Stomach fat is a major problem for a lot of people. It's so easy to accumulate and it's so hard to get rid of. Think of stomach fat like the deep end of a pool. When you're filling the pool up, the water flows to the deep end first. When you're draining the pool, the water in the deep end is the last to go. Well, for that analogy, the pool is your stomach and the water is the fat. So, in order to tone up stomach muscles and get rid of the surrounding layers of fat, there's a couple things you have to keep in mind.
You Can't Spot Reduce: Basically what that means is that you can't select a "problem area" and opt to lose fat off only that specific region. For fat to come off your stomach, it has to come off everywhere else as well. Performing exercises to tone up stomach muscles will help you in a sense. They're great for functionality and they're great for strengthening the abdominals and other surrounding muscle groups.
However, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, there's no point having well developed abs if they remain covered with a thick layer of belly fat. It takes more than simply performing exercises for your midsection to shed the fat from the area. What you really need to focus on is creating a calorie deficit. What that means is that you have to burn more calories than you ingest. This is accomplished through exercise (strategic calorie output) and your food intake (controlled calorie input).
And Speaking Of Exercise: The best exercises to stimulate fat loss are usually the exercises that most people avoid. They avoid them because they're hard and they take a lot of energy to perform. Well, simply put - the more energy an exercise takes to perform, the more calories it burns and ultimately, you'll end up losing more body fat because of it. These movements are usually compound, multi-joint exercises. For example: squats, lunges, pull ups, bench press etc.
But What About Exercises That Tone Up Stomach Muscles?
I know, I know - that's what you're here for. So, as to not disappoint, here are 3 of my personal favourite stomach toning exercises.
Exercises To Tone Up Stomach - Movement #1 = Medicine Ball Rotations
This is one of the absolute best core exercises because it's actually functional. In addition to working the abs and oblique's (love handle area), it works on the rotary strength of the core - which is very important. While seated in an upright position with your knees slightly bent and heels in contact with the ground, lean back just a little bit until you feet a contraction within your abdominals. Straighten your arms (with the medicine ball in your hands) and hold it over your chest. From here, the movement is easy to execute as all you will be doing is rotating your arms from side to side in a semi-circular motion.
Exercises To Tone Up Stomach - Movement #2 = Medicine Ball Crunch Toss
I love these medicine ball things. My core workouts just aren't the same without them. This exercise basically takes the traditional sit up exercise and super charges it! To perform the movement, you basically toss a medicine ball to your partner (who will be standing near your feet) as you sit upwards.
Exercises To Tone Up Stomach - Movement #3 = Leg Raises
No medicine ball required for this one although there are advanced variations where you could use one. Basically, to perform this exercise, you elevate your legs (keep them straight) while you're lying on your back. As you elevate your legs, you need to perform what's called a "pelvic tilt". Basically, you want to rotate your hips forward so that your bum comes off the floor as you elevate your legs and point your feet towards the ceiling.
You Can't Spot Reduce: Basically what that means is that you can't select a "problem area" and opt to lose fat off only that specific region. For fat to come off your stomach, it has to come off everywhere else as well. Performing exercises to tone up stomach muscles will help you in a sense. They're great for functionality and they're great for strengthening the abdominals and other surrounding muscle groups.
However, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, there's no point having well developed abs if they remain covered with a thick layer of belly fat. It takes more than simply performing exercises for your midsection to shed the fat from the area. What you really need to focus on is creating a calorie deficit. What that means is that you have to burn more calories than you ingest. This is accomplished through exercise (strategic calorie output) and your food intake (controlled calorie input).
And Speaking Of Exercise: The best exercises to stimulate fat loss are usually the exercises that most people avoid. They avoid them because they're hard and they take a lot of energy to perform. Well, simply put - the more energy an exercise takes to perform, the more calories it burns and ultimately, you'll end up losing more body fat because of it. These movements are usually compound, multi-joint exercises. For example: squats, lunges, pull ups, bench press etc.
But What About Exercises That Tone Up Stomach Muscles?
I know, I know - that's what you're here for. So, as to not disappoint, here are 3 of my personal favourite stomach toning exercises.
Exercises To Tone Up Stomach - Movement #1 = Medicine Ball Rotations
This is one of the absolute best core exercises because it's actually functional. In addition to working the abs and oblique's (love handle area), it works on the rotary strength of the core - which is very important. While seated in an upright position with your knees slightly bent and heels in contact with the ground, lean back just a little bit until you feet a contraction within your abdominals. Straighten your arms (with the medicine ball in your hands) and hold it over your chest. From here, the movement is easy to execute as all you will be doing is rotating your arms from side to side in a semi-circular motion.
Exercises To Tone Up Stomach - Movement #2 = Medicine Ball Crunch Toss
I love these medicine ball things. My core workouts just aren't the same without them. This exercise basically takes the traditional sit up exercise and super charges it! To perform the movement, you basically toss a medicine ball to your partner (who will be standing near your feet) as you sit upwards.
Exercises To Tone Up Stomach - Movement #3 = Leg Raises
No medicine ball required for this one although there are advanced variations where you could use one. Basically, to perform this exercise, you elevate your legs (keep them straight) while you're lying on your back. As you elevate your legs, you need to perform what's called a "pelvic tilt". Basically, you want to rotate your hips forward so that your bum comes off the floor as you elevate your legs and point your feet towards the ceiling.
If you're unsure how to perform any of these exercises correctly, well.. don't worry. Just click the link and visit the site below and you'll be redirected to an awesome site providing step by step instructions and video demonstrations of how to perform the movements..
Stomach Toning Exercises
Now here's where it gets good (and you get lucky!). For a very limited time, I'm giving away advanced copies of an awesome ebook & workout program package for free before it put it up for sale. There's no strings attached here. If you're lucky enough to get a copy while I'm running the promotion, then all I ask of you is that you follow the advice and actually make an honest effort to follow the program..
Fat Burning Techniques
If you do, your results will be payment enough.
Enjoy and good luck!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Forestell Stomach Toning Exercises
Now here's where it gets good (and you get lucky!). For a very limited time, I'm giving away advanced copies of an awesome ebook & workout program package for free before it put it up for sale. There's no strings attached here. If you're lucky enough to get a copy while I'm running the promotion, then all I ask of you is that you follow the advice and actually make an honest effort to follow the program..
Fat Burning Techniques
If you do, your results will be payment enough.
Enjoy and good luck!
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