Abs Workout
Posted on Dec 2nd 2009 10:21AM by Liz NeporentFiled Under: Fitness, All Workouts
Getting serious about toning up your belly means expanding your thinking. It's not just about your tummy; it's about your entire middle, or what experts refer to as "the core." If you really want to see big differences, you've got to work the entire core including the front, sides and back. Basic crunches, for example, are fine for working the upper, front ab muscles but don't do much for the obliques that wrap around the sides of your waist or the lower back muscles that anchor into your lower spine. A workout highlighting moves that target all core muscles, both individually and in tandem, creates a leaner, longer, stronger middle with a lot less effort than you've probably devoted to getting a flatter stomach in the past.
Checklist
- Cost: Zero (unless you want to splurge on an exercise mat).
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week.
- Location Limitations: Flat, padded surface.
- Special Equipment Required: None.
- Potential Pitfalls:
- Boredom Rating: N/A.
- Potential Injury Risk: Use good form and no worries.
- Level of Fitness Required: Beginner to advanced.
- Calories Burned: 40 calories in 5 minutes.
- Body Parts Worked: Abdominals, obliques, lower back.
- False Myths: That equipment is essential for flattening the tummy. The truth is that many of the most effective core moves require NO equipment.
