Exercises To Burn Stomach Fat

Spot reduction or the attempt to lose weight in a targeted area is an unattainable goal that may derail your exercise efforts and determination. Your body composition, genetics and activity level determine where your body loses fat and the rate of overall weight loss. A healthy diet, regular cardio and strength training contribute to fat burn. Effective stomach exercise will tone and strengthen abdominal muscles that will become more visible after overall body weight loss.

Research

The American Council on Exercise commissioned researchers at San Diego State University in 2001 to analyze abdominal exercises and determine the most effective ones. Peter Francis, Ph.D., and his team of researchers used electromyography to analyze the muscular recruitment, movement patterns and muscular effort of the rectus abdominus and the obliques during the tested exercises. The rectus abdominus is a paired, vertical muscle on the front of the stomach. The obliques are muscles located on both sides of the stomach.The study ranked the top 10 exercises for strengthening and toning the rectus abdominus and the obliques.

Bicycle Maneuver

The study ranks the bicycle maneuver as the most effective way to tone your rectus abdominus and the second most effective way to strengthen your obliques. To do this exercise, lie on your back, tighten your abdominal muscles and press your lower back gently against the floor. Position your hands behind your head and lift your knees directly above your hips. Slowly crunch your torso up while moving your left knee and right elbow toward one another. Lower to start and crunch your right knee toward your left elbow. Continue cycling for 45 seconds. Holding a weighted ball in between your knees increases the intensity of this exercise.

Captain's Chair

The captain's chair ranks as the best way to train your obliques and the second most effective way to strengthen your rectus abominus. The captain's chair is a rack that consists of two arm pads and a back rest. Position your arms on the pads, press your back against the back rest and hang your legs in front of you. Tighten your abdominal muscles and use them to slowly lift your knees toward your chest. Lower and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions. Slow and deliberate movements ensure that you use your stomach muscles rather than momentum to fuel the movement.

Vertical Leg Crunch

The American Council on Exercise scores the vertical leg crunch as one of the top five exercises for both the obliques and the rectus abdominus. Lie on your back, lift your legs directly above your hips and cross your feet at your ankles. Place your hands behind your head, tighten your stomach muscles and gaze upward. Using your stomach muscles, crunch your torso toward your knees. Tucking your chin or pulling your neck during this movement may cause neck strain or detract from your muscle's efforts. Lower to start and repeat until you complete 15 crunches.