Top 8 Belly Tightening Exercises You Can Do At Home

Unfortunately, it often happens that the belly is the first part of the body that gains fat and becomes a first frontier of the fat storage. To reduce the fat and make the abdominal looking flat and smooth one should make these powerful exercising.

Besides focusing the efforts on the abdominal workouts, these exercises will help you gaining strength all over the body, sculpt it and tighten the necessary areas connected to the stomach muscles. Besides making the belly flat, strengthening this area will contribute to the good posture and lower back health.

However, one should pay attention to working out this area routinely and as often as possible, as these muscles should be trained regularly because the fat is not giving up so easily. Do the following exercising plan and achieve the best results.

#1. Russian Twist

– Sit on an exercise mat with your legs fully extended and your upper body upright. Cross your your ankles and raise them off the floor slightly. Bend your knees towards you slightly.

– Lean back about 15 degrees to balance your body. This is the start position.

– In a smooth motion, turn your torso to the left and touch the plate on the floor. Make sure you exhale as you do this.

– Return to the start position inhaling as you do so. Repeat the same movement, this time to your right side, again exhaling as you do so. Return to start position and repeat.

– Perform 4 sets.

#2. Boat pose

– From a seated position the hands are gripped around the back of the legs and the knees are bent in a 90 degree angle. Both legs are pulled in towards the abdomen. The core is engaged to maintain balance on the sits bones (be sure that the back does not round). The front of the torso lengthens between the pubis and top of the sternum as the spine extends in both directions reaching up to the sky and rooting down to the earth.

– From a seated position the feet are lifted up so that the thighs are angled about 45-50 degrees relative to the earth. The tailbone is lengthened into the earth and the pubis pulls toward the navel. The shoulder blades are spread across the back and the hands reach around the back of the calves, with legs pulled towards the body.

– Slowly move from a Boat to a Half Boat.

#3. Plank

– Lie face down in a push-up position. Keep your palms on the floor next to your shoulders and your feet flexed with the bottoms of your toes on the floor.

– Take a deep breath and press up into a pushup. Your body should make a straight line from your heels to the top of your head.

– Draw your navel toward your spine and tighten your buttocks. Look at the floor to keep your head in neutral position and breathe normally.

– Hold for at least 10 seconds and lower yourself back to the floor.

There are also other types of plank. Combine them with the basic plan or include to your workout routine.

#4. Crunches

– Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground, or resting on a bench with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. If you are resting your feet on a bench, place them three to four inches apart and point your toes inward so they touch.

– Now place your hands lightly on either side of your head keeping your elbows in. —

-Tip: Don’t lock your fingers behind your head.

– While pushing the small of your back down in the floor to better isolate your abdominal muscles, begin to roll your shoulders off the floor.

– Continue to push down as hard as you can with your lower back as you contract your abdominals and exhale. Your shoulders should come up off the floor only about four inches, and your lower back should remain on the floor. At the top of the movement, contract your abdominals hard and keep the contraction for a second. Tip: – Focus on slow, controlled movement – don’t cheat yourself by using momentum.

– After the one second contraction, begin to come down slowly again to the starting position as you inhale.

– Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

#5. Side Plank and Rotate

– Start in a side plank position, with your right shoulder over your elbow, your body in a straight line in reach your left hand toward the ceiling.

– Twist your torso forward and slowly place your left arm under your body.

– Repeat and then switch sides.

#6. Leg Raises

– Lie down on a flat surface or mat.

– Start with your legs straight, then come up.

– Touch your toes, and then let your torso fall back down

– Bring your legs up into the air, touching your toes again.

#7. Corkscrew

– Tighten your abdominals. Inhale and scoop your abdominals inwards, while pressing your hands into the mat. Think about pressing your navel to your spine. Use your muscles to scoop your abdominals inwards, rather than “sucking in.”

– Lift your hips. Slowly lift your hips, placing your legs above your head, parallel to your body and the floor. Point your toes out towards the top of the mat. Do not let your legs touch your face.

– Take your legs to the side. Inhale and lift your legs. Keep your legs together, and move your legs to the right side of your body. You should only take your legs slightly to the right, not too far to the ground.

– Bring your legs down. Exhale and allow your legs to come back down. Bring them down until they reach a 45 degree angle with the mat. Keep your thighs and knees pressed together as you bring your legs down.

#8. Scissor Crunches

– Lie face up on the floor with your legs extended over your hips, toes pointed, hands behind your head.

– Open your legs into a straddle position, only as wide as you can go without allowing your lower-back to arch.

– Use your inner-thigh muscles to bring your legs together.

– Continue squeezing your inner thighs as you cross your lead leg over your right and lift your head and shoulders off the floor.

– Lower your head to the floor as you return to your straddle position.

– Repeat the move, alternating your lead leg.