Ab

Everyone covets defined abs, and the frog pelvic tilt will help you get there. The exercise comes from Pasadena-based fitness expert, video host and teacher Tracey Mallett (www.traceymallett.com). Mallett is the founder of Booty Barre, a technique that combines elements of dance, yoga and Pilates to strengthen and stretch the body. No prior experience in any of those disciplines is necessary, but maintaining good form is. Make sure that the spine, neck and head are aligned and that the movements are slow and deliberate.

SAN FRANCISCO - Dustin Moskovitz, at 27 the world's youngest billionaire, gained fame and fortune after founding Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg. He also gained the "Facebook 15. " He packed on the extra pounds while chowing down on free snacks and guzzling four sodas a day at the social networking giant. Today, Moskovitz is a svelte version of his former self. He runs Asana, a start-up named after the Sanskrit word for traditional yoga sitting positions. That's fitting since the company holds twice weekly group yoga classes at its San Francisco offices.

It's the latest revolution sweeping Silicon Valley: Potato chips are out, kale chips are in. More and more, tech workers are trying to get fit . They sleep with devices that measure their REM, load up on low-glycemic food and work at standing or walking treadmill desks. When they brainstorm new features, they go for a walk rather than piling into a conference room. They're getting an assist from their employers. The Facebooks and Googles of the tech world say they are responding to mounting evidence that links diet, exercise and sleep to on-the-job performance.

When it comes to training your abdominal muscles, it's good to introduce new moves into your routine so you continue to "surprise" your muscles. Otherwise there's a tendency for them to go on autopilot and you won't get the maximum benefit of your efforts. Sit upright on a flat, padded surface or mat with a small inflatable ball or firm pillow behind your waist. Place your feet hip-width apart with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. To begin, place your left hand behind your head and your right hand behind your right thigh.

Here's an exercise that will help you get strong abdominals and a flexible spine. For best results, perform this move three or four times a week. Sit on a flat, padded surface or mat. Place a small inflatable ball or small, firm pillow behind your lower back. Place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, with your knees bent. On an exhalation, form a C-curve with your spine as you lean back against the ball or pillow. Keep the C-curve as you twist your torso to the right and grasp the outside of your right thigh.

There is something surreal about a former champion bodybuilder lifting up her shirt to show you her abs in the middle of a coffee shop. Sandra Bueckert is a 45-year-old mother of two and one of the best-known personal trainers in my hometown, and she is indeed muscularly ripped. Some people appreciate this look; some don't. But I was more curious about whether women can achieve it without harming their health. So I set out to learn how some ripped women do it, and whether the experts approve of their methods.

Plank pose variation builds abs, upper body: Good form Strengthen your core and upper body with this variation of a straight-arm plank. Be sure to keep both shoulders and hips level to the floor in order to make it as effective as possible. Kneel on a mat and place your hands directly below your shoulders with your fingers pointing forward. Straighten your legs behind you with your feet 8 to 10 inches apart from each other. Balance on your hands and toes, forming a straight line between your shoulders and your ankles.

Double your benefits by doing this variation of a curl and crunch. Use a slightly deflated ball or a small, firm pillow to support your lower back so you can contract your abdominal muscles and biceps muscles at the same time. Focus on keeping your abs flat throughout the entire exercise. Sit on a flat, level surface with a small, squishy ball placed behind your lower back and grasp a 5-pound to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.

Even a slow economy can't stop healthcare costs from rising. A new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust shows that the cost of employer-provided insurance rose 9% this year — even as workers and their families were cutting back on trips to the doctor's office — and has more than doubled over the last decade. The data buttress the arguments in favor of AB 52, a California bill that would give state regulators the authority to reject unreasonable increases in health insurance premiums.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors sat down Monday with Gov. Jerry Brown to discuss AB 109 realignment, under which counties, beginning Saturday, take responsibility for a large portion of inmates and parolees who until now have been supervised by the state. The law mandates that board meetings be public, but the supervisors wanted their meeting to be held behind closed doors. So county lawyers cited an exception — Government Code Section 54957(a) — that applies to meetings that local officials call to confer with security experts about threats to public buildings and utilities.