Flat stomach: one of the best exercises to get rid of belly fat to do at home
Comprehensive and regular physical activity as well as a balanced diet are the basic foundations for a flat stomach. But for more convincing results, it is possible to add targeted exercises to your exercise routine. What are the best exercises to get rid of belly fat at home and strengthen the abdominal muscles? Athletic trainer, Vincent Olive, offers his advice.
We can never say it enough: to have a flat stomach, there is no point in restricting abdominal sessions. Risks ? injury and unsatisfactory results. To lose belly fat, it is first necessary to understand the muscles that make up this part of the body. “The abdominal girdle consists of the rectus abdominis muscles, in other words the chocolate bar, the obliques on the sides, and the transverse muscle, which is deeper,” explains Vincent Olive, athletic trainer and coach. This is the last muscle that you should work especially hard for a flat stomach. But this is neither the first nor the only thing to achieve this goal!
Healthy diet, regular physical activity ... How do you have a flat stomach?
To have a flat stomach, it is necessary to follow a balanced diet. Coach Jock advises: “We should avoid sugar as much as possible, eat at a specific time, and limit the amount of food we eat during meals throughout the day, so that we feel hungry and do not skip breakfast.”
General and regular physical activity is also important. "In particular, you can incorporate exercise into your daily life by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or by getting off the metro early for a walk," suggests Vincent Olive.
It is then possible to strengthen your abdominal muscles by adding targeted exercises to your workout sessions. ideal? “Do three sessions a week: a sport highlighting a sport you love to keep the fun side essential, a cardio session and a muscle-strengthening session where we add exercises targeting the abdominal belt.” What are the best exercises to achieve this goal and get a flat stomach?
Abdominal muscles: 10 effective exercises for a flat stomach
Crunches, squats, leg raises... There are many exercises that target the abdomen. Which ones to choose to get results quickly? Vincent Olive offers 10 exercises categorized by level of difficulty. Each level of difficulty is associated with a number of repetitions that must be performed for an effective and risk-free session adapted to each person:
- Level 1 or Beginner: 20 to 30 repetitions
- Level 2 or Intermediate: 12 to 15 repetitions, 2 to 3 sets
- Level 3 or Difficult: 8 to 12 repetitions and 2 to 3 sets
Exercise 1: Eccentric false leg raise
This level 2 exercise in particular allows the rectus abdominoplasty to be worked eccentrically. To do this, lie on your back and raise your legs to 90 degrees. You can put a pillow behind your head to avoid neck tension. Bend your legs to 90 degrees, then straighten them toward the ceiling. Do an eccentric movement by slowly lowering your legs toward the floor. Your back should be flat on the floor so you don't have a low back. "If you still have low back, fold your legs early, without waiting for you to be close to the ground," recommends Vincent Olive. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Exercise 2: Swiss ball spear
This level 3 pyramid exercise is demanding and allows you to work the transverse abdominal muscle in particular. To achieve this, you can use basic sliders, discs that allow you to slide on the floor, or simply put your socks on the parquet. Another possibility: use the Swiss ball.
Get into a push-up position with the heel (ankle), iliac (pelvis), and head of the humerus (shoulder) aligned correctly. Your back should not be arched. Place your feet on the Swiss ball or on the floor on the base slider and hold the sheath in this position. Raise the pelvis in a hierarchical fashion towards the ceiling by swallowing the abdomen and then descend again to align the three points again. Do two to three sets of 6 to 8 reps.
Exercise 3: skipping rope
This exercise requires a level 3 from the point of view of the heart and lung and allows you to dehydrate, in other words get rid of fat, especially those that settle in the abdomen. Target? Jump rope for 20 minutes, changing movements. "You can alternate jumping jacks with both feet together and/or knee raises, knee raises, double bottoms, or even heels and buttocks," Vincent Olive suggests.
Exercise 4: mountain climber
To do this Level 2 exercise, sit in a pushup position and slowly raise your knees to elbow level, raising your pelvis slightly toward the ceiling. To strengthen the curves, raise your knees toward the inside of the elbows. If you want to strengthen the rectus abdominis muscles, raise them to the outside. "Don't forget to tighten your stomach muscles when you do this movement!" Adds the sports coach. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Exercise 5: Lateral torso bends
To do this Level 2 exercise, sit in a pushup position and slowly raise your knees to elbow level, raising your pelvis slightly toward the ceiling. To strengthen the curves, raise your knees toward the inside of the elbows. If you want to strengthen the rectus abdominis muscles, raise them to the outside. "Don't forget to tighten your stomach muscles when you do this movement!" Adds the sports coach. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Exercise 6: Bear Dog
This second level sheathing exercise in particular allows you to engage the postural muscles of the trunk and lower extremities. To do this, sit on all fours, raise your right arm and the other leg, then do the same movement with the other arm and the other leg. Be careful not to arch your back, keep your pelvis straight and steady, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. You should also lengthen your neck, bend your chin, and keep your shoulders back. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Exercise 7: The dead insect
This level 2 exercise specifically targets the transverse and erect spinal muscles. Lie on your back and make sure it is flat on the floor. Bend your knees 90 degrees above your hips and your arms extended over your shoulders. Then move away in a cross chain of the opposite arm and leg. To do this, lower the opposite leg and arm at the same time, before returning to the initial position and performing the same movement with the other leg and the other arm. "The immobile arm and leg should remain stationary," the athletic trainer notes. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Exercise 8: dynamic liposuction
This level 2 elastic band exercise can be done alone with a anchor point, or in pairs. If you're doing this on your own, stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms straight. Put one part of the rubber band in your hands and attach the other part to an anchor point. Position so that the elastic band is taut and your shoulders back. "Then rotate 45 degrees to the other side of the rubber band attachment point that engages the transverse muscle," explains Vincent Olive.
Exercise 9: Plank
To perform this level 1 or 2 exercise, sit in a plank position, resting on your forearms or on your hands. The iliac crest and heel should be aligned. Stay in this position for 20 to 30 seconds, allow time to recover, and then repeat. There is a level 3 variation of this exercise: To do this, extend one arm and the opposite leg and stay in this position.
Exercise 10: Dynamic wrapping in the sideboard
To perform this dynamic Level 3 exercise, sit on the floor, sideways, resting on one forearm and legs extended. Lower the pelvis and then come back for 20 to 30 seconds. You can perform three sets of this exercise, allowing time to recover between each repetition.
"By combining these exercises with a balanced diet and regular general physical activity, one can hope to start seeing results after one month. From three months, it is possible to really notice the solidification of labor achieved," concludes Vincent Olive.