Alright ladies… Summer is just around the corner and I feel a bit nervous about putting my bikini back on before I get my abs tightened up. So, what are the best beginner ab exercises for a sexy stomach?
This may not be what you want to hear, but you can do ab exercises until you are blue in the face, and you will not slim your flabby stomach. To really lose inches (fat) on your abs, you need to start with cardio, cardio, and more cardio. Sit-ups, my dear, are not what you need to be doing. Why start with cardio, you ask? When you do ab-specific exercises such as an ab crunch, several studies have concluded that you are not burning fat in your abs (ie. the spot reduction myth). You are strengthening the muscles in your abs and core, which is very important for sexy abs, but if you have a layer of fat on top of your ab muscles the only way to shrink it is with cardio (yes, diet is important too – but this article is just focusing on exercising).
Before you begin the ab exercises below, start out with some quality cardio and consider adding some sprinting to your cardio/ab workout. As with any exercise routine, stop immediately if you experience pain or unusual symptoms. Assuming you are in decent shape and healthy, start out by doing 3 sets of each of these ab exercises after your cardio, 4 times a week. It is generally accepted that abdominal muscles recover more quickly than other muscles in the body, so you may work them more often.
Ready to get some sexy, girly abs? Here what I consider the 3 best beginner ab exercises to get you looking your bikini best:
- V-Ups - To begin, lie on your back with your arms stretched overhead and your legs very slightly bent Using a slow and controlled motion, bring your arms and legs together over your waist, so that only your low back and butt are touching the floor. Hold for a couple seconds and roll back down to starting position. You may hold a medicine ball for extra resistance. Here’s a great little video with some variations of the v-up ab exercise:
- Plank – Not considered your typical ab exercise, but I dare you to hold this for 1 minute without shaking and your abs burning! I learned this great exercise in a yoga class, and heard it ranked as one of the top 10 ab exercises in a recent ACE study. For this one you’ll want to flop over onto your stomach, so that you are face down to the floor, with your palms resting on the floor as if you are about to do a push-up. Now, push up onto your toes and rest your forearms on the floor. Keep your back flat and straight throughout the exercise, and don’t stick your butt in the air (common problem)! Hold your abs muscles in without holding your breath and stay in this position for 20-60 seconds, or longer if you can…. you go girl! Slowly lower to starting position. For a visual of how to properly do a plank exercise, here’s a great video:
- Bicycle Crunches – An oldie, but a goodie, this exercise reminds me of leotards and leg warmers. The best part is it’s simple and effective. Simply lie flat on the floor and put your hands beside your head. Bring knees up to about 45 degree angle. Slowly move your legs like you are pedaling a bike, and touch your opposite elbow to your knee (ie. left knee, right elbow). Don’t forget to breathe girl, and you’ll be sporting some sexy abs in no time! Monitor Steps & Calories Burned With The BodyMedia FIT Armband – A Complete Fitness System From The Makers Of GoWear Fit!
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