Tummy Friendly Exercises

If you want to tighten or flatten your stomach or abs, here are some terrific exercises that will help.

Here’s a routine you may be familiar with:  First lie down on your back on a floor mat.  Bend the knees and place your feet flat on the mat.  Put your hands behind your head and rise up slowly.  Wait a few seconds; then slowly lie back down.  Repeat this 10 times.  That hold will really cause a burn in your abs.  If you feel pain in your back or neck, stop.

Here is another exercise to strengthen the ab muscles.  Sit on a mat on the floor and bend your knees.  Place your feet flat on the floor. Now take your left arm and reach up for the ceiling 15 times and visa versa with the right arm.  Keep your head inline with your spine as much as possible.  You do not want to strain your neck.  As noted earlier, if you feel any discomfort, stop.

The last routine is focused more on lower abs.  Lay flat on your back with legs straight out.  You can put your hands behind your back to support your spine.  Now slowly raise your feet to straight in the air.  Slowly lower them to a slight hover above the ground, never touching your feet to the ground.  Repeat 10+ times.  If you have lower back issues, start with fewer reps until you have built up some more endurance.

While there are a myriad of exercises to firm up the stomach and flatten the abs, these are just three of the many exercises you can try.  Whether you belong to a gym, or are beginning to focus in on one area of your body, you can achieve a successful result if you stay with it and ensure you use every precaution to avoid injury.