Tone and Tighten Exercises for the Abs

People want to have a toned abs, not only for summer, but also for their overall state of health and wellness. Some people go to aerobics classes while some people go to the gym and perform abdominal exercises themselves. Here are some exercises one can do to tone and tighten his abdominal muscles.

According to CTV News, toning and tightening one’s abdominal muscles can be started with sit-ups, as it highly helps strengthen the core muscles. To start, the person should lie flat on his back, with knees bent and heels flat. They should be drawn as close as possible to the buttocks. Then, the fingertips are placed behind the ears while aligning the arms and shoulders. Also, the head should be at rest on the mat or towel while looking upwards. According to the publication sit-up exercises requires raising the upper body by flexing the abdominal muscles as far as possible. It should be noted that one should breathe out as he sits up and breathe in as he lies down. A recommended practice is to do five sets of fifteen sit-ups with a 45-second rest between each set.

A lot of people concentrate on their abdominal muscles during their training, setting aside the neighboring muscles of the abs, the oblique muscles, according to Bodybuilding. As per the publication, the obliques act as stabilizers of the core and they are involved in almost every compound lifting movements and physical activities, so it is vital that their strength is maintained. Plate twists is one of the exercises for toning the oblique muscles. To start, the person lies down on the floor or mat with the legs fully extended and the upper body upright. The plate is grabbed by its sides with both hands in front of the abdominals with the arms slightly bent. Then, the legs are crossed near the ankles and are lifted up off the ground. It should be noted that the knees are also slightly bent and the upper body should be moved back slightly to help maintain balance when turning. The plate is then moved to the left side, touching the floor with it. It is important to breathe out as the movement is performed. Then, the person breathes in while coming back to the starting position and the movement is repeated to the right side of the body. For safety, movements should be one slowly, as jerking movements can injure the back.

Another exercise to tone the abdominals is side planking. This contributes to the improvement of the abdominal muscles by tightening the lateral muscles. According to Muscle and Fitness, the side plank enhances the stability of the spine, the core, and the upper body, with focus on the obliques as well. To start, the person lies on one side with the legs stacked and fully extended. Then, using the elbow and forearm, the body is propped up, ensuring that the abs are tight the entire frame. It should be noted that the body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles.

Rotational side planks help define one’s waist by pushing the core to become stable while in a dynamic movement, according to Shape. This is done by starting on the floor in side plank position, body balancing on the left palm and sides of the feet. The right foot is staggered in front of the left foot. Then, the right elbow is bent and palm is placed behind the ear. After that, the torso is rotated to bring right elbow up and touch the inside of left elbow. Then the position is reversed to starting position to switch sides and repeat. The slower the execution, the more workload the abs have to do, according to the publication.

Along with the aforementioned exercises for the abdominal muscles, one can achieve the toned and defined abs that he wants with proper nutrition, adequate sleep and rest, right attitude and discipline.

 

 

 

 

 

Source: chatelaine.com

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