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If you’re looking at how to get a slim waist, you should know it’s extremely difficult to “spot reduce” fat or to lose fat in only certain areas of the body. Generally, the best course of action is to follow the same old boring weight loss advice and focus on staying healthy as a whole.
However many of us are especially concerned about our abdominal fat because for many people it’s the part of their bodies they would most like to slim down. Although it’s difficult to target fat loss to one specific area of the body, there are certain tricks, foods and exercises that can help you trim your waistline and midsection, reduce stubborn tummy fat AND tone your abs.
Here are go-to moves for stomach-sculpting and getting strong all over. Below are 15 favourite moves—many of which have helped totally transform the core. Just pick a few abs exercises from the list below and start toning.
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Choose three moves below. For each move, do 15 reps, then continue to the next move. Repeat the entire three-move circuit two to three times.
1. Assisted Reverse Side Sit-up:
How to:
- Lie on your side, resting most of your weight in your left hip.
- Place your left forearm on the ground for support.
- Bend your knees as you bring them toward your chest, and lift your chest to meet them.
- Lower back to start.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps on each side.
2. Bent Leg V-Up:
How to:
- Lie face-up on the floor with your hands folded, arms in front of your face.
- Your knees are bent, and hovering above your chest. In one movement, straighten your legs and lift your torso up, as if you’re trying to touch your toes.
- Lower your body back down to start.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
3. Alternating Toe Reach:
How to:
- Lie on your back with your arms to the side, and legs raised at a 45-degree angle with the floor.
- At the same time, raise your right leg up and lift your torso.
- Reach your left hand toward your right leg, as if you’re trying to touch your toe.
- Return to start and repeat on the other side.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
4. Leg Raise and Reach Clap:
How to:
- Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, palms facing up.
- Inhale and lift your legs off the floor as high as you can; at the same time, bring your chin as close to your chest as possible and clap your hands behind your legs.
- Keep your legs straight and your feet flexed.
- Exhale as you return to start.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
5. Lying Windshield Wipers:
How to:
- Lie faceup on the floor, arms forming 90-degree angles on your sides.
- Lift your legs so they’re hovering above the ground.
- Slowly lower the legs to one side, going as low as you can control.
- Raise the legs back up through the centre and down to the other side in one fluid motion.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
6. Russian Twist:
How to:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet elevated.
- Lean back so that your torso is at 45-degree angle to the floor, back straight.
- Turn your torso to the left, pause, and squeeze your abs muscles.
- Return to centre.
- Repeat to the right side, and return to the centre.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
7. Side-To-Side Crunch:
How to:
- Lie down on your back, knees bent, feet placed on the ground.
- Slowly lift your torso off the ground, and reach your right hand to your right foot.
- Keeping your chest lifted, reach your left hand to your left foot.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
8. Side Plank Dips:
How to:
- Lie on your left side with your legs straight and your right leg stacked on your left.
- Position yourself so your weight is resting on your left forearm and the outside edge of your left foot.
- Your elbow should be directly beneath your shoulder, and your upper arm should be perpendicular to the floor.
- Align your body so it forms a straight line from your neck to your ankles, and place your right hand on your hip.
- Lower your hips toward the ground a couple of inches, then come back up to start.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps on each side.
9. Side Plank and Reach Through:
How to:
- Lie on your left side with your legs straight and your right leg stacked on your left.
- Position yourself so your weight is resting on your left forearm and the outside edge of your left foot.
- Your elbow should be directly beneath your shoulder, and your upper arm should be perpendicular to the floor.
- Align your body so it forms a straight line from your neck to your ankles, and place your right hand in the air.
- Engage your core, and slowly twist your chest left, until it’s parallel to the ground.
- As you do this, thread your right arm through the space between your body and the floor.
- Raise back to start.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps on each side.
10. Toe Reach:
How to:
- Lie on your back, with your feet raised in the air.
- Your legs should form a 90-degree angle with your torso.
- Using your lower abs, lift your torso off the ground and reach your hands toward your toes.
- Lower back to start.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
11. Plank:
How to:
- Start on the floor on your hands and knees.
- Lower your forearms to the floor with elbows positioned under your shoulders and your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Your arms should form a 90-degree angle.
- Maintain a straight line from heels through the top of your head, looking down at the floor, with gaze slightly in front of your face.
- Tighten your abs and hold.
- Do 15 reps.
12. Plank With Hip Dip:
How to:
- Start in a forearm plank position.
- Make sure your abs are tight and you’re squeezing your butt.
- Slowly dip right hip to the right side until hips are about one inch off the ground. Return to centre, then repeat on the other side.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
13. Cross Mountain Climbers:
How to:
- Get into a push-up position with your arms straight and your body in a straight line from your head to your ankles.
- Bring your right knee toward the left side of your chest.
- Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
14. Bicycle Crunch:
How to:
- Lie flat on your back, legs bent at 90 degrees, arms behind head.
- Bring opposite knee to opposite elbow.
- Then rotate to the other side, making sure not to push your head with your hands.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
15. Deadbug:
How to:
- Lie face-up on the floor with arms and legs in the air, knees bent 90 degrees.
- Maintaining contact between low back and floor, brace the core, then slowly and simultaneously lower right leg until heel nearly touches the floor and left arm until hand nearly touches floor overhead.
- Pause, then return to start and repeat on the opposite side.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 15 reps.
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