Help & Advice

Into That Dress: Tummy Toning Exercises

by Tim Mugabi

A flat stomach and a slimmer midsection is always close to, if not at the top of a bride’s wish list as she gets into shape for her wedding. So this month I’m going to give you five exercises for achieving a toned tummy.

Crunch

This tried and tested exercise is a great way to get started in working your midsection. However despite it’s popularity, it’s regularly performed incorrectly which reduces its potency. Start by lying on your back and bring your ankles close to your bottom, raising your knees from the ground.

From there, cross your arms over your chest and lift your upper back from the ground, hold it momentarily and then slowly lower yourself to the original position. It’s important to note that you only need to raise your upper back from the floor; your lower back doesn’t need to move at all.

Lastly, keep your chin off your chest while performing the exercise. Doing so ensures you don’t strain your neck unnecessarily.

Plank

The Plank is a highly effective exercise for tightening and strengthening your entire midsection. It works a group of muscles known as your Transversus Abdominus or TVA for short. These muscles act as your body’s natural corset, bringing in your tummy and sides and toning the whole area. Quite simply, you need the plank in your exercise routine.

Start by lying on your stomach and then lift yourself off the floor; supporting your body using your forearms and the balls of your feet. From here you simply need to hold this position as long as possible.

If this position is new to you or you’re out of practice, you may find 30 seconds challenging. But persevere and you’ll soon be able to hold the plank in excess of a minute and be well on your way to having a rock solid stomach.

Side Plank

The side plank is the perfect accompaniment to the plank as it is also effective in pulling in your whole midsection. But the side plank also places emphasis on the side of your midsection, working the muscles known as the obliques.

Begin by rolling onto one side and then pushing away from the ground using your forearm. Once you’re off the ground, hold the position as long as possible. As with the plank, this can prove difficult initially but soon becomes possible for longer periods of time.

Lateral Twists

This is another great exercise for the side of your stomach and can prove instrumental in chiselling away those pesky muffin tops. Lie on your back and get into a position similar to that of a crunch but placing your arms by your side instead of across your chest.

From here the objective is to reach underneath your knees and attempt to touch your opposite ankle. In doing so, you’ll be bending from side to side and giving your obliques a great work out.

Mountain Climbers

As well as honing in on your stomach muscles, mountain climbers are an excellent fat burner as they elevate your heart rate and work your whole body. They certainly aren’t for the faint hearted, but with any tough exercise, the juice is certainly worth the squeeze – they yield results!

Start on all fours, then lift your knees from the ground so you’re perched on the balls of your feet. From there, simultaneously bend one leg towards your stomach and extend the other behind you. Then swap the positions of your legs repeatedly. Aim for 30 seconds initially and aim to perform the exercise for 60 seconds uninterrupted.

But as well as performing the above exercises and others like it, it’s important to pay careful attention to your diet. It’s incredibly difficult to out train a bad diet and your exercise efforts will be wasted if you don’t eat the right foods (link to March article). But with the right combination of diet and exercise, you’ll look and feel incredible on your big day.

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