Three perfect exercises to eliminate beer bellies and love handles
Beer bellies and love handles are, it seems, what many worry about. Abdominal fat seems to be the most common of weight problems - and the most difficult to eliminate. These bulges are an accumulation of visceral fat which is harmful to health. So, even for those who don't care how it looks, there is always a good reason to eliminate this fat.
A lean and toned body, especially in the stomach and hips area, is pleasant to look and is healthy. To this end, good habits are a healthy and balanced diet, an active life and, when the problem persists, targeted exercises.
There are many types of exercises that are suitable. In general, however, there are three types of exercises that can benefit these areas of the body: the side plank, the crunch and the exercises with an abdominal wheel.
The side plank is a variation on the classic front plank. It brings with it many benefits for the whole body, even if it mainly involves the muscle groups of the abdominal area. To do this exercise:
- Position yourself lying on your side, on a mat.
- Keeping your elbow and forearm firmly on the ground, raise your pelvis in line with your head, shoulders and spine.
- Keeping your legs straight with your feet supporting the rest of your body, form a straight, diagonal line.
- At this point the plank can be static or dynamic. In the first case, the position is maintained for some time by training the muscles, while in the second case a lifting and a return to the ground of the pelvis is done. Either way, the results are guarenteed.
The other classic exercise for toning abs and shedding fat is the crunch. Also in this case there are various versions. Generally it is performed lying on a mat, supine, with the legs bent to form a triangle. This exercise is perfect for the so-called "love handles":
- Lie down on a mat and come to assume a position of balance on the pelvis, lifting both the legs bent in a triangle and the head and back.
- Bring your arms forward by joining your hands.
- Begin to bend and straighten your legs by synchronizing their movements with those of the torso which goes up and down at the same time.
- When you are with your knees bent and your torso raised, bring your hands together on both sides of the knees, flexing your torso and working that part that you need to tone.
The last exercise is particularly suitable for the abdominal area and is done using an abdominal wheel. The most popular one is a belly-down exercise. At the beginning, it can be a bit difficult to do, but with a little practice, it will be easier:
- Rest your knees on the mat while holding the wheel placed in front of you with your hands.
- Keep your arms straight, forming a straight line with your body from the knees to the head.
- By contracting the muscles of the abdomen and buttocks, slowly bring the wheel forward, away from the body and keeping your arms and back straight.
- Reverse the movement, return to the starting position and so on, for more repetitions.
These are, of course, only guidelines for informational purposes, to give you an idea of the exercises and workouts that could be right for you. It is advisable that you contact an expert to help you with the exercises. A personal trainer will advise you, specifically, which ones are right for you and will help you to perform them without risk.
Have a great workout!