How To Get A Toned, Flat
Stomach
by Lynn Bode
One of the most common
fitness questions
this time of year is “How can I tone my stomach for
swimsuit season”? Typically, people believe that the
guaranteed quick route to obtaining a rock-solid
six-pack is a path packed with hundreds of sit-ups or
abdominal crunches. Wrong!
The reality is that even if you do crunches every
day you aren’t guaranteed to get the stomach you
desire. Getting those highly sought after, toned abs
requires more work than just abdominal exercises.
Plus, as far as stomach exercises go, sit-ups or
crunches alone are not the solution.
We won’t go into detail about the muscles that make
up the abdominal wall, but it’s good to know the basic
information. At a high-level the abdominal /trunk area
consists of 5 major muscles. It’s necessary that all
of these muscles be exercised. It’s also important to
utilize different types of training techniques like
concentric, eccentric and isometric.
In addition to training those muscles, it is
imperative that you also reduce the fat in your
stomach area. If you don’t decrease the fat in this
area, then you’ll never see well-defined abdominal
muscles not matter how long and hard you train them.
The key to reducing body fat is a comprehensive
workout program that consists of cardiovascular,
strength, and flexibility exercises. Plus, don’t
forget a healthy diet. Good examples of cardio
exercises are: walking, swimming, aerobics, and
jogging. Strength training can be done with dumbbells,
resistance bands and even just your own body weight.
Flexibility can be as simple as a few stretches held
in place for about 20 seconds.
Now, back to the specifics of abdominal training.
Traditional crunches can be a part of your abdominal
training, but should be limited and certainly
shouldn’t be the only part. To most effectively work
your stomach area, it’s necessary to include about 80%
rotational work. Rotational exercises are those that
include twisting-type methods. Simple crunches do not
fall into the rotational category because you simply
lift your body straight up and down.
To most effectively train your abs, incorporate a
lot of variety, including different positions and
equipment. This will allow your muscles to continually
be challenged, which is what will help make them
stronger and more defined. Remember that you don’t
have to lie on your back in the supine position to
work your stomach area. There are hundreds of
different ways to work them, including exercises in a
standing position, on your side, raised on a ball,
hanging from a bar, etc.
Don’t forget the importance of form. If you don’t
use correct form when performing abdominal exercises,
you’ll severely limit the effectiveness not to mention
possibly cause an injury. Tips for correct form
include:
- Don’t ever pull on your neck or head
- Don’t allow your legs to move, they should
remain still -- let your abs do all the work
- Try to keep your belly button pulled in toward
the floor throughout the entire move
To get you started, below are a few sample
exercises* with instructions. Start working out today,
and you can show-off your toned abs in time for
summer.
- Basic Crunch: Lie flat on your back with
your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place
your hands lightly behind your head for support.
Using your abdominal muscles lift your shoulders a
few inches off the ground, pause briefly and return
to start position. Complete at least one set of
10-12 reps.
- Standing Towel Circle: Stand tall and
hold a small towel (or resistance band) taut
overhead. Contract abs and slowly draw a large, wide
circle over your head and around your torso with
your hands. Keep towel pulled taut throughout.
Return to beginning position and reverse the
circular direction. Complete at least one set of
8-10 reps in each direction.
- Oblique Twist With Ball: Begin by sitting
on the ball. Walk feet forward until ball is resting
under your back -- body is now parallel to the
floor. Place hands lightly behind head for support.
Using your abdominal muscles slowly crunch up
lifting your shoulder blades off of the ball and
rotate left shoulder toward right hip. Return to
starting parallel position and repeat then switch
sides.
For access to a huge library of exercises
demonstrations (including demos for the above
exercises), visit:
http://www.workoutsforyou.com
*You should always consult your physician before
trying any new exercise programs.
Lynn
Bode, author
and certified personal trainer, offers her services
online through WorkoutsForYou.com.
Workouts For You provides
affordable online exercise programs to help even
the busiest of people lose weight, tone-up,
build muscles, increase stamina and more
via the Internet. Let us
guide you one-on-one through your fitness
journey. Visit: http://www.workoutsforyou.com for
a free sample workout.
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