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An Introduction to Getting a Flatter Stomach |
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Welcome, I'm sure you are visiting this website because you want to learn how to get a flat stomach. In short this is achieved through correct exercise and diet. Exercises that focus on the abdominal muscles are helpful in attaining a flatter tummy. Exercises that work the oblique muscles are even better. While abdominals, or "abs," are usually referred to as plural, they are actually a single sheet of muscle that reaches from the pelvic bone to the ribcage. |
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| Oblique muscles are on each side of the abdominal muscles, crossing diagonally near the midsection. Obliques allow the body to twist at the waist and to bend at the sides. Strengthening the oblique muscles as well as the abdominal muscles leads to improved posture. Correct posture slims the waist and flattens the stomach. Aerobic Exercises While stressing that aerobic exercise is necessary to lose stomach fat, the Mayo Clinic advises that exercises that tighten the core will help define the abdominal muscles. The best way to achieve a flat stomach and get a six pack is to combine exercises that strengthen the abdominal and oblique muscles with regular moderate aerobic activity. The Mayo Clinic defines moderate activity, such as brisk walking, as exercises that increase the rate of breathing without making you out of breath, exercises that cause you to develop a light sweat after about ten minutes, and exercises that are mild enough to carry on a conversation, but that are strenuous enough to make it difficult to sing. Oblique Exercises Oblique Crunch. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Bend your knees, lift them to your shoulders, and then lower them to one side, knees stacked on top of one another. From this starting position, slowly raise your torso, crunching the rib cage towards the pelvis. Be sure to keep shoulders level to the floor. Work towards 20 crunches on each side. Bicycle Crunch. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Bend and lift your knees to a 45 degree angle. Move your legs back and forth in a bicycle pedal motion, alternately touching each elbow to the opposite knees. Keep your chin lifted to avoid straining your neck. Work towards 40 repetitions. Standing Crunch. Stand on your right leg with your right arm extended, parallel to the floor, and your left leg lifted a few inches off the floor, with your left hand behind your head. Bending to your left side, lift your left knee towards your left elbow. Work towards 20 repetitions on each side. Lunging Crunch. Some do these at home or in the park or gym, but try not to do them anywhere embarrassing like in the middle of an airport lobby while waiting for a plane. :) Stand with both feet together. Lunge back with your right leg, bending both knees to 90 degrees, while touching your right hand to your left foot. Lift your right knee to the height of your hips, bringing both your hands to your chest, elbows out, while twisting your torso to the right. Work towards 10 repetitions on each side. Core Exercises Bridge. Lie on your back with your knees bent and arms resting at the side. I like to use exercise floor or gym mats when working out on the floor. You can buy these in many different colours, I like to buy silver, red or blue mats but that's just a personal preference. Tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your hips off the floor, creating a straight line from the knees to the shoulders. Hold the position for as long as you can without altering the position. Plank. Facing the floor, distribute your weight on your elbows, holding them directly beneath your shoulders, and the balls and toes of your feet. Keep the body in a straight line, or plank, from the shoulders to the heels. Hold the position for as long as you can without altering the position. For more practical tips and with visual exercises to follow, please watch the video below from fitness trainer Emma, hope you enjoy watching. P.S Sorry for the basic design of this site. We are looking at Edinburgh based Infaweb, who are web specialists, to help us set this Website up on a custom Wordpress blog. They are very knowledgable but busy. Hopefully they can make time in their schedule soon so we don't have to put up with this current design which quite honestly looks like it is fresh from the 1998 web developer handbook :) |