8 Tummy Toning Exercises You Can Do At Home

The tummy is a problem area for most people when it comes to getting toned and ready for bikini season. As the weather heats up, you want to be looking hot poolside and on the beach, and a toned torso is just the ticket. Here are some great tummy toning exercises you can do in your own home to get ready for summer.

1. Crunches

(Image courtesy of imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Lying flat on the ground, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, put your hands behind your head. Using your abdominal muscles and keeping your neck straight, raise your shoulders off the ground. Repeat this motion 30 times, rest, and then repeat twice.

2. Knee Touches

Lie flat on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, and put your hands behind your ears. Keeping your posture straight, and without bending your arms, use your abdominal muscles to touch your left elbow to your right knee. Repeat this action, alternating sides, 30 times. Rest, then repeat twice.

3. Bicycle

This exercise is much like knee touches, but slightly more advanced. This time, lift your feet and legs off the ground as if you were sitting. When you bring your elbow up to meet the opposite knee, straighten out the leg on the side of the elbow you are using. Do this all in a continuous motion, without stopping, and your legs will move as if riding a bicycle. Repeat the action 30 times, rest, and then repeat twice.

4. Straight Scissor Kicks

Lie completely flat on the floor with your hands under the small of your back. Using your abdominal muscles, raise your legs off the ground at a 45 degree angle. Criss-cross your legs back and forth for 30 to 45 seconds at a time, rest, and then repeat five times.

5. Bent Scissor Kicks

This variation of the scissor kick will have you start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then, lift your feet and legs off the ground in a sitting position. Keeping your knees bent and thighs steady, criss-cross your calves back and forth for 30 to 45 seconds, rest, and then repeat five times.

6. Leg Lifts

Lie flat on the floor with your legs together and hands under the small of your back. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your legs, pressing them together and keeping them straight, off the ground about three inches. Hold this position for ten seconds, and then return to the starting position. Repeat ten times.

(Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

7. Reaches

Lie with your back flat on the floor and your legs up in the air so that your body is at a 90-degree angle. Holding your arms straight out above you, use your abdominal muscles to lift your shoulders off the ground and touch your toes, then return to the starting position. Repeat this 30 times, rest, and then repeat the entire process two more times.

8. Penguin Touches

Lie on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Position your feet a little wider than shoulder length apart. With your arms straight out beside you, lift your shoulders off the ground slightly and touch each ankle, moving side to side. Repeat this motion for 30 to 45 seconds, rest, then repeat five times.

All of these exercises can be easily done in the comfort of your own home and each targets key parts of your abdominal muscles to help you tone your tummy for a strong, firm core. As with any toning exercises, consistency is key, so make sure to do this full workout at least three times a week or up to every other day.

[Video] 10-Minute Hard Core Workout

This 10-minute core workout will definitely get your core working hard - yes, you WILL be sore tomorrow!

A strong core is important for balance, posture, and injury prevention, and this workout will definitely help you to build your core muscles fast. 

From all of your ab muscles, including those waist-shaping obliques, to your glutes and lower back, this workout will challenge and strengthen your entire core, providing balance and stability to your whole body, improving your posture, and helping prevent injury during running, other workouts, or just your regular daily activities.

This is not an easy workout, so go slow, maintain proper form, and listen to your body! Be sure to keep your abs tight to protect your lower back, especially during any extension exercise. 

Do this one at least twice a week for ongoing core shaping and strengthening benefits.

3 Core Strengthening Tips for Runners & More

Developing a strong core is critical for runners (and others as well) not only to maintain stability and balance, but to prevent injuries too. Unfortunately, some runners do not realize the importance of incorporating core strengthening exercises into their routine and they think that having strong legs is enough.

If you want to improve your performance as a runner (or just in general), here are some tips on how to strengthen your core:

(Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

1.  Before running, make sure you warm up to stretch out your lower back. If your lower back is tight, it will prevent the core muscles from firing properly. Some people encounter reciprocal inhibition and this occurs when a particular muscle group is tight.

Naturally, when one muscle group is tight, it prevents your other muscles from doing their job properly. Warming up prepares your mind and body for a demanding activity but it will also allows you to achieve peak performance. To warm up your lower back, do some spinal twists and forward bends.

2. Practice hip bridges and pelvic tilts to strengthen your core. These two exercises are very easy to do and they are perfect for beginners and people with back problems. They help isolate and strengthen the glutes and hamstrings as well as train your body to engage them when needed.

The hip bridge also improves core and spinal stability. To do this exercise, lie flat on the floor, lift your pelvis and hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds. Do 10 repetitions. If you want it to be more challenging, you can lift up on your toes alternately as if you are marching. For pelvic tilts, get down on your hands and knees and then raise your lower back to the ceiling, while tilting the front of your pelvis towards the floor. Then straighten your back and tilt your pelvis up. Move smoothly and concentrate on using your abs when you flex your pelvis up and forward. Do 10 to 20 reps.

(Image courtesy of phasinphoto at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

3. Another way to strengthen your core muscles is to do plank exercises. Aside from a flat stomach, planks will help improve your posture. Despite the simplicity of the exercise, doing a ten-minute plank outweighs the benefits of doing abdominal crunches for an hour! (Plus it's much better for your back.)

Start by getting in the push up position. Your forearms and toes should support your weight and make sure your elbows are lined up directly under your shoulders. Keep your neck neutral by looking down on the floor. This prevents placing too much strain on your neck.

Hold the plank for at least 30 seconds, breathing slowly and deeply, and take a 5-second break in between repetitions. Once your core gets stronger, you can hold the position for as long as 1 minute or more.

[Video] 10 Core Exercises for Triathletes

If you're training for a triathlon, core strength is of great importance for all three events, and this short video demonstrates 10 excellent core exercises to give you super-strong abs and core muscles. This will help you maintain endurance through all segments of the triathlon, as well as help prevent injury.

Some of these are tough exercises, so feel free to scale down on the reps and intensity and work your way up to the full version if needed.

6 Exercises for Strengthening Your Core

To get ready for swimsuit season, you are probably doing a lot of targeted exercises to get in shape. You are likely focusing on your abs and thighs the most, and doing what you can to drop a few extra pounds before you have to squeeze into that swimsuit. There is a huge factor that many people are missing out on as they are getting ready for summer, however, and to their own detriment. That factor is the importance of core strengthening.

What Exactly Is the Core?

Suspension exercise ‪for the core. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Your core muscles are a group of muscles running down the center of your body. These include your abdominal muscles, back muscles, and your pelvis. All of these muscles contribute to your overall balance and strength.

How Does Core Strengthening Help?

Core strengthening helps on many levels. At its most basic, your core strength comes into play in everyday activities such as lifting your groceries and vacuuming your house. Your core is your center of balance and strength for almost everything you do, especially when it comes to working out and getting in shape. A strong core can help you be more successful with all your workouts, as it gives you the best canvas to work from.

How Can I Strengthen My Core?

Core strengthening exercises are the best way to get your core in shape. These exercises will not only improve your core strength, but they will also help you tone your abdominal muscles, back, butt, and thighs so you can make big strides toward your summer fitness goals. Even better, these exercises can all be done from home so there is no gym membership required.

6 Effective Core Exercises

1. Yoga and Pilates

Yoga and Pilates-type exercises are the most popular workout routines that are aimed toward building a strong and healthy core. You can find yoga and Pilates videos online, on DVD, or even learn poses from books and magazines. These are easy to do from home and most routines do not even require any sort of equipment. (Check out our Amazon store for some of our favorite yoga & Pilates workouts!)

2. Planking

Planks are an exercise that you might find difficult in the beginning, but as you core strengthens you will find it easier over time. Planking is great for the whole body, from your arms all the way down through your legs, and is actually touted as being a better exercise for your abs than crunches.

Start by getting into push-up position on the floor, but rest on your arms at 90-degree angles. Straighten your whole body out, through to your feet up on your toes. Use your core muscles to hold the position for as long as possible. Each day, hold a little longer.

Core workout on the ball. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Balance ball

Using a balance ball helps you to focus on your core muscles when doing certain exercises. You can use a balance ball to do push-ups, crunches, and more. Even simply sitting on a balance ball instead of a chair helps you strengthen your core muscles during the day.

4. V-sit

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lean back to a 45 degree angle and hold your arms out straight beside you. Slowly lift your feet off the ground, using your core to keep yourself steady. Extend your legs out so that your body forms a “V”. Hold this position as long as possible, using your extended arms to help maintain your balance.

5. Tucks

Start in the same position as the v-sit, leaning back at the 45 degree angle and arms straight out beside you. Extend your legs out just like in the v-sit, but then bring them back to your body, not resting them on the floor. Repeat this motion ten times, rest, and then repeat.

6. Bicycles

Starting in crunch position with your hands behind your ears, reach your elbow to the opposite knee, extending the other leg out. Repeat the motion, alternating sides, and working your legs as if riding a bicycle. Continue the motion for an extended period of time, at least 30 seconds, before resting and then repeating.

Core strengthening is where great workouts and a great body start. If you are wanting to get toned and fit for summer, core exercises are what you want to focus on.

Try These Fun Core Workouts:

   

[Video] Strength Training Workout for Runners

This short workout is great for runners to help you build strength in areas of your body that can help keep you in shape and avoid injury while running. These exercises will help strengthen your legs, hips, back, shoulders, and core.

You can do this workout with or without weights, and it will take you less than 10 minutes, so let's get up and get going!



Here's Another Great Workout for Runners:

Book Review: Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence

It isn’t that often that a truly new fitness idea comes around, but with Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence by Eric Goodman and Peter Park, you’ll find a totally new approach to improving your health and fitness.

Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence

This book is the collaboration between two fitness and wellness experts that teamed up to create a fitness book that focuses on strengthening the back instead of the abdominal muscles to enjoy true core fitness.

Peter Park is one of the top fitness trainers in the United States and has worked with top athletes and celebrities including Derek Fisher, Lance Armstrong, and Kelly Slater. He is the co-owner of Platinum Fitness Summerland and has over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry.

Dr. Eric Goodman is a chiropractor who also works as a strength coach and personal trainer. His understanding of the back has led him to create a program that improves the body’s ability to heal and move with ease.

This dream-team of exercise scientists brings a new approach to fitness that helps create more flexibility, improved endurance, along with more power. If you’ve been disappointed by fitness programs that leave you feeling unbalanced and in pain, this program can teach you techniques that will turn those problems around.
You don’t have to be a body builder to know that fitness can be difficult. Many programs that focus on core fitness focus only on the abdominal muscles. The idea is that by strengthening them you’ll improve your fitness.

But with Foundation: Redefine Your Core Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence, you’ll find an approach that focuses instead on the back. By strengthening this area of the body you’ll have fewer problems with balance, back pain, and you’ll strengthen your entire body.

Often people who have back pain have a very tough time getting in shape. In spite of doing sit-ups and crunches, they never can seem to get relief. But by using the exercises in this book, you can become free of the pain and actually improve your fitness levels.

People who have had back injuries, surgery, and other back problems will be able to follow these easy instructions to strengthen the back and alleviate pain. Having a strong back creates a foundation upon which the rest of your fitness can be built.

If you’ve ever experienced back pain you know that it can affect the way the rest of your entire body moves. And back pain can be chronic, persistent, and debilitating. But by following a program of strengthening and stretching the back, you can have relief and be able to move with freedom once again.

When you’re getting started with an exercise program, you can quickly burn out - especially if  you experience pain and injury related to your back. But with this program you’ll experience the opposite – less pain and more flexibility.

As you follow the Foundation program you’ll gain balance and strength, and exercise will actually become easier for you. With a solid foundation and understanding of musculoskeletal structure and fitness, these two experts present a whole new way of becoming fit. By strengthening the back, all fitness areas become feasible.

In this book, not only will you learn the roots of back pain and dysfunction, but you will also learn how to fix these issues. The book includes tons of information, but probably the most valuable part for me was the workouts.

The book includes 3 different workouts - the Basic Workout of 5 basic exercises for beginners to help strengthen your back and core, the Moderate Workout of 7 exercises to further strengthen your back, reduce pain, and prevent injury, and the Intense Workout - 10 exercises that help improve on the foundation that you have built in the previous sections. Each exercise is accompanied by detailed photographs and instructions that are clear and easy to follow.

The book also includes some bonus exercises that you can add into your routine when ready, and create a healthy lifestyle to achieve true fitness and health.

Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence is a great book for anyone who wants to get in shape but struggles with issues of back pain and imbalance.

With this book you can learn exercises that strengthen your core by focusing on your back. When your back is strong and healthy, all fitness activities become easier to perform and you can truly improve your fitness and wellness.

If you have a job that requires you to sit all day, have a lot of stress, or have experienced an injury or surgery, this book can help you to get the relief you desire. It goes beyond traditional exercise programs to create a program focusing on strength and wellness for your back.

You’ll also benefit if you want to get in shape, but pain has kept you from doing so. Many people who have followed this program find that their back pain has completely disappeared allowing them to improve their fitness for life.

This approach is based on science and the experience of two industry professionals who really know what they’re doing.

You can have Foundation: RedefineYour Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence delivered to your home, your Kindle or Kindle reader and you can find it here on Amazon.com.

Video: Strength Exercises for Swimmers

If you love swimming and want to increase your speed, this short video demonstrates some great exercises for building core strength and increasing speed while swimming. These are also great exercises for building core strength in general - so even if you're not a swimmer, you can benefit from these with a strong core, better posture, and a flatter, more toned midsection.*

*Note: Some of these exercises are fairly advanced. Do not attempt without making sure you are at a high enough fitness level to avoid injury. Listen to your body, and consult a personal trainer for guidance if needed.

Fast Swimming Secret Tip - Core Exercise
Sabir Muhammad demonstrates fast swimming exercises used at the Race Club to increase core strength. Gary Hall Sr describes these exercises and how they incr...

Video: Pilates Abs & Obliques Core Workout

Pilates is an excellent form of exercise to build a strong core, as it focuses constantly on the core muscles regardless of what exercise you are doing. This video however focuses specifically on your core. This short (17-minute) core workout works all of your core muscles to build strength and stability, and help prevent back pain and injury, as well as improve your posture and appearance of your abs and waist. Done on a regular basis, this one can really make a difference to your balance and posture.

Be sure to pay attention to the verbal instructions for proper technique, and watch the demo through at least once before you do it yourself. This is a progressive workout, meaning it starts off easy and gradually increases the challenge with each exercise, so you don't really need to warm up first.

Give it a try, and feel those abs burn!

Pilates Core Series Workout - Fitness Blender Pilates Abs and Obliques Workout
Click here http://bit.ly/rRFe0L to find out how many calories this workout burns, & what it's benefits are. Lose 16-24 lbs in 8 weeks with our free videos - ...
 

More Pilates Workouts to Strengthen Your Core: 
     

3 Strength-Building Exercises for Your Core

When creating a strength-training routine, it is crucial that core exercises be a part of your program.  The core has traditionally been associated with the abdominals and lower back muscles, but hip and pelvic muscles are also very important. 

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Strengthening all of these muscle groups as part of your core exercises has several benefits: 

* Increased tone in the superficial abdominal muscles
* Reduced chances of suffering lower back pain
* Less chance of injury during workouts
* An increase in balance and stability

With more than two dozen muscles groups making up the core, a wide variety of exercises can be done to target them.  The following exercises, however, will not only activate some of these muscles, but will develop strength in these areas.  This is key to developing overall balance and stability.

1. Plank Position

The Plank Position is one of the best core exercises that you can do.  The reason is that when done properly, it not only targets your core, but it is very effective at working on your quadriceps muscles in your thighs, your chest muscles, as well as your triceps and several smaller stabilizer muscles.

For the most benefit, try to hold the plank position as long as you can, and then repeat a second time.  Your goal from one workout to the next would be to increase your personal best time.  Plank is very common in yoga, but it is a versatile exercise that can be adapted to suit all fitness ranges and abilities.

2. Crunches and Sit-ups

Are crunches and sit-ups the same?  The simple answer is, "no."  With a typical crunch where your legs are in a static position, you will adequately develop the superficial abdominal muscles.  In a crunch, your back also stays on the floor (unlike sit-ups). 

If you wish to strengthen the deeper abdominal muscles, sit-ups may be your exercise of choice.  Sit-ups are a great abdominal and hip flexor strengthening tool, if done properly. 

Performing the crunch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

However, there is a word of caution when doing sit-ups.  Ensure that your hands are on your chest, not behind your head (which you can get away with during a crunch), so as to avoid causing neck strain! Also, done incorrectly, situps can really do a number on your lower back, so if you have any problems in this area you should stick with the safer crunches.

The other advantage of doing sit-ups is that you can use a dumbbell or a medicine ball to challenge your abdominal muscles even further. 

3. Alternating Side-Leg Lifts

These core exercises are very good at targeting the lower abdominal muscles.  Most core workout exercises are great for the lower back and upper abdominals, but not as many will aim to target the lower abdominals.  Side-leg lifts do exactly that.  In fact, it is advisable that you work out the lower abdominals before the upper abdominals, so make this your first exercise when working out your core.

In summary, core exercises that incorporate strength training create a strong foundation that will allow you to maximize your workout routine.  Although the effects of strong core muscles cannot always be seen right away, they will pay big dividends as you progress down the road to better health and fitness. 

Video - Menopause Core Exercises

One of the main things you may notice when going through menopause is that you tend to accumulate more fat in the belly region. This is due in part to decreased metabolism (see last week's posts for help with this), and in part to hormone fluctuations. Regular cardio exercise (especially of the interval kind), together with exercises for a strong core can help you keep that flat belly even after menopause. This short video demonstrates three great core exercises that will help build and maintain core strength. They won't take long to do, and can be incorporated into your regular workout routine, or alternated on different days. (See instructions below video for set/rep information.)

Menopause Weight Loss | My Menopause Fix Blog
Menopause Weight Loss For more Videos and menopause weight loss information visit http://www.mymenopausefix.com If you would like my FREE 7 Day Menopause Die...


3 Simple Exercises for Toning the Core:

1) Hip Bridge - 20 Reps 2 Sets
2) 1 Leg Static Hip Bridge with Knee Taps - 10 each Leg 2 Sets
3) Reverse Tabletop Crunch ( Slow ) - 20 Reps 2 Sets