To obtain chiseled abs you must eat right and exercise correctly. This means that you must eat a high-protein diet and a moderate amount of carbs while also refraining from eating more calories than you use up with exercise. Your abdominal...
A scissor hold, more commonly known as a scissor kick or abdominal kick, is an exercise aimed at strengthening the abdominal muscles. The reason for the name is the manner in which the exercise is performed, which resembles the cutting,...
Any time you have fat at any location on your stomach, you are at risk for the development of deep visceral belly fat. This is the fat that grows close to organs such as your kidneys and liver, potentially increasing your risk for heart disease...
Doing a single exercise repetitively to lose weight in one area is known as spot reduction. Although this seems like a logical plan, it simply cannot be done. Fat has to be lost throughout the entire body. When it comes to your pelvis, you can...
The lower abdominals, or abs, are often a trouble spot for people. Fat that appears in the lower stomach tends to be stubborn and refuse to go away easily, causing frustration. When it comes to exercise, the only way to get rid of fat is through...
The abs are at the center of the body and they are often referred to as the core. Your body relies on ab strength to do daily jobs, like placing groceries into a trunk, stacking wood on a pile and shoveling snow from the driveway. If you want to...
The ab muscles consist of a long band of muscle, called the rectus abdominus, and two strips of muscle on the sides of the rib cage, called the obliques. When you want to build your ab muscles, you need to focus on the upper portion, obliques and...
The flutter kick is an effective and challenging abdominal exercise that challenges the core muscles while strengthening the hip flexors. Short of a mat, the exercise requires no equipment and can be done anywhere--in a gym, at home or while on a...
There is no doubt that hardcore abdominal exercises performed with medicine balls, weight machines and involving complicated movements in multiple planes may increase the strength of your abs, but they require above average physical strength and...
Flutter kicks are a great way to add variety to any abdominal routine while at the same time helping you improve your core and upper leg strength. According to the American Council on Exercise, in order for flutter kicks to be effective it's...
Around the world, soccer players are called footballers. Weight training for soccer differs from other sports because of the specific aspects of the game, including the need for quick changes of direction and agility and the non-stop action. It...
Your transverse abdominis lies under your rectus abdominis — the six-pack muscle — and is responsible for supporting your spine and internal organs. For this reason, it is also known as your core muscle. Strengthening your transverse...
Your abdominal muscles are made up of three sections, the rectus, the transverse and the internal and external obliques. The lower abdominal muscles are part of the rectus muscles and to develop those muscles you must do exercises specifically...
The hip flexors are very important muscles that often go overlooked. According to Kevin O'Neill, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, "Strong hip flexors allow for a faster and more powerful forward leg movement and upward knee...
The stomach has a long band of muscle that runs from the chest to pelvis called the rectus abdominis. Sheaths of muscle known as the obliques are located on the sides of the stomach. You can do exercises to target these specific areas and more...
For many people, the quest for six-pack abs and a flat tummy is fraught with frustration. In fact, toning the lower abdominal muscles can be extremely difficult if you have a layer of fat surrounding the stomach. If you are looking to sweat away...
Your abdominal muscles -- the rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus and internal and external obliques -- are responsible for more than just making you look good when you take your shirt off. These muscles also help counterbalance the muscles of...
Due to therapeutic benefits, water exercise is often promoted to older adults and those with arthritis; however, this type of exercise can provide a challenging workout for individuals of all ages and fitness levels. The resistance of the water...
A toned stomach is more than just a visual asset. Core strength can also improve your posture, minimize injury risk and improve your stability during day-to-day activities. Yet as with any muscle group, your abs will only strengthen if you take...
To get six-pack abs, gym-goers must work multiple muscle groups most days, alternating between muscle groups each session. While machines help in your workout, you don't have to visit the gym to get the same results. Several at-home exercises can...
The abs are one of the most popular muscle groups to focus on when it comes to exercise. People often do whatever it takes to sculpt this area in a hurry. If you are trying to firm the abs and do it in two weeks, you can achieve this with a solid...
Add body part training to your strength-training program to ensure greater gains in muscle strength and endurance. Split your body up to train one muscle group per week. Combine complementary muscle groups like chest and triceps or back and biceps...
The body shows subtle signs of pregnancy shortly after conception. These early signs -- such as sore breasts, increased basal body temperature, fatigue and implantation bleeding -- are often associated with other conditions and my not be...
Flutter exercises, or flutter kicks, work the abdominal, lower back and hip flexor muscles to strengthen and tone the core. During the exercise, the hip flexors do the work while the abdominal and lower back muscles engage to keep the torso...
The thoughts and pressures from anxiety sometimes lead to feeling sick with worry. It can develop into actually physical symptoms that cause abdominal discomfort. Stomach and intestinal problems, along with other ailments, can result from constant...
A conventional captain's chair is a chair that has arm rests and a backrest. In fitness terminology, the captain's chair takes on this appearance with some obvious differences. It has a backrest, padded arm rests and foot holds off to the sides at...
The abdominals are often looked upon as an indication of fitness by many. A well-defined set of abdominal muscles is considered indicative of sex appeal and overall athleticism. The key to developing this attractive physical feature is a...
The U.S. Army requires soldiers to take the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) twice per year. Soldiers must score a minimum of 180 points with at least 60 points for each event. The three events are push-ups, sit-ups and a 2-mile run. Scores are...
Physical fitness is an important component of the military. So important in fact, that military men and women are expected to perform physical training, or PT, regularly and are required to meet set physical standards to remain in the military. Ab...
Flutter kicks give the lower abdominal area a good workout. Learn about the benefits of flutter kicks from a former professional athlete in this free video.