Diet for a Six Pack

Now for dealing directly with your stomach muscles so that you can begin to sculpt some of those 6 pack abs you want so badly.

Here are some basic stomach toning exercises to get you going.

Step 1 – Warm-up time first. Begin with stretches for 5 to 10 minutes that gradually build up to light cardio activity like jogging in place, walking, biking or jumping rope.

Step 2 – Next get down on the floor; an exercise mat or carpeted area, and do 20 to 30 crunches and reverse-curls apiece as follows. For crunches, with your knees bent a little and feet flat on the floor, lie on your back with your arms wrapped together across your chest.

Then do this two-step:

(1) exhale while raising your head, shoulders and chest off the floor, tightening your stomach muscles as you bend forward towards your hips, pause

(2) inhale while gently and slowly returning ALMOST to the original position, keeping your head just off the floor. Repeat. For those who are intermediary or advanced toners, place your hands behind or beside your head (and don't pull it), place hands straight out over your head or pause for a couple seconds before inhaling for a more intense workout.

Next it's time for reverse-curls. To work the lower front and side abdominal muscles, begin on your back on the carpeted area or mat again.

With hands on the floor and knees bent towards your chest with hips off the floor, continue to lift your hips, contracting the stomach muscles and bringing hips further towards your chest.

This exercise focuses on lifting the pelvis toward your rib cage using the abdominals without swinging the legs. Advanced toners can place their hands in the air leaving their elbows on the floor for increased intensity.

Step 3 – Head back to the cardio activity that you were doing at the end of Step 1 above and continue doing that for 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 4 – Head back to the carpeted area or mat for 20 to 30 imaginary bike pedal touches. In other words, you place your hands behind your head while lying on the floor.

Then with our knees up at about a 45-degree angle from the floor, you slowly pedal an imaginary bike while touching your right elbow to your left knee and vice-versa, then alternating elbow to other knees, all while breathing at a natural, normal pace.

For those who are at intermediary or advanced levels, you can make the angle of your legs near 180-degrees or straight, without locking the knees for more intensive toning.

Step 5 – Beginners can stop here. Intermediate and advanced toners can return to another round of Step 3 above.

For the best results, these toning activities should be performed three to four times a week. Work up the routine until gradually the cardio portions last from 10 to 15 minutes each. And add your other exercises for the upper and lower body areas, and of course a well-balanced diet.

Supplemental Help for Abs

Here are ideas for supplemental workouts for your female abs.

Abdominal Leg Lifts: Begin lying on exercise mat or carpeted area, with legs together, knees slightly bent (throughout entire exercise). Lift legs to 90-degree angle. Hold. Gently let legs back down to start, but do NOT come in contact with floor. For more back support, place hands under your buttocks.

Hanging Leg Lifts: With legs straight down, hang (with gloves if preferred for firmer grip) from a horizontal bar with hands part a little more than shoulder-width. Lift legs up slow and steady to chest, bending hips and knees. Hold. Lower to starting position. For change in routine, twist hips to either side, touching your obliques or side abdominal muscles.

Ball Crunches: Balance your back on an exercise ball (or wheeled ottoman), feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Hands behind your head, but no pulling. With back and head straight, do crunches, pulling together abdominal muscles and lifting your shoulders several inches. Hold crunch at top. Return to start, slow and steady.

Ball Side Overs: Lying sideways over exercise ball (or wheeled ottoman), balance with feet reaching floor. With hands behind head and not pulling, and with head, neck and body straight, raise upper body slow and steady – as high as you can. Hold. Lower down to below starting position, bending with ball's help. Stop. Return back to beginning position. Switch sides and repeat.

Kneeling Crunches: with toning bar or rope (with pull-down machine), kneel towards machine with cable angled away from the rack while you crunch down. Pull bar or rope down to just above forehead.

Crunch down, slow and steady while exhaling and maintaining same position for rope or bar. Hold. Return to start position with abs doing return.

This ab workout routine will give you a good start to losing that belly fat, but if you are really serious about developing a 6 pack female abs, you do need to take the next step and get started now!

Next we will look at some of the workout equipment that is a hot favourite with many experts for sculpting your abs and building your core strength.