There Are Plenty of Tummy Targeting Exercises

There are many different types of tummy targeting exercises. There have been entire books published on the subject as well. Monthly health magazines and journals are also always touting the latest and greatest new tummy targeting exercises.

Almost all of these exercises are in some form or another derived from the classic sit-up. Through the years, some health experts have come to believe that the traditional sit-up may be hard on the lower back. From this, some fitness pros opted for the crunch, where a person, while lying flat on their back only lifts their head and shoulders up off the ground a bit, not any more than 15 or 20 degrees, unlike a full sit-up. This has helped some people avoid back pain from sit-ups. There are also other tummy targeting exercises that can be done with a chin up bar. Some people, while hanging from a chin-up bar by their arms, lift their legs up while holding them together into a full 90 degree position, holding it for a few moments, then letting their legs down. This is a lower abdominal exercise.

A great upper abdominal exercise is a crunch on a medicine ball. This helps to isolate the upper part of the stomach, and if done slowly can be even more effective. An isometric approach of stopping the crunch right in the middle while the muscle is being used to its maximum can help to bring maximum results for your tummy.

While it is important to work both the upper and lower abdominal muscles, all tummy targeting exercises are best served when accompanied by a cardiovascular exercise program. This way, a cardiovascular exercise program can help to increase one's metabolism and ability to burn calories and the tummy targeting exercise can help to tone muscles at the same time. Often if you end up doing one or the other, but not both, results are not as good.