Exercises for the Belly

Tightening the stomach area is a common goal. Many exercises will help you work this area. You do not have to stick to basic sit ups and crunches. Pick a few beginner and intermediate exercises that hit the sides of your belly as well as the front. Learn these well before you move on to advanced exercises.

Side Plank

The side plank exercise really works your obliques muscles on the sides of your belly as well as the transverse abdominis, according to the exercise library of the American Council on Exercise (ACE). The transverse abdominis is the deep muscle that runs across the belly like a corset. You can do this exercise a few ways to increase the amount of difficulty. If you are a beginner, lie on your right side with your knees bent and your right leg and hip touching the ground. You will prop yourself up onto your right forearm with your elbow in line with your shoulder. By lifting your torso toward the ceiling, you can engage your right oblique muscle, but keep your knee touching the floor. You can increase this to an intermediate exercise by reclining with your your legs straight. When you lift up from a straight leg position, more of your body will be raised off the floor, creating more work for your oblique. The exercise will work the same way on the left side.

Supine Pelvic Tilt

The supine pelvic tilt is a gentle exercise that targets the main abdominal muscle, the rectus abdominis. This muscle runs vertically down your belly. The exercise is done lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. You will put your arms out to your sides in line with your shoulders. The first part is to squeeze your ab muscles to press the lower back into the floor. You will then arch your back off the mat in the opposite direction, but without raising the hips or shoulders off the floor. This relaxes the abs and engages the lower back muscles. You will use your abs again to press the lower back to the floor. It helps to exhale as you press your back down because that will further tighten your abs.

Ball Roll-Out

The ball roll-out exercise targets the transverse abdominis. By kneeling on the floor and placing your forearms on a stability ball, you are creating an unstable surface. The instability of the round ball makes your abs work hard to keep you on the ball as you roll out and not on your face. The easiest way to do the exercise is to kneel on the floor and roll the ball forward by straightening your arms while dropping your hips down and keeping your spine straight. By keeping your torso parallel to floor and most of your upper bodyweight on the ball as it moves forward and back, you will be working your abs enough that you should feel it right away. A more challenging variation involves raising your knees off the floor so you are supporting yourself on your toes as you roll the ball forward, according to the book "Ultimate Core Ball Workout" by Jeanine Detz. The advanced version is done with your palms on the ball and your arms straight.