Tone your abdomen with less than 10 minutes a day

by Samantha Mendoza
(Qro., Mexico)

It is usual that the abdomen starts loosing tone because of factors such as: age, sedentary life, unbalanced diet, etc.
Start getting results in 2 weeks on toning and loosing that awful stomach curve with this exercises that will take you less than 10 minutes a day. Remember to improve your diet as well.

Material you'll need:
I recommend a soft surface like a pad.

The following workout is composed of these exercises:
1) Inverse abdominals
2) Complete push-up or planch
3) Abdomen contraction
4) Wrist turn
5) Basic abdominal
6) The bicycle

Always heat up before getting started. You can choose 3 exercises performed at low intensity. The list is:
a) Squat (make 10).
b) Backward stride (make 3-5 with each leg).
c) Forward stride (make 3-5 with each leg).
d) Touch the tip of your foot and balance, figure will look like this: (-¬|o) (hold position for 10 seconds with each leg).
e) Lateral squat (make 10 with each leg) Legs will look like: (||) (|\).
f) Steps (make 15 or more during 30 seconds).
g) Complete Push up or planch (make 10).
h) Half Push up (make 10).
g) Moy mix (you need a chair and weights, sitting on the edge of a chair with the back parallel to the floor and with both arms to the sides holding the weights, lift arms to make them parallel to the floor and aligned to the head), (make 15 during 30 seconds).
h) Stretch up with the door handle (you need a long towel. Tie the towel to the door handle, squatting a little and holding the extreme of the towel with both hands, hold the position for some seconds and return to initial position (by stretching your legs), make 20 during 30 seconds).

1) Inverse abdominals.

The pad will be important or any soft surface to avoid injury of the spine.
This exercise is ideal to notice the effort on the stomach.

a) Lay down supporting your back on the pad. Contract your abdominal muscles (make your belly go inwards).
b) Lift your legs making a 90° angle and cross the ankles. Put your arms to the sides of your body touching the ground.
c) The movement must be controlled, you need to maintain your abdomen's contraction. Lift your buttocks a little and the lumbar zone of the spine. Point to the ceiling with your feet. Don't raise too much from the floor, just enough to feel the muscles working.
d) Count up to 2 while you make an ascending movement and to 2 while making a descending movement.
e) After 30 seconds, put the feet on the floor and turn to the initial position.
f) Repeat 7 times in 30 seconds.

If you can't make the exercise with your legs stretch, make the exercise with knees flexed.

2) Complete push-up or planch.

It doesn't seem to be a complicated exercise, but if you do it correctly, it is one of the most intense and which gives better results for giving muscle tone to your abdomen and arms.

a) Lay on the floor looking down and support the front of your head on your hands.
b) With elbows flexed, slide your hands by the ground, rotate at the height of the shoulders until you find the perfect position for elevation.
c) Put your toes on the floor and elevate with your hands. Don't block your elbows and relax the neck and head but keep them aligned to your spine.
d) Hold the posture for 10 seconds and recover slowly returning to the initial position. Breath correctly during the exercise.
e) You can make 3-10 repetitions, then you can increase the number of repetitions and series when you gain strength.
Persevere.

3) Abdomen contraction.

This exercise will make the very internal abdominal muscles to work (the oblique) to help you get a plain and defined stomach (loosing the awful curve). It is the best start for a plain stomach.

a) Stand up with your feet slightly separated and aligned to the hips. Put your arms to the sides of your body.
b) Contract your abdomen slowly producing an inward force but without holding your breath. Place one hand on your stomach and notice if the muscles get tense, which means they're working. Concentrate and feel.
c) Relax a little and prepare to start again. Hold your posture for 10 seconds and repeat at least 3-5 times.
This exercise can be also made in a sitting position.

4) Wrist turn.

Make sure you have enough space to perform this exercise. You'll work the oblique abdominal muscles (lateral to the wrist). This help define your shape.

a) Take the same initial position as in the previous exercise. Don´t block your knees.
b) Stretch the arms forward and close the cuffs.
c) Move your arms from one side to the other, ensure you maintain your feet firm on the ground and your hips looking to the front. Start slow and speed up without loosing control of the movement or changing your hips from the position they must keep.
d) Once 30 seconds have passed, low your arms and return to initial position.
e) Repeat as many times as possible in 30 seconds.
Don't shake while moving your arms in order to avoid a non necessary tension of your muscles.

5) Basic abdominal.

Good way to gain a plain stomach. Don't force your neck for elevation or it will hurt. Don't use your hands for pulling your neck.

a) Lay on the floor with your back on the pad. Bend your knees and put the feet on the floor, slightly separated and aligned to your hips. Put the hands behind your head.
b) Tense your abdominal muscles producing an inward force. Lift your torso as much as possible but without arching the lower part of your back.
c) When you can't lift higher, hold the position for a second. Recover slowly by returning to the initial position.
d) Make as many repetitions during 30 seconds as possible. Rest between series. You might be able to increase the number when you gain some strength. You're almost there!!!

6) The bicycle.

Similar to the previous exercise but when you take the elbow to the knee of the other side (right elbow goes to left knee and so on), you'll be working the oblique abdominals. This exercise produces a thinner and more defined wrist.

a) Take the initial position of the previous exercise.
b) Lift your torso without raising the lower part of your back from the floor.
c) Lift your right foot and make your right knee to go towards your chest.
d) Make yourself go forward and rotate your body a little in order to take the left elbow to the right knee, but don't make them touch each other.
e) Hold the posture for one second and return to initial position. Repeat the movement with the right elbow to the left knee.
f) Repeat the exercise alternating sides until 30 seconds have passed. Make all the repetitions you can possibly make during that time and if possible, make 2 series with a small pause between each one.
Remember to hold your head still and the neck aligned with the spine. Your eyes must look to the top so that you avoid injuries.

There you go, I imagine you having lost that awful central curve and wearing a nice wardrobe that looks real good on you now. Enjoy!