The one thing these two groups of people have in common is a low body fat percentage. It really is as simple as that, if you want to reveal those 6 pack abs you need to work on getting lean. You would be 90% of the way to getting ripped abs if all you did was focus on reducing your body fat though the right training and nutrition. Adding abs exercises into that mix will simply top that hard work off.

Now let’s talk numbers. If you truly want to get ripped abs then you need your body fat to be below 10%, if you’re a female than in the teens. The best way to track your progress is to have your body fat monitored on a regular basis. I would recommend getting your body fat tested by a professional every few weeks. For consistency and the most accurate results you should be doing it under the same conditions, like day of the week and time of day.

Trust me body fat tests can be greatly influenced by even the slightest changes in variables. Getting this done is an important step to being able to asses your progress and evaluate how your training program is working. Make it your priority to reduce your body fat percentage and get the ripped abs most people can only dream about.

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: get ripped abs, how to get ripped abs, ripped abs, ripped abs diet, ripped abs exercises, ripped abs workout, workouts for abs

When we crunch our upper body forward, like in a sit up, we are relying more on our upper abs to create this movement. However when we move our lower back, pelvis, or legs we are relying more on our lower abdominals to create this movement. So if we are looking for a good lower ab workout, we need to perform abs exercises that move our pelvis or legs while keeping the upper body stable.

The perfect lower ab exercise for this purpose are reverse crunches. They are a safer alternative to crunches and can help to correct posture, reduce back pain and get the pelvis tilting correctly.

To perform this lower abdominal exercise begin by lying on the floor, keep your hands by your sides or behind the head. Cross your feet and bend your knees at a 90 degree angle, bringing them in towards your chest. Now contract your abdominal muscles, bringing your hips off the ground and legs towards the ceiling. As your legs come back down, repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions (8 – 12 is recommended).

For the best results it is crucial to create this movement by contracting the abdominal muscles, not by swinging your legs. Proper form and technique is important, the lower back should be kept pushed into the floor with the upper body and head remaining down. Keep the knees flexed and moving upwards towards the head during each repetition.

The reverse crunch is the perfect lower abs exercise and a great alternative to the traditional crunch. Increasing the intensity can easily be done by adding resistance. A simple modification is to use a dumbbell or medicine ball as a counterweight, this will help to stabilize the upper body, making the movement easier.

Related Blogs:

• Jay Johnson’s Boot Camp Fitness: Ultimate Abs – Exercise Video Reviews

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: ab exercise, abdominal exercise, abs exercise, abs exercise ball, abs exercises, best abs exercise, lower ab workout

Step one

Increase the amount of water you are drinking. This is the easiest change you can make and one of the most beneficial. It is recommended to consume at least 1/2 your weight in ounces of water daily. This will get your metabolism working and flush out and nasty toxins.

Step two

Give up on those useless restrictive diets. You body needs a certain amount of each macronutrient which include complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. This will make sure your body gets all the vitamins and minerals required to operate at it’s best.

Step 3

Try to get at least 6 – 8 hours of sleep a night. Not sleeping enough can create all sorts of problems for fat loss. The lack of energy will lead to you consuming more food for fuel to get you through the day, and you won’t be giving your body the chance to recover and metabolize fat. If you really want to know how to lose belly fat fast by increasing your body’s fat burning potential, get more sleep.

Step 4

Eat smaller healthy meals frequently throughout the day. A good range is 4 – 6, this will help to increase your energy levels and metabolism. You will also keep those hunger pangs at bay and will be less likely to over eat.

Step 5

Slowly begin to reduce the amount of calories you consume during each meal. In order to burn fat you mush create a calorie deficit where you are burning more than you consume. Any excess calories that are not burned off by the body as energy will simply be stored as fat.

Step 6

Increase your aerobic activity. If you have a pretty sedentary lifestyle then it is going to take a lot longer to lose belly fat quickly. The answer on how to lose stomach fat fast is by adding some exercise into the mix. Keep it simple and make it part of your every day life. I mean 30 minutes a day 3 – 5 times a week isn’t that much to ask is it?

If you have been struggling to shake that stomach fat and are getting nowhere, I strongly recommend giving these 6 tips to lose belly fat a go. The trick is to be consistent and really stick to it. This isn’t some 30 day challenge or fad exercise regime, these are small powerful changes you can make for the rest of your life.

Related Blogs:

• Early Morning Workouts, 6 AM Morning Lifting

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: best exercise to lose belly fat, how to lose belly fat fast, how to lose belly fat quickly, how to lose stomach fat fast, tips to lose belly fat, ways to lose belly fat

The “Vacuum Pose” for amazing female abs

This is the perfect abs exercise for tightening your midriff as it works the deepest abdominal muscle the “transversus abdominis”. This muscle acts as an abdominal belt compressing the ribs and providing stability for your lower back and pelvis. It also assists pregnant women to deliver your child which is why it is so vital for any female abs workout.

It is very simple to execute and can be done from a standing, kneeling or lying down position. Just suck in your stomach imagining you are trying to touch your belly button to your spine. Exhale all the air from your lungs before you start the movement, once you have sucked in your belly hold it for at least 10 seconds or more. Do 3 sets of these 3 times per week. Gradually increase the amount of time you are holding this position every week for the best results. Many women are able to knock off 2 – 4 inches from their waist in as little as 3 weeks. If you want great female abs then you should make the vacuum pose part of your stomach workout.

The “Butt Squeeze” to firm your derriere

This is another great exercise that can be done in any position, at anytime. It really is as easy as it says and is another great isometric training exercise that will really help to create a firm butt. Squeeze your glutes (buttocks) together as hard as you can and hold at this point of tension for 10 seconds or more. Stick to doing 3 sets of them to begin with before gradually increasing the time you hold the squeeze, and the number of sets each week.

That’s all it takes to firm and tone a lovely bottom and sculpt the best female abs. You don’t need an expensive gym membership, and they can be done literally anywhere. Now you can’t complain about not having the time again…so get squeezing!

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: amazing female abs, best female abs, female 8 pack abs, female abs, female with abs, firm butt, great female abs, how to lose belly fat fast, vacuum pose

Recent studies have shown that many of the exercises claiming to help get you 6 pack abs are really a waste of time and effort. So let’s take a look at the results from one study and find out which exercises could be hindering your results.

A close rival to the ab rocker was the ab wheel. The main problem with this device it that it does very little to stimulate your abdominals. This is because of the poor, and limited range of motion the abs actually undergo with this 6 pack abs exercise.

Now surprisingly another one of the poor performers was the basic abdominal crunch. I have to say this has been given a very bad reputation due to so many people not actually performing it properly. Improper form and technique is the main reason this exercise will never help you get 6 pack abs. While if done correctly it is a great exercise for your rectus abdominus (front or 6 pack abs), but it doesn’t effectively target your entire core which is why it didn’t rank very well.

So there you have it the 3 worst performing 6 pack abs exercises. You don’t have to give up on them entirely, they are still good additions as part of a full stomach workout, but by themselves they won’t give you the muscle stimulation you need to get that chiseled six pack.

If you want to find out what the best 6 pack abs workouts were from this study check out my other post: The 3 Best Toning Abs Exercises

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: 6 pack abs, 6 pack abs exercise, 6 pack abs exercises, 6 pack abs fast, 6 pack abs workouts, ab work out, get 6 pack abs

That’s why I have put together a list of 4 simple rules to help make your belly fat diets a little easier to swallow.

1. Get plenty of good carbohydrates

These should make up the majority of any healthy diet. Avoid the refined types such as flour, white bread and pasta. They have very little nutritional value, are bad for digestion and will only expand your waistline. The carbs you should be eating are lots of fruits and vegetables. Make sure you eat slow release carbs such as oats and brown rice earlier in the day. These will help to curb your appetite and give your body sustained energy throughout the day.

2. Limit your alcohol intake

We are all well aware that alcohol isn’t an ideal component of a proper belly fat diet. I mean where do you think the term “beer belly” comes from? Alcohol again has very little nutritional value and those useless calories will simply get turned into fat and stored around the stomach. The other thing is we normally consume alcohol in the evening so will never end up burning off those additional calories.

3. Kick those late night snacks

What you may think is a harmless snack to calm those hunger pangs is actually not helping your belly fat diet. The main reason is because afterwards you will usually be going straight to bed. This lack of activity and spike in sugar and energy levels won’t hep with belly fat loss.

4. Don’t forget to eat the foods you love

Yes that’s right! This is vitally important to creating a belly fat diet that you will be able to maintain for the rest of your life. This is one of the major reasons all those other diets never work. You have to enjoy the foods you are eating, if you don’t it’s never going to work. Now this doesn’t mean going out and gorging on all your favourite fast foods. You have to be realistic, but the odd treat every now and again is not something to shy away from.

The truth is the idea of a belly fat diet doesn’t have to feel like torture or mean you can’t ever have your favourite foods even again. It is about making simple and healthy food choices that you can stick to for the rest of your life.

Related Blogs:

• Belly Fat Diet – Will Certain Foods Help In Your Diet?

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: abdominal fat loss, belly fat diet, belly fat diets, Belly Fat Loss, loose belly fat diet, lose belly fat diet, losing belly fat diet

By now you should realize it doesn’t take hundreds of grueling abdominal exercises to lose belly fat. You can get a great and effective stomach workout in just 5 minutes. I know you probably think that just isn’t enough but I’m telling you that it is. Too many people become stuck in the mentality that more is better, they do an absurd amount of crunches everyday and think they are making progress.

The reality is they might be able to impress themselves with how many sit-ups they can do in one go but the results just aren’t matching up. Your muscles need to be stimulated to grow through proper resistance exercises, if you can do 200 crunches then it’s obviously not hard enough and you won’t be getting anything from it. 2 or 3 sets of an abs exercise for 8 – 12 repetitions is all you need for losing belly fat, and it won’t be wasting all your time.

Remember the important thing is to fatigue your stomach muscles within those 2 or 3 sets by adding appropriate resistance or finding a tougher ab workout. One more thing even if you finally manage to get this part right you also need to take into consideration how many calories you are consuming daily compared to how many you are burning off.

Cardiovascular exercises to lose belly fat will help you to burn more calories than you consume, (unless you are eating a bucket of Kentucky fried chicken every day for breakfast), creating the right caloric deficit for fat loss success.

Here are 3 abdominal exercises to lose stomach fat, you can do in 5 minutes:

1. Standing reverse wood chops with medicine ball

Stand with knees slightly bent just a little more than hip width apart. Grab a medicine ball with both hands and hold it by your right hip. Keep your gaze straight while contracting your abs and turning your upper body slightly to the right. Then bring the medicine ball up and across your body until your arms are extended above your left shoulder. Now bring the medicine ball down and position it on your left hip and perform the movement towards your right shoulder.

2. Penguin Toe Taps

This is a great oblique workout. Lie on your back with your knees bent, arms by your sides, and feet flat on the floor. Now contract your core and slowly lift your shoulder blades up until they are a few inches off the floor. Then twist your body to the left hand side until your hand touches your left foot. Repeat this movement towards the other side and continue to alternate sides until you have completed each set.

3. Plank Belly Buster

This one is great for tightening and flattening your stomach as it works your deep tranversus muscle. Once you are in the plank position push your bum up into the air and bring it back down, keeping your back and legs straight throughout. Make sure your core muscles are creating the movement.

That’s all there is to it! keep it simple by sticking to 2 – 3 sets of 8 – 10 reps. Focus on getting the technique right before adding resistance. These exercises to lose belly fat will give you a great entire core workout and all in just 5 minutes.

Don’t forget that the best way to lose belly fat is by combining exercises like these with a proper belly fat diet.

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: best way to lose belly fat, exercises to lose belly fat, exercises to lose stomach fat, how to lose belly fat, lose belly fat, losing belly fat

Having said that here are three easy ways to help you achieve that flat stomach fast:

1. Stop eating so much crap – Pardon me for being so blunt but this one is obvious. In order to reduce your overall body fat percentage you have to reduce your fat intake. This means processed foods that are super high in saturated fat and sodium. A very bad combination because our body will just store the fat, while the sodium will cause our cells to retain water. Fine if you want to look like a bloated fish while also having to deal with headaches and stomach cramps. Not so good if you want to reveal those ripped abs.
2. Exercise a little every single day – Now let’s get one thing straight I’m not talking about running a marathon or scaling Mt Everest. I simply mean being active for at least 20 – 30 minutes every day. It really shouldn’t be that hard should it? Now I’m no mathematician but that’s only 1 half an hour out of 48 in the day. A good flat stomach workout can be as easy as walking to work, chasing the kids round the park, going for a bike ride, kicking a football, having sex! Yes get creative I don’t care it’s for your benefit, so find a flat stomach exercise that doesn’t seem like such a chore and gets the heart rate up. It doesn’t even have to be one activity for the whole time, you can do 20 activities for 1 minute each just make sure you do it.
3. Plan, Plan, PLAN! – Tattoo this one onto your forehead because it is the most important tip for getting a flat stomach, and the most neglected. Without a plan you won’t know what to do with yourself, you won’t be able to stay on track and will have no set goals to work towards. Marriage is a good example of a plan, you know what your signing up for and you make promises to yourself and your partner and no matter what you work hard on it everyday. Now sometimes it won’t work out, your goals and what you want change (something younger with lots of money perhaps) so you just get a new plan and work on that. OK maybe it wasn’t the best example but you get the idea, an effective plan will tell you exactly what you want and outline what you need to do to get there. Just stick to it and it will become easier and apart of your normal routine. Before you know it you will have bagged a rich young hottie and a flat stomach to match!

Related Blogs:

• Avoiding the Fat Girlfriend Trap : College Candy
• How To Do Burpees in Bad Form at 284 Lbs | Fat Man Unleashed
• Does Size Matter Brown Sista

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: flat stomach, flat stomach abs, flat stomach exercise, flat stomach fast, flat stomach workout, get flat stomach

Dumbbell Side bends

This flat stomach workout targets your abdominal wall and obliques in the frontal plane. The frontal plane divides your body from front and back so when you bend your body to the side you’re moving in this plane. Always start off with a low resistance before gradually increasing the weight and keep the movements slow and controlled. Kettlebells are another great piece of abdominal fitness equipment you can use for this stomach workout.

Position:

Hold a dumbbell with a straight arm at your side.

Movement:

Bend at your waist as far as you can to the opposite side of the dumbbell. Return to the start position and repeat your desired number of reps before switching sides.

Medicine Ball Oblique Twists

Also known as a Russian twist, this stomach exercise really works the rotational aspect of your abs by hitting your internal and external obliques. The movement occurs within the transverse plane which divides your body in half up and down.

Position:

Holding a medicine ball, sit on the floor at about a 45 degree angle with feet flat and knees bent.

Movement:

Contract your abs and twist your upper body slowly to one side touching the medicine ball to the floor. Now slowly twist your upper body to the other side. Rinse and repeat remembering to keep your lower body still throughout the movement.

Exercise Ball Crunch

We can’t forget this old family favourite the crunch. Except to raise the intensity and get the most out of it I have decided to throw the exercise ball into the mix. If you don’t already know I am a huge fan of this kind of abdominal ball and think it is the best piece of abdominal fitness equipment you can get. Your core and back muscles really have to work overtime to keep you balanced due to the constant instability. It forces proper spine alignment, adds support, improves co-ordination, circulation and allows you a greater range of motion. Not bad for a beach ball aye?! Anyway the crunch takes place in the sagittal plane which you guessed it, divides your body in half, left and right.

Position:

Lie on an exercise ball with your back over the ball, shoulders and head hanging off and hips just forward of the ball. Keep your feet shoulder width apart and knees bent.

Movement:

While keeping your lower body and hips still, flex your waist to raise your upper body. Slowly return back to the start position and repeat the appropriate reps.

Combine these three stomach exercises together to create one insane stomach workout, hitting all of the three major planes of the body. Do 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps for each exercise giving yourself 1 – 2 minutes rest between each one. Remember proper form and resistance is the key to muscle definition and strength. If you are finding that after the stomach workout you could do more reps than you need to increase the intensity by adding sufficient weight. Like the saying goes it’s quality not quantity that will get you that lean mean muscular midsection.

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: Abdominal Ball, Abdominal Fitness Equipment, dumbbell side bends, exercise ball crunch, flat stomach exercise, flat stomach workout, lower ab workout, lower stomach workout, medicine ball oblique twist, russian twist, stomach abs workout, stomach exercises, Stomach Workout, Stomach Workouts

1. Exercise Floor Mat – Forget that nasty carpet burn, splinters and gravel rash?! This is the fundamental piece of abdominal fitness equipment you need in order to perform some of the best toning abs exercises. From the number #1 abs workout the bicycle crunch to the plank and leg raises this is as simple and cheap as it gets. Did I mention it makes life lying on the ground a lot more fun and even provides cushioning and support for your spine.
2. That Vertical Knee Raise Machine Thingy – We have all seen those big bulky looking contraptions at the gym, that look like a cross between a jungle gym and part of that forklift suit from Aliens. The vertical leg raise (Captain’s Chair exercise) that this piece of abdominal fitness equipment allows you to do is yet another one of the best stomach workouts there is. Unfortunately not all that practical for home use due to their size and expense but if you are going to buy this abdominal machine make sure it has two sets of handles so you can also use it as a dipping station. If all else fails you can also use it as a coat rack!
3. Stability Ball – This is my all time favorite piece of abdominal fitness equipment. Not only is it great for training abs but it also doubles as an all in one gym. There is an endless amount of exercises and variations you can do with this abdominal ball. The constant instability while on the ball means you are having to engage your stabilizer muscles increasing the intensity of your exercises. It also helps to improve balance, co-ordination and posture through forced spine alignment and support while increasing your available range of motion. Even using it as a chair will improve core strength, stability, circulation and get you burning more calories. It’s one piece of abdominal workout equipment even the kids will love, take it down to the beach as it makes for a great beach ball.
4. Kettlebells – These ancient cast iron bowling balls with handles are coming back into vogue. Just like dumbbells and people they come in a variety of weights and sizes. Your core is activated when you use a kettlebell because as you lift and move it around your entire body is forced to work in unison by acting as a counter balance, greatly improving strength and stability. Perfect for a quick full body workout as these cleverly crafted balls of iron engage multiple muscle groups and joints at once. It is easy to injury yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing so make sure you get some quality instruction and have the proper form down before you start swinging!
5. Medicine Balls – The perfect ab fitness equipment for adding resistance to your standard crunches or performing stomach workouts like the seated oblique twist and toe touch crunches. Like our kettlebell friends these come in a variety of sizes and weights. I also recommend spicing up your abs workout by using them with a partner to get a great core and upper body workout. Again it is important to make sure you know what you’re doing before you go throwing these balls around or any others for that matter.
6. The Monkey Bar (A.K.A Chin Up Bar) – Another simple but effective piece of abdominal fitness equipment. Perfect for bringing “sexy back!” OK that was just a bad joke, but seriously if you want to build back, core and upper body strength through one exercise the chin up is the king. All you need to do is buy a doorway chin up bar and you’re away. Apart from the big daddy chin up you can also perform hanging leg raises, gorilla chin crunches and modify your grip to isolate specific muscles.

For more free tips, get Abdominalfitness.org delivered by email or RSS!

Technorati Tags: ab fitness equipment, Abdominal Ball, Abdominal Exercise Equipment, Abdominal Exercise Machines, Abdominal Fitness Equipment, abdominal machine, abdominal workout equipment, abs exercise equipment, Abs Workout, cheap fitness equipment, Stomach Workouts, Toning abs, Training abs