A toned tummy is something that many of us wish we had. While getting into shape can help you to shift the weight and shed the fat, you need to go a little bit further if you want to really define and strengthen up your muscles. Toning exercises are a great way of focusing on specific areas of your body and working on your muscle mass. These oblique exercises are a great way to get your stomach into shape and can be easily adapted into any sort of fitness program you might already have going on!
- Standing Oblique Crunch
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When it comes to getting your tummy into shape, there are a huge number of moves out there that can really work for you. Getting up and about is a great way to stimulate your muscles and strengthen up alternative parts of your body. When you’re focusing on your obliques, a standing oblique crunch is an effective way of stimulating your core and getting your toning exercise routine up and running. To perform this move, stand with your feet a shoulder’s width apart, putting your hands behind your head and keeping your elbows wide. Next, lift your left knee up towards your left elbow, bending your torso up as you do so. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Bird Dog Crunch
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Fine tuning your balance is a great way of strengthening up your muscles and toning certain hard to reach places in your core. This exercise is perfect if you want a stronger core, incorporating slow burn moves into your routine. To try the exercise, start off on all fours on an exercise mat. Extend your right arm forwards and your left leg back, maintaining a flat back and square hips as you do so. As you move your limbs, squeeze your abs and exhale. Bring your arms and leg back to the starting position and repeat again on the other side. Try to do 10 repetitions on each side, alternating as you go.
- Inchworm
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As well as working out your obliques, the inchworm can work wonders on your upper body, helping you to strengthen muscles in this area at the same time. To start off, position yourself upright, with your feet a shoulder’s width apart. Slowly hinge forward your hips, placing your palms flat on the mat. Walk your hands slowly out onto the mat in front of you, bending your legs if it’s more comfortable. Walk down until you’re in a plank position, hold for a few seconds and then walk your body back up again. Perform 8 repetitions of the exercise, being sure to contract your core muscles as you do so.
- Weighted Twist
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Slow burn exercises can be just as effective as high impact sports; it’s simply about engaging the right muscle groups. The weighted twist is a great way to get your obliques working, incorporating an extra dumbbell to give your core muscles even more of a workout. Sitting on an exercise mat with your feet together and knees bent in front of you, hold a dumbbell in both hands. Twist your torso from left to right, slowly moving the weight as you do so. Repeat the exercise 20 times, alternating sides as you do so.
- Forearm Side Plank
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While getting this move under wraps might prove more difficult, it can really help to get your body into great shape once you master it. To perform the move, lie on your left side, stacking your right foot over your left foot. Using your left forearm, hinge your body upwards off the mat so that your body is in one straight line. Try and keep your left elbow stacked beneath your body and your left forearm extended in front of your body on the mat. Raise your right arm into the sky and keep your hips elevated. Hold the position for 10 seconds and then repeat on the other side. Continue the pattern 4 times and then stretch it out.