Incorporating core exercises into a workout routine won't only help tone the midsection, waist and abdomen. According to the Mayo Clinic, core movements can also help improve your posture, stability and balance. Classic exercises such as crunches and sit ups work well for tightening ab muscles, but consider using other moves as well to target multiple muscle groups throughout the core.
Plank
The plank is an effective exercise because it strengthens the entire midsection and improves endurance at the same time that it tones abdominal and waist muscles. CNN recommends the plank because it tightens muscles throughout the core instead of just isolating the abs. To do the exercise, the Daily Mail recommends starting on your elbows and knees with your hands locked together. Slowly straighten your legs, walking feet backward until you are holding your torso up with your forearms and the balls of your feet, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels. Tighten your abdominal muscles, and hold the move for as long as you can.
Bent-Knee Corkscrew
A bent-knee corkscrew is a variation on the basic crunch, a classic abdominal exercise. The move requires focus on both the upper and lower abdominal muscles as opposed to isolating just one area of the waist. To do the exercise, lie flat on your back with your hands at your sides, palms facing the floor. Lift your legs into the air and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. As you tighten your stomach and core muscles, look at the ceiling and move your knees clockwise, pretending as if you are tracing a large circle on the ceiling. Repeat the move five times, and then switch directions and move your knees in counterclockwise circles five times. Keep your ab muscles tight and pulled in while you complete the circles.
Interval Training
According to the Mayo Clinic, interval training, which involves alternating bursts of intense activity with periods of more moderate activity, can help boost the total calorie burning power of a workout, making it easier to reduce belly fat and extra weight around the midsection. Try pairing biking, jogging, jumping jacks, jump rope or other moderate to intense cardio activities with intervals of crunches, plank holds and other core exercise variations for rapid results. Aim to repeat sessions of interval training at least several times per week to get the most benefits from each type of exercise.
References
- CNN: Core Exercises - Beyond Your Average Abs Routine
- Daily Mail: Personal Trainer - How to Do the Perfect Plank Exercise
- Mayo Clinic: Interval Training - Can It Boost Your Calorie Burning Power?
- Mayo Clinic: Belly Fat in Women - How to Keep It Off
- Mayo Clinic: Core Exercises - 7 Reasons to Strengthen Your Core Muscles
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