Oblique Knee Pull — 15 reps on each side
Tighten your core and drive your left knee toward your torso as you pull arms down toward left knee (as shown). Do 15 fast reps, then switch sides. Follow-along with The Barre Code's 30-minute HIIT workout video here.
#2 – Stability Ball Rollout
This is one of my 3 favorite ab exercises, and to make it harder and for more ab soreness, the key is to do a sloooooow “roll out”. That will put your abs under a loaded stretch – which causes soreness.
Soreness is caused by microtears or minor inflammation in your muscles. That might sound alarming, but in reality it's a good thing because it prompts your muscles to heal and adapt, which strengthens them.
Bicycle Wins!
This exercise was found to be the single most effective ab exercise by the American Council on Exercise! Bicycle works both on the rectus abdominis (the 'six pack') and the obliques. Lay on your back with knees in to the chest, hands lightly supporting your head.
Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilates and yoga can also help you lose belly fat.
But for the best results, aim for two-three sessions a week. Start with 20 seconds per set and two sets per workout, gradually increasing the time to a minute. Then, you can try more challenging variations. Planks are a great coordination exercise for your core, especially when you're working on other muscle groups.
So, killer abs boil down to diet, cardiovascular exercise and resistance training. If you do all three at the same time, you can get some progress in about six weeks. You might not end up with a 6-pack, but at least you won't be carrying around the ENTIRE keg.
'In terms of burning belly fat, performing a static plank will use up some calories, but it won't be instrumental in burning belly flat specifically as you can't spot reduce where you lose weight from.
Some of the most effective ab workouts are the plank, mountain climbers, roll up, and bicycles.
“Front planks are a great way to work the abs and obliques. Some people complain that you can't get a 'six-pack' look by doing planks. Not only is that false—you can achieve that look if you do planks on one arm and one leg—but it raises the question of your intention.
Because belly fat sticks to the waistline and stomach region, doing some abdominal exercises as part of your overall exercise routine can help combat it. They can help tone and flatten the stomach while providing you with a good source of exercise.
Muscles Need Rest to Grow
Just like any other muscle in your body, your muscles don't actually grow while you work out. They grow during the healing process. In fact, what actually happens when you exercise your abs is that the muscles in your abs tear as they're pushed to their limits.
Having abs means seeing the contours of the abdominal muscles through the skin. A flat stomach is simply a flat stomach. It doesn't have to have the details that comes with having abs.
How long does it take to get abs, anyway? Veteran lifters know all too well just how long it takes to see physical improvements to your appearance. It takes anywhere from three to 12 weeks for new muscle to develop. Healthy (and sustainable) fat loss means losing only one to two pounds per week.