Exercises to Blast Belly Fat
Non Strenuous Tips to Get Rid of Excess Fat Around the Waistline
There are two types of belly fat, visceral and subcutaneous. The former is deep within the body and surrounds the internal organs and the latter is just under the skin. This is the stuff that wobbles like jelly when jumping up and down. The only way to get rid of it is to burn more calories than you eat. Forget about the exercises that have made you believe you can sculpt your belly quickly, like doing hundreds of traditional sit-ups with your knees bent and feet anchored.
If you're packing a lot of extra weight around the midsection these will not help to reduce the amount of fat around that area, since the muscles of the lower back are doing most of the work – and too many sit-ups can result in a hunched back or a herniated disc. Starving your body of calories won't work either, since this will put the central nervous system in jeopardy.
Here are some easy techniques that will tone the torso and put minimal stress on your muscles. If you're serious about trimming the fat get started now, because the older you get the harder it will be to bust that gut, especially for men over forty years of age.
Side Lying Curls
With an exercise ball, kneel down on your right knee and pull the ball right next to your body. Gently lean over so your right leg is extended outward and place your right hand face down on the thigh. Slowly and carefully reduce the distance between your ribcage and hip by lifting your upper body, while keeping your head in line with your spinal column. This will work the abdominal muscles and to get a more advanced workout, drape your body over the ball even further while placing your right hand on the ear. Lift the upper part of your body while balancing yourself.
Crunches with an Exercise Ball
Sit on the exercise ball with your hands on both sides of it for stability. Walk forward then drop the hips down, then put your hands behind the head or under the chin. Activate the abdominal muscles by moving your ribcage toward your hips. For a greater balancing challenge, put your feet together. Alternatively, extend your legs, drape your body back over the ball and work the rectus abdominis muscle more vigorously. This won't curve or hurt your back.
The Bicycle Crunch Exercise
This is easy and will work the rectus abdominis as well as the external/internal obliques incredibly hard. Lie flat on your back and slowly bring your knees up to a forty-five degree angle. Lace your fingers behind your head, then begin pedaling as you would on a bicycle while bringing your right elbow towards the left knee and vice versa. Lift your shoulders off the ground but be careful not to pull on your neck.
The Captain's Chair
This exercise will require the use of a rack with padded arms which allows your legs to dangle free and can be found in most health clubs and gyms. In order for this to be effective don't swing the legs or use momentum to bring the legs up. Secondly, keep the knees bent. This will focus your attention on the abdominal area and less on the hip flexors. Stand on the chair and grip the handholds firmly to keep your upper body steady. Press your back against the pad and contract your abs to raise the knees towards your chest. Slowly come down and repeat this in sets of three with fifteen to twenty reps.
These exercises all by themselves will not be enough. A proper diet low in saturated fats combined with different workouts will ensure better results.
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