If you do sit-ups every night and wonder why you are not seeing the results you would like to see, you may not be doing a wide enough variety of abdominal exercises, or you may need to get rid of a layer of fat above your muscles. Cardiovascular exercise and diet will help with reducing the amount of fat above abdominal muscles. Once this is reduced or gone, you can consistently do intense abdominal exercises to quickly tone your stomach.
Core Banana
To start the core banana exercise, lie on the floor, preferably on a mat, with arms and legs extended out. Keep your head between your extended arms and slowly lift your arms and legs off the floor several inches. Hold this "banana" position for 30 seconds. Lower and repeat if desired. This is a difficult position to hold. It will work your abdominal muscles more thoroughly than the standard crunch, allowing you to tone your stomach faster.
Reverse Crunches
Reverse crunches target your lower abdominal muscles. To do a reverse crunch, lie with your back on the floor. Raise your legs off the floor with knees bent at about a 90-degree angle. Place your hands on the floor by your sides for balance. Contract your abs and bring your hips off the floor by lifting through your abdominal muscles. Pause at the top, then bring your hips back down to the floor. Repeat for your desired repetitions. Many exercisers complain about problems with toning their lower abdominal muscles. Reverse crunches are the exercise they likely need to be doing.
Plank
The plank is a well-known abdominal exercise because it works. The plank strengthens your abdominal and back muscles as well as stabilizer muscles. To get into the plank position, lie down on a mat on your belly. Place your elbows in front of you, forearms flat on the mat. Your legs should be extended out behind you. Push off the floor so your toes and forearms are the only parts coming into contact with the floor. Keep your body flat and aligned. Do not allow your hips to sag or float too high. Squeeze your abs in to prevent this from occurring. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
Knee Touches
Knee touches are another intense exercise that will quickly tone your stomach. Sit down on a mat in the standard sit-up position with knees bent at a 45-degree angle, feet flat on the ground. Lie back so your shoulders are on the floor. Extend your arms out in front of you. Place one hand over the other. Crunch up by contracting your abs and bring your hands far enough forward for your palm to tap the top of one knee. Lower and repeat, this time tapping the opposite knee. Repeat alternating knee touches for your desired repetition and set range.
References
- "ACE Personal Trainer Manual;" Cedric X. Bryant, Daniel J. Green; 2003
- Fitness Magazine: Strong, Sexy Abs
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