Stomach exercises are an essential part of any fitness regime and for very good reason. Washboard abs, free of any fat deposits and chances of muffins tops do not merely add to good looks, but are also healthy. Along with a controlled diet and a generally healthy lifestyle doing exercises that specifically benefit the stomach area on a regular basis can be extremely useful.
Here are a few tips and ideas for stomach exercises that are sure to yield great results:
Stomach Crunches
This must be the most popular of all stomach exercises and certainly one of the most effective.
Lie down on the floor and fold your hands behind your back. You can also fold your hands on your chest. You can hold your legs straight against the ground. Now, lift your upper back gradually and as much as you can. Hold the position to a count of 10, resume your previous position and relax for a few seconds before repeating. Stomach crunches are harder than they look but with practise you will be able to do it faster and more efficiently.
Double Crunches
Double crunches are fairly similar to the basic stomach crunches, except for one difference.
Instead of positioning it flatly against the ground, kept your knees bent at a 45-degree angle. As you lift your upper back also lift your knees towards your chest bringing them as close as possible to each other. Count 10 and then relax before repeating the position.
Bicycle Crunches
Begin by lying on the floor with your hands behind your head.
Bend your legs at a 45-degree angle and bring your right knee towards your chest. As you bring up your knee, bend your left elbow forward to meet your knee. Hold the knee till a count of 5 and then resume earlier position. Repeat the procedure with your left knee and right elbow. While you bend one knee, make sure that the other knee remains unbent.
Plank
Begin by raising yourself to a pushup so that your body is in a straight line. Using your elbows, move lower on the ground gradually letting your forearms bear the weight of your body. As you bend lower, continue to hold your body straight and do not bend. Hold the position till a count of 20 and then relax.
Hip-Thigh Raise
Lie on your floor with one knee bent and other leg stretched out. Stretch your arms wide, palms stretched outward on the floor, palms up. Begin by slowly raising your hip forming a straight line from your outstretched legs to your shoulders. Hold the stance till a count of 10 and loosen up. Repeat for the other leg too.
Start with each exercise in a set of 15 repetitions, gradually increasing the number of sets. The tummy is one of the most difficult areas to tone and one must persevere for results. Done with dedication for a considerable period, these stomach exercises are sure to give you toned and fat-free abs.
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If only there was an easy way to achieve nice toned abs. It does take work to get rid of the fat that is covering our muscles. I like the way that you say that you have to persevere and that it also takes a considerable amount of time. There are no quick fixes.