The Best Exercises To Strengthen Your Ab Muscles

By Pascale Vandenbroucke 

Before you can really exercise your abdominal muscles, it is very important to understand them and how they work. Did you know that there is more than one muscle group in your abdomen? It's true! Many busy moms aren't too concerned with the mechanics behind something they see in their exercise videos, but believe it or not, knowing what you're up against is one of the keys to winning the battle of the belly bulge!

The most common exercise videos available focus on the major abdominal muscle groups including the rectus abdominus, external and internal obliques, and the transverse abdominus muscles. These groups and bands of muscles are what you will be targeting when engaging in the following core exercises to strengthen your ab muscles:

• Reverse Crunches - Most busy moms are familiar with traditional crunches and may have been doing them for years with little success. As they became busier and busier they may have abandoned them altogether. The Reverse Crunch is a bit different and begins with lying down on your back and raising your legs off the floor in a bent knee position. Slowly, use the strength of your ab muscles to bring your knees close to your chest so that your butt is lifted slightly off the ground. Slowly release and return back to the starting position, engaging your abs as much as possible.


• Leg Lifts - Harder than they look, but very much worth the effort, leg lifts are the perfect exercise for a busy mom because they can be done almost anywhere and take a little as five minutes. Start by lying flat on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and your arms at your sides and your hands palms down. Contract your ab muscles and slightly bend your knees as you raise your legs as far as you can off the floor. Hold this position for as long as you can before slowly lowering your legs back to the ground. Repeat as often as you can, holding the position longer each time. When you are finished, return to your original position and rest for a moment before standing up.


• Bicycle Crunches - This is an exercise covered in a lot of online exercise videos because it is often easier to do after seeing someone else do it first. Lay flat on the floor and place your hands behind your head for support. Be careful not to pull on your head during the exercise as this will strain your neck muscles. Bend your knees at a 45 degree angle and pull them upward so that they are parallel with the floor. Press the small of your back against the floor and lift your shoulder blades so that they are no longer touching the floor. Straighten one leg and hold it at a 45 degree angle from the floor while keeping your other knee bent - while holding this position twist your upper body so that your opposite elbow touches your opposite knee. Repeat this maneuver with the other knee and elbow, alternating in sets until you are ready to rest. When you are finished slowly lower your head and shoulders to the floor, followed by your legs and rest a moment before standing.

And these are only a few of the exercises that can be found in exercise videos all around the internet. Of course, before you try any new exercise, make sure that you talk to your doctor. Even busy moms know that it's better to be safe than sorry!

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The Advantages Of Using An Ab Toning Belt

By Cookie Maxwell 

You've seen the ads on television. "Get flat and toned abs fast by using this belt!"
As you rub your stomach, a frown creases your face in skepticism. You would love to tone up your abdomen. Yet you've learned through experience when purchasing other televised products that you can't believe everything you hear from the paid actors on the screen. Can these ab belts actually do what they say they can do? Will you have the abdomen you will be proud to show off during
swimsuit season?

Benefits Of Ab Toning Belts - How They Work

Before finding out what benefits that abdominal belts give, you have to understand how one works. A basic toning ab belt will consist of breathable, lightweight material that allows you to wear it underneath your clothing as you are doing daily chores or exercises. The belt comes equipped with small pads that you stick to the skin of your abdominal area.

These pads contain tiny electrodes that send electrical pulses into the stomach. These electrical pulses stimulate the nerves in your stomach muscles, making them contract and relax. This contraction and relaxation of muscles simulate the exercises you would do to tone and strengthen your ab muscles.

Benefits Of Ab Toning Belts - Advantages To Your Body

While the ab toning belt isn't a full replacement for adopting a healthy lifestyle filled with exercise and eating healthy foods, it can give you several advantages. The ab toning belt will help you tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles. It will also sculpt and define the ab region. If you have a regular exercise routine, the ab toning belt may help to speed things up to get quicker results.

Abdominal toning devices can't work miracles if you are looking to skip out on exercise and eating a healthy diet as you expect the belt to make you drop the excess body fat. Like with any other type of exercise tool, the ab toning belt is to be used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle for you to see true results.

It is recommended that you only use ab toning belts approved by the FDA. Follow the instructions on wearing the belt for 30 minutes a day and set the belt at the right intensity. Although your results may vary, a person can typically see positive results in the toning and strengthening of their abs in about 4-to-8 weeks.

MyReviewsNow.net offers information regarding selecting an ab toning belt. For more on abdominal toning, visit us at MyReviewsNow.net.

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A Top List of Ab Exercises For Women

By Ben Agel 

All women want beautiful abs. Some women think they are stuck with their flabby abdomen, because they think abdominal muscle exercises to be the hardest of all exercises. But this isn't true. Abdominal muscles exercises are easier then they think. A balanced upper and lower ab development can be acquired but the ab muscles must be worked to get it. This article will give you 3 of the top abs exercises for women, who want effective results.

Abs Exercises for Women: Crunches Involving an Exercise Ball
Beginners, this technique is perfect for you.

Step 1- Sitting on the ball, place your hands behind your head and walk your feet out of the sitting position. Lower your body until your upper back and shoulders are remaining on top of the ball. Be sure your legs are shoulder width apart.

Step 2- Lift your hips to straighten your lower back and tighten your gluteus maximus muscles (butt muscles) and contract your abdominal muscles.

Step3- Have your elbows pointed out at your sides; raise your shoulders slowly, being cautious not to pull your neck. Soon enough, you will feel the burn in your abs, butt and thighs.

Step 4- After holding this position for 1-2 seconds, slowly lower your shoulders back to the ball.

Repeat as many times as you can for an effective workout.

Rest for 30 seconds or less, as needed between sets. Do as many as 2-3 sets of 12-15 every other day.

More Abs Exercises Women Can Do: Bicycle Move

To accomplish this move successfully, you do not need any kind of fancy equipment.

Step 1- Lay on the ground flat on your back, hands behind your head, legs out. This is the starting position for the bicycle move.

Step 2- Contract your ab muscles and lift one leg while bending your knee. Slightly raise your shoulders off the floor, careful not to strain your neck.

Step3- Bring your elbow to the opposite knee; gently bend so they touch lightly.

Step 4- Begin lowering your body from the bending position, then switch sides so the other pair of opposite elbows and knees touch.

Repeat.

Thoroughly, but slowly complete these positions. To change a routine exercise, bring the elbow and knee from opposite sides together, causing the upper body to turn slightly to the side. This exercise gives a good workout to the obliques and the upper and lower abs.

Abs Exercises for Women: The Captain's Chair

To do this fitness movement, you will need a piece of equipment called the Captain's Chair.

Step 1- Sit down and rest your arms on the padded arm rest, dangling your feet. Your lower back will be supported by a back rest and should be straight.

Step 2- Crunch your abs while slowly lifting your knees toward your chest.

Step 3- Stop and lower your legs down into the starting position, slowly. Note that these muscles will be constantly contracted throughout the exercise.

The above list of abs exercises for women, contains some of the most effective abdominal muscle workouts, working the upper and lower abs, back and arm muscles, giving you a major strengthening exercise.

Getting Results You Want

The abs exercises for women listed above, by themselves, aren't enough to get that body-changing effect that you want. All of us would like to have a rock hard abdominal wall. If you want to get those results you need to consider the list below:

-Eating a healthy low saturated fat diet
-Aerobic or cardio warm-up before a workout.
-Making sure to stretch before and after exercising, allows flexibility progression
-Stretching before and after exercising, which allows your body to promote flexibility
-Making exercise a daily habit of yours

Summing it up

Watch your eating habits and how frequently you eat. This is just as vital as exercising if your goal is to lose or maintain a healthy weight. In order to get results you need to do things that are going to get you those results. That's that. When you start your abs exercises for women, or any exercise plan for that matter, it will soon become second nature and a big part of your everyday life. Now go grab that six-pack you've wanted your whole adult life!

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Secrets of a Killer Upper Ab Workout

By Louis Levenson 

A lot of people who work hard to achieve ripped abs do not realize that there is actually no distinction between the upper and the lower abs. In fact, the frontal area of the abs called the rectus abdominis is actually just one muscle. So when a person does abs exercises, the entire rectus abdominis muscle is being worked out.

Thus, an upper ab workout should be done in different angles with various movements to activate different muscle fibers in the abs. This will allow the abs to get a more intense workout and build more muscles in the soonest possible time. An upper ab workout should not only have movements that focus on the upper area of the abs but also on the lower area of the tummy.

Best Ab Exercises for Women Without Actually Doing an Ab Exercise

By Oliver Dumont 

The most common ab exercise routines we see these days are situps, leg lifts and crunches... I would like to propose alternative metabolism stimulating workouts that besides your abs, will engage your entire body.
Please be prepared to get a "out of the box" workout routine that will build a flat belly:

Top 5 Most Effective Ab Exercises to Lose Weight and Get a Rock Hard Abdominal

By Joanna Johnson 

If you have ever tried to lose weight, you know deep inside that it can be a hard process. But if you are motivated, and determined, it won't be difficult at all. Knowing the first step will help you find out about the steps to weight loss, how to create realistic goals and easy tips for making healthy life changes. Eating healthy is important but is best if you also do exercise regularly.Basic exercise to lose weight includes a cardio and toning aspect, this way you can visibly see the results that you have long desired.

How Often Should You Do Ab Exercise Workouts?

By Jon Dyer 

Developing killer abs is one of the most universally desired fitness goals. Regardless whether you want huge muscles, toned muscles, or better fitness overall, you likely want to develop your abdominals. Maybe a six pack isn't your end-goal; but you likely want a tighter mid-section.
I fall in the six pack camp.