One of the most effective ab workouts is the bicycle. To do this exercise, lie on the floor on your back with your hands behind your head. Bend your knees and bring them in towards the chest. Lift your shoulder blades and head slightly off the...
Trim, well-defined abdominals are widely recognized as a sign of virility and health. For people with body fat stored in their mid-section, this can be disheartening, since their abs will not be visible. Fortunately, no matter how overweight, or...
If you're looking for flat abs, give the plank a try. The plank is an exercise that personal trainers use regularly to help their students obtain a sleek, strong body. It strengthens and tones your abdominal muscles, lower back, arms, wrists and...
Scissor kicks are an effective exercise for strengthening not only the obliques, but the hard to reach lower abdominal muscles as well. Although a relatively simple exercise, performing this exercise can wreak havoc on your lower back if performed...
Although some abdominal exercises are more effective than others, you can get a flat stomach from almost any combination of abdominal exercises. Unless it is an extreme back injury, most people that suffer from back pain can perform the same...
Pain during exercise is your body's way of telling you to stop -- because chances are good that if you continued, the pain will only get worse. The same applies to walking on a treadmill if you suffer from lower back pain. Instead of only trying...
The abdominal bicycle is a good exercise for burning fat in the abdominal area because it works more than just the rectus abdominis, which is the major muscle of the abdomen that is targeted with a majority of ab exercises. Bicycles also work the...
Aside from a healthy diet and regular cardiovascular activity, strength training is an essential component of targeting fat anywhere on the body. Getting rid of back fat can be challenging because there are quite a few muscles in your back to be...
Toning the muscles of lower back is a straightforward process if you don't suffer from back pain. When performed correctly, most abdominal exercises work the muscles of the back as antagonist muscles, so they are being strengthened whether you...
Stress doesn't only add inches to your waistline, it can lead to sleep deprivation, high blood pressure, anxiety and even heart disease if left untreated. Getting rid of your stress gut can be challenging because you not only have to exercise and...
Boxing is a challenging sport requiring aerobic fitness, endurance, strength and power in equal measure. Boxers train hard to develop the necessary physical attributes to be successful in the ring. One area of a boxer's body that is especially...
The discus throw dates to the ancient Olympics and is depicted in Myron's classic statue "Discobolus" as a symbol of power and strength. Today's modern track and field athlete continues the quest to throw the discus as far as possible....
The bent-knee deadlift is one of two ways to perform a deadlift. The other, called the Romanian deadlift is performed with straight legs. While the form is the same for both with the exception of leg placement, the bent-knee deadlift has a lesser...
Working the muscles of the lower stomach tends to be a challenge for a lot of people because it is tough to isolate this area with so many major muscles around wanting to do the work for it. However, with the right exercise and the right form,...
Deadlifts are among the best exercises for strengthening the muscles of the lower back and hamstrings. While the exercise itself is simple and doesn't require much equipment, the key to getting the most out of a deadlift is form. Although the...
While there are various versions of the deadlift, all of them require a hip flexion that will put a lot of stress on the lower back if not performed correctly. Performing a deadlift is an easy task; however, there are a few unique details to...
The execution of the good morning exercise appears to be rather simple, but in fact, it is a challenging exercise that requires a good deal of strength in your lower back, abs, glutes and hamstrings. This exercise is most often performed with a...
Increasing your ability to perform situps builds your abdominal strength but requires practice and additional exercise. While situps do not do much to burn fat, strong abdominals improve your posture and help support you during many activities....
Abdominal leg raises are among the most basic exercises for targeting the lower abdominal area right above your hips. They are also quite beneficial for strengthening the entire core area, and increasing flexibility of the spine and hamstrings. As...
Unfortunately, simply performing situps is not going to get you the ripped abs you want. You will need to lose the fat covering your abs, and spot reduction — losing fat from one place on the body — is impossible. You’ll never...
Attacking the fat on your lower belly and sides can be tricky because it's hard to isolate those areas without your hip flexors and lower back trying to take over the exercise. Your lower belly is the lower portion of the rectus abdominis and your...
When you think about body parts that you would like to reduce, the belly and thighs seem to be the prevailing thought, especially for women. There are several factors that contribute to storing excess fat in these areas, including heredity,...
A rounded upper back, sometimes called a slouch, is correctly called hyperkyphosis. Hyperkyphosis can be caused by a number of factors including tight chest muscles, weak upper back muscles, an imbalanced exercise program with too much emphasis on...
You can add a hand weight to many abdominal exercises to increase the intensity and effectiveness of the exercise, enabling you to get a flat stomach in a shorter period of time. For example, you can add a hand weight to the basic abdominal crunch...
Step aerobics workouts provide the benefits of high-intensity training without the injury risk of high impact training on your lower body joints. Abdominal training improves core strength, adding additional health and fitness benefits to the...
Core ball, or stability ball, workouts add intensity to calisthenic-type exercises. Balls come in various sizes and can be used in a group setting or in the privacy of your home. Exercising using the core ball increases muscular strength and...
Many basketball players find slam-dunking a basketball challenging, to say the least. Beside height, it requires a high level of muscular strength and power. While the legs play a crucial role in achieving this feat, a strong upper body enables...
Pilates is a form of exercise that has been around since the early 1920s. This exercise technique requires precise, fluid movement through a full range of motion. The focus is on establishing a mind-body connection through concentration and...
Exercise is generally applauded as being preventative and rehabilitative for back problems. Benefits include improved muscle tone, posture and skeletal alignment. In addition, exercise reduces fatigue, strain and the chance of injury. Workouts...
Work the abs using the clam crunch as part of a core training exercise routine. Learn the clam crunch from a professional fitness trainer in this video on health and fitness.
Looking for a great stability ball workout? Learn how to do V up exercises with a ball in this free video clip from a personal trainer.
