Everyone wants the tight ab look we see on movie stars and athletes. However, when people think of how to get tight abs, they almost always think of sit-ups or crunches. That is only half of the equation, though. Below are 3 safe abdominal exercises for the obese that will jump-start their heart rate and help in losing fat.
The truth is that no matter how strong your abdominal muscles are, no one will see them if a layer of fat covers them. So to get great abs, you need to combine exercises that will tone your abdominal muscles and help you increase your heart rate and lose fat. Of course, if you are obese, you will have added challenges, but there are some abdominal exercises for obese people that can help.
It’s essential to keep in mind that your abdominal area consists of several different muscle groups. For example, you have lower, upper, and oblique (side) muscles. Therefore, you’ll need other exercises to target all these areas to get a hard midsection, but to get you started, you can follow these safe abdominal exercises.
If you are overweight, getting down on the floor and working your abs may be challenging. Not to worry, though. There are easy ab workouts that you can do standing up. You won’t lose any effectiveness, but you will save a lot of wear and tear on your back and knees.
Here are some ideas of standing ab exercises that you can try today; make sure you talk to your doctor first to make sure it’s ok:
- The first standing ab exercise you can try is standing shoulder-width apart with your feet. Raise your arms straight above your head. Next, slowly lower your arms while simultaneously raising your left knee. Keep your left leg and arms at a 90-degree angle, put that leg down while raising your arms back up, and alternate with the right leg. Do at least 3 – 4 sets, 30 reps on each side.
- Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Take a step forward with one leg. Carefully lift that leg a few inches off the floor. Slowly make circles using your foot- keep the leg still and straight. Make 20 circles in one direction, then (using the same foot) 20 circles in the other direction. Then alternate with the other leg. Do at least 3 – 4 sets.
- Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, and hold a 10 to 20-pound dumbbell in each hand. Slowly lean to one side, keeping your legs straight – this move should only involve your obliques (side abdominal) muscles. After completing 20 reps on one side, do the other. Do at least 3 – 4 sets.
It’s not easy to learn how to do an exercise just by reading an article, but these standing abdominal exercises I’ve listed above will give you an idea of where to start. There are abdominal workouts for obese people that can effectively tone those ab muscles.
Talk to your doctor before you start any exercise plan, and if possible, find yourself a personal trainer so that they can watch you and ensure you are using the proper form. Otherwise, you may injure yourself, which will only slow down your weight loss efforts.
