Exercises to Tighten Up Stomach & Flatten the Tummy

Fat loss should not be mixed up with weight loss because the two are not the same. One may lose fat by exercising and eating healthily but at the same time gaining weight from the increase of muscle mass. It is always a better practice to strive to lose fat and gain muscle definition as merely losing weight can be risky to one’s health. Learn a few good exercises to tighten up stomach and get rid of stomach fat in this article.

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A group of muscles that often gets neglected in stomach exercise routines are the transverse abdominals, the core and deepest abdominal muscles that lie below the rectus abdominus and the lumbar multifidus which cannot be felt from the surface.

Most abdominal exercises target the rectus abdominus and the vertical abdominals, and do nothing for the transverse abdominals. Even sit ups or crunches, the basic of most abdominal workouts, ignore the transverse abdominal muscles. These muscles are actually the most important to target as they connect to both the lower back muscles and the rectus abdominus and function as a girdle for the entire abdomen.

They also support posture, provide proper balance and stabilize the lower back and control deep breathing during power movements, such as heavy squats or heavy lifting. By Incorporating some exercises to flatten the tummy that target these muscles in your workout routine, you can have a flatter stomach.

Just to have a feel of how this muscle work, try blowing out all the air in your lungs and pull your tummy in. There, you have just used your transversus abdominus muscle to execute that movement.

You can target these muscles and really get rid of stomach fat effectively by performing the following exercises to tighten up stomach. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before starting and always warm up properly to avoid injury.

Pelvic tilts
This is a good exercise to flatten stomach. This exercise workouts the lower abdominal underneath the navel. Start by lying on your back on the floor or a bench. Protect your spine with a mat or towel. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Lift only your pelvis off the floor, hold for a moment, and then bring it back down. Repeat for an entire set. Remember to maintain a controlled movement to allow your abdominal muscles to do the work on the exercise rather than your body's impulse. Also, keep your upper body on the floor all over. Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps.

Crunchless crunch
This exercise targets the upper abdomen. You will try to to pull the belly button in towards the spine in this exercise. This may involve using muscles which you may not be used to activating. To begin, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. You can try both poses to see which one is more effective for you. Relax, use only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds or as long as you can. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you achieve this, release the contraction. Perform 3 sets of 15-20 reps.

Scissor kicks
This is another good exercise to flatten stomach that requires you to lie on the floor. Put your hands below your butt and your back pressed against the floor. Slowly arouse one leg to as high as ten inches, then slowly bring it back down to the floor. As you lower your leg, raise the other. Repeat this motion for an entire set. Maintain a controlled motion and make sure your upper body rested firmly on the floor through the entire move.

Stomach vacuum
Stomach vacuum exercises are a great way to target the deep, hard-to-target transverse abdominal muscle. To start, stand upright and place your hands on your hips or over your head, and then expel the air out of your lungs thoroughly. At the same time, expand your chest and suck your stomach in as much as you can, hold it in, breathe normally. To be blunt, just suck in your stomach. Imagine trying to reach your backbone with your navel. Repeat the exercise for a few more sets. This will train your abs muscle to continuously hold your tummy giving you flat stomach look.

Standing pelvic tilts
Standing pelvic tilts are another technique of stomach vacuum exercises. Start by standing with your legs about hip-width apart, and your knees slightly bent. Inhale deeply through your nose, then exhale through your nose while pulling your belly towards your spine and rolling your hips out in front of you. Repeat for a few sets.

There are many of other exercises to tighten up stomach that targeting the transverse abdominals, but these five should be enough as a start. Such exercises to flatten the tummy are key to get rid of stomach fat and have a flatter stomach, and they are especially good for pregnant and postnatal women.

If your goal is to flatten your stomach with exercises, here are some additional tips:
  • Improper eating habits can ruin a great, hard workout. Be sure to incorporate your fitness routine with clean eating habits. Read Losing Weight by Counting Calories for basic diet guidelines.

  • Adequate water intake. Stay hydrated the whole day to keep the body functioning at it's highest level.

  • Keep a low to moderate body fat percentage. Depending on how you hold your weight, anywhere from 12 to 15% is acceptable.

  • Get enough sleep. This means not only getting plenty of sleep, but also getting the right kind of sleep. Also be sure to schedule off days into your routine to give your muscles a chance to rest up and rebuild. Further reading on sleeping and weight loss: Sleep Deprivation and Weight Gain.

There you go, some best exercises to tighten up stomach you can perform to get rid of a stomach fat. By practicing these tummy flattening exercises combined with the above tips, you can lose an inch or two from your stomach and have a flatten stomach in as little as three to four weeks.