(Newswire.net — March 19, 2014) —
What area of your body would you most like to see toned and trimmed? Most probably you would answer the stomach. The core, a collective term for the abdominal muscles, is composed of many muscles that are more or less interconnected to the rest of the muscle groups in the body. Targeting exercises to lose belly fat is aimed at working out the core to be able to achieve a flat, toned stomach.
Contrary to what most people think and practice, abdominal crunches, or the repeated curling of the abdominal muscles as the upper body is lifted off the floor, are not the single-most effective exercises to lose belly fat . Most people mistakenly believe that crunches particularly isolate the abdominal muscles, focusing on making them work out, and eventually giving them the flat stomach they’ve always dreamed of. Lou Schuler, author of the book The New Rules of Lifting for Abs, says that, exercises to lose belly fat should not focus on just the muscles on the front and sides of the abdomen. These are some of her recommended exercises to lose belly fat:
When practicing core-focused exercises like Pilates or yoga, remember to restrict the movement only from the waist. This will serve as the turning point for the rest of the body. If done properly, the person should be feeling a tightening from one hip to the other as he/she shifts weights back and forth. It is important to also be aware of the breathing in order for oxygen to properly circulate throughout the body. Of course, be conscious of the posture since the wrong body posture during a workout may strain the bones and make the workout ineffective.
While the traditional crunches may not be that effective in losing weight, this alternate and improved version of the crunches may just do the trick.
Here’s how it goes: sit while forming a V-shape with the thighs and torso but with the lower legs crossed and parallel to the floor.
While holding a five pound weight on one’s hands, turn the torso left to right while maintaining the V-shaped stance. Perform ten to twelve repetitions of this routine, switch limbs, and repeat.
This will not only strengthen the abdominal muscles but also work out the obliques and leg muscles as well.
Another simple exercises to lose belly fat is the bridge opposite arm-leg reach developed by fitness expert Jessica Smith: lie on a flat surface with the left knee bent and left foot flat on the floor and the right leg perpendicular to the floor, extended to the ceiling. Use the left arm to reach toward the ceiling while keeping the other arm down on the floor and then down to the floor in a big circular motion (the limbs on the left make a large half-circle on the left and vice versa). Continue doing ten to fifteen repetitions of this exercise a day and see unbelievable results.
For more information, watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2esvdJ3H154