Sit-ups alone won’t give you a trim tummy. You need to focus
on your whole core
Hands up if you’ve sweated your way through hundreds of
crunches in the hope of a flat stomach but have still been left with that
little section of belly flab that just refuses to budge.
The frustrating reality is that the midsection can be one of
the trickiest areas to tone. If you’re spending hours every week working on
your tummy, then take heart – even women dedicated to a good diet and regular
exercise often can’t iron out their abs.
The secret, according to experts, is a strong core rather
than over-developed abdominal muscles.
“The reality is you won’t ever get a washboard stomach if
you don’t work your whole core,” says personal trainer Prue Jones. “While it’s
important to tone your actual abdominal muscles, we’re also talking about your
transverse abdominus muscle, which wraps around each side of your body and acts
like a corset to pull everything in.
The secret,
according to experts, is a strong core rather than over-developed abdominal
muscles.
“Then there’s the oblique muscles on each side which can
help create a waist, and even the muscles in your lower back and bottom can
help improve the look of your stomach if you work them in the right way.”
Work your core
“Think of how the body of a dancer or gymnast looks,” says
Jones. “Just looking at their upright posture and lean, lithe muscles will tell
you how strong and developed their core muscles are.”
Workouts such as yoga, Pilates or Barre classes are ideal
for developing the muscles in question.
“Ideally you want to aim to incorporate exercises such as
the plank that include multiple muscles and also require the stabilization of
the core,” says Elizabeth Nable from Xtend Barre studio in Mosman, NSW. “The
result is the creation of lean muscle and strength in the muscles that have
worked, including the abdominals.”
Workouts such as
yoga, Pilates or Barre classes are ideal for developing the muscles in
question.
Learn the plank
Lie on your front with your legs extended. Place your
forearms on the ground and move into a position similar to a push-up except you
are balancing on your forearms instead of your hands. Pushing into the ground
through your shoulders, raise your body and straighten your legs so you’re
supported on the balls of your feet. Engage your core and keep your back flat
and your tailbone tucked. Hold this for a minute, or longer if you can, and
then repeat.
