Butterfly sit ups strengthen the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, and lower back. Because this exercise allows you to move your torso closer to the pelvis, it trains the core to be strong while the spine flexes. This also allows for greater ab contraction which can aid muscle growth.
Butterfly workouts primarily focus on exercises that control the upper, middle, lower, and inner chest areas. Not only that, but the exercise works your biceps, triceps, and deltoids, resulting in a toned and stronger upper body.
Sit-ups have fallen out of favor among some fitness experts and trainers for several reasons: Spinal Strain: Traditional sit-ups can put a significant strain on the lower back and spine, especially if performed with poor form. This can lead to discomfort or injury over time.
Flutter kicks are an exercise directed at the lower abs, making them an excellent core-strengthening workout. They strongly engage the hip flexors, quads, and obliques, and secondarily work the hamstrings and lower back. Since they require balance and control, they help develop core stability and endurance.
If you want to burn calories and drop the extra pounds, there's nothing better than flutter kicks. It works wonders when it comes to toning up the lower abdomen area. What's more, it also strengthens the muscles in the area which can improve the effects of the other exercises that are a part of your workout routine.
The Butterfly Asana works intensely on the hips, thighs, and lower back. Regular practice helps to ease the tightness in these areas, promoting flexibility and reducing the risk of injuries that are common in sedentary lifestyles.
While sit-ups can't "target" belly fat, what they can do is help you burn calories, strengthen your core and develop more muscle. Because muscle is more metabolically active than fat, the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn when you're at rest.
Bicycle Crunches
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) ranks bicycle crunches as the best ab exercise [1]. This ab exercise activates multiple parts of the core, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and the hard-to-reach transverse abdominis deep in the core.
Everyone has different goals, fitness levels, and circumstances, but maxing out at 40 situps daily is a fair goal for most people, says Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.
Quads, hamstring, and calves: The butterfly stroke's dolphin kick doesn't just tone the glutes; the whipping leg motion also engages and strengthens the hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. Shoulder, upper back, and arm muscles: The butterfly stroke's circular arm movements engage the shoulder and upper back muscles.
The butterfly stretch can be quite an intense hip opener - by opening our legs out to the side in a dramatically externally rotated position (thighs face backwards behind us), it becomes a deep inner thigh (and potentially glute as well) stretch.
Categorized as a core exercise, the move is a full-body experience — you'll target core muscles like your abs, transverse abdominis and erector spinae muscles, but also your hip flexors (especially if you anchor your feet), glutes and legs to push away from the floor to stand.
You Have Tight Hip Flexors
Coincidentally, one of the reasons that you may want to do a butterfly stretch (tight hips) could be the source of your struggle to perform this move. Tight hip flexors "will make the stretch very uncomfortable and can strain the lower back," Walker says.
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.
Activities like running, cycling, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burn more calories and fat throughout the body, including the upper belly, lower belly, and obliques. So, while ab exercises can help define your core, it's a holistic approach that will help you lose the fat covering those muscles.
Plank Hold
Best for: all four of the major core muscles. Place your elbows on the floor and then extend one leg at a time to get your spine in a neutral position parallel to the floor. Keep your center of gravity and most of your weight over your elbows.
The Science of Fat Loss
Think of it like a balloon losing air—it deflates, but doesn't disappear immediately. Over time, your body adjusts, but the jiggly feeling can be a temporary step along the way.
It targets the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis muscles, the serratus and the hip flexors. Sit Ups also engage the lower back muscles. Butterfly Sit Ups will build core strength, mobility in the hips and flexibility in the abdominals and lower back muscles.
Stretch in a smooth movement, without bouncing. Bouncing as you stretch can injure your muscle and actually contribute to muscle tightness. Hold your stretch. Breathe normally and hold each stretch for about 30 seconds; in problem areas, you may need to hold for around 60 seconds.
Butterfly stroke – As you push through the water, the butterfly stroke requires a lot of power from the deltoid and trapezius muscles. The deltoid muscles include the front and back of the shoulders while the trapezius muscles encompass the area behind the back of the neck and side of the neck.