Choosing the Right Exercise
Expensive ab rollers and crunching devices offer few advantages over mat-based workouts, according to a study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise in 2001. This scientific evaluation of 13 popular ab exercises found that moves emphasizing abdominal stabilization and rotation brought about the most muscle activity. More activity in your muscles equals greater toning and a curvier tummy.
Rotation Exercises
The ACE study named the bicycle maneuver, which uses only a mat and your body weight, as the most effective abdominal exercise. The move involves lying on an exercise mat and pressing your low back toward the floor – hands cupped behind your head. You then draw your knees up at a 45-degree angle and extend and bend your legs in a bicycling-like motion -- simultaneously, touching your left elbow to your right knee and then right elbow to left knee. This move targets the obliques, at the sides of your waist, along with the rectus abdominus -- the front sheath of your abs -- and the transverse abdominus, which lies deep inside your torso and encases your internal organs. Standing rotations in which you stand with your feet shoulder width, hands behind your head and rotate side to side are another way to incorporate twists into your ab routine and target the curvy side obliques. Beginners can stick to one set of each exercise, while more advanced exercisers might perform two to four sets, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest between them.
Stabilizing Exercises
The plank and v-sit are two stabilizing exercises that focus on the rectus abdominus. Work up from 20 second holds of the plank -- done by bracing your body on your forearms and your toes -- to a minute or longer. The v-sit hold has you resting on the back of your sits bones with your hands extended alongside your legs and one or both legs lifted at a 45-degree angle. (Lifting one leg is better if you tend to suffer from low back pain.) Holding the v-sit for 20 to 60 seconds forces you to engage the deep abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominus. When the transverse abdominus is strong, your posture improves and you can stand taller -- showing off your curvy middle.
Diet and Lifestyle
Performing regular exercises for your abdomen can help tone your muscles, but you can’t use crunches, twists and planks to get rid of belly fat. A healthy diet based on plant foods, including whole grains, vegetables and fruits, along with low-fat protein and dairy products supports belly fat loss, notes MayoClinic.com. Avoid saturated fat, found in full fat dairy and fatty cuts of meat, and stick to unsaturated fats. Trim your portion sizes and include workouts that get your heart pumping and sweat pouring to reduce your midsection, so your taut abs show.
Considerations
Your abs are muscles just like your biceps or pecs – they need a break after training. Performing abdominal exercises on non-consecutive days allows your muscles to recover and repair – so they become stronger. If you feel any pain or dizziness while performing exercise, cease your session and consult a health care provider. Strengthening your abs not only helps you look good, it also helps you function better in day-to-day life. Strong abs contribute to good balance, posture and back health. You may desire almost immediate results, but you will have to be patient. Losing weight and toning takes time -- the more you have to lose around your midsection, the longer it will take for those toned abs to appear. If you are diligent, however, you can achieve results.
