1. Get more from your core
You’ll get more from your Pilates, yoga, or core focused moves—leading to a slimmer, flatter belly—by following these tips:
- Move from your waist. Whenever you twist, make sure the movement happens from your bottom rib up. Keep your hips still.
- Tighten up. Throughout each move, you should feel a tightening, similar to zipping up a pair of tight jeans, from one hip bone to the other.
- Exhale deeply. To help strengthen your abs and protect your lower back, be sure to exhale thoroughly with every breath.
2. A new kind of crunch
Try this two-in-one abs-and-obliques developed by Gym owner David Barton. Here’s how: Sit so that your thighs and upper torso form a V shape, with lower legs crossed and lifted.
Hold a 5-pound medicine ball (or dumbbell) between both hands. Swivel it left to right and back, bringing the ball across your body while maintaining the V shape.
Do 3 sets of 15 reps 3–4 times a week.
3. Low-belly leg reach
This targets the corset and six-pack. Lie faceup with knees bent to 90 degrees, hands behind your head, and abs contracted. Keeping your knees stacked over hips, lift shoulders and crunch up; inhale and hold for 3-5 seconds.
Exhale and extend legs to 45 degrees; hold for 3-5 seconds while squeezing your lower belly. Do 2 sets of 10-15 reps.
4. Advanced leg crunches
Get-ready-for-swimsuit season move from celebrity trainer Eduardo Dias.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and a 3-pound dumbbell between your feet. Place your hands, palms down, beneath your sitting bones.
2. Concentrating on your lower abs, use them to bring your knees in toward your chest while lifting your hips, head, and shoulders slightly. Return to the starting position; that’s 1 rep.
Do 15–30 reps 3–4 times a week; you should see results in 4 weeks.
5. Scale Pose
Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position with hands on a mat next to your hips. Tighten your pelvic floor (as if you have to pee and are holding it in), push into your hands, and lift your entire lower body off the mat.
Hold for 3 breaths, then lower back down. This is a pretty challenging move, so if you can’t lift your whole lower half, keep your feet on the floor and just lift your butt. Do 3 reps of this.
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