Posted on Tue, Jul. 22, 2008

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.