If there is one part of the human body that we have covered more than any other in these pages, it has to be the stomach. There are many ways to work your abs. Do not make the classic mistake of thinking that crunches are the only way to strengthen abdominals. To build a six pack you need to hit your abs from all angles, work the different muscles with different exercises and apply varying amounts of resistance.
Although it is thought that abdominal bicycles are the best abs exercise, you really need to perform a variety. Here we list some classic abdominal exercises that will definitely provide the variation required to build a solid set of 6 pack abs.
There are many ways to work your abs and to develop a strong core and defined abdominals you need to work them in a variety of ways. Just doing the same crunches every day will not get the best results. Hit them hard and hit them often. Get inspiration from these video workouts.
15 minute abs workout for a flat stomach
This is a simple but effective 15 minute core workout for building abs. This stomach workout starts with several variations on the basic crunch, then move on to leg raises, stretches, full planks, side planks, then some more stretches from yoga, including the cobra and child postures. It finishes with some cat stretches to help strengthen the lower back.
It is important to remember that performing stomach exercises is a great way of improving core strength, however these exercises alone will not help you to lose weight around the stomach.
To lose fat from your waistline you need to perform full body workouts and eat a calorie restricted diet to burn fat. This means that you have to reduce the amount of calories you are eating every day. In addition to this, you should aim to eat mostly low GI foods as these contain less sugar, and it is sugar that causes people to put on weight.
Full body workouts are simply when you exercise all your muscle groups. Intensive interval training combined with circuit training exercises is possibly the best way to lose weight. You need to get your heart rate high for short bursts by doing sprints (running, cycling, rowing all work equally well) and also work your whole body with squats, push ups, crunches, mountain climbers and other circuit training exercises.
Weight training is also a very effective way to burn more fat. It is recommended that in addition to doing this 15 minute abs workout you also do some basic beginners weight training exercises to help strengthen and tone the entire body. Getting a flat stomach requires much more than just perform stomach exercises.
These stomach exercises can form part of a regular full body exercise routine, and will certainly strengthen your abs to help you start to develop a flat stomach and six pack.
Remember that if your aim is to lose stomach fat and tone your mid-section then you need to be performing some intensive cardio workouts as well as doing these ab toning exercises.
In addition to this, you also need to ensure that your diet is very healthy and provides enough protein to aid muscle development but fewer calories that your body needs to promote fat burning. Learn more by reading our articles on losing weight.
Abdominal cycles and bicycle crunches
Abdominal Cycles, also known as bicycle crunches, are thought to be the best stomach exercise you can do. Many fitness instructors believes that these are even more effective than crunches, and certainly much better than a sit up. These are an excellent way to work your core and form an essential part of a weight loss plan.
To do a bicycle crunch start by lying on your back in a crunch / sit up position. Place your feet flat on the mat with your legs about 45 degrees. Place your hands behind your head and gently hold.
To start raise your shoulders off the floor and then bring your right knee upwards and twist your torso slightly so that your left elbow meets your right knee. Then smoothly twist and switch legs so that as each knee is raised you twist and meet it with the opposite elbow.
You should perform this with a smooth and continuous motion as if you are riding a bicycle. This is an excellent abdominal exercise that will help you develop a 6 pack and tone the stomach muscles. However, do not hope to lose core fat just by doing these exercises, for that you need to burn the fat off first.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixQGJ3Ja-2I&ucbcb=1
Natural bodybuilding workouts for bigger abs
The three videos below, exercises demonstrated include hanging leg raises, modified crunches and seated leg raises / V-sits on the bench. These are some of the best core bodyweight exercises that can tone and strengthen. Building athletic muscle requires more focus on muscular endurance, and bodyweight training is preferable to intensive weight training lifting very heavy weights.
Emphasis on these workouts is good form and control during the workouts. These videos feature Michael Ferencsik, a professional fitness consultant that is considered to be one of the top natural bodybuilders in the world.
Hanging Leg Raises:
Modified Crunches
Seated Leg Raises / V sits
Boxers / martial artist abdominal workout
All martial artists train their core intensively, as it helps to improve strength, stability and agility, all of which are essential in the ring. Boxing workouts traditionally include many core workouts using “old school” exercises such as leg raises and gym equipment such as medicine balls.
If you want to train your core, then choosing a basic boxing ab workout is a good place to start. For this workout you will need a partner and a medicine ball. This is a classic old school fitness training.
The exercise in this video demonstrates the medicine ball catch and toss, which is designed to strengthen the rectus abdominis (abs) and obliques.
This is a very simple exercise for two people to perform, and pretty standard in boxing gyms and martial arts clubs the world over. Often this exercise would be performed as part of the main conditioning part of a martial art class, generally for about 60 seconds before partners swap places.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcm-t0TJXNg&feature=youtu.be&ucbcb=1
You can do a very similar exercise on your own given some space and a large flat wall. To do so on each sit up throw a medicine ball (not a hard one) at a wall in front of you.
Ideally the ball will land and bounce before coming to meet your hands on each throw so that it does not interrupt your set.
It takes some practice but means that you can perform an abs medicine ball exercise by yourself.
Is spot reduction of fat possible?
We at MotleyHealth have firmly believed for some time now that spot reduction is not possible. Although many people think that exercising one body part, usually the stomach, will help to reduce fat in this area, this is not true. Well, that has been our stance, until we unearthed research which makes other suggestions. Spot reduction of fat may actually be possible – although not to the extent that many people hope for!
The argument against spot reduction
Body fat does not respond to the presence of muscle, and cannot be worn down through exercise. Where we accumulate fat is largely dependent on gender, age and genetics.
Women accumulate more subcutaneous fat (the fat beneath the skin) than men do, which causes larger bottoms and thighs and loose skin under the arms.
Men on the other hand produce visceral fat first, which is the fat that surrounds internal organs. This is why some men can develop beer guts and remain lean elsewhere. Visceral fat poses the greatest health risk, which is why men are more likely to develop heart problems than women.
The only way to reduce fat from one area of the body is to reduce total body fat. And the only way to do this is to exercise vigorously, combining intensive cardio training with resistance training. Following a healthy diet is also essential, however diet alone cannot easily shift visceral fat, which is the reason why so many people struggle to lose their stomach fat and show off their abs.
With a simple understanding of how fat accumulates, and how it is burnt off, spot reduction must be impossible. But is this the full story?
The Argument for Spot Reduction
Some limited research by physiologists has actually indicated that fat deposits, specifically subcutaneous adipose tissue (fat under the skin) does show signs of responding to weight-bearing exercise. Fat cells immediately adjacent to new muscle tissue appears to reduce.
In one study there was actually significant reductions in abdominal fat in women that had exercised their stomachs, and in another study of men, the effect of squats on fatty tissue around the knees was examined, the result indicated that fat cells in close proximity to newly formed muscle tissue were more likely to decline than in other areas of the body.
Possibly the strongest evidence to support the idea of spot reduction of fat is from research carried out by the Department of Medical Physiology, University of Copenhagen. It found that weight-bearing exercise increased lipolysis (fat burning) in subcutaneous tissue (SCAT):
In conclusion, blood flow and lipolysis are generally higher in SCAT adjacent to contracting than adjacent to resting muscle irrespective of exercise intensity. Thus specific exercises can induce “spot lipolysis” in adipose tissue. (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 292: E394-E399, 2007. First published September 19, 2006; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00215.2006 0193-1849/07)
So, is spot reduction possible?
In reality people have found that exercising a specific body part does not lead to spot reduction. There may be very small localized changes to fatty tissue but this is not enough to make any real noticeable difference.
The key is still to train the entire body to lose total body fat content. If you have unlucky genetics the weight will come of the are you are targeting last, and there is nothing you can do about that.
Some people appear to actually burn fat off with spot reduction, but while even they think they are, they are not. For example, often you may see someone in a gym performing hundred of crunches and other core exercises. They may well tell you it is to burn fat, and they may appear to have succeeded. However, the reality is that it is their overall approach, their diet and their intensive cardio sessions combined with a lot of stomach exercises that has won them a flat stomach. They just do not realise this. They may actually benefit from less stomach exercises!
Final notes
The world’s most powerful abdominals will still not make a six pack if they’re hidden. It’s almost everybody’s desire to get attractive six pack abs. Learn how to get a six pack fast with this abs routine.
Exercising the core muscles, the abs (rectus abdominis) and obliques, is something that just about every person trying to lose weight, keep fit, build muscle, train for sports or running, does at some point. It is also the way to develop a six pack, i.e. the well defined abdominal muscles on the stomach.
There are many different methods available to develop these muscles, from martial arts and boxing training methods, to yoga and Pilates, as well as weight training and bodybuilding. Rather than try to evaluate each form of exercise to determine which one is “best” you should try them and see what works best for you.
Hi Chintu. Really you need to be doing some intensive cardio routines and also compound weight training, i.e. working the larger muscle groups, in addition to this type if workout. You need to help your body to burn fat. Also diet is very important – minimal sugar, less calories etc.
well I just recently had a baby I had a c-section and I want to know what workout and diet will be good to get a flat stomach how I used to before e I came out pregnant? I really need help I’m really desperate.
Hi Janett, I understand what you are going through. But if you are breast feeding you need to put the diet on hold and just concentrate on eat a healthy diet with a variety different foods (salads, fruits, vegetables, lots of water, proteins) to ensure that you produce all the milk that your baby will need. After having a baby you will spend more time at home, and it is very easy to get into the habit of eating snacks and junk food. So start by cleaning out the kitchen cupboards and going healthy. You should have a few months between recovering from the C-section and your baby becoming more mobile (crawling/walking) so in this time you should start a home exercise program (Ashtanga yoga works very well if you learn the move first). As soon as you can get out and walk with your baby, either in a sling or a pram/pushchair. This is great exercise and will help you to start to become more active, ready for when you can start exercising properly again.
well my baby is already 8 months old im good from my c-section im not breastfeeding so i dont know what to do??
Well, in that case you need to get active again. Exercise everyday, ensure that 3 times a week the workouts are intensive (you do sprint intervals, i.e. for short periods exercise very hard). Then clean up your diet, cut out all sugar sources (inc. bread, cereals, soda, chocolate etc.) and just eat a very healthy diet.
I tried this video immediately after seeing it, and it hurt like heck! Meaning, it works. I plan to do it evryday after work because the gym is too expensive. I have about a 2 inch pinch. How long do you think it will take to come down if I do 5 days a week for 15 minutes?
Glad it is working for you Nisha. If you want to lose some fat then you need to do some more exercises. Bodyweight squats, burpees, jumping jacks and push ups are all good to get the heart rate up.
Well for now its jus my tummy :-) I’m a size 3 so I’m not fat at all, jus a lil tummy is all
so I’m asking, my tummy has about a 2inch pinch of fat, how often do you think ill have to do this excercise and for how long to loose the fat in my tummy? The rest of my body is fine
Nisha, it is really impossible to say. The biggest factor is probably going to be what you are eating. Also more weight training may help boost your metabolism. Sounds like you are pretty fit already though, so just keep working at it and push yourself harder. Try to be the best athlete that you can. A little bit of fat on the stomach is not a bad thing really.
Hey my guy says the same thing, its nithing wrong wit a lil fat on the belly. But it bothers me. So wait, are you saying the crunches will be a waste of time if my diet doesn’t change? I do not eat bad except for potato chips and iced tea :)
That’s right Nisha. Crunches are not a waste of time, they are an excellent way to develop the abdominal muscles and to build a 6 pack. But if your diet is not lean enough then you will not see the 6 pack. Potato chips are pretty bad, that could be enough to make the difference if you are eating them often.
Hi. I was wondering if this would work if I want to get a flat tummy. I am cutting back on my carbs and stuff, work out on the treadmill 3 times a week, and I also ride horses 2 times a week. Any other suggestions. I need a flat tummy by Julyish. I also don’t have access to a trainer, as they are expensive. Please let me know :)
Hi Jessica, that sounds like a good active lifestyle. When on the treadmill do some sprint intervals, or if you can incline it put it to max and do fast hill walking or hill runs. This will really help burn fat quicker. The key will be to adjust your diet for the next 6 weeks to aid weight loss though. The abs training is good for toning, but for fat loss you need diet and intensive exercise.
Hello, I am a 14 year old girl and I am looking to loose some belly fat. Will it be easier for me to lose weight or get a flat stomach because I am younger (and of course if I eat well)? I Am not sure what kind of workouts to do to get a flat stomach. Also I do not know which workouts to do because all of the ones I know of are adult workouts. Also some of the kid workouts are not going to get me a flat stomach. I am not sure what kind of exercise routine to do because I do not want to over work myself..
Hi Kellie, it should certainly be easier for you as you have youth on your side. Apart from heavy weight lifting most adult workouts apply to 14 year olds perfectly well. Do what you enjoy, work hard at it. Ideally find an activity that you really like and enjoy doing, such as dancing, or a sport, or martial arts. Eat healthy and be active and you are 99% of the way there, maybe 100%. Good luck!
I am a quite slim person trying to get great abs and lose that stubborn belly fat. I have been working out almost every day in a past month. I also changed my diet – eat fruit and veggies, fish, eggs and chicken for protein and I do not eat candy, chocolate, anything sweet, pasta, bread. I do aerobics for cardio and I run. I do work out at home to target other parts of my body. I also do crunches and reverse crunches and similar exercises for abs. I seem not to lose any weight or build any abs muscles. I am so frustrated that I might just go back to my old lifestyle and stop eating so perfect since it doesnt seem to help at all.I don’t even feel different, healthier..What do I do wrong? What should I change or do that would make a difference? I am 23 year old female.
Hi Magda, I am sure you are much healthier for all the effort, and I am sure you are looking better than ever. A little stubborn belly fat is very common. You could try adding some resistance, holding a weight disc to your chest while doing the crunches. Also do more larger compound weight training exercises, like squats and bench press. These build muscle that helps burn more fat. Front squats also target the core region, although they are not as easy to do as standard squats.
I am 37 and is 267lbs, my body type is an apple.When I first stared out I weighted 300lbs. In 2 mouths I lost 30lbs. I go to the gym now 5-6 times a week and work hard, mostly cardio. I have lost weight everywhere but my stomach the abs workouts do not seem to work. What can i do or eat to lose the stomach. Getting discourage.
Hello, I have made up my mind to really lose weight. I have lost 10lbs in a month so far. But I really have stubborn belly fat that is bothering me I walk at least 3 miles a day but I feel like my body is at a stand still since Ive lost the 10lbs. I drink a lot of water and I have changed my eating habits but I feel like my stomach is not going down to stay save my life. Do you have any advice that would really help me?
Hi Jackie. Start exercising more intensively, move from walking to running. Do some bodyweight circuit training too, such as squats, lunges, push ups, jumping jacks. You can do all this in addition to your walking. Also take a new fresh look at what you are eating to reduce sugars as much as possible.
Well, stomach exercises do not burn stomach fat. To burn that fat off you need to work even harder and get even stricter with your diet. When doing your cardio start interval training. That means do sprints then rest. If you use a cross trainer, exercise bike or rower this is very easy to manage. Check out this intensive cross trainer workout.
I am 16 years old, 145 lbs, and 5’6. I am interested in losing my stomach fat and seeing my abs. I’ve noticed that a six pack is developing; however, because of the stomach fat… it won’t show. Please help me in regards to this matter. Also, i would like to safely lose 10 lbs. What is the safest time frame to lose the weight? What are some suggested exercises, dieting tips, and advice? I also have fairly large thighs… I understand that there’s no way to target certain areas of the body… but is it possible to lose thigh weight? Please respond ASAP! Thank you so much.
P.S your video seems very good! I have not yet began the exeercise, but i plan on starting really soon!
Hi Jonathan. You are right, you cannot target fat. Squats are your answer though, as these will tone the thighs, and at the same time they build a lot of muscle to help burn fat. Do both weighted squats and bodyweight squats (on different days) to help build muscle and endurance. As for time frames, very hard to say, 2 pounds a week is a good target, so 5 weeks. Diet, you need low sugar, i.e. a low GI diet.
Please, can you email me and tell me few more thinks about this, I am really fan of your blog…
Hi Darin, all the info you need is here. What sort of extra information are you looking for?
Hi, I am curvy, meaning I have a butt. I love my butt and I don’t want to lose it. However, recently, I have gained some weight mainly in my tummy and my face. Is it possible to lose the weight off my tummy without losing my butt? Also, is there a way to lose fat from your face?
Hi Jennifer. There is no way to lose fat from your face, but if the extra fat only came recently, i.e. the fat on your tummy and face, then if you start dieting and exercising, it should be lost from these areas first too. So in a way, yes there is a way to lose fat from your face – diet and exercise.
im 13… i have a belly but good cardio, will this help me? im going to a new school and wanna be skinny by then i have 2months till school.
Good cardio means that you can work harder. Do you run or cycle? You can burn the belly fat off quickly with running or cycling, or bodyweight exercises. Remember, skinny is not a good look though, you want to be fit and athletic, not skinny.
Alright, perfect! And is it possible to lose my tummy without losing my butt?
Again, if you put the weight on your tummy recently, then in theory it should come off your tummy before your butt also.
Yes, i have been running for a long time now, but running hasn’t shown much result. I tried the workout and tripled all the numbers before i went to bed and i already see improvement, the shirt i got yesterday was kinda tight but now it feels fine, ill keep doing this until i get the 6 pack my best friend says i need.
I will try to incorporate this into my routine. I currently cycle about 200 miles a week and lift twice a week. My chest, arms, back and legs are where I want them to be, however like my bi’s and tri’s I am having issues getting definition in my ab’s. A trainer I had in the past says I have long muscle fibers which makes it harder and possibly impossible to develop that definition/pop I am looking for in those areas. Do you think that is why I am having issues getting my abs to pop. I have flat stomach and you can kinda see a 4 pack but not the abtastic 6 pack I want. Any advice would help.
~Josh
Just keep trying different exercises and ensure you get good nutrition and rest.
I am a 15 year old boy. I have issues with excessive mass in the chest area (sometimes called man boobs), and of course belly fat. My belly fat is not extreme, and sometimes I feel like if I just lost the fat around my chest I would look fit. I get discourged when training because I don’t know what’s effective or how much of each I should do. For example, is chest weight training effective? Running? If there is any advice for one losing my chest fat but two, getting a flat stomach- What can you reccomend? I am desperately tired of being afraid to take my shirt off.. And all I kind find online are product gimmicks online.
Hi George, you need to do both intensive cardio and resistance training, both bodyweight and weight training. What may really work well for you is a martial art, something with a lot of emphasis on fitness, like kickboxing. Martial arts really do help you get fit and lose weight quickly. But if you want to workout at home then exercise everyday. You could start by alternating circuit training and running days, then as you get stronger add a weight training day. When circuit training and running really push yourself – it is better to push hard then rest to recover your heart rate, than to plod along at a constant pace. This is the basic idea behind intensive interval training.
Hi, I am a 17 year old girl. I am 5’6″ and I weigh 172 lbs. My bmi is way out of range. I have asthma so is there a good way I can lose weight quickly without having to run 3 miles a day. I would like to have lost 15-30 lbs. by the end of August. Meaning I am a size 12 in woman sizes and I would like to be a 9 at least. Any suggestions on food and excercise?
Hi Jenna. Well, you have set yourself 10 weeks to lose 15 to 30 pounds. This is certainly doable, as it workouts out to be just 1.5 to 3 pounds per week. This should be your goal from now on – lose 3 pounds per week.
First, you need to change your diet. Cut out sugar, and that means ALL junk food, candy, soda, high GI foods, juice, chocolate, BREAD. You need to reduce portion size and focus on eating fat burning foods. It does not take many calories to stop you losing weight – one slice of bread could be enough to make the difference between losing a pound and losing nothing.
Ideally you should exercise as well, as you need to raise your metabolism. Home fitness workouts with your inhaler close at hand are probably a good idea. Exercise is generally good for asthma so long as it is controlled and done with safety in mind. Focus on doing 30 minutes of exercise 3 or 4 times a week at an intensity that gets you slightly out of breath but not gasping for air. This is the recommendation of Asthma.org.uk.
I have noticed results my stomach has gotten smaller and walking everyday has helped too.
Excellent Chaz, keep up the good work.
Hi there. I am going on holiday in 3 weeks and would really like to to have a six pack for this!! I am 22 and am pretty fit, I have changed my diet to include a lot less fatty foods and I rarely snack at all now on anything except fruit. What can I do to get rid of my small (maybe 1/2 inch pinch) belly in time for my holiday?? Thanks.
Rather than go low fat go low carb. Eat very small portions of protein rich meals, with low GI vegetables. Do intensive interval training and compound weight training.
Hi, I am 16 years old, and I am about 20 lbs. overweight, I am now concentrating on eating better food for my body, and I have been committed for the past 3 weeks, but instead of losing any weight I am stuck at a weight of 170 lbs. I have one month to lose at least one jean size, before school restarts. What can I do to lose the weight quick and healthy? Thanks a lot. And I would like to build endurance for the basketball team tryouts.
Lose the weight quick and healthy? That is the question! If you are fit already then you can do intensive cardio workouts, bodyweight resistance training and weight training and this will get you losing weight with a low calorie, lean and low sugar diet. If you are not fit already then the only way to lose weight in 1 month is to take the diet more seriously. Low calories, balanced meals, plus LOTS of exercise.
hi, i like this workout video and I plan on doing it everyday, i was just wondering how many hours a day should i do the workout. Do i have to eat healthy food as well, to lose belly fat?
Hi Kelly. You should include this as part of a bigger workout really. To lose belly fat you really need to do some intensive cardio exercise, such as cross training or cycling, and also some resistance training – either bodyweight circuit training or weight training. Diet is also essential, if you are not eating a healthy diet then you will not lose your belly fat.
hello I’m trying to lose weight fast like on 4 of July cause I play in the grass and my stomach shows and I like boys were the party is gonna be so to get a flat stomach fast what do you suggest I should do? (I don’t know many exercises so can you tell me how to do the exercise in the comment?) thanks, Jaclyn
Jaclyn, you need to do intensive cardio and resistance training. But you only have a week to lose weight, which is not enough time. Do the circuit training workout every day and eat a low GI diet. Follow the lose belly fat rules too.
I’m 14 years old and I don’t need to lose weight, I just need to tone my belly , will just doing sit ups help me do this? or do I need to watch what I eat as well, I try not to exceed my required daily intake of calories although I usually have a little bit of a sweet fix everyday like a small piece of chocolate or a couple of lollies, do I need to stop this in order to achieve a flat stomach?