Maybe now, maybe in the past, you found yourself in this situation: you want to have a firm abdomen, flat and well sculpted, for which you’ve started a rigorous abdominal workout program. Although the results are still pending … The truth is that exercising on its own will never have the expected effect, no matter how intense and frequent your abdominal workout is. The only thing a hard abdominal workout does is to remove the adipose layer and only later will it prove useful revealing a nice looking six pack abs. So how do you get rid of fat tissue from the abdomen?
The answer is to accelerate the metabolism, which as a result will intensify the fat burning process. For this your abdominal workout program must include cardiovascular stimulating exercises such as: walks, jogging and bike riding.
Just as important is the diet. Actually American fitness and nutrition specialists say that the diet influences the abdomen’s workout efficiency by 70%. Even the time you eat (not to mention quantity and content) can be decisive. So to get rid of yoru belly fat you have to get on a good abs diet.
It’s important to know that if you have a big layer of fat tissue, there’s no point in exhausting yourself by doing as many exercises with increased difficulty. Only when the layer is gone can you begin the abdominal workout program which is optimally repeated weekly. You have to lose belly fat fast first.
The exercises I’m recommending affect each of the abdomen’s regions: the upper abdomen, the lower abdomen and the sides of your abdomen. By following this abdominal workout plan you will get a fabulous looking six pack abs.
Exercises for toning the upper abdomen
Classic Ab Crunches
While stretching on your back on a flat surface, put your hands under your head and slightly bend your knees. Concentrate on your abdomen’s musculature, which should already be tensed when you actually start working out.
Slowly raise your body while holding your hands at the back of your head until you’re in a sitting position. Keep this position for a couple of seconds and return to a horizontal position.
Same crunches, with a slight difference. The only difference compared to classic crunches is that this time the hands are beside the body, on the floor. The exercise is more difficult, even if it doesn’t seem like it, because now the hands don’t contribute to moving and lifting the body.
Exercises for toning the upper abdomen muscles
Stimulating the pelvic muscles
The initial position is the same as for the classic crunches. The differencing element is that this time you’ll be raising your pelvis, keeping it in this position for 2 seconds then returning slowly. This exercise is the simplest out of the recommended ones, but paradoxically it’s also the most efficient.
Lifting the knees
The exercise is similar to the previous one, the difference being that this time you will lift the knees and from that position, you will lift your pelvis. It’s more difficult because you can’t use your foot to “give” the pelvis an uplifting impulse.
Exercises for toning the side muscles of your abdomen
Oblique ab crunches
Stretch on one side, leaning on your elbow, slightly bend the knees and put one hand under your head. Tense your abdominal muscles (it’s best to concentrate on the side muscles, the ones the exercise affects). Rise slowly, keeping your hand behind your head, stay in this position for 2 second. It’s recommended that you do 5-10 of these lifts switching the hand after.
Crisscross ab crunches
Stretch on your back, with your hands behind your head, bend your knees and cross your legs. Do crunches but –important detail- bend to the side, and if your top knee is the right one do the move orienting the opposite elbow. Right knee-left elbow and vice versa. After 5 such lifts, alternate.
Include all these ab exercises in you abdominal workout and in no time you are going to have ripped abs that look stunning.
If you really want great looking abs you should also read:
January 20, 2010
Exercise & Fitness, Lose Belly Fat, Top Weight Loss & Health Articles, Weight Loss Tips