When thinking of abdominal exercises, you should try to work your abs in as many exercises as possible. This is where you want to add in a metabolism boosting high-intensity workout that works the entire body.
Sit-ups have been proven to be bad for your back and have no benefit in reducing belly fat. Exercises like planks and side planks are great for your core but unfortunately they just aren’t sexy enough for most people.
The importance of diet also cannot be underestimated as you will be eating mostly clean foods like proteins, fruits and vegetables while cutting out all the processed waste.
While diet is really the No. 1 factor in losing belly fat, you also want to get the right amount of exercise.
Here’s an example of a tough ab workout that doesn’t involve any straight and obvious abdominal exercises. Do the following workout, alternating exercises one after the other, doing 3-4 sets of 8 reps with each exercise.
* Renegade Dumbbell Rows – Start in a press-up position with your hands on dumbbells. Slowly bring your right elbow back, keeping it close to the body and slowly lower it back down. Then do the same with the left elbow. Engage and tighten the core as you balance on one arm
* Front Squats with Barbell – Hold the barbell at the shoulders with the upper arms parallel to the floor. This is a tough exercise so you might want to ask your trainer to help you with this and make sure to start light and move up to heavier weights. Squat down with perfect form and then come straight back up. Again as you balance the bar and move up and down the core will have to work harder to maintain your balance.
*Climber – Lower down into a press-up position. Bring your right knee up toward your chest and then step your right leg back. Then left leg. As you get used to it, try going faster while maintaining good form. This exercise can be timed instead of for 30 second reps.
Another trick for furthering the benefits of these exercises is to pull your belly button in and do transverse abdominal crunches, especially rows and climbers.
So be sure to give it a try and see how you get on.
Source by Darragh Holland
