Abs Exercises

Stomach Crunches Help

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Stomach crunches help tone your abs, which, in turn, support your spine. They also help you develop toned, sexy abs. If you’re doing crunches, but not getting the results that you expect, then follow this checklist to get back on track.

  • The Crunch
  • Healthy Diet
  • Cardiovascular exercises

The crunch movement can be broken down into a series of distinct phases:

1. Preparation

Warm up before you start doing crunches. A brisk walk will do the trick well. Make sure that you exercise on a comfortable surface, like an exercise mat.

Lie on the floor, with you back and feet planted firmly. Your knees should be bent. Place both of your hands behind your head.

Locate and isolate your lower abdominal muscles. Contract them – they should move up and in. This will help to stabilize your back as you lift. Don’t tense your neck, and try not to bend your lower back.

Now take a deep breath. Don’t forget to breathe using your diaphragm.

2. Lift (Stomach Crunch)

Slowly lift your upper back, shoulders and neck off of the floor. Keep your head supported with your hands, but don’t pull on it. Get to an angle of about 30 degrees off of the floor.

You need to restrict the lifting to the abdomen only. Don’t use your hands, or arms, to lift yourself up. Don’t tense your neck either – use your hands to support your head.

Make sure that you look ahead, almost at the ceiling. This will help you keep your neck and back in line. Keep your chin off of your chest, pretend there is an orange under your chin.

While lifting, keep your abdominals tensed, and breath out slowly. Exhale, until you come to the end of your breath. This will help you keep proper tension in your abdominals while you incline in a safe manner.

3. Return

Breathe in as you descend. Don’t forget to support your head just as before. Don’t use your arms, and keep your chin off of your chest. You should breathe at a rate that will finish when you reach the floor.

Additional Advice:

If you still aren’t seeing results, you may have to reexamine your diet. Crunches only tone your abs, they won’t strip the fat off of them. With a proper diet, you can melt that fat away. Avoid fatty foods, get lots of protein, and moderate carbs.

Cardiovascular workouts are an important base for any exercise program and diet. Go running, walking, or swimming. This will make your exercises more effective, and help burn off fat.

Stomach crunches help to tone abs, but only when properly performed. Now, you should know what has been holding your abs back.

Learned something that I have missed here? Feel free to add them by leaving your comments below.

Want a Relaxing Exercise to Reduce Your Belly Fat? Learn Yoga!

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I am sure you agree with me when I say that sitting in front of your computer everyday in the office has caused you to add a few fat ounces on your belly. And who wouldn’t? With the unmotivated and inactive habits that office life has led you to, it is surely only a matter of time before you all get that nasty excess fat in your tummy. Do you want to learn a good exercise to reduce your belly fat?

However, with your hectic schedules and tiring lifestyles, you probably know and admit the fact that it is difficult for you to sign up in a local gym or fitness center to make sure that you still stay in good shape. You might even find yourself too exhausted to push yourself to exercise to reduce your belly fat, after reaching home from the office even if you wanted to.

I am not going to waste your time anymore then, let me introduce you to the 3 simple yoga exercises that are not only successful in reducing your belly fat but also proven to help you relax and prepare you for a good and restful night of sleep. Here’s how to do the meditative exercises:

  • Sukhasana Yoga Asana: Sit in basic crossed-leg position. Slide our heels away from each other so that they rest under your knees. This incredibly works your hips and belly. Then take your feet forward so your shins are in a horizontal line. Reach out your fingertips as far as you can in front of your legs, and then drop your head so you face the floor. Remember to make your breathing constant. Repeat at least ten times.
  • Naukasana Yoga Asana: Another yoga exercise to reduce your belly fat is to follow these steps: Lie down on any flat surface and lift your legs and upper torso at a 30 degree-angle and hold the position for thirty seconds. Then release the lift and breathe. Remember, do this regimen at least ten times then increase as desired.  This is one wonderful yoga exercise to reduce belly fat as it tightens and tenses your upper and lower belly muscles.
  • Ushtrasana Yoga Asana: So you want one more meditative exercise to reduce your belly fat? This is how it is done. First, stand on your knees making sure that your heels face upward. Then put your hands close to your knees with your back arched in a wide U position. Count 30 seconds then return to initial pose. Repeat for at least ten times then increase as desired. Listen here, this yoga exercise is guaranteed to reduce belly fat as it releases the tension on your belly muscles to balance the contraction.

I am sure that once you have mastered at least one yoga exercise to reduce your belly fat and make it a usual part of your routine before going to bed, you’ll immediately see the results in a few weeks. Check these fantastic exercises out yourself and be prepared to say goodbye to belly fat and hello sexy!

What yoga exercise have you tried that works? Share it with us by entering your comments below.

Exercise for Abdominals – Best 4 You Can Do At Home

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Performing a good exercise for abdominalsdoesn’t have to be done on an expensive piece of gym equipment. In fact, you don’t have to go anywhere else or spend on extravagant machines to work those abs.

In a recent scientific study done at San Diego State University, they tested over 10 abdominal exercises and weeded out the least effective of the bunch. The exercises enumerated below were 4 of the best. These simple yet effective drills can help you achieve a much firmer, flatter stomach in just weeks.

Obviously, you would have to put in a lot of hard work and dedication when you perform your exercise for abdominals. No matter how physically fit you are, six pack abs don’t just happen overnight, that’s for sure. You also need to keep in mind that exercise works hand in hand with proper nutrition.

Your exercise for abdominals must consist of at least 3 of the following: Bicycle exercise, Ball Crunches, Weighted Sit Ups, and Full Body Crunches. Doing each 3-4 times a week should do your abs a lot of good. Start off with 5 reps per exercise and increase the frequency and sets as you progress. Remember, this isn’t a race; start slow and finish hard – that is the key.

1. Bicycle. Lie on the floor, place your hands on each side of your head, bring your legs up by bending at the knees, and plant your feet firmly on the ground. This will be your initial position. Now, lift each leg in an alternating manner and start cycling in mid-air. Meanwhile, touch your right elbow to your left knee as it goes up, and do the same on the other side.

2. Ball Crunches. This exercise for abdominals requires an exercise ball. Those aren’t really hard to come by (and they’re very affordable, too). First thing you need to do is sit on the ball as you would on a regular chair. Keep both feet planted firmly on the floor. Slowly lean back, allowing the ball to gently roll underneath you then stop when your upper body and thighs are parallel to the ground. Raise your upper body as you would with a regular crunch and stop halfway up. Hold it there for a few seconds then lean back against the ball again.

3. Weighted Sit Ups. Lie back on the floor, bend your knees, and keep your feet flat on the ground. Using a light weight, like a hardbound book or a bottle of water, place it over your chest and hold it down with your hands. Lift your shoulders off the floor slowly without moving your lower body. Once you’ve reached a challenging angle, hold that position, slowly go back down to the floor, and start over.

4. Full Body Crunches. You’re really going to work up a sweat with this exercise for abdominals. Lie on the floor again, cross your arms over your chest, and keep those knees bent. Lift your torso off the ground while you pull in both knees toward your pelvis. Hold it there for a second, assume the original position, then start all over.

Always remember to keep your abdominal muscles tight with every exercise for abdominals. With a well-balanced diet and a regular workout plan, you won’t get anything less than great six pack abs.

9 Great Ways to Work Out Abs

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Finding the best ways to work out abscan be a challenge especially if you can’t shell out any more cash on gym memberships and personal trainers. The good news is that you can do any of these 9 great exercises without even leaving your home or using any complicated equipment.

1. Crunches. Lie on the floor and put your hands across your chest. With your legs a few inches apart, bend those knees and plant both feet firmly on the ground. Curl your shoulders upward and hold it when you get to a 45-degree angle. Slowly go back down and start all over.

2. Frog Leg Crunches. There are many ways to work out abs than just regular crunches, and this is one of them. Place your hands across your chest and lie flat on the floor with the soles of your feet touching each other, forming a diamond. Try to keep your outer thighs, knees and calves as close to the floor as possible. Lift your torso slowly while curling your pelvis and hold that position, then slowly go back down and begin again.

3. Crossover Crunches. Assume the crunch position. Instead of going up vertically, try moving diagonally, doing both sides interchangeably. This will give your obliques a really good workout.

4. Raised Leg Crunches. Different crunch variations are great ways to work out abs, so utilize as many as possible. Lie on the floor and rest both legs up on a chair or bench, keeping your thighs perpendicular to the ground. With both hands across your chest, lift your upper body toward your knees and hold it there. Slowly go back down and start over.

5. Raised Leg Knee-ins. Lie on the floor and tuck your palms beneath your hips. Keep your legs straight out and suspended a few inches above the floor. Lift one knee toward your torso, hold it there, straighten it back out, and then do the same with the other knee.

6. Hanging Single Knee Raises. These raises, although a little more challenging than the rest, are effective ways to work out abs. Hold on to a chin-up bar, your body dangling, with both hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing away from your body. Raise one knee as high as you can while trusting forward slightly. Repeat with the other knee.

7. V-Spread Toe Touches. Lie back on the floor, raise your legs up to 90 degrees, and spread them to form a V. Lift your shoulders toward the direction of one leg, reach out, and hold it for a second. Go back down and repeat on the other side.

8. Hanging Knee Raise Crossovers. This works a lot like #6, but instead of lifting one knee at a time, you lift both. Twist your pelvis as you lift your knees. These added moves are great ways to work out abs.

9. Vacuums. While keeping your upper body upright, place your hands on your hips, kneel down, cross your feet from behind, and sit on them. Exhale as you suck in your gut. Hold for a few seconds, breath in, and then repeat. Not only is this exercise effective, it’s also very relaxing.

Use these 9 great ways to work out abs and you won’t have to worry about flab ever again!

The Best Exercises for a Flat Stomach

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Getting six pack abs takes a lot more work than just clicking your heels three times or a wave of a magic wand. You will need the best exercises for a flat stomach, that’s for sure. What you probably don’t realize is that it isn’t as difficult as you think.

You’re reminded everyday of the flat stomach you don’t have, and that irks the hell out of you, I’m sure. There are those health buffs in their tight-fitted clothing parading around your office like they own the place, infomercials that claim to be the best solution for that instant flat stomach flooding the television, and magazines with airbrushed covers of supermodels. It can all be a little too overwhelming sometimes.

You can now stop pining over them because that flat sexy tummy is truly just a few clicks away. When you want to build great abs, perform exercises for a flat stomach like targeted workouts. That means you need to hit it where it hurts – the flab.

The ab-specific exercises listed below should get you pumped and ready for more:

  • Crunches
  • Stomach Curls
  • Knee to Chest Stretch
  • Bicycles

Performing each in sets of 3 around 4 times a week at 10-25 reps per set should give your stomach a solid workout.

One of the best exercises for a flat stomach, that will ensure you are getting a complete workout, is the full body exercises. You can definitely get more from your targeted abs workouts if you incorporate a solid cardiovascular routine. These include running, swimming, martial arts, dancing, and even brisk walking.

You can perform these exercises in between the days you’ve scheduled your targeted abs workouts. Putting in 40-60 minuets of cardio 3-4 times a week can prove to be very beneficial. Remember, overdoing it can lead to injuries, so it is best that you pace yourself.

Lastly, a proper diet will only reinforce your workout and make your routines more effective. Quick tip: if you usually find yourself snacking at a particular time of day, like in the late afternoon, try to get in some exercise an hour before. That way, you don’t feel as guilty because your metabolism is actually working on overtime even after you’ve worked out.

If you think about it, healthy eating directly affects how you look. No amount of sit ups or crunches will get you that flat tummy if all you eat are unhealthy snacks and fatty foods. Remember, a good diet plan is just as vital as carrying out a regular exercise plan.

It’s true there is a science to it. But you don’t have to be a doctor or nutrition expert to tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy food. Brush up on your macronutrients and explore the fresh produce aisles at the supermarket.

Implement these three simple guidelines and say goodbye to flat stomach envy. Eat well and perform the best exercises for a flat stomach today!