This short list of exercises is designed to aid people in making efforts to eliminate abdominal fat and make their abdominal muscles stronger.
However, in order to witness the best results, you should perform cardio exercise on a regular basis – at least three times per week.
Beginners' Exercises
1. FRONT PLANK
- Focused on: Transverse abs
Start by getting down on your knees and hands. At the same time, make back muscles and belly contractions, go down on your forearms and stretch your legs behind your torso. - In the end, put some pressure on the balls of the feet.
- Your hips must be raised while the back must be straight.
- Don't forget to keep the neck relaxed all the time.
- Keep this position for about 2-3 seconds and after that, go back to the starting position. Perform this exercise ten times.
2. Butterfly Crunch
- Focused on: The six-pack or rectus abdominus
- Lie down on your back and put the soles as close as you can to the body while your knees are bent to the sides.
- Put the hands right behind your head and keep your elbows in a straight line with your ears.
- Remember to keep the back completely flat on the floor and at the same time contract the abs, inhale and curl the chest upward (just a few inches off the ground in the direction of your legs).
- Return to the starting position. Perform ten repetitions.
3. SIDE TO SIDE
- Focused on: Sides or obliques
- Lie down on the ground, keep the feet flat on the ground, arms by their sides and bend your knees.
- Inhale and contract the abs by moving the left hand in the direction of your left foot.
- Align the neck and head and maintain balance. Keep your lower back pressed against the ground.
- Get back to the starting position and start with the right side of your body. Perform 15 reps.
- Beginner-Advanced Exercises
4. SCISSORS
- Focused on: sides or obliques
- Lie down on the ground and put the finger right behind your head.
- Make the abdominal muscles tightened, lift up the right knee and press it to the left elbow.
- Get back to the starting position and after that raise the left knee and press it to the right elbow.
- Switch sides one by one for 15 repetitions and perform two sets.
- However, you must be sure that you are activating all abdominal muscles in a slow and slick movement, but keep your hands relaxed in order to avoid neck injuries.
5. FINGERS TO TOES
- Focused on: The six-pack or rectus abdominus
- Your legs must be straightened and stretched in the direction of the ceiling.
- Your arms must lie close to your body and you must get into a normal lying position.
- Inhale and make the abdominal muscles tightened while you get up from your waist and stretch your hands in the direction of your toes.
- Your back must be kept flat on the ground. Perform two sets that consist of 15 repetitions each.
6. REVERSE CRUNCH WITH THE HELP OF RESISTANCE BANDS
- Focused on: Transverse abs
Lie down on your back, bend your knees, keep the arms close to the body and grab and keep one of the ends of a band in your left and right hand. - The band must be wrapped around the upper side of the shins.
- Raise your knees in the direction of your chest until you notice that the hips are fully raised and don't touch the ground.
- Hold this position for about 2-3 seconds and after that get back to the starting position.
- Perform two sets that consist of 10 reps each.
Advanced Moves
7. LEG SWINGS
- Focused on: Sides or obliques
Lie down on the floor on your back, keep the arms out to each side, raise your feet and legs, inhale and keep navel in direction of your spine and at the same time, start lowering your legs to right side about 4-5 inches from the ground. - Get back to the starting position and perform the same procedure on the left. Perform three sets and switch sides for 15 times.
8. BALL LEG LIFT
- Focused on: Transverse abs
- Get down and place your face on a ball and start rolling until you notice that your hands are touching the floor firmly.
- While you are in this position you should have just the feet's tops flat on your ball.
- Rise up the right leg about 3-4 inches in the direction of the ceiling and at the same time keep the left leg and back straight.
- Hold this position for 3-4 seconds and slowly lower the right leg. Perform this exercise ten times and after that use the left leg.
- If you want to get the most from this exercise, add 2 reps every week.
9. KNEE-UPS
- Focused on: The six-pack or rectus abdominus
- Position yourself right between the backrests of the chairs (use sturdy chairs) while you keep the shoulders down, elbows a little bit bent and the neck fully relaxed.
- At the same time, make sure that your chest and head are raised up.
Source The Science of Eating | Fitness Magazine
