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Updated 22/12/21
The best flat stomach workouts will help you achieve a strong core and burn belly fat so you can show off your results. As an added bonus, you can do the exercises below just about anywhere because they don’t require any type of gym equipment.
1. Burpees
Fast-paced, explosive exercise that helps burn belly fat and strengthen your core muscles
How to do burpees
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your side.
- Bend down into a squat, and put your palms on the floor in front of you.
- Throw your legs back to assume a push-up position.
- Do a push-up, and then jump back into the squat position.
- Raise your arms straight into the air, and jump.
- As soon as you land, immediately return to a squat to restart the exercise.
2. Side Plank
Simple stomach exercises that target your internal and external obliques
How to do side planks
- Lie on your left side, supporting your upper body with your forearm at shoulder level.
- Straighten out your legs, and place your right foot over your left foot.
- Raise your hips off the floor so that your body forms a straight line.
- Lift your right arm directly into the air, and twist your torso towards the floor in front of you.
- As you’re twisting, bring your right hand under your body, as if you’re reaching for something behind you.
- Reverse the motion of your torso to return to the starting position with your arm in the air.
- Repeat the exercise on the opposite side using your left arm.
3. Bird-Dog
Yoga-like ab exercises for a strong core and lower back
How to do the Bird-Dog
- Get on your hands and knees with palms shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart.
- Lift your right arm, and point it straight in front of you.
- At the same time, lift your left leg, extending it straight behind you.
- Ensure that you’re forming a straight line from hand to foot.
- Hold the position for several seconds, and then return to all fours.
- Repeat the exercise on the opposite side using your left arm.
4. Russian Twist
Low-impact workout focusing on the abdominal region and shoulders
How to do Russian twists
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
- Lean back slightly so that you’re balancing on your sitting bones, and lift your knees towards your body until your feet are off the ground.
- Straighten your back so that it’s at a 45-degree angle to the floor, and clasp your hands in front of your chest.
- Twist your upper body to the right until your right elbow makes contact with the ground.
- At the same time, lower your knees just slightly towards the left.
- Go back to the starting point, and repeat the exercise going in the opposite direction.
5. Bicycle Crunch
Intermediate exercise works both your upper abs and lower abs
How to do bicycle crunches
- Lie on your back, and bend your knees to put your feet flat on the floor.
- Put your hands behind your head, pointing your elbows outward.
- Raise your knees until they’re above your hips, and raise your upper body off the ground.
- Slowly twist your upper body to bring your left elbow toward your right knee; bring your right knee to meet your left elbow.
- At the same time, lower your right elbow toward the ground, and extend your left leg straight out.
- Return to the previous position, and repeat the exercise in the opposite direction.
6. Mountain Climbers
Combines cardio to lose weight and strength training for your abdominal muscles
How to do mountain climbers
- Get on hands and knees, and lift your upper body off the floor, arms straight with your palms directly under your shoulders.
- Lift your hips, and extend your legs until your body is forming a straight line, similar to the pushup position.
- Bring your right knee up towards your chest until it touches your right forearm.
- Return to the original position, and then quickly perform the exercise on the opposite side, bringing your left knee towards your chest.
7. Reverse Crunch
Exercises the rectus abdominis and lower abs without straining your neck
How to do reverse crunches
- Lie on your back with your arms out to your sides.
- Bend your knees, lifting your legs until your knees are right above your hips.
- Tighten your abdominal region, and keep your shoulders and upper back flat on the ground throughout the exercise.
- Curl your hips, and draw your knees up until they’re over your chest.
- Hold the position for several seconds, and then return to the starting position.
8. Scissor Legs
Low impact exercise for achieving a flat tummy
How to do scissor legs
- Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms to your sides.
- Slowly lift your legs straight into the air until your hips come off the floor slightly.
- Position your hands palm-down under your buttocks.
- Keeping it as straight as you can, lift your right leg into the air until your foot is over your hips.
- At the same time, lower your left leg until your heel nearly touches the ground.
- Repeat the exercise by reversing the positions of your legs, lowering your right leg and lifting your left leg.
9. V-Sit Hold
Super simple exercise for a toned, flat tummy
How to do the V-sit hold
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent in front of you.
- Lean back slightly, and then extend your knees until your legs are straight.
- Raise your legs into the air until your body is forming a V shape.
- Keeping your back straight, extend your arms to place your hands on your knees.
- Hold the position for as long as you can.
- When you tire, return to a sitting position to rest before starting over.
10. Plank Reach
Flat tummy exercise that strengths your midsection
How to do plank reaches
- Start on hands and knees, and then transition to a plank position with your forearms holding up your upper body and your toes holding up your legs.
- Raise your leg arm and extend it in front of you as if you’re reaching for something.
- Hold the position for three seconds, and then return to the plank position.
- Repeat the exercise with the opposite arm.
11. Inchworm
Fun exercise for tightening your tummy
How to do the inchworm
- Stand straight with your arms at your sides.
- Bend at the mid-section and lower yourself until your palms are flat on the ground and your body forms an inverted V shape.
- Without bending your knees, “walk” your palms forward until your are in a press-up position.
- Continuing to keep your legs straight and keeping your palms where they are, take small steps with your feet until you are back in the inverted V position.
12. Leg Pull-In Knees-Up
Sit-up-type exercise without the straining
How to do the leg pull-in knees-up
- Lie flat on the floor, and place your hands under your buttocks.
- Put your knees together, and pull them back towards your chest.
- At the same time, lift your upper body toward your knees.
- Hold the position for a few seconds, and then return to flat on your back.
13. Windshield Wiper
Advanced stomach exercise for a flat tummy and trim waist
How to do windshield wipers
- Lie flat on the floor, and extend your arms straight at shoulder height.
- Put your knees together, and lift them until they’re over your hips.
- Slowly rotate your hips, bringing your legs to the left side.
- Lower your legs as far as you can without touching the ground.
- Hold the position for a few seconds, and then return the starting position.
- Repeat the exercise in the opposite direction.
Tips for Maintaining a Flat Stomach
Exercising your abdominal region will strengthen your muscles to help give you a flatter stomach. However, there are a few other things you can do to help the process.
Don’t Rush to See Results
It can take several weeks or even up to a year or longer to see the results of your stomach exercises, depending on your starting point. Remember that even when you don’t see immediate results, you’re still building and toning muscles in your midsection.
Keep Up with Your Cardio
Fat over your abs is what’s keeping you from enjoying a flat tummy. However, since you can’t target where you burn fat, keeping up with regular cardio is important for helping you maintain overall body definition.
Get Lots of Sleep
Sleep promotes harmony throughout the body as that’s when your body restores itself. When you get enough sleep, you’ll notice better hunger control and smoother digestion, which can help keep bloating away.
FAQs
How long does it take to see a flat tummy?
How long it takes to achieve a flat tummy really depends your individual body composition. To achieve the look, you need to burn belly fat and strengthen your abs. Assuming you have an average amount of belly fat and burn about 1% of it per month, you can expect to see a flat tummy in about 20 months.
Of course, it could take more or less time depending on your diet and how often you exercise.
How often should I exercise for a flat tummy?
To maintain good health and work towards a flat tummy, you should exercise 30 to 60 minutes per day. Your workouts should be a combination of cardio to burn calories and strength training to tone your abs and other muscle groups.
Wrapping Up
There are no shortcuts to achieving a flat tummy. It takes discipline and hard work to burn fat and tone muscle so that you get the body that you want. You can speed up the process, though, by performing exercises that specifically target the abdominal region.
Looking for more interesting ways to engage those stomach muscles? Check out these abdominal and lower body medicine ball exercises.