At least half the people who write in to me for tips, advice, and suggestions are worried about their mid-section. Not surprising, because how to get a flat tummy is something that anyone keen on fitness is concerned about. Not only does a flat middle make you look good, research has time and again shown that people, especially men, with bloated middles are more prone to heart-related ailments. But getting a thin waist is not just about doing hundreds of crunches or sit-ups. The real focus of any exercise for getting perfect abs should be aimed at tightening the "natural corset" or the horizontal muscle band underneath the top layer of abdominal muscles. This is the Transversurs Abdominis. Although I've said it before, I'll say it again: this is the single-most important muscle to target if you want to get your six-pack.

Here's an exercise (you can call it the Rollback) to target your TA.

It's derived from the Pilates method of body conditioning, developed in the 1920s by Joseph Pilates, a reputed physical trainer who founded the Pilates Studio. The Pilates (pronounced puh-lat-eez) Method claims to improve body flexibility and strength without building bulk.

The exercise I'm going to describe here may seem deceptively like the conventional sit-up but is different and, if I may add, way tougher (just try it!). Sit with your knees bent, heels on the floor and torso upright, shoulders back, arms parallel to the floor (illustration A). Inhale (while keeping your belly pulled in) and roll backwards till your upper back almost touches the floor (illustration B). Hold for a few seconds at this point, then exhale and return to the starting position. In the beginning, you may not be able to go all the way down to the floor but with practice, it will be easier. Believe me, it's a tough exercise, but try and do five reps of this one every day. Oh, and remember, while doing the Rollback, keep your belly tucked in by squeezing your muscles, forcing your navel towards your spine. Hold that position throughout the exercise, while inhaling and exhaling. Because that's what makes it more effective.

Tip for the fortnight: Want to bench press more in the gym? During the last rep in your last set, identify the point at which you feel the weakest. Now, adjust the rack so that the barbell rests at this weak point. Load more weight on the bar than you can press. Then, lie down and hold the bar as if you are going to do a rep but just do 10-12 contractions against the bar instead-that is, push, relax, push, relax, etc. Doing this once or twice a week will strengthen your muscles at the weak point and hence enable you to lift more.

-Muscles Mani
write to musclesmani@intoday.com

PANCREAS PLUS

When you're rushing to work in the morning, the quickest bite to eat is usually toast or a bowl of cornflakes with sugar. But these aren't always part of a balanced breakfast according to Deepak Memorial Hospital's Dr. Vivek Bagga. As highly refined carbohydrate-dense foods work their way into modern diets, the pancreas goes on overdrive to break them down into usable energy, increasing the chances of getting diabetes.

AN EVOLUTIONARY LEFTOVER: The pancreas, a gland behind the stomach, digests food and produces insulin, the main chemical for balancing the sugar level in the blood. Excess sugar is stored as fat. This storage mechanism was extremely useful in mankind's hunter-gatherer days, enabling early man to survive in between his irregular meals. Unfortunately, it's not so useful in today's high-carb lifestyle.

DIET AND DIABETES: As the body's defenses become overactive, they attack and destroy the pancreas cells that make insulin. No one knows why it happens, but what it results in is diabetes, a condition in which patients are unable to regulate and properly use the sugar in their bloodstream. Chances of getting diabetes increase with obesity or excess sugar or alcohol consumption, says Dr. Bagga.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: You may have diabetes if you get thirsty often, excrete large amounts of urine, or have little weight gain in spite of a healthy appetite. If these problems occur, have your blood sugar level checked by a doctor. There is no cure for diabetes, but it can be treated through diet and weight management, or in more serious cases, with insulin injections.

-Sushma Subramanian