Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, has been linked to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. Once you lose those pounds and flatten your belly, you’ll be able to move better and feel healthier. Start training for it with the following 7 ab exercises that will work every muscle in your body.
First of all, you should know that these exercises can be done either in the gym or at home. The idea is that you can train your belly in a simple way with no need for any sports equipment.
Let’s get started!
1- Leg extension abs, legs
Lie on your back on the mat with your legs extended over your hips and arms up. Lift upward and try to reach your hands down to your feet.
Keep your legs straight and bring your arms back as you lower your upper back and move your left leg toward the floor.
Move up, lifting your left leg over your hips. Switch legs and repeat. Do 20 repetitions, switching sides.
2- Lateral Crunch
The side crunch is one of the best exercises for abs and maintaining a flat stomach because it is a relatively simple movement that you can perform without complications.
Muscles: Obliques and legs.
Stand on your left leg, with your left arm extended out to the side at shoulder height and lift your foot a few inches off the ground to the side.
Place your right hand behind your head, with your elbow bent to the side of your shoulder, then lift your right knee toward your right elbow.
Do 15 repetitions. Switch sides and repeat.
3- Knee extension
Muscles: chest and ab.
Lie on your back on a mat. Bend your knees 90 degrees over your hips, holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended across your chest and palms facing you.
With your right knee bent, straighten your left leg toward the floor while lowering your arms out to the sides. Hold in this position for 2 seconds and repeat.
Do 10 repetitions and switch legs.
4- Raised knees with upper press
Muscles: Shoulders, abs and glutes.
Sit on a mat with knees bent and feet flat on the floor and keep elbows at your sides with palms facing in.
Lean back slightly and extend your arms overhead while lifting your feet a few inches off the floor and lifting your knees toward your chest.
Hold the position for 1 to 3 seconds and start over. Complete 15 repetitions.
5- Lunge and twist
Muscles: Abdominal, buttocks and legs.
Stand with your feet together and swing your left leg back, bend your knees 90 degrees and move your left hand with your right foot.
Stand up and raise the left knee in front of you to hip height and bring the fists to the chest, bending the elbows out to the sides as you turn the left. Pivot to center, swing left leg back and repeat.
Perform 15 repetitions. Switch sides and repeat.
6- Hollow body hold
Muscles: abs.
Lie down pressing your lower back into the floor. Twist at the hips to draw your knees into your chest while also lifting your shoulders off the floor, reaching forward with your arms.
Extend your legs and hold them in that position, stretching your arms back behind your head and squeezing your core to maintain your posture.
If you are a beginner, keep your arms pointing forward to make the movement less difficult. Hold the position for 30 seconds to start, then build up to one minute.
7- Burpee
The burpee is one of the best exercises for abs and getting a flat stomach. This move, which involves doing a push-up and a jump and then going back to the push-up, strengthens all the muscles in your body.
Muscles: All muscles.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body to rest your palms on the floor about shoulder-width apart.
Move your legs back to the push-up position, perform a push-up, then quickly reverse the motion and do a jump to return to the starting position.
