Abdominal Exercises for Women - 4 Simple Ways to Flatten Your Stomach
So you want a nice abdominal profile? Don’t worry, ladies! Here are some simple and effective techniques that’ll help you ladies get that great shape you’ve always wanted!
To get the most benefit from these great exercises you’ll have to understand a bit of physiology first! The abdomen gets it shape, that is, taut or flabby, from a triple-layer of muscles: the rectus abdominis (on the surface), the obliques (in the middle), and the transversis abdominis (innermost).
The muscles of the pelvic floor support the internal organs. If these muscles are weak then the organs begin to bulge and sag. It’s just a matter of good luck that exercising the transversis also exercises the pelvic floor muscles. Having a baby results in a lot of strain on this set of muscles. So ladies who have just had a baby should especially exercise this set of muscles. The Kegel exercises are designed to tone this pair of muscles. However most people do not do these exercises correctly, and consequently they are fairly ineffective.
The lesson in physiology being over, let’s get started on these real simple, effective and safe set of four exercises.
Abdominal Respiration
The object of this exercise is to exercise the abdominal muscles by simply breathing! That’s right! Take a nice comfortably deep breath! But, use abdominal breathing. Meaning, consciously focus on your diaphragm and force it downwards. Do not move your ribcage outwards, or your shoulders upwards. Hold the breath in your lungs for a long moment, then let it out again, normally. When you feel that all the breath is out of your lungs, bear down on your abdominal muscles to push the diaphragm upwards into the lungs, forcing all the residual air out of your lungs. Remember, the ribcage nor the shoulders must move! Do this as part of your routine.
Advanced Abdominal Respiration
Lie supine on the floor. Reach your hands out to hold the back of your legs, elbows bent outwards. Only use the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm in this exercise. Breathe in as before. When you let your breath out, try to make your belly button touch your spine.
Baby Curls
Lie supine. Without any other support gently exercise pressure on the abdominal muscles to curl yourself forward, performing what is known as a crunch. Don’t try to use the muscles of your head, or neck, or upper body to perform the crunch. You should experience very little or no discomfort. If you’re comfortable doing this exercise then repeat it daily. If you find yourself straining too much, if your tummy starts bunching up in the middle, then stop! Go back to the first two exercise and build yourself up before attempting this one!
Elbow Lifts
Lie on your right side. Keep your body straight and stiff from head to foot. Use your right elbow to push your body up off the floor. Your right forearm should be lying on the floor. Make sure that your body is in a straight line, at an angle to the floor. This is a must! Hold the position for ten to fifteen seconds. Now repeat the exercise, lying on your left side.
Abdominal Respiration, Advanced Abdominal Respiration, Baby Curls, and Elbow Lifts, these are the four exercises that will get all you ladies into shape. Just remember two things: Don’t overdo it! Be regular in exercising! See you soon in those jeans that you thought you’d never be able to fit into again!
To get the most benefit from these great exercises you’ll have to understand a bit of physiology first! The abdomen gets it shape, that is, taut or flabby, from a triple-layer of muscles: the rectus abdominis (on the surface), the obliques (in the middle), and the transversis abdominis (innermost).
The muscles of the pelvic floor support the internal organs. If these muscles are weak then the organs begin to bulge and sag. It’s just a matter of good luck that exercising the transversis also exercises the pelvic floor muscles. Having a baby results in a lot of strain on this set of muscles. So ladies who have just had a baby should especially exercise this set of muscles. The Kegel exercises are designed to tone this pair of muscles. However most people do not do these exercises correctly, and consequently they are fairly ineffective.
The lesson in physiology being over, let’s get started on these real simple, effective and safe set of four exercises.
Abdominal Respiration
The object of this exercise is to exercise the abdominal muscles by simply breathing! That’s right! Take a nice comfortably deep breath! But, use abdominal breathing. Meaning, consciously focus on your diaphragm and force it downwards. Do not move your ribcage outwards, or your shoulders upwards. Hold the breath in your lungs for a long moment, then let it out again, normally. When you feel that all the breath is out of your lungs, bear down on your abdominal muscles to push the diaphragm upwards into the lungs, forcing all the residual air out of your lungs. Remember, the ribcage nor the shoulders must move! Do this as part of your routine.
Advanced Abdominal Respiration
Lie supine on the floor. Reach your hands out to hold the back of your legs, elbows bent outwards. Only use the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm in this exercise. Breathe in as before. When you let your breath out, try to make your belly button touch your spine.
Baby Curls
Lie supine. Without any other support gently exercise pressure on the abdominal muscles to curl yourself forward, performing what is known as a crunch. Don’t try to use the muscles of your head, or neck, or upper body to perform the crunch. You should experience very little or no discomfort. If you’re comfortable doing this exercise then repeat it daily. If you find yourself straining too much, if your tummy starts bunching up in the middle, then stop! Go back to the first two exercise and build yourself up before attempting this one!
Elbow Lifts
Lie on your right side. Keep your body straight and stiff from head to foot. Use your right elbow to push your body up off the floor. Your right forearm should be lying on the floor. Make sure that your body is in a straight line, at an angle to the floor. This is a must! Hold the position for ten to fifteen seconds. Now repeat the exercise, lying on your left side.
Abdominal Respiration, Advanced Abdominal Respiration, Baby Curls, and Elbow Lifts, these are the four exercises that will get all you ladies into shape. Just remember two things: Don’t overdo it! Be regular in exercising! See you soon in those jeans that you thought you’d never be able to fit into again!
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