Belly fat is a health risk, increasing your chances for developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular problems and cancer, according to MayoClinic.com. There isn't a single best exercise for the abdominal muscles. However, you can combine a variety of highly effective exercises, such as cardio, strength training and circuit training to burn fat overall -- and belly fat with it -- and tone your abdominal muscles.
Your abdominal muscles affect everything from standing to biking and vacuuming. Strengthening these muscles requires exercising the lower, middle and upper abdominal muscles individually and as a single unit. Traditional sit-up...
A toned midsection and firm abs don't just help you look good in a swimsuit. They play an important health role in keeping your core stable and your back strong. Abdominal muscle-targeting exercises are just one component of ac...
According to the Yampa Valley Medical Center, core muscle strength, of which abdominal muscles are a part, is important because your core muscles attach to your spine, shoulders and pelvis, and they provide the necessary stabil...
Abdominal weight gain is a hazard to your health, increasing risk for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Although it's not possible to spot-reduce the lower abdominals, you can use circuit training and strength trainin...
Many abdominal exercises purport to give you a "six-pack." Situps are one abdominal exercise that comes to mind, but according to the American Council on Exercise, or ACE for short, these are not the best way to sculpt a strong...
The secret to a phenomenal midsection is through portion control by consuming a diet of natural, unprocessed foods; regular fat-burning exercise; and not only strengthening the abdominal muscles, but also strength training the ...
If your usual routine of crunches and situps isn't transforming your abs into a rock-hard six-pack, pump up the volume on your routine. Do abdominal exercises two to three times a week that target every muscle in your midsectio...
Abdominal belts are fitness tools designed to strengthen and tone your abs. However, they do not replace old fashioned crunches and other abdominal workouts. But one ab belt has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administr...
Dr. Shirley Sahrmann, a physical therapist and associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis, formulated a series of abdominal movements, which are currently used in physical therapy clinics and fitness programs tod...
According to exercise physiologist James Stoppani, in his book "Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength," the best abdominal program targets all four areas of your abdominal region -- upper abs, lower abs, internal and external obl...
Most abdominal exercises include the form for sit-ups. However, the movement needed to do a sit-up is not how your abdominal muscles function in sports and daily activities. The best exercises for your abs should incorporate fu...
The main function of these muscles includes protecting organs, rotating your spine and flexing your spine side-to-side. According to the American Council on Exericse, strengthening your abdominal muscles will help protect your ...
Most people put on weight around their stomachs, and the abdominals are an area most want to trim. Performing abdominal exercises in isolation is not effective, so incorporate them into a healthy lifestyle. When you eat a healt...
It takes more than just crunches to work your abs effectively. When planning your abdominal workout, use exercises that work your upper, middle and lower abs. Include balance and stabilization movements to help strengthen your ...
Although working the abs alone does not give you a six pack, it can help you tone the area. If you want great looking abs, you need to also follow a calorie-controlled diet and make time for regular aerobic exercise.
Performing a countless number of crunches only targets one area of your abdominal muscles and can be ineffective if used alone. For an effective abdominal workout, you need exercises that recruit all of the muscles in the midse...
You need your core to perform functional movements like getting out of bed or picking up your briefcase. The core is made up of the abdominals, external obliques and lower-back muscles. Incorporating abdominal exercises into yo...
A toned tummy is something many of us strive for but few of us achieve. You diet and exercise and do countless crunches, but you still don't see any definition in your abs. This may be because you're doing the same ineffective ...
You don't have to spend a ton of cash to work the abdominal muscles. A 2001 study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise found that most floor ab exercises are more effective than most abdominal exercisers on the mark...
The abdominal muscles are part of the body's core which is responsible for the flexion and extension of the spine. Abdominal and core training is required in all athletic activities. There are many exercises that can build str...
A combination of following a healthy diet and exercising regularly will ultimately help you gain and maintain strong abs. If you routinely eat a lot of unhealthy foods, abdominal exercises won't eliminate a bulging waistline, b...
Fitness videos are a fun alternative to exercising in the gym. If you wish to trim your midsection, try some videos that are created to help tone your abdominal muscles. You will be able to find a wide variety to help keep your...
Having lots of stomach fat is associated with heart disease and diabetes, so losing the fat is very important to your health. Aesthetically both sexes tend to find flat, toned stomachs appealing, so there is more than one reaso...
This typically stems from decreased activity, increased caloric intake and hormonal changes. The best way to attack your abdominal fat is to decrease the amount of calories you eat daily and choose the most effective types of a...
Not only does the task seem overwhelming, but who has time to go to the gym? Fortunately, you can perform some simple exercises that tighten your abdominal muscles and restore your flat tummy right in the convenience of your ow...
A well-defined midsection is one of most sought-after body parts in the gym. Getting one--or even just a flat stomach--is dependent on more than the number of crunches and sit-ups you can do. You must eat a healthy diet, perfor...
When choosing abdominal exercises to get quick results, it is important the exercises you use focus on the upper abdominal muscles, the lower abdominal muscles, and the sides of the abdominal muscles, or obliques. If any of the...
But getting to that point can be difficult---there are so many abdominal exercises that promise results that don't seem to deliver. Thankfully, there are a few relatively unknown but highly effective exercises that can improv...
The lower part of your abdominal muscles not only gives you a flat, toned stomach, they help support your lower back. There are many targeted lower abdominal exercises that strengthen below the belly button.
Abdominal exercises strengthen the core region and help develop coveted abs. One of the easiest areas of the abdominal region to target is the upper abs. Effective ab exercises require no equipment, little space, and can be per...
A healthy back, improved posture and injury prevention are just some of the many benefits of a good abdominal regimen. Hundreds of exercises target the ab region--and knowing which abdominal exercises are the best for strengthe...
Well-conditioned abdominal muscles are also important for sports performance as much of the power you need to generate for kicking, throwing, running and punching comes from your abdomen. Whatever your fitness goals, there are ...
Weights can be anything that can be held, rotated or fastened to the body. The best exercises are those that target all areas of your abdominal region and that are done using proper form.
But as Arnold Schwarzenegger explains in "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding," strong abs are essential for performing any athletic act. If you're adventurous and can toss-out your preconceived notions of what an ab ex...
Strong abdominal muscles help carry you through your day and make lifting your new baby and holding him for long periods of time a simpler task. Women who had healthy vaginal deliveries with no complications can begin to exerci...
These are the deepest layers of muscle, and they encase the entire midsection. Unlike the five other muscle types in the ab family, the transverses do not respond to the usual sit-ups and crunch work. What gets their attention...
Though there are many kinds of exercises that involve developing stronger abdominal muscles (like yoga, pilates, aerobics and exercise equipment for abs), gymnastics abdominal exercises are among the most effective. This is bec...
Bosu stands for "both sides utilized" and with molded plastic on one side and weighted rubber on the other, you can use either side of the dome-shaped ball for exercises. Abdominal training is a given when using the Bosu ball; ...
This is because sculpting a great-looking stomach entails more than just doing countless sit-ups or crunches. Getting that "washboard" mid-section involves developing a strong core, the group of 29 muscles that form a body's ce...
Most abdominal exercises are effective for both men and women. However, because of anatomical differences, some exercises are easier for women to perform. For example, popular exercises such as the captain's chair and the plank...
