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Easy Exercise Videos
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Simple Exercises to
Strengthen the Stomach Muscles
Below you will videos with instructions to simple ab exercises that will strengthen and tighten stomach muscles. Keep in mind that the stomach muscle exercises will not work well on their own. They should be combined with a total body workout, to achieve the best results.
Bridge-Ups
Courtesy of Sparkle People
Starting Position:
Begin seated on floor, knees bent, feet flat, arms bent with hands on floor below shoulders.
Action:
EXHALE: Straighten arms (don't lock elbows), allowing butt/hips to rise off of ground until your body from your head to your knees is in a straight line parallel to the floor. Hold for 2 counts..
INHALE: Return to starting position for one rep
Special Instructions:
Keep glutes squeezed and tailbone tucked in. Tighten abs to help straighten body. At highest position, knees should be bent at 90 degrees.
Muscles Worked:
Muscles Worked: Abs, Lower back, Shoulders
Begin seated on floor, knees bent, feet flat, arms bent with hands on floor below shoulders.
Action:
EXHALE: Straighten arms (don't lock elbows), allowing butt/hips to rise off of ground until your body from your head to your knees is in a straight line parallel to the floor. Hold for 2 counts..
INHALE: Return to starting position for one rep
Special Instructions:
Keep glutes squeezed and tailbone tucked in. Tighten abs to help straighten body. At highest position, knees should be bent at 90 degrees.
Muscles Worked:
Muscles Worked: Abs, Lower back, Shoulders
The Plank
Starting Position:
Begin this exercise by lying on your stomach with your forearms on the floor pointing straight forward, your feet together and your spine in a neutral position. Your feet should be touching or no more than an inch apart.
Action:
Lift your body up on your forearms and toes, keeping your body as straight as possible. Maintain this position for as long as possible and challenge yourself to longer periods in the plank position. Try to hold the position for 60 seconds in the beginning, working your way up in 30 second jumps until you can hold the position for 3 minutes or longer.
Special Instructions:
Don't let your hips/knees drop, your butt raise, or shift weight to one forearm.
Muscles Worked: Abs
Time Involved: 1 minute
Body Benefit: Abdominal strength and endurance; strong abs help alleviate lower back pain
Begin this exercise by lying on your stomach with your forearms on the floor pointing straight forward, your feet together and your spine in a neutral position. Your feet should be touching or no more than an inch apart.
Action:
Lift your body up on your forearms and toes, keeping your body as straight as possible. Maintain this position for as long as possible and challenge yourself to longer periods in the plank position. Try to hold the position for 60 seconds in the beginning, working your way up in 30 second jumps until you can hold the position for 3 minutes or longer.
Special Instructions:
Don't let your hips/knees drop, your butt raise, or shift weight to one forearm.
Muscles Worked: Abs
Time Involved: 1 minute
Body Benefit: Abdominal strength and endurance; strong abs help alleviate lower back pain
Reverse Lunges
Lunges work the quadriceps muscles, but they can be hard for people with knee problems. A reverse lunge still tones the right muscle groups but with less pressure on the knee.
Starting Position:
Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent and arms at your sides.
Action:
Take left leg and move it backwards until you are in a lunge position: front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and back leg extended until you are on the ball of your foot. From this position lower yourself down until the back knee almost touches the floor. Hold for a count of two and return to starting position.
Repeat with the same leg 5 times, then switch to the other leg..
Do 5 reps for each leg.
Special Instructions:
Hold in the stomach muscles and the glutes, while performing the exercise.
Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, abs and back muscles.
Time Involved: 1 minute
Starting Position:
Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent and arms at your sides.
Action:
Take left leg and move it backwards until you are in a lunge position: front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and back leg extended until you are on the ball of your foot. From this position lower yourself down until the back knee almost touches the floor. Hold for a count of two and return to starting position.
Repeat with the same leg 5 times, then switch to the other leg..
Do 5 reps for each leg.
Special Instructions:
Hold in the stomach muscles and the glutes, while performing the exercise.
Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, abs and back muscles.
Time Involved: 1 minute
Concentration Curls
Starting Position:
Begin seated on a bench or chair. Hold a dumbbell with an underhand grip, resting that elbow on the inner side of your thigh.
Action:
INHALE: Curl the dumbbell to your shoulder, keeping upper body still.
EXHALE: Lower the weight back down until your arm is straight but the elbow is not locked.
10 to 15 reps; 3 sets each side.
Special Instructions:
This is a great exercise if you have trouble keeping proper form on seated or standing curls. Suck in the stomach muscles while performing
Muscles Worked: Biceps
Time Involved: 3-4 minutes
Begin seated on a bench or chair. Hold a dumbbell with an underhand grip, resting that elbow on the inner side of your thigh.
Action:
INHALE: Curl the dumbbell to your shoulder, keeping upper body still.
EXHALE: Lower the weight back down until your arm is straight but the elbow is not locked.
10 to 15 reps; 3 sets each side.
Special Instructions:
This is a great exercise if you have trouble keeping proper form on seated or standing curls. Suck in the stomach muscles while performing
Muscles Worked: Biceps
Time Involved: 3-4 minutes