Abdominal training for a well-toned and flat stomach is part of every workout plan. Many exercises for a flat stomach also target the buttocks. Here you will find information about abdominal muscles and exercises for the abdomen.
Who does not dream of a flat stomach? Comparatively quickly you get trained thighs and a firm buttocks.
But abdominal muscle training is even more strenuous. For most women - including me, unfortunately - excess kilos are always deposited first on the abdomen and hips.
Whether it's a mini lifesaver or a proper paunch, both start with a small approach.
If you don't train regularly, it's goodbye flat stomach. The only thing that really helps are regular, effective abdominal muscle training and targeted exercises for the abdomen.
How to burn belly fat really works!
Everything you need to know about abs
Even if it is sometimes difficult to imagine: everyone has abs. Often they hide under a small layer of excess kilos. With targeted training, you can lure them out.
You'll find the abdominal muscles between your rib cage and your upper pelvic rim.
They run down the right and left sides of the body to the lumbar spine. Abdominal muscles allow the torso to tilt and rotate.
Abdominal muscles are divided into three groups
- Anterior abdominal wall muscles
- Lateral abdominal wall muscles
- Posterior or deep abdominal wall muscles
In front you will find the straight abdominal muscle. It can bend the upper body forward and also lift the front edge of the pelvis.
It is the counterpart of the spinal muscles and counteracts the hollow back.
Use the two oblique abdominal muscles to tilt and rotate your torso to the side.
Abdominal training helps to highlight these straight, oblique and transverse muscles. Very effective training creates the washboard abs that many desire.
If you work out less and not as hard, your midsection will be nicely sculpted and you'll get a flat stomach.
A trained and flat stomach is not only beautiful to look at.
Together with the back muscles, your abdominal muscles relieve and stabilize the spine and ensure an upright gait. Training the abdominal muscles should therefore go hand in hand with back training.
You can achieve a flat stomach not only with abdominal exercises. Nutrition also plays a very important role here. In our "Belly off training plan" you will find the best exercises for your flat stomach. We've also included a nutrition plan.
Take this 30 day abs challenge!
This is what you should pay attention to when training your abdominal muscles
If you want a firm belly, you can't avoid a change in diet.
Of course, gaining weight is always easier than losing it. Sorry for the bad news, but if you want to leave the belly line behind, you have to work on it with targeted abdominal training and diet.
The excess pounds on the belly are particularly tough and difficult to get under control. Discipline and stamina are required!
If you start with the abdominal muscle training, you should ban chocolate, cake and sweets from your diet - but a small piece in between is of course allowed.
A small piece as a reward after a hard workout helps to keep the motivation up - at least for me :)
This is helpful
The great thing about the exercises: They are pure bodyweight exercises. That means you don't need any expensive equipment. However, we would definitely recommend a few basics, such as a training mat!
Tips for your flat stomach
- little sweet
- little fat and carbohydrates
- plenty of protein - found in eggs, turkey, chicken, fish, cheese, vegetables and dairy products
- No ready meals
- drink a lot of water
Sounds time-consuming, doesn't it? But it's not so bad. Once you get used to it, you don't have to think about it much. There are numerous low-calorie foods.
These foods contain (almost) no calories!
Eight Attention: Eating only salad and fruit does not lead to the goal. In order to lose fat and, above all, to build up muscles, the body needs a lot of protein. Salad helps to lose fat, but that alone is not enough.
Short and sweet:
Flat stomach = body fat down + muscle mass up
You should supplement your abdominal exercises with sports such as cycling, jogging, swimming or walking - because at the beginning of the workout, the goal is to get rid of excess kilos, and the best way to do that is with a lot of exercise and fresh air.
How to calculate your body fat!
I write myself a training plan - that means that I align my free time with it. After work, the first thing is to train.
Only then do I go shopping and cook. The motto is: don't get distracted. And the easiest way is still to distract yourself.
Cooking for yourself is important because it's the only way to know what you're eating.
In many ready-made products there are huge amounts of fat, salt and sugar. So the training and strenuous exercise would be completely pointless.
Exercises for your abdominal muscles
You know sit-ups, right? That's a good start for your workout. But if you want to train your abdomen, you need to supplement sit-ups with other exercises.
There are numerous abdominal exercises that help you get a flat stomach. So there is plenty of variety. I've tested five exercises for you that, in addition to abdominal exercises, are also a great exercise for the buttocks.
Basically, these exercises at home is about properly tighten the abdominal muscles and do the exercises slowly. Doing the workout at full speed so that you can finish faster is, unfortunately, pointless.
Sit ups or crunches - What really makes sense?
With these tips it will certainly work
- Train slowly and tense the muscles at the same time
- Train the abdominal muscles no more than 2x per week
- Supplement training with running, cycling, walking, etc.
- Watch your diet
- Go through three to four exercises. Repeat each 8 times
- Increase the difficulty regularly
My top 5 exercises for the abdomen:
Warm up: Jumping jack |
easy 20 repetitions / 3 passes |
To get your muscles warmed up and ready for the ab workout, I recommend the jumping jack exercise.
To do this, stand up straight. Legs closed, arms to the body.
Then you jump up and spread your legs. At the same time, cross your arms above your head. Make sure that your arms are always stretched out.
Now jump back to the starting position and start again.
Abdominal exercises No. 1: Crunch |
medium 3 rounds of 10 repetitions |
The Crunch is the absolute classic. Probably because it is one of the most effective abdominal exercises.
Lie on your back and bend both legs. Press your heels firmly into the floor.
The arms are also bent. Place your palms on the back of your head so that your elbows point forward toward your legs.
And now it's getting strenuous: Tighten your abdomen and slowly roll your upper body upwards. The angle of the arms and the position of the hands are not changed.
Then slowly bend back and roll off onto the mat again.
If you can't do that, you can simply stretch your arms forward instead of behind your head. It's easier that way - I promise. After a little practice, you'll also be able to do it with bent arms.
Abdominal exercises No. 2: Planks |
medium 3 passes of 30 seconds each |
Planking trains your thighs, makes a firm butt, shapes the upper arms and also has a positive influence on your belly. An all-round program, so to speak.
Place your feet hip-width apart with your forearms directly under your shoulders. Now tighten your abdomen and hold the stretched position for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, take a 15-second break. Then repeat the exercise two more times.
Advanced users no longer support themselves on their elbows, but instead get into a push-up position. This makes the exercise a lot harder.
Abdominal exercises No. 3: Bicycle Crunches |
heavy 3 rounds of 10 repetitions |
Well, let's go for a ride on the bike. :)
Lie on your back, place your hands on the back of your head.
Lift both legs off the floor. Now pull the right knee to the left elbow. And change sides!
During the exercise, lift your shoulders off the mat. No leg ever touches the exercise mat.
Whoever manages more than 3 rounds of 10 repetitions each is a true champion!
Abdominal exercises No. 4: Side support |
medium 4 passes of 30 seconds each |
With side supports you train your butt, your arms and of course your belly. The exercise is also not as strenuous as the sit up earlier - I promise. With the side support you shape your oblique abdominal muscles and lower back.
Let's start on the left. Get into the side position and stretch your legs. Rest your right leg on the left. The tips of your feet are bent. Use your left arm to support yourself from the floor.
Tighten your abdomen and lift your pelvis. Your body remains straight throughout the exercise. Can you feel your side abs? Then you're doing it right!
Now change sides and start again from the beginning.
Abdominal Exercises No. 5: Back Stretch |
medium 3 passes of 30 seconds each |
Finally, work the middle abdominal muscles again. The back stretch will keep your abdomen flat and strengthen your back.
It is actually quite simple. Sit up straight and put your feet up. Make sure your back is straight.
Tighten your abdomen and lean back with your back straight. As far as you can. Stretch your legs firmly forward. Hold the position for 30 seconds.
Our conclusion
Abdominal muscle training belongs to the supreme discipline. Don't despair if you don't succeed at first. If you lack motivation, YouTube videos can work wonders.
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