1. The Exercise Ball Beginner’s Crunch
Start sitting upright on top of the inflatable exercise ball, feet flat on the floor, knees in line with your hips. From this position, inhale, engage your abs and lean back so that your body is behind the vertical; take care that you use your stomach muscles here and not those supporting your lower back. Hold for a few seconds before returning to the upright position. Do 3 sets of 12 reps.
2. The Basic Bicycle
While the average crunch focuses on the top of your abs, this one will work the hard-to-reach lower portion as well. Lie on you back with your shoulders, hips and pelvis in neutral position. Place your hands behind your head, ready to crunch. Engage you abs (not your back!) and bring your knees up to around 45 degrees. Slowly begin to pedal with your feet, as you would a bicycle and, at the same time, bring your elbow up to meet the opposite knee (right elbow touches left knee, then left elbow touches right knee). Continue through 1 -3 sets, each of 12 – 16 reps.
3. The Oblique Crunch
This manoeuvre alters the ordinary ‘sit-up’ so that it targets the oblique muscles for a narrower, more defined waistline. Lie flat on your back, body in neutral, knees bent and feet in line with your hips. Drop your knees to one side, keeping your shoulders and upper back in contact with the floor. Place hands behind your head and bring your shoulders up taking care that you’re completing the movement using your abdominal muscles and not compensating with any others. Hold the crunch for a few seconds and return to neutral keeping your knees on the floor; do 6-8 reps like this before switching to the other side. Continue through 1-3 sets.
4. The Face-Down Knee Lift
This is a great, effective exercise, and a refreshing alternative to the conventional crunch. It’s important to get the technique right; don’t be tempted to cheat and punch your butt into the air. Get onto the floor as if you’re about to do a series of push ups; hands beneath your shoulders, neck in neutral, balanced on your toes. Keeping your abs firm and your hips completely flat, bring one knee up to your chest, hold for a couple of seconds and return to the original position. Do about 12-16 reps, alternating knees, through 1-3 sets.
5. The Exercise Ball Lift
This is another great way to work out your lower abs. The more ‘stops’ you introduce on your way up and down with the ball, the more challenging the exercise becomes. Lie with flat on the floor with the exercise ball between your feet. With your shoulders and neck still in neutral, lift your feet and grip the ball. Slowly raise the ball into the air and hold just as your legs approach the vertical. Just as slowly, lower the ball back to the floor, without letting go. As usual, do between 1 and 3 sets of 12-16 reps each.
6. The Plank
This is a straightforward strength exercise which works the entire front of your midsection. Arrange yourself sideways on the floor so that you’re balancing on your locked arm and the side foot, facing out in front you. Keep your hips raised as high as you can off the ground and simply hold the position for half a minute; repeat once on the other side.
7. The Ball Roll
Rest your feet on an exercise ball and place your hands directly below your shoulders as if you’re about to do a push up. Keep your abs engaged and your back straight. Maintaining control of the ball, slowly draw both of your knees up to your chest (or as close as you can get them) before, equally as slowly, returning your starting position with your legs straight. Do between 1 and 3 sets of 12 -16 reps.
For the best results, you’ll need to combine this set of moves with a regular cardio training routine, and a balanced, healthy diet; this way, you’ll shed excess weight and tone up, all at the same time. That concludes my list of 7 exercises for losing stomach fat fast; do you have any suggestions of your own to make?
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