You need three things to get lean abs – resistance training, cardio, and clean dieting. I’m sure you’ve heard people say that you can’t out-workout a bad diet, and that is true! So before anything else, if you want a flat stomach, make sure to clean up your diet! After that, you need to incorporate cardio, core training, and total body resistance training in your workouts to make your abs show! So, if you want a flat stomach, keep reading, and I will give you the perfect workout to get rid of that jiggle!
In this workout you will work your entire core, which includes your rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques, and lower back. You must work all of these muscles to get a flat stomach! When you follow this workout, you will attack all of those muscles and then some!
So without further ado, here is my Flat Stomach Workout!
Instructions:
Do each of these exercises in a circuit. Only allow yourself 30-60 seconds of rest in between exercises – the faster you go, the more fat you’ll burn! Go through all 10 exercises and then repeat the whole thing 1 or 2 more times. The stronger you get, I want you taking shorter rests and doing this circuit 3 times!
Exercises:
- Cable Rotation (12 reps each side)
For this exercises you will need to use either cables or resistance bands. Start with a lighter resistance and then work up to something heavier. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and hold the handle of the cable or band in front of your chest. Your arms must be straight! Start the movement by rotating your torso away from the anchor point. Hold that twisted position for a moment and then take 4 counts to return back to your starting position. After you finish one side, move right into the other! Your obliques will really feel this one!
- Stability Ball Pass Through (15 reps)
You need a stability ball or some object you can easily pass between your hands and feet for this exercise. Start by lying on your back, holding the ball with your hands. From there I want you to crunch up and pass the ball to your feet. Lower your legs slightly as your feet grip the ball, and then lift your legs and pass the ball back to your hands. That is one rep!
- Crunches (40 reps)
Here’s an exercise most of us have done before. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet planted on the floor. Crunch up and reach through your legs. Do 20 crunches straight and then reach side to side for the last 20. Really focus on pulling your core in as you do these!
- Reverse crunch (15 reps)
This exercise will attack your lower abs! Lie on your back with your legs extended straight into the air, crossed at the ankles. From there you will hike your hips up towards the sky then gently lower back down. Don’t think of this as a swinging motion, instead I want you to have control of your body. Try not to bring your legs towards your chin, lift them straight up so you can work that core! Your arms can assist you as they lie on either side of your torso.
- Plank (1-minute)
This exercise works your entire core. Do the plank from your elbows instead of your hands. Remember to keep your shoulders over your elbows, and hips low. Try your best to hold the plank for an entire minute. If you can’t hold it that long just yet, do what you can and then add 5-seconds the next time you do this workout.
- Straight Leg Deadlift (8-12 reps)
The deadlift is a total-body exercise and great for your back and core. You need to use some dumbbells or a barbell, and I suggest starting out with a lighter weight. You don’t want to injure yourself lifting too heavy too fast. A good way to tell if you are using a challenging enough weight is by seeing that the last 2-3 reps of your set are harder to get through. Start this exercise by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the weights in front of your legs. Keep your legs straight and hinge forward at your hips bringing the weight closer to your feet. Once you feel a slight pull along your hamstrings slowly rise back up to start.
- Overhead squat (8-12 reps)
I bet you didn’t expect to see squats in this workout. But squats, especially overhead squats, are great for your core! Your core is forced to work 10x harder when your arms are raised, trust me! You will need weights for this exercise as well, follow the same rules I gave you for the deadlift. With straight arms, lift the weight over your head. Perform a regular squat and keep that weight over your head until the set is finished.
- Burpees (10 reps)
Burpees are going to help you burn off some fat! Do this burpee as simple or as challenging as you need it to be. Either step your feet out and in, or jump everything and add a pushup!
- Traveling plank (1-minute)
This plank will start on your elbows just as the other one did. But once you find that plank, you will crawl forward and back for an entire minute. This looks like an army crawl but you have to hold a perfect plank the whole time!
- Superman (15 reps)
The final exercise is for your lower back. Lie on your stomach with your arms extended over your head. Lift your upper and lower body off the ground at the same time, and hold the top of the movement for 5 seconds. Lower down and repeat 15 times.
** Previously published on www.watchfit.com