Simple abdominal exercises can tone and tighten your stomach. In fact, you don't need special equipment or a gym membership to achieve results. To do gentle toning throughout the day, concentrate on having good posture when you sit or stand, and tighten your abdominal muscles slightly when you walk. When you perform stomach-toning exercises, begin slowly and work up to increased reps and sets. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
Ab Hollowing
MayoClinic.com suggests a simple exercise known as abdominal hollowing to target deep abdominal muscles. To do this exercise, get on the floor on all fours. Relax, allowing your stomach to hang down as you take a deep breath. Exhale, and as you finish breathing out, gently draw your stomach up towards your spine, tightening your waist. Hold for 10 seconds, breathing freely. Do 10 reps, with 10 seconds between each. Keep your spine parallel with the floor; don't arch your back.
Ab Crunches
Lie on the floor on your back, knees bent and arms crossed lightly across your chest. Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor, as if to sit up. Contract your abdominal muscles to pull yourself up, and keep your lower back on the floor. Hold the raised position for 1 or 2 seconds; return to the floor by relaxing your abdominal muscles slowly. Don't use your back muscles in the movements. A crunch is not a sit-up; only your head and shoulders are raised from the floor. Simple-Flat-Stomach-Exercises.com recommends beginning with a few crunches and working up to a set of 10 to 12 reps. As you advance, increase the number of sets, resting 1 to 2 minutes between sets.
Bridge
To tone your stomach and work core muscles, MayoClinic.com recommends the bridge exercise. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent, arms at your sides. Let your spine rest naturally. Tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from your bent knees to your shoulders on the floor. Take three deep breaths as you hold this position with your abs still tightened. Lower your hips to the floor. Work up to 10 reps.
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