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Posted on Tuesday, 07.22.08

SWEAT EQUITY

Abs class will have you flat on your back

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Howard Cohen works out with Jackie Lupo's 30-minute abs class.

PETER ANDREW BOSCH / MIAMI HERALD STAFF

ABS **½

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY

Instructor Jackie Lupo, 33, runs through a briskly paced series of stomach exercises -- small-movement crunches to the more challenging side planks. For those, support your body weight with your forearm while on your side. We also palm a handweight (about 5-8 pounds) and raise it from over the head to midsection while legs are open with feet touching.

The class is small, about eight people. No one had trouble keeping up. Abs is open to all levels and ages.

''I have my basic routine, but I . . . mix it up because I don't want people to be bored,'' Lupo says. Conversely, ``if it's too challenging I don't want people to be discouraged.''

FUN FACTOR

The half-hour flew by. Seriously. The cheesy '80s music (Eddie Murphy's Party All the Time!) and the steady progression of stomach exercises kept boredom at bay. Two-thirds of the class was done before I glanced at the clock. Those elevated side planks come near the end for good reason.

Overall impression: Abs is a smart, valuable supplement to an exercise routine. As a stand-alone class, though, you would need to find other activities that work the whole body to control your weight and build strength.

TO DO IT

Where: Joe Lupo's Health Club (inside Doubletree Grand Hotel), 1717 N. Bayshore Dr., Miami

When: 11 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday

Cost: $10

Call: 305-720-6234

By HOWARD COHEN

hcohen@MiamiHerald.com

Thirty minutes devoted to the abdominals sounds like an awfully long haul. That's the equivalent of doing crunches through an entire episode of Californication or half of an America's Got Talent.

When I invited my fit friend Jill to join me at Jackie Lupo's 30-minute Abs class at Miami's Doubletree Grand she flashed a look of disdain. She's sticking with cardio kickboxing.

Me? Any exercise that lets me lie flat on my back for 30 minutes is fine. Lupo's Abs class, which mixes crunches, planks, legs cycling in the air and a hand weight to target the core's quadrant, was challenging but not impossible.

When Barbara Bienvenu, 61, completed a recent class, she jokingly said, ''That's all?'' But she pointed out she can say that since she's a regular at Lupo's 60-minute Body Sculpting class. The abs solo routine is a nice add-on.

Experts also say that unlike other muscle groups, like upper and lower body that should alternate a day of workout with a day of rest to aid recovery, the abdominals are special. You can target the stomach area daily due to its design and fast recovery time.

The one downside: Abdominal exercises, no matter how many crunches you do, won't give you a six-pack if you have a spare tire. They will strengthen the muscles, which can reduce back strain, but the only way to get that flat belly look is to eat a proper diet and engage in cardio work.

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