You can do many flat stomach exercises to lose belly fat, gain muscle and sculpt your abs.
To lose belly fat in a week and get a small waist refers to a toned and slender abdominal area. This can be achieved by a combination of healthy eating habits, regular exercise and flat stomach exercises.
Best Flat Stomach Exercises to Lose Belly Fat in a Week
Want to get your tummy in shape fast? Try this at-home flat stomach exercise program for women to lose belly fat and tone your abs quickly. Flat stomach exercise for beginners may vary in intensity. Hiit Workout brings you these 9 best flat stomach exercises to lose belly fat in a week and get a small waist:
1. Sit up
Target muscles: Rectus abdominis + pyramidal muscles.
- Lie on back with hands behind head. Legs are off floor. Thighs and calves should form a right angle.
- Tense your abdomen and, while exhaling, lift your entire upper body in a controlled manner and without momentum towards your knees until it forms a vertical line.
- Hold this position for a moment.
- Inhale and let your upper body fall back down without letting your shoulders drop completely.
- 3 sets of 20 reps
2. Plank
Target muscles: Whole core.
- Get on all fours and place hands on forearms. Keep elbows square just below shoulders.
- Extend legs one behind the other and place feet close together.
- Look down and keep your head in line with your spine.
- Tighten your stomach and hold a stable line without arching your back.
- Hold 3 x 20 seconds
3. Candlestick Exercise
Target muscles: Rectus abdominis + pyramidal muscles.
- Lie on your back and stretch your arms alongside your torso. Legs are stretched out and closed.
- Lift your entire torso off the floor up to your shoulder blades. Weight is on the shoulders.
- Raise your legs until they are perpendicular to the ceiling. Arms remain firmly on the mat.
- Tighten your stomach and hold the position for 3 seconds.
- Lower your legs back down to just before the floor.
- 3 sets of 10-12 reps
3. Criss Cross
Target muscles: Rectus abdominis + obliques + pyramids.
- Lie on back with legs extended. Arms are flexed and hands are behind head.
- Raise your shoulder blades and legs off the mat.
- As you exhale, bring your right elbow and left knee together. Right leg remains straight in the air. The upper body is bent in the shape of a cross.
- Inhale and lower your torso and bent leg back to the starting position without lifting them completely.
- Switch sides on next exhalation.
- 3 sets of 15 repetitions on each side
5. Scissors
Target muscles: Upper, Middle + Lower Rectus Abdominis.
- Lie on back with arms down and close to torso. Raise head slightly off mat and look up at ceiling.
- Lift your straight legs slightly off the floor and squeeze your abs.
- Raise your left leg toward the ceiling and cross it over your right leg. Switch sides quickly.
- 3 sets of 20 seconds each
6. Standing Diagonal Crunch
Target muscles: Whole abdominals + Improve coordination and balance.
- Stand with feet hip width apart and squat slightly.
- Place your hands behind your neck and point your elbows outward.
- As you exhale, stand up and lift your right leg. Bring it to your left elbow and twist your torso diagonally.
- Lower your leg and straighten your torso. Return to starting position and switch sides.
- 3 sets of 15 repetitions on each side
7. Ball Crunch
Target muscles: Rectus Abdominis + Hip Flexors.
- Lie on ball and roll forward into push-up position.
- Place lower legs on ball and extend arms vertically below shoulders.
- Belly is tensed and head is in line with spine.
- As you exhale, bend your knees right-angled and roll the fitness ball to your elbows in a controlled manner.
- Hold the flexed position briefly.
- On inhalation, straighten legs to return to starting position.
- 3 sets of 10 reps
8. Lateral raises
Target muscles: Rectus Abdominis and Obliques + Core.
- Lie on ball with torso to the side.
- Legs are straight and stance up. Place hands behind back of neck with elbows pointing out. Tense your abdomen.
- As you exhale, straighten the torso and bend it slightly to the side. Only the abdomen rests on the ball.
- As you inhale, slowly lower your torso back down.
- 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each side – switch sides
9. Folding Knife
Target muscles: Rectus Abdominis + Core.
- Lie supine with legs flexed and raised. Hold ball behind head with arms straight.
- As you exhale, raise your shoulders off the floor and simultaneously raise your legs. Place the ball between your straight legs.
- Holding the ball between your lower legs, lower your legs and arms back to the starting position.
- Then straighten legs and arms again and return ball to arms.
- 3 sets of 10 reps
Share these stomach exercises with your friends. They’ll thank you later when they get a flat stomach!