Many people want to spot shrink their problem areas such as their stomach fat. If you are looking for stomach exercises to lose belly fat, understand that doing these alone won’t help if you are overweight. There is no such thing as spot reduction 1, and you have to lose weight and body fat overall 2 to accomplish your goal of a flat, trim stomach.
Nevertheless, these abdominal exercises can help you improve your performance in other workout routines and give your stomach muscles definition after you’ve lost weight overall. These are:
- Push-ups and pull-ups
- Jump Roping
- Scissors Pull-Back
- Plank Swipe
- The Matrix
Push-ups and pull-ups
These exercises work just as hard on your hips to stabilize your body as you move as the muscles actually doing the pushing and pulling, such as your back, chest, and shoulders. In addition, push ups and pull ups also burn calories than doing isolated back or chest routines, and give your abdominal muscles more workout than doing the bench or seated rows.
Jump Roping
Jump rope exercises do not target the stomach muscles specifically. However, they are a great abdominal exercise as you use your abdominal muscles to balance your whole body while jumping. The rectus abdominis, which is your six-pack muscle, absorbs shock that is generated while you bounce up and down like a spring, according to physical therapist Gray Cook, author of the book “Athletic Body in Balance.”
Scissors Pull-Back
This routine targets your abdominals (i.e., the “six pack”) and obliques (the waist). Sit with knees bent, legs together, arms at shoulder level in front of you. Engage your abs and lean back while lifting your feet off the floor so that your body makes a “V” shape. Extend your right leg out and rotate your torso to the left, tapping your left elbow to the mat. Return to the starting position and switch sides. Do a total of 16 reps, alternating sides.
Plank Swipe
Go to a full push-up position (plank). Put your hands under your shoulders and extend your legs out. Then lift and stack your right foot on top of your left foot. As you keep your back and legs straight and your abdominal muscles engaged, kick your right leg out to your side and then get it back to the stacked position. Do 6 reps, then switch legs and repeat the process.
The Matrix
Grab a five- to 10-pound weighted ball (also called a medicine ball). Get down to the floor on your knees with your knees set hip-width apart while holding the ball. Straighten your spine and press the ball into your stomach. Then, slowly lean back as far as you can while keeping your knees in contact with the floor. Hold this position for about 3 seconds, then use your abdominal muscles to slowly come up to the starting position. Do 15 reps. This routine will help melt belly fat and works your abdominals, back, and quad muscles.
For videos, take a look at these posts:
Sources:
- http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Myths.html
- http://dornsife.usc.edu/phed/news/FAQ.cfm