10 abs workout exercises for a flat stomach

The stomach is usually the first feature people check to track their progress, always aiming for a firm and flat belly. While genetics play a key role and not everyone is blessed with a six-pack, there are little changes that everyone can do to get a great look with a flat stomach.

What are the 4 layers of abdominal muscles?

Most people train their abs and core muscles to look good, always trying to get that checkered belly ready for beach season, but what most people seem to forget is the role of these muscles in their health and their bodies. The abdominal muscles are highly important as they support the trunk and regulate the internal abdominal pressure over the organs, protecting them and keeping them in place. They also keep the body stable and protect your spine during everyday movements.

There are 4 abdominal muscle groups:

• Transversus abdominis: This is the deepest muscle tissue layer. It stabilizes the trunk and maintains that internal abdominal pressure. These can be worked out with medicine ball twists, plank holds, sit-ups and heel touches.

• Rectus abdominis: This group goes between your pelvis and the ribs. These muscles are usually what seen as a six-pack, forming tight squares when contracted (if the body fat percentage allows them to be seen). Their job is to move the body between the ribcage and the pelvis. The rectus abdominis is trained with different variations of crunches.

• External oblique muscles: They are placed on each side of the rectus abdominis and allow the trunk to twist to the opposite direction, meaning that if the left external oblique muscles contract, your body will twist to the right. Easily trained with side planks, oblique crunches or Russian twists.

• Internal oblique muscles: Located inside the hipbones, these work on their respective side, complimenting the work of the external oblique muscles. Continuing the previous example, to twist your body to the right, the left external muscle will be engaged, together with your right internal oblique. Bicycle crunches, side crunches, twists and planks are good exercises for this muscle group.

Tips to lose belly fat

Losing your belly fat isn’t just a matter of the exercises you do, but a result of your overall lifestyle. Here are some of the most important tips to lose the extra belly fat covering your abs.

Review your diet:

Diet is definitely necessary for a flat stomach. To be abe to lose weight it is needed to be on a calorie deficit, which is achieved when the body is consuming less calories than the amount it is spending. When you are in a calorie deficit, your body needs to use the fat stored as a source of energy, therefore lowering your body fat percentage and making that six-pack more visible.

Consume more protein:

A protein-rich diet is very effective when you want to lose weight and thanks to its energy content and slower absorption, repeatedly consuming protein will keep you satiated for a longer period of time, while keeping your muscles from being consumed by your body as a source of energy during a diet. Also, building muscle is a great way to burn calories, as muscles require energy to function.

Drink a lot of water:

• Studies have shown that drinking 500 ml of water can temporarily boost your metabolism by 25-30%, being of great help to burn fat. Also, keeping your organs hydrated will help them work properly and let your body perform properly during high intensity workouts. Although it has never been confirmed, the 8×8 rule is a useful guideline on how much water to drink per day: 8 glasses of 8 oz(around 2 liters).

• Work on your core:

• Let’s clear something up, there is not such way as localized fat burning; there is no rule saying that to burn belly fat you should do abdominal exercises. Doing ab workouts will help them grow and be muscular, but they won’t be visible if they are covered in subcutaneous fat. But fortunately, there are plenty of core workouts that keep your heart rate faster and support overall fat burning, reducing your total body fat percentage.

• Take supplements that enable your body to burn fat faster:

• L-Carnitine 100.000: Delivers 2000 mg of L-Carnitine per serving in highly dosed liquid form. It is enriched with vitamins: vitamin B1 promotes the normal function of the heart while vitamins B3, B5, B6 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal energy-yielding mechanism.
• Thermo Drine: Thermo Drine contains thermogenic ingredients such as caffeine and it also contains L-carnitine, which is an important component of the fatty acid transport system. Its chromium content helps maintain normal blood sugar levels, and it has a fortified HCA content, which is one of the key players in dietary supplements for those who want to lose weight. We also added green tea extract, which has been considered a metabolic-improving elixir in Chinese folk tradition for more than four thousand years.
• Super Lipo: Lipotropic weight control formula with choline, added amino acids and L-Carnitine. One of the most popular lipotropic weight control formulas we have. It’s a complex that consists of 14 components, in which we combined the vitamins and minerals needed for the normal metabolism of carbohydrates as well as HCA, CLA and green tea extract.

Why is a strong core so important?

Core workouts are not just to show off your six-pack at the beach. These are an essential part of any well-through training plan, although they are often neglected, as people will usually focus on their “show-off” muscles like chest and arms, without knowing the huge mistake they are making by ignoring such important muscles.

Core workouts improve your balance and stability, tone your abdomen, protect your internal organs and keep your trunk in great shape to perform any major movement done by the body; just something as simple as walking, is supported by your core muscles. Strong core muscles make it easier to do most physical movements so, if you are hitting the gym hard to grow muscles and stay fit, you’ll definitely need a strong core that support you on every exercise!

 

Top 10 abs workout for a flat stomach

Adding a couple of core exercises to each of your workouts is enough for you to constantly keep your abs tight and toned, with all of their muscle groups being trained. Here is an example of exercises you can do on a 3-day workout plan:

Day 1:

• Plank: Strengthen the center of the body, keep your glutes contracted, the pelvis tight and the back straight. Hold for at least 30 seconds, then 1 minute.

• Swiss ball crunch: 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions. Lie on the fit ball. Lift your torso with your arms behind your head. You don’t have to sit down, just a short range with a contracted abdomen. Slowly lie down again and repeat.

• Leg raise: 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions. Lay on your back with your hands outstretched, your palms under your glutes. Keeping your legs straight, raise them making sure to keep your lower back touching the ground, then return to the initial position.

• Side plank oblique crunch: 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions on each side, alternating them. An exercise similar to a plank, but this time you are planking leaning on your elbow, and contracting the obliques.

Day 2:

• TRX Pike: Put yourself in pushup position and insert your feet into the TRX straps. Lift your hips up keeping your legs outstretched, then go back to the starting position and do it again, for as many repetitions as possible in 30-50 seconds.

• Swiss ball oblique crunch: 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions on each side. You put yourself on the same position mentioned for regular Swiss ball crunches, but this time instead of lifting your torso upwards, you twist your torso to one side during one rep and to the other side on the next rep.

• Bicycle crunches: 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions on each side. Lie on your back and keep your hands behind your head, knees bent with your feet touching the ground. Pull our left elbow upwards to the right knee, while your knee also comes up to form a 90 degree with the floor. Go back and do the same movement with the other side.

Day 3:

• Cable kneeling crunch: 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions. Place a rope at the middle of a cable machine. Kneel facing the machine, grab the rope and bring it closer to your head with each hand on each side of your head. Then contracting your abdomen trying to get your chest closer to your knees.

• BOSU bicycle crunch: 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions on each side. An exercise similar to a bicycle on a flat surface. However, lay on a BOSU ball and try to keep your balance while performing the bicycle movement.

• Hanging leg raise: 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions. Hang from a bar. By tightening the abdominal muscles, lift your straight or bent legs to a perpendicular position with the floor. Slowly lower your legs down and repeat.