, stand on toes and point your eyes to the ceiling. Hold pose for 20 to 30 seconds. Take another deep breath and relax to the floor while exhaling.

Ushtrasana, or Camel Pose

This pose includes a backward stretch that tones the abdominal muscles. That helps reduce fat in that area as well. First, sit in Vajrasana, or the Thunderbolt pose. This pose is when you sit with knees together in front of you and feet tucked under your buttocks.

Next, lift your body so your entire weight is resting on your knees and your heels should be perpendicular to the ground. Take a deep breath and arch your back. Reach behind your back and attempt to hold your ankles.

Tilt your head backward and stretch. Hold the pose for 30 seconds. Exhale, relax and return to Vajrasana. Repeat this pose five times. These are the initial recommendations. It is a good idea to work toward holding the pose for 60 seconds each time and to repeat the pose 30 times.

Utanpadasana, or Raised Foot Pose

In addition to your stubborn belly fat, this pose helps the hips and thighs as well. For those struggling with pregnancy weight that has not yet come off, this pose will be extremely helpful. First, Lie on your back, flat on the floor. Put hands on either side of your body, palms toward the floor.

Next, take a deep breath and tilt your back and bring the back of your head to rest on the floor. Raise your legs to make a 45-degree angle with the floor. Breathe normally throughout. Hold the pose for 15 to 30 seconds. After that period, raise your legs so they make a 90-degree angle to the floor. Hold 15 to 30 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Using these three poses is a good start to getting rid of belly fat, toning the body and relaxing the mind. However, there are other poses that can be incorporated into your routine if these get boring or stop being a challenge. Practice these poses and get comfortable, then rotate in others to give yourself a challenge and keep reducing your belly fat.

Source:www.healthyfoodhouse.com/3-yoga-poses-to-reduce-stubborn-belly-fat/

Update on 7 Day Intensive Exercise Routine

Well yesterday I did day 4 which was mainly abs. It consisted of floor exercises, some which included the use of dumb bells. Again like the other routines I found myself having to improvise on some movements to get through it. It does however say that some moves are inspired by the Best Bodies Atheletes 2015 so it's no wonder I am struggling with some of it!!

I do feel a sense of achievement in doing this routine though.

Today's session consists of legs and arms with more squats and lunges using weights.

The last few days have been a little bit uncomfortable in that my legs have been overworked making it difficult to go about my daily tasks without some pain and discomfort. So today I have listened to my body and decided to give it a rest. Having a rest day is not part of the course but I have had to take note of how many body feels, plus the fact that I wouldn't have managed many squats or lunges.

Since I am not an athelete or trying to getting a body like one then I will adjust the routine accordingly.

It is not to say that I will not be doing any form of exercise today. I shall still go for my daily walk with the dog and do some Yoga stretches to stop me from stiffening up totally.

Normal business will resume tomorrow :)

Detox

For these days avoid all starchy carbs including wheat, potatoes, rice, bread and pasta. This will heighten your weight loss and limit bloating.

Eat plenty of green leafy veg like spinach and watercress, to keep your calcium intake up. You can also have soya or rice milk with added calcium.

The most important thing is to avoid wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol and caffeine and fill up on vegetables (except root veg, unless raw carrots), fruit like berries, pears and apples and lean proteins like chicken, turkey, unprocessed ham, fish and eggs.

Eat small portions of seeds too, they are rich in healthy fats. Make salads big; not just leaves. Include sweetcorn, beetroot, olives, tomatoes and mushrooms.

Avoid shop-bought salad dressings, just use lemon juice and a teaspoon of olive or flax oil.

Tuna salad for lunch on Day One

DAY ONE

Breakfast: Smoked salmon and scrambled egg.

Mid morning snack: A pear and one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

Lunch: Tuna salad.

Mid-afternoon snack: A small bowl of prawns.

Dinner: Grilled chicken and vegetable stir-fry.

DAY TWO

Breakfast: Smoothie made with a handful of mixed berries, half a banana, half a glass of rice or soya milk, one heaped tablespoon of seeds.

Mid-morning snack: A hard-boiled egg.

Lunch: Ham salad.

Mid-afternoon snack: A punnet of blueberries.

Dinner: Roasted salmon with streamed green beans and curly kale.

DAY THREE

Breakfast: Natural soya yoghurt (about 150g) with fresh berries and one tablespoon of sunflower seeds.

Mid-morning snack: One hard-boiled egg.

Lunch: Avocado salad; slice up one ripe avocado and mix with onions, watercress, tomatoes, cucumber and salad leaves.

Mid-afternoon snack: An apple and one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

Dinner: Roast turkey with vegetable stir-fry

Drink detox tea to help the process

Source:dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-3162210/How-flat-stomach-just-24-HOURS.html#ixzz3g3pkL5PA 

Tips For A Flatter Stomach

TIPS FOR A FLATTER STOMACH

Eat 5 times a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and mid-morning and afternoon snacks.

Have herbal teas and plenty of water. Drink six to eight glasses of water a day, sipping slowly, add a teaspoon of lemon juice to heighten the cleansing effects. If you normally drink a lot of tea and coffee and are worried about going ‘cold turkey’ then have just one to cups a day, but really dilute to lessen the caffeine.

Got a sweet tooth and worried about getting cravings when you cut it out? Eating regular healthy meals, with a steady intake of protein, should help reduce sugar cravings by keeping your blood sugar levels balanced. But if you need extra help try taking a supplement of the mineral chromium, it will help boost blood sugar level balancing. Take two 200mcg tablets a day, one 30 mins before a mid-morning snack and one 30 mins before a mid-afternoon snack

Eat your celery. Celery is an excellent diuretic, due to its high potassium content, so it can help with water retention. Add celery chunks to salad, look for a good recipe for celery soup, or use celery as one of the ingredients in a vegetable juice

Limit gassy foods. Foods like beans, pulses and root vegetables are notorious for causing bloating and wind.

Always chew food well and take your time when eating. Chew each mouthful until the food is almost liquid; not only will this help to ensure that the food is properly digested, but it will also help you to eat slowly and enjoy your food, so can prevent you over eating.

Avoid all fizzy drinks, even diet ones. Fizzy bubbles in carbonated diet drinks can cause gas to get trapped in your stomach and can cause bloating. Instead, drink water flavored with lemon, lime, or cucumber or try peppermint tea or a herbal tea like Pukka Detox, £2.09, with detoxing aniseed, fennel and licorice.

Don't chew chewing gum. It can lead to swallowing air, which can cause bloating. It can also stimulate your digest enzymes to expect food which can then stimulate hunger.

Watch your salt intake. Never add extra salt to your food as it increases the amount of water that the body retains and can therefore make you look more bloated and heavier.

Avoid sweeteners. Many people suffer from bloating because they consume too much sugar alcohol in artificially sweetened foods and drinks, and so it is important to avoid these sweeteners.  

Tips from NutriCentre nutritionist Shauna Wilkinson 

                                                   

                                               Detox easily with this tea 

Source: dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-3162210/How-flat-stomach-just-24-HOURS.html#ixzz3g3nf7jtP

Quick Abs Workout

HOW TO CRANK UP YOUR METABOLISM

Here we reveal the experts’ metabolism-stoking tips to help you fire up your body’s internal inferno and scorch through fat.

FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

Metabolic Rating: 3
Eat a decent breakfast. Every. Single. Day. If you don’t, your metabolism goes into starvation mode (it’s paranoid like that) and slows to a crawl. In fact, research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found testers who ate no less than 22% and up to 55% of their total daily calories at breakfast gained only 1.7lb on average over four years. But those who ate less than 11% of their calories first thing gained nearly 3lb. See the pattern there?

Crank it up: Go for morning munchies that are slow to digest. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Berardi recommends an omelette made with one egg and two egg whites, plus a handful of sliced mixed peppers and onions. Follow that with a small bowl of porridge topped with a handful of frozen berries and 3tbsp of omega-3-loaded flaxseed (try Linwoods, £5 for 425g from Tesco). Great, now you’re firing on all cylinders.

AT THE OFFICE

Metabolic rating: 2
Rejoice, caffeine addicts. According to a study in the US journal Physiology & Behavior, the metabolic rate of people who regularly drank caffeinated coffee was an average of 16% higher than those who drank decaf. “Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing,” says Robert Kenefick, a research physiologist at the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. We won’t argue with that, Sir.

Crank it up: Follow your morning cup of the black stuff with an ice-cold glass of water. Researchers at the University of Utah found just drinking one glassful can raise your body’s metabolic rate by up to 30 per cent and keep it raised for around 10 minutes. The theory is your body has to burn extra calories to maintain its core temperature. Get your recommended eight glasses a day with the help of the free Waterlogged app, which gives you regular H2O prods.

AT THE GYM

Metabolic rating: 3
Swap hours on the treadmill for the Tabata Method. This school of exercising is all about fast and furious intervals – 20 seconds of gut-wrenching effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated a total of eight times over four minutes. Studies have shown working out this way is as effective at boosting your metabolism as much longer lower-intensity sweat sessions.

Crank it up: Geoff Bagshaw, a trainer at Equinox gyms, has come up with this three-move sequence. Do as many reps as you can of the first exercise in 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, then repeat eight times. Rest for two minutes, then do it again for the other two exercises. Got it?

Lunge with a bicep curl: Holding dumbbells at your sides, step back into a lunge, curling the weights up to your shoulders. Repeat on other leg. That’s one.
Squat overhead press: Hold your dumbbells at shoulder height, arms bent, and lower into a squat. Now raise the weights to the ceiling as you push back up.
Push-ups: You know this one. Assume push-up position, bend arms and lower. Well, go on then.

AT MEAL TIMES

Metabolic rating: 3
To slim down, pile your plate with protein. Regular large helpings will help you build and maintain lean muscle. And we all know muscle burns more than fat by now, right? Aim for 30g of protein – that’s 250g of low-fat cottage cheese or 100g of chicken breast – at each meal.

Crank it up: Chase your meal with a cup of green tea. “It’s the closest thing to a metabolism potion,” says Tammy Lakatos Shames, co-author of Fire Up Your Metabolism. In tests, people who consumed three to five cups a day for 12 weeks shed an average of 4.6% of their total body weight. Another study found having two to five cups a day torched an extra 50 calories a day. Not bad. Try Clipper organic green tea (£2.19 for 50 bags from Holland & Barrett). To really go for the burn, down it two hours after eating. Research shows it can increase breakdown of fat by a third. Now go forth and burn.

RAGE AGAINST TIME

Beat the downshift in metabolism that creeps up along with those laughter lines. With each passing decade, your metabolism slows down by about 5%. Ouch. Hormones are partly to blame, but so is the typical drop-off in physical activity. As a result you lose muscle mass, a major calorie consumer. So by the time you hit 35, you’ll burn about 75 fewer calories a day than you did at 25, and by age 65, it’s a hefty 500 fewer, says Dr Madelyn Fernstrom, author of The Real You Diet. But don’t panic. You can outsmart Mother Nature with the tips above. A warning: here’s what happens if you don’t.

20s: Your muscle and bone mass are at their peak and your metabolism should be firing on all cylinders. Enjoy it while you can.
30s: Your body’s cellular powerhouses, the mitochondria, start to get less effective at turning food into energy for your muscles to burn.
40s: The decline continues as your oestrogen levels go into free fall, further slowing your metabolism and causing belly fat.

Source: womenshealthmag.co.uk/weight-loss/fat-burners/190/crank-up-your-metabolism#ixzz3dDOXHB4V

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #6

6. Standing Crunch

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Like on-the-floor crunches, this move tones the rectus, the muscle group responsible for the six-pack look. 

How: Lunge with right foot in front and left foot about 2 feet behind it, arms overhead. As you straighten right leg, raise left knee toward chest as you bend and pull elbows down toward left knee. Return to start. Switch legs and repeat.










Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #5

5. Slip A Punch

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Another benefit to working your oblique muscles: shrinking your stubborn sides. 

How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly. Bend arms so fists are at about chin level, like a boxer. Keeping shoulders relaxed and lower body still, bend at waist and lean torso to right as if you were trying to avoid a punch. Repeat, bending to left. 












Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #4

4. Lunge Run

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Tones your rectus abdominis, the long muscle that runs from your ribs to your pelvis, to give your abs super definition.

How: Lunge with left foot in front and right foot about 2 feet behind it, arms bent at sides. Keeping left knee bent and torso still, lift right knee toward chest and lower, swinging arms back and forth. Switch legs and repeat. 











Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #3

3. Knee Twist

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: This twisting move works your waist-whittling obliques.

How: Squat with hips and knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart, and hands behind head. As you stand up, raise left knee as you twist to left and pull right elbow toward left knee. Lower and repeat with right leg.












Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #2

2. Cross Punch

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Firms your lower belly by targeting the transverse abdominal muscle. The twisting also slims your waistline. 

How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and abs pulled in. Bend arms so fists are at about chin level, like a boxer. Keeping feet planted, twist to right and punch with left arm, then return to start. Contract lower abs with each punch. Repeat, alternating arms.











Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #1

Enough with the endless crunches that never seem to make a difference anyway (except for making your lower back sore...ouch). The following 6 moves will help tone and slim your abs from every angle—no sit-ups in sight. 

Do each move for 30 seconds. If it works only one arm or leg, do 15 seconds on each side. Add these to your usual workouts at least 3 times a week.

Keep following for each new exercise starting with number 1.

Combine these with some other exercise such as walking, cycling or anything that gets you moving daily.

1. Side Pull-Down

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Targets the obliques on your sides to give you a more defined waistline. 
How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended overhead. Shift weight to right foot and contract left side of torso, lifting left knee out to side. At the same time, bend left arm and pull elbow to left thigh. Extend arm and leg back to start, but tap toe on ground and repeat. Switch sides. 

Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

How to Lose Belly Fat: 5 Minute Abs

Start off steady with these exercises

How To Do Leg Lifts

Leg lifts

Target: abs, hip flexors

The most common mistake observed with leg lifts is allowing the lower back to arch excessively during the lift, which not only strains the back, but makes the move much less effective as an abdominal exercise.

"If you don't keep your back muscles and abs contracted, you're only working your hip flexors," says Nick. "If you're just starting out with this exercise, focus on doing a few while focusing on proper technique," he says. "You can increase the number of repetitions gradually."

To get the most out of this exercise, Nick advises lowering and lifting the legs slowly while keeping the abs under constant contraction and without letting your heels touch the ground. "When you feel your lower back starting to arch, it's time to stop." 

How to do leg lifts correctly:

• Don't flatten your lower back against the surface – maintain the lower back's natural curve.
• Keep your head and shoulders pressed against the floor.
• Your neck should be relaxed.
• Keep your abs contracted throughout the exercise.