There are many types of exercises that claim to give you a flat tummy. However, the most effective are cardiovascular exercise to burn calories and resistance exercises that specifically target the muscles of the abdominal area. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) provides suggestions for the most effective abdominal exercises based on scientific evaluation. By incorporating cardio regularly and performing three to five of these abdominal exercises in a short daily session, you will soon see results in the form of a flat, toned tummy.
Step 1
Choose a cardiovascular exercise that you enjoy and one that you will be likely to stick with long term. Examples of cardio exercise that are moderate to vigorous in intensity include walking, jogging, hiking, cycling, kickboxing, ballroom and modern dancing, soccer and stair climbing.
Step 2
Perform your cardio exercise for at least 42 minutes, six days a week. This allows you to accumulate 250 minutes per week, which the American College of Sports Medicine finds to be necessary for significant weight loss. Take one rest day each week.
Step 3
Choose at least three exercises suggested by ACE which target the rectus abdominus and the obliques. Examples include crunches on an exercise ball, the bicycle maneuver and vertical leg crunches. Exhale during the point in each exercise when you contract the muscle or curl up. Inhale as you release to the starting position.
Step 4
Sit on an exercise ball and walk your legs out until your thighs and hips are parallel to the floor to begin crunches with an exercise ball. The ball should be resting on your upper to mid-back. Cross your arms over your chest or place your finger tips behind your head and contract your abdominals as you curl up to about 45 degrees, release and repeat.
Step 5
Lie on your back on the floor with your legs in the air and knees bent at 45 degrees to perform the bicycle maneuver. Place your hands behind your head and rotate the upper body to the left and bring your left knee in to meet your right elbow. Return to the starting position and switch sides, rotating to the right.
Step 6
Lie on your back on the floor and raise your legs straight up into the air crossing your ankles and leaving a slight bend in the knee. Place your hands behind your head and lift the upper body pressing the torso towards your elevated knees and keep the chin lifted off the chest. Release to the starting position and repeat.
Step 7
Perform each exercise with a slow and controlled motion to avoid using momentum to complete it. Contract and curl the torso for two seconds and lower to the starting position for two seconds. Complete 10 to 12 repetitions of each exercise for one set. Continue with alternating sets of each exercise until you have completed a five minute session. Perform at least a five minute session each day.
Tips and Warnings
- Get creative with your cardio exercise to avoid boredom and burnout. You can stick with one activity, such as jogging and add hills and intervals to make it more interesting. Or, choose to do a variety of activities each week, such as group exercise classes, ballroom dancing and cycling. Consider incorporating other types of exercise to help to tone the core of the body and abdominal muscles. Yoga, Pilates and martial arts are good options.
- Avoid tugging at the head and straining the neck during abdominal exercises. Place your fingertips gently behind your head and keep the chin raised. Use the strength of your abdominals to lift the torso and not your hands to pull at the back of your head.
Things You'll Need
- Exercise ball
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