Abdominal exercises are widely popular for their ability to trim the waist, tone stomach muscles and strengthen the core body. According to the Mayo Clinic, ab exercises are also effective at improving overall stability, posture and balance. There are several excellent exercises for sculpting waist muscles, tightening the core and reducing belly fat.
Quadruped
CNN recommends the quadruped because it accelerates the strengthening and toning process by working inner core muscles in addition to abdominals. Begin the exercise on your hands and knees, with your head in a neutral position and lined up with your spine and neck. As you tighten your core muscles and pull them up toward your spine, extend your right arm. Pause to breathe deeply before retracting the arm and returning to start. Repeat the move with the left arm, right leg and left leg in turn. To intensify the exercise and add extra challenge, the Mayo Clinic recommends extending your right arm and left leg simultaneously, and then switching to the left arm and right leg.
Plank
The plank is an ideal exercise for toning, as it strengthens the lower back muscles in addition to multiple muscle groups in the core. The Daily Mail notes that the plank encourages a flatter stomach as well as improves the effectiveness of almost any other exercise. Begin on your elbows and knees, with your hands locked together and your head neutral. Slowly walk your feet backward until your legs are straight, then tighten your core muscles and press down on your forearms and the balls of your feet to lift your torso. There should be a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. If the exercise is too intense, drop to your knees, but keep your ab muscles tight. Practice holding the plank for as long as you can and gradually building up your strength and balance.
Biking
The Mayo Clinic notes that though abdominal and core exercises are very effective at toning the waist and stomach area, they are not as successful at eliminating belly fat or stimulating weight loss. To lose weight and reduce visceral fat in the abdominal area, try aerobic exercises such as biking. Biking is an individually paced exercise that minimizes strain on all parts of the body, yet it still raises the heart rate and burns a steady amount of calories over an extended period of time. Try biking or engaging in other aerobic activities four or five times a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes at a time to boost the effectiveness of all core exercises.
Member Comments