A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a medical procedure used to enhance the appearance of your stomach. A surgeon uses a tummy tuck to remove extra skin or fat and to improve muscle tone. This surgery helps people who have weak abdominal muscle or excess skin as a result of extreme weight loss, surgery or pregnancy. After your doctor allows you to return to normal activity, you can use abdominal exercises to sculpt your new stomach.
Seated Trunk Rotations
The seated trunk rotation is an abdominal exercise that targets the entire front of your stomach. Use no weights during this exercise, or hold a free weight such as a medicine ball or dumbbell. Sit on your rear end with your heels on the ground in front of your body. Slightly bend your knees while holding your hands and the weight in front of your chest. Keep your stomach muscles tightened with your back straight. Slowly twist from as far right as you can all the way to the left. For an added challenge, lift your heels off the floor.
Bicycles
The bicycle exercise helps to tone the front of your stomach but is especially effective for strengthening your obliques, which are located on the sides of your stomach. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Keep both of your legs off the ground during the entire exercise. Slowly pull your left knee in toward your chest as you crunch upward and pull your right elbow toward your knee. Straighten your left leg and repeat with your right knee and your left elbow. When done correctly, your legs will make a pedaling motion.
Straight Limb Crunches
This exercise is a variation of the standard crunch. If you are new to abdominal exercises, start with no weights. If you are more advanced with fitness exercises, use a small medicine ball. Lie on your back with your arms and legs straight. Use your abdominal muscles to crunch upward as you touch your fingers to your toes. If you are using a medicine ball, start with the ball in your hands and transfer the ball to between your ankles when you crunch upward. Slowly lower your arms and legs until they almost touch the floor. Crunch upward again and switch the ball from your ankles back to your hands.
Stability Ball Pikes
This exercise is advanced and should be performed slowly in a controlled manner for optimum safety. Perform this exercise on carpet without any objects around you. Lie on the top of an exercise ball and slowly walk yourself forward with your hands until only your feet remain on the ball. Keep your stomach tight, with your back level with the ground. Slowly pull your feet toward your body while keeping your legs straight. Allow your head to drop between your arms. Continue pulling your feet and the ball inward until there is a straight line from your hands all the way to your hips. Slowly release back into the starting position.
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