Ab Workouts For Women - 3 Core Exercises For a Flat Tummy

It's not just the men who can achieve tight great looking abs. You too can have a wonderful figure with the aid of this concise women's ab workout routine. These exercises will help you to burn those difficult layers of fat that refuse to leave your waist line. Not only is it an aesthetic benefit, losing belly fat is said to be one of the most significant factors for women to remain healthy.

Exercises that focus on the abdominals like ball crunches, hanging knee raises, abdominal cycling and wheel roll outs all can help to strengthen and tone the muscles in the stomach. If you are serious about getting a flat, toned midsection then you will need to work this routine at least two or three times in a week.

Below are a three core exercises that will help you begin to firm that midsection. When performed consistently, this routine will provide you with excellent results.

Crunches are one of the common exercises that are very effective for women. To do this, lie on the floor with your hands behind your head with your legs straight out. Raise your legs a little so that your knees are off the floor. In this position, slowly raise your head from the floor and stay in that pose for about three or four seconds and then return to the original position. Generally, you can start with about two to three sets of ten repetitions with a small break between them.

Fitness ball crunches when performed correctly can take the pressure off your back and force the abs into doing all the work. As the name implies, this ab routine requires a fitness ball. Lean back and place the middle of your spine on the ball. Your feet should be flat on the ground and about a foot or so away from the ball. If you find that you are losing your balance, your feet are to close and you should move them further from the ball. Inhale and slowly raise the torso, keeping your abs contracted. Keep curling your torso up, until you are above your lower body staring down at your feet. Relax, lower yourself slowly and repeat again.

The hanging knee raise is another effective exercise to include in your ab workout routine. You will need to perform this one at the gym, unless you have a chin-up bar in your house. In this exercise, your body will hang freely as your hands grip the bar. Keeping your knees together, slowly raise them close to the chest. Hold a second and slowly lower the legs to the starting pose.

If you find this one difficult, see if your gym has a double bar with elbow rests. This will take the stress off your arms and allow you to focus on your abdominals. The hanging knee raise helps to keep the abdominal muscles taut throughout the exercise. It is one of the most efficient of ab workouts because the upper and lower abs and the back muscles are all worked simultaneously.

If you intend to firm up those abdominal muscles and rid yourself of that flabby tummy, keep in mind that exercise alone is only part of your fitness picture. Aerobic activity combined with a healthy and balanced diet will supercharge your abdominal firming efforts. Keep a regular workout schedule and record your progress in a fitness diary. Most of all don't be afraid to change your routine if the workout becomes tedious.

If you want to have an awesome fit and lean body, check out these unbeatable tips to Firm Up Your Tummy the right way.

Good luck!

Jason D. Woods
Personal Trainer, Football Coach and Freelance Writer