Almost everyone wants a leaner, slimmer, and more toned stomach; there’s just nothing quite like having sculpted abs. To get this look, you’ll want to do tummy exercises. Tummy exercises are a way to flatten your stomach and lose those extra inches. Though exercising is hard work and requires time and commitment, many tummy exercises are easy to do and can be done for only a few minutes everyday. Even with tummy exercises, it can be hard to take inches directly off of the stomach. Fat rides on top of muscle and does not play any type of active part when doing exercise. For any exercise, fuel (energy provided by fat) is taken from deposits throughout the body, not just from the fat next to the active muscles. However, there are tummy exercises that tighten-up your stomach muscles, giving you a slimmer look.
There are many different types of tummy exercises and activities that can strengthen and flatten your stomach. Here are a few tummy exercises you can try:
- The crunch
- Diagonal crunch
- The tuck-in
- The leg raise
The crunch is one of the main tummy exercises recommended if you are trying to trim up your abs. It is a simple exercise to do. Lie on your back, placing your feet on the floor as close to your bottom as you can and keeping your knees together. Rest your hands across your chest and slowly raise your shoulders off the floor (don’t come up too high, your lower back should remain on the floor) by only contracting the stomach muscles.
Follow the same directions mentioned for the crunch, but reach one of your hands or elbows toward the outside of the opposite knee. This will give the muscles located on the sides of your tummy more of a workout. For best results, alternate sides between crunches.
This is one of the tummy exercises that is simple to perform and will help tone your lower stomach. One of the reasons tummy exercises such as this one are so simple is because they can be done anytime and anywhere. Simply sit upright against the back of a chair and breathe out and suck in your stomach at the same time. Hold your tummy in for 2-3 seconds and breathe in as you release your stomach.
This is one of the tummy exercises that also helps tone other parts of your body. The leg raise works the thighs as well as the stomach. For this exercise, start with your back flat on the floor and your arms at your side. Bend your knees and slowly lift them to your chest, either together or interchangeably. You can also create other tummy exercises from this one by doing the regular leg raise, but reaching one knee to the outside of the opposite side of the body while lifting.
These are just a few suggestions for tummy exercises, but there are so many more tummy exercises you can find online, from books, and various other places. Most tummy exercises are simple and can be done at home. Be sure to maintain a regular schedule when performing your tummy exercises so you can have a leaner stomach all the time.
By Janelle Walker