Stomach Exercises: Tips to get you Started
It’s simply natural that people would always desire to look their very best, and getting a flatter stomach is a huge milestone for them. In fact, exercising the stomach muscles is a key part of most fitness programs. It’s a great idea to find out a good routine if so much energy and time will be centered on this group of muscles. There are a plethora of exercise resources available to help you find the best stomach exercises, and tons of people all seem to be giving one opinion or the other about which exercises give the best results. So how do you decide what stomach exercises are right for you?
Getting Started
First of all, it’s very important to be note that the best stomach exercises are the ones which a person is willing to do. Regardless of how successful an exercise has been for someone else, it takes your own personal commitment to them to get the full benefits from the workout. You also need to be aware that stomach exercises often do not require any special gear to do them, athough gym equipment and some machines have given excellent results to many people.
The best way to get started with stomach exercises is to include exercises that work the areas of the gut. When you decide on a workout regimen that includes abdominal exercises, you won’t get quick results if you only concentrate on a single area of the stomach.
Stomach Exercises
There are many different exercises to get a flat stomach. Some need equipment or machinery; others just require a bit of motivation, a floor, and some consistency. Sometimes, stomach exercises are even done unknowingly, while you’re exercising other groups of muscles, for example when doing Pilates.
The Crunch
There are a few basic techniques that give most people quick results. One of those exercises is the crunch. Crunches are much better for your body than sit-ups because they don’t strain your back so much. You can perform a crunch by simply lying on your back, then raising your upper body a few inches from the floor, just enough for you to start feeling a strain on your stomach muscles. The whole idea of crunches is to make sure it’s your stomach doing all the work, not your arms or head. While performing a crunch, it’s important to keep your whole body straight. Try not to lift your head any more than you elevate your back and shoulders. To find out more about performing crunches, you can look for videos on the internet that you can watch while doing your stomach exercises.
Side Crunch
Another good stomach exercise which you can do in combination with the crunch is a side crunch which works your oblique, or as most people call it, the ‘love handles.’ The side crunch is performed in a similar fashion as the crunch, the only difference being that you twist your body slightly to one side. To get a more detailed explanation of how to properly do side crunches please see the image below.
Core Strengthening
Another fantastic exercise said to be among the best stomach exercises by experts is core strengthening. One simple core strengthening exercise you can do involves lying down flat on your belly, keeping your leg straight and then lifting up your body with your arms while they are clasped together and keeping your body in the same way as when you do a push-up. Hold this position. This is a great way to strengthen the entire stomach.
After working on your midsection and sides, you need to include several additional exercises to exercising the entire stomach, which includes both the lower and upper sections. It will do you no good if you only concentrate on a specific set of stomach muscles.(For example, people that train only to get stronger abs) There are lots of resources out there where you can find great exercises to get a flat belly including the web, workout videos, bookstore or even a library. In fact, there are so many options available that you might have a hard time deciding which particular exercises you’d like to focus on for your own tummy-trimming regimen.
Pilate’s Workout
Many people say the best and most effective stomach exercise you can do is a Pilate’s workout, and it’s totally understandable! This is because when doing Pilate’s, your primary focus is on the core muscles – your abdominal or stomach muscles. Pilate’s exercises are an excellent choice for your stomach workout because all the body movements in a Pilate’s workout will affect your stomach muscles directly or indirectly. You can find many great Pilate’s techniques on YouTube and other sports social media channels. It’s an intense workout technique that you should do ideally at the end of your training so you don’t find yourself too tired to do other exercises.
Find out what works for you
I’d advise that you try out several separate exercises to see which works for you and gives you visible results in the shortest possible time. Because our bodies are different, they respond to exercises differently. (Exercises that gave your friend rapid results might not work so fast for you!) Also, some exercise might be more strenuous for certain people because of their build. Experience level is also a factor because someone who has maintained a steady belly workout routine for years will find it much easier to do certain exercises than a beginner. In the beginning, it’s a good idea to just focus one two one moves instead of multiple movements in one training session.
Consistency is Key
While some activities to help you get a flatter stomach may work faster than others, exercise will only yield lasting results if they are properly done and performed regularly. You’ll need to first decide what types of stomach exercises you’re capable of doing for extended periods of time and stick with it throughout your workout program till you start to see the results. If you choose an exercise that is too complicated, time-consuming or those that can only be done using some special equipment, you’ll probably not be able to commit to it long term. Find the right set of exercises for your goals and stick to them!
