A: It's the situps and crunches!; they work a superficial abdominals structure called the rectus abdominus. The RA run vertically from about your sternum to your pubic bone. The main function of the RA is to flex the trunk - bending forward at the hip-joint - and does little to make the stomach area smaller. Just the reverse, in fact.

A: The "right" muscles are the Transversus Abdominus and the External Obliques, the latter serving the function of "cinching" the waistline as a tight belt might. The Former are deep abdominal structures that, when toned by The Matthews Method abs exercises, pull the front of the abdominal area in toward the backbone.  Together, both sets of muscles form a "belt" around your middle, pulling it in from all sides.

Q: I'm not overweight, but I still have a bulge in front. What can I do about it?

A: Since there's no such thing as "spot-reducing" (losing inches in JUST one spot), it is likely that the bulge to which you refer is excess fat in that area, stretched-out child-bearing musculature, or just the result of improperly executed abdominals exercises. Try the Matthews Method exclusively for a solid month and note the favorable changes that take place.
 

Q: I thought situps and crunches would flatten my stomach but they haven't. What went wrong?

A: When you exercise most muscles, they enlarge. The abdominals muscles, especially the superficial ones used in situps and crunches, tend to enlarge as well. Working DEEPER muscles as in The Matthews Method usually ensures that the tightening and toning will stay deep making any enlargement invisible.

Q: If they "stay deep", of what value are the exercises?

A: they are valuable because it is those very deep muscles that permit you to more easily "suck in" your stomach. Also, they let you appear narrower in the waistline without doing much more than having good posture. Making the Transversus and external obliques stronger pulls in the more superficial abs muscles along with them!

Q: I was told that doing situps and crunches combined with back exercises was the ideal way to have a strong torso - is this true?

A: No. It is the Transversus (The Matthews Method's muscles), the obliques and the back muscles that facilitate strong torsos. The back muscles run vertically, the Transversus runs, well, transversely (across), and the external obliques run diagonally across the waistline around to the sides (simplifying). In combination, all three structures make for not only a very strong back, but a flattened stomach and narrowed waistline, like lacing up a corset.

A: It's one of three things: One, you are not executing the exercises properly, a common problem: Every detail of the instructions is important to do properly. Two, you have too much excess fat for the exercises to show your progress. Three, you are combining The Matthews Method with situps or crunches or other abs exercises.

A: The muscles that are set into action with The Matthews Method are so deep, that if you have a lot of fat covering the abdominal area, the progress will not show. You must lose weight all over in order for the progress to show.
 

A: Being thin does not necessarily mean that you are fit and strong. It means only that you are thin. The abs exercises are important because even though you may be overfat right now, when you lose most of your excess inches, you will be a step ahead of the game having done The Matthews Method abs exercises, the progress of which will then be visible. Just because you cannot see results immediately does not indicate that the exercises are ineffective. They are working, but they are working DEEP.

Q: So you're saying that I have to lose weight before these exercises will work?

A: No, they'll work beneath the excess fat right now, so that when you DO remove the excess fat, you should have a flattened tummy and narrowed waistline.

Q: I've seen your photos - you probably don't have to worry about having a flat stomach, do you?

A: That's not true! Like just about everyone else, if I permit myself to stop doing The Matthews Method (or if I gain back too much weight), my abdomen will become soft, deconditioned and will bulge again, just as it did when I was fat.  Also, the older I get, the harder I must work to keep it flattened. Even then, I have a slight bulge. So you see, I'm no different than everyone else.

Q: What is the hardest part of the body to tone?

A: Without question, the abdominal area! In all my years of teaching fitness, the question, "How do I get rid of my stomach?" is the most frequently asked question. Video tapes, books, articles and all manner of literature and gadgets have been placed on the market to help people lose their stomach bulges. The gadgets usually find their way to a closet never to be used again. The books and videos mostly work the abs using situps and crunches, leaving the viewer/reader/user right back at square one.

Q: Then, what do you suggest?

A: I suggest that you first consider how much fat you need to lose. I know you didn't want to hear that, but it's reality. Then, when you establish some fundamental lifestyle changes that permit you to lose the fat slowly FOR LIFE, set them into play WHILE you do The Matthews Method for abdominals.  Additionally, since exercise is virtually imperative to long-term successful and permanent weight loss, be certain you include in your exercise program a good bit of strength-training combined with aerobic activity; both in combination make for the most effective and quickest weight loss and conditioning.