Top 5 Tummy Toning Exercises!

These tummy toning exercises are the best around for giving you a cut midsection. Just work these 5 into your regular workouts!

Weight training is one of the best methods of strength training! If you want to start weight training safely and effectively, with the best info, diet, and routines, check out the 5 Day Beginner Weight Training Course!

However, you should know that ab exercises alone won't give you a six pack stomach. You have to do other exercises, like weight training and/or cardio to burn off any fat you have on your stomach.

A good, healthy diet is essential for looking and feeling your best. But when you've got food and cardio taken care of, then it's time tummy toning exercises to give your the a great stomach.

These exercises are the ones that I've found work best. They develop ab and core strength, but more important than any one exercise is your bull-headed determination to exercise.

Regular workouts will really tone your tummy and make it look better, but you're the only one who can make that decision.

- Top 5 Tummy Toning Exercises -

Alternating Crunches

These are like typical abdominal crunches, but they work your obliques. Great for working on the sides of your abs.

1. Start lying on the floor, hands behind your head. Your knees and feet should be together in the air, with your ankles crossed and held together.
2. Keeping one section of the small of your back on the floor, lift your head and try to touch it to one of your knees. After 1 knee, relax slightly and then contract your abs with your head trying to touch your other knee.
3. You'll only fully relax and let the rest of your back and butt touch the floor after you've done all the crunches for the set.

You can also do this one straight down you body to target the rectus abdominis muscle. That's your 'six pack' muscle group that runs down the center of your stomach.

Knee/Leg Raises

Knee and leg raises are versatile tummy toning exercises. They can be made easier or harder by merely retracting or extending your legs - try 'em!

1. Start either hanging from a bar or a leg raise station/machine. For knee raises, bring your knees up to touch your chest, then let them hang straight down. Engage your abs for this movement, especially the lower abs.

That's one repetition.

For leg raises, hold your legs tight together and flex them at the hip and lower abs as high as possible.

Slow Leg Raises

This exercise targets your lower abs, near your hips. It's especially useful if you're trying to get 8 pack abs, since those last 2 rectus abdominis muscles are the ones you need to get ripped for an 8 pack.

1. Start lying flat on your back on the ground, legs together and hands under your butt.
2. Lift your legs straight up into the air (while holding them together) and count down as you... slowly... lower... your... legs... to... the... ground. Go for a count of 30 in the beginning.
3. When your legs are almost down and your feet are only a few inches from the ground, hold that position for as long as possible.

That'll really give you lower abs a burn!

Dumbbell Row on Floor

This is a great upper back exercise as well as one for your core and abs. Choose light dumbbells to start out, so you don't hurt yourself.

1. Start holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended and dumbbells on the floor. Only your toes and the dumbbells should be touching the ground.
2. This looks like the top position of a push-up, except that you're holding dumbbells that are on the floor.
3. Keeping your body rigid and straight, lift one of the dumbbells up to your shoulder. Do this by pulling back and up with your upper back and arm to row. Then place the dumbbell back on the ground.
4. Keep your abs rigid to support you when doing this.
5. Then lift up your other hand and row with it. That's 1 repetition.

Of these tummy toning exercises, several trains you to stabilize your core. Use is as an upper body and core exercise.

Incline And Decline Crunches

These twin exercises can be done with or without weight. You can also do them straight or alternating sides to work on any part of your abs.

You can also hold onto weight plates or dumbbells if you need to make this a more difficult exercise. Intense movements, and probably the most adaptable of all these tummy toning exercises.

Incline

1. Start either on an inclined bench or large exercise ball. Just make sure your head is higher than your hips.
2. Have your hands positioned behind your head, or holding a weight to your upper chest.
3. From there, crunch down and up. Be sure to extend fully down and up each time.

Decline

1. Start on a decline bench, with your knees hooked over the end of the bench so you don't slide down. Make sure your head is lower than your hips.
2. Have your hands positioned behind your head, or holding a weight to your upper chest.
3. Using your abs, bring your head up to try to touch your knees. Try alternating one knee, then the other, to work on your oblique abdominal muscles.

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