Most of us want flatter stomachs and firmer abs, and it's an admirable goal to have. Working out your core muscles, which will firm your stomach by default, will also improve your posture and help you with everyday physical movements. To get firm, toned abs, try a combination of regular aerobic activity with targeted exercises.
Quadruped
Practice the quadruped to strengthen your core muscles and tone your abdominal area. Both the Mayo Clinic and CNN recommend the quadruped to enhance overall core fitness and engage multiple muscles at the same time.
To do the quadruped, position yourself on all fours with your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your knees right under your pelvis. Keeping your back straight and your stomach tucked in, lift your left leg out straight behind you and your left arm out straight in front of you. Keep your head neutral. Hold the pose for several seconds, then release and return to center before repeating the move on the right side. For a less intense variation, raise each arm and leg separately.
Bicycle Crunch
Use the bicycle crunch to work your upper and lower abs as well as your obliques. The move will tone your whole midsection and not just your stomach.
For a bicycle crunch, make your movements slow and deliberate, and place a high priority on following good form. Lay on your back with your hands behind your head and near the nape of your neck, supporting your spine. Keep your knees in the air, bent at 90 degrees. To begin, crunch up and rotate to the left, bringing your left knee in toward your chest and your right elbow toward the left knee. Touch the knee to the elbow if possible, and return to center. Repeat the move on the other side by crunching to the right and meeting your left elbow with your right knee. Do as many repetitions as you comfortably can.
Sit-Up
Try doing a set of full sit-ups for more of a challenge than crunches can provide. CNN lists the sit-up as a good exercise suggestion that can help tone the stomach and work the body's 29 core muscles.
For a sit-up, lie on your back with knees bent about 45 degrees and feet flat on the floor. You can position the feet under weights, a bar or a piece of furniture so that they won't come off the ground when you pull your body up. Cross your arms over your chest and hold them there tightly. Using your core muscles, pull yourself up until your elbows meet your thighs and you are sitting upright. Slowly lower back down, and repeat the move as many times as you comfortably can without breaking form.
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