Abdominal Exercises

How abdominal exercises related to weight loss & health?

Abdominal exercises are not necessary to lose fat around your stomach since it is not possible to "spot reduce" fat tissue from any area of your body by doing any specific exercise. For most people that are seriously overweight doing abdominal exercises is probably a complete waste of time. However, if you have lost enough weight that your abdominal muscles are beginning to show and you really want to have "washboard abs" to show off at the beach, then doing abdominal exercises is an absolute necessity.

The abdominal muscles are like any other muscle group in the body in that they must be exercised in order to get stronger and firmer. If you don’t exercise your legs they won’t be strong or fit, same with your abdominal muscles as you must exercise them in order to keep them looking healthy and fit.

Any general abdominal exercise or combination of exercises will do, such as :

1. Crunches
2. Leg raises
3. Sit-ups
4. V-ups
5. Ab rollers, rocker, machines, etc.

Literally, any one of the many abdominal exercises that target the general abdominal area are just as good as any other, and there is no "magical" exercise that will allow you to get "washboard abs" without feeling any pain. There is no difference whatsoever whether simply doing crunches on the floor in your bedroom or using an expensive abdominal machine at the local health club, because both exercises will serve to strengthen and flatten your abdominal muscles and thus make them look healthy and fit (and yes, you will have to feel pain each day in order to get that "washboard ab" look).

The confusion with abdominal exercises and weight loss has to do with the fact that there is no such thing as spot reduction and the abdominal area is no exception. Meaning that it is physiologically impossible to burn away the fat tissue located on top of the abdominal muscles by simply doing abdominal exercises, fat tissue can only be removed through proper diet and health habits. Indeed, to lose weight a proper weight loss and health program must be followed along with using abdominal exercises.

The purpose of doing abdominal exercises is simply to strengthen and tighten the actual abdominal muscles, which when combined with a proper diet & weight loss program will result in the visually desired "washboard" look that so many people desire.