Like many people, you probably yearn for a thin, flat stomach for aesthetic reasons. While understandable, you should also care from a health standpoint. Belly fat, or visceral fat, has been identified as active tissue that emits hormones and...
Belly fat can be unsightly and has been shown to cause major health problems. It is commonly referred to as abdominal fat, which essentially means the fat is carried in your midsection. A common misconception is that sit ups and crunches alone...
Improving appearance, athletic performance or general health are all reasons to do exercises that tone the abdominal muscles. The abs are part of a muscle group called the core that is responsible for your balance. Targeting these muscles with...
A herniated disc, also sometimes referred to as a slipped disc or a ruptured disc, can cause extreme pain and limitations in your range of motion and your ability to perform certain types of activities. While some exercises can actually help a...
Exercise is classified as either aerobic or anaerobic depending on how your body provides energy for the activity. Anaerobic processes do not require the presence of oxygen, unlike aerobic exercises that need oxygen. In general, resistance...
The key to getting a six-pack stomach is to work all abdominal muscles and safely challenge yourself on a regular basis. Some common abdominal exercises include sit-ups, leg raises and various exercises with the medicine ball. An article on the...
The South Beach Diet is a low-calorie diet plan designed for relatively rapid weight loss that promotes the consumption of complex carbohydrates, lean meats and healthy fats. It is broken up into three phases. Phase one is very restrictive and...
Trimming the waistline involves overall general exercise as well as focusing on exercises that work the entire abdominal core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, and the transversus abdominis. Focusing on these...
Interest in a flat tummy may seem like a superficial or cosmetic concern. However, the presence of excessive fat in your midsection is more dangerous than fat accumulations elsewhere on your body and can increase your risks for medical conditions,...
The best abdominal program is one targeted to individual needs and goals, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Choose the right combination of exercises that meet your specific challenges for a toned core, physical therapy or for...
If you are embarrassed by a flabby stomach, you are not alone. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that more than one billion people are overweight. The Mayo Clinic advises that abdominal fat is best addressed with nutrition and...
Active people may have difficulty adapting to life after any surgery, especially operations and illnesses that affect the abdomen. Appendicitis is a painful illness that can greatly limit your motion and use of the abdominal muscles while you are...
According to the American Council on Exercise, based on electromyographic activity recorded during the performance of abdominal exercises, individuals are generally unable to differentially recruit the upper and lower abdominal muscles. This means...
Bodybuilding is the development of your muscles for the sake of appearance rather than any specific sporting event. You accomplish this by moving various parts of your body against some type of resistance. This may be with free weights or a...
Exercising the abdominals during the first trimester can cause anxiety for many expecting mothers, especially since the first trimester is such a critical period during pregnancy. Although exercise may not be recommended for high-risk...
Exercising while pregnant offers many health benefits. According to BabyCenter.com, exercise can help boost your energy, help you sleep better, reduce stress, prepare your body for labor and get your body back into shape quicker after child birth....
Football requires great muscular strength and endurance, no matter what position you play. If you are a quarterback, you will be required to throw repeatedly, so building up the muscles involved in throwing is essential. A diverse array of muscles...
Even after your baby is born, your stomach may look larger than before your pregnancy. And exercising may feel like the last thing you want to do. However, to tone your abdominal muscles and get back into shape, start with gentle exercises and...
The pursuit of a sculpted, sexy stomach is what keeps many people returning day after day to the gym. Although it may seem logical to exercise every day if you want fast results, working the same muscle group two days in a row is generally...
A C-section or cesarean section is a procedure used to deliver babies through the abdomen when a vaginal delivery is not viable. Following a C-section, your abdominal wall is weak and you may have leftover fat from the pregnancy still on your...
The abdominal roller was a popular infomercial exercise item purported to be able to hone your abdominals without endless crunches, sit-ups, and twisting exercises. Though many fitness infomercial items fall out of favor, the abdominal roller is...
The standard bent-knee crunch works the rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus and obliques. It is possible to perform the exercise without any fitness equipment, but you may find it difficult to maintain proper crunch form throughout a series of...
Pilates is an extensive exercise system founded on the principles of bodily awareness, mind-body integration, balance, deep concentration, precision and muscular control and efficiency. Joseph Pilates, who originated his methodology in the early...
Keeping your tummy toned can be challenging, especially if you have an apple shape. Besides its less-than-appealing appearance, a protruding belly can be a warning sign for your health. Abdominal fat is primarily visceral fat, which increases your...
Dumbbells generally are reserved for strengthening the muscles of your arms, legs and back. However, you also can use them to work your abdominal muscles by making traditional exercises more challenging. Dumbbell abdominal exercises will improve...
Raised leg crunches are a popular variation on the standard abdominal crunch that involves keeping your legs elevated as you exercise. Useful for engaging both the upper and lower region of the rectus abdominus muscles, raised leg crunches are...
When you exercise, your arteries dilate to increase blood supply to your muscles, and your heart beats more rapidly to maintain pressure. To keep blood circulating rapidly, your body also needs to speed up the rate at which blood flows through...
With exercise, you generally get out of it what you put into it. The trick is making sure that you are doing the right type of workout that will help you reach your fitness goals. For example, if strength training is your thing, then performing...
Build an intense abdominal workout with variety, volume, and exercises that work your ab muscles from different angles. Be your own trainer by selecting one exercise from each group to build several intense abdominal workouts. Repetitions vary for...
