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The most desired goal among gym-goers is probably a toned stomach and a set of strong six-pack abs.
In addition to endurance training, ab exercises can help start losing belly fat, and flatten and tone the stomach. Furthermore, abs are the body's center of gravity and are account for balance and coordination. So, aside from aesthetic reasons, strengthening the abdominals has many other benefits.
What muscles make up a flat stomach?
Pelvic floor muscles: support organs like the bladder, uterus, and intestines.
The transverse and rectus abdominal muscles, also known as the 'six-pack', are essential for functional movement (hinging, bending, twisting) and stability.
Internal and external obliques: aids in breathing and oblique rotation.
The erector spinae muscle: strengthens the back and provides a stable foundation for rotations.
Best exercises for toned stomach
Here are six such exercises:
#1 Plank
To do it, place your forearms shoulder-width apart on the floor, and spring up onto your toes, lifting your knees off the floor.
As you hold the position, pull your belly button in to activate the abdominal muscles, and lengthen your spine by gazing just out in front of the hands. The goal is to keep the body moving in a straight line from the heels to the top of your forehead for as long as possible while maintaining proper form.
#2 Ab wheel rollout
The ab wheel trains the abs the way these same muscles are designed to function. According to some, it's one of the best stomach-flattening workouts
To do it. brace your abs, and gradually roll the ab wheel forward, extending your body as far as you can from a kneeling position. Exhale and return to a starting, kneeling position.
Gradual advancements are the most effective and safest way to incorporate this mass and strength exercise into your workout routine.
#3 Cable crunch
Cable crunches enable constant abdominal tension throughout the movement and is the best exercise for a toned stomach, which distinguishes this crunch variation from others.
To do it, place the rope attachment on a high pulley, and kneel a few feet away from the cable pulley. While performing the exercise, grip the rope with your palms facing inward, keeping the palms close to your head.
Exhale and crunch down towards the ground, using your abdominals rather than the arms to pull yourself down.
Consider driving the elbows into the pinnacle of your thighs just above the knee as you crunch. Return to a more upright, still kneeling position, and repeat.
#4 Dead bug
This unusually named exercise, known as dead bugs, improves core stability and strength, resulting in a more toned stomach.
To do it, lie on your back, with the legs lifted, knees bent at 90 degrees, arms extended, and hands pushed into the thighs just above the knee. Pull your belly button in towards your spine, and extend both arms and legs till they almost touch the floor. Return to the starting position after a brief pause, toggling sides for repetitions.
#5 Suitcase sit-up
For a toned stomach, do this exercise. Position yourself on your mat with your legs at 90 degreesoff the floor and hands either side of your ears.
As you lower your upper body to the floor, extend your legs straight out, and crunch them back in, bringing the knees to your chest.
#6 V-sit hold
To do this exercise, sit up straight, with knees bent, feet on the floor, and arms extended in front.
Lean back, and raise your legs to form a V shape with your body. Hold for a while, as this will seriously impact the core and help in getting a toned stomach.
Takeaway
Sit-ups and crunches both help to strengthen and develop a toned stomach. A stronger core can help improve posture and lower your risk of back injuries later in life.
Neither exercise, though, burns fat. Only by combining these exercises with healthy, reduced nutrition and regular morbidly obese aerobic exercise can you achieve a flat and toned stomach.
