How to Get a Flat Belly with Easy 10 Minute Exercises

Gut Busters! 

Easy Flat belly Exercises 

reducing belly fat from freedigitalphotos.net

If there are any exercises guaranteed to work toward that flat belly, it is these two easy ones that are perfect for us of a certain age. 

They do use the back muscles so be sure to build up over time, to move slowly and to follow the instructions on how to protect your back. 

You can do these exercises in the morning before you get out of bed provided you have a firm mattress or move to the floor. I think twice a day works fine but three times a day is even better. Again, work up to that, allow your back and muscles time to adjust. 

Gut Buster One

1. Lie flat on your back, arms by your sides, feet together and just breathe quietly for a minute or two. 
2. Breathing in - bring your knees up to your chest pushing your back into the mattress or floor to get it flat.
3. Breathing out - with bent knees, put your feet on the floor in line with your hips and shoulders to give you balance.
4. Taking a deep breath in - raise your hips, abdomen and chest so you form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. 



flat belly exercise from freedigitalphotos.net

5. Breathe out completely, flattening your stomach as you do so. 
6. Start off by holding for 2 complete breaths in and out and over weeks increase this to 5 complete breaths.
7. Breathe in.
8. Breathing out - lower your back to the floor and rest for 2-5 breaths depending on how long you have been in the holding position for. Equal the rest time with the hold time. 
9. When you start out, repeat 3 times and increase to 10 over several weeks. Allow your back muscles to adjust slowly over time.
10. Breathe in - and as you breathe out slide your feet and legs out flat. Flop for a couple of minutes.

Gut Buster Two: The Pelvic Rock

This time, keep your upper back flat on the floor and raise only your buttocks and hips. 

1. Lie flat on your back, arms by your sides, feet together and just breathe quietly for a minute or two. 
2. Breathing in - bring your knees up to your chest pushing your back into the mattress or floor to get it flat.
3. Breathing out - with bent knees put your feet on the floor in line with your hips and shoulders to give you balance.
4. Breathing in - raise your buttocks and hips so your abdomen is flat.
5. Breathing out - flatten your abdomen even more. 
6. Hold for 5 complete breaths.
7. Breathe in, and as you breathe out lower your back to the bed and rest for 5 complete breaths.
8. Breathing in, raise your buttocks and hips so your abdomen is flat.
9. Breathing out, flatten your abdomen even more.
10. The Pelvic Rock: Breathing steadily - rock your pelvis down to the floor then back up always returning to the hold position where your abdomen is flat and forms a straight line from your waist to your knees. 
11. At first only repeat a few times and work up to about 30.
12. Breathe in, and as you breathe out, lower you back to the bed.
13. Breathe in and as you breathe out slide your legs flat.
14. Flop for at least three minutes. 

Same exercises - different pace

As with all my exercises I tend to have three different paces so I vary them for best result. I can testify, they really do work - I am living proof. I have gone down 2 dress sizes in 2 months and I'm feeling great and ready to lose 2 more.

Move and Hold - just what it says, make the move then hold the position. By holding in a position for say 5- 10 breath cycles you will feel the muscles stretching and may feel a slight burn.

Breathe it In - Moving slowly with the rhythm of your breath keeps the exercises smooth and effective.

Rapid Repetitions - Make the same moves in quicker repetitions. They used to call these calisthenics, repeating the same small movements over and over again. The Pelvic Rock is particularly suited to this. Work up from about 10 when you start to 30-100. If you don't have the patience for 100 at one time, space them out over the day.

These two exercises are designed to slim and tone the abdomen. Try it for a week before your re-measure your waist and hips and see how you are doing.  Get back to me and report your success story. Of course it will only work if you are having a normal healthy diet and not binge eating or eating inappropriate food. 

    

Muscles used
Gut Buster 1	Abdomen	Buttocks and hips	Back, neck and shoulders	Thighs
Gut Buster 2	Abdomen and waist	Buttocks and hips	Back and neck	Thighs

Stretch and Slim in the Morning Part 2

Slim and Tone with Modified Planking

Planing seems to be all the rage right now but maybe not suitable for us over 60 or those who are unfit and overweight. I have adapted it to my own version that I include in my morning routine.

relaxing feet from freedigitalphotos.net

It is taking me longer to write these than it even does to do the exercises so I hope you bear with me. Today I want to explain the second part of my morning stretching routine.

If you have done the first part of the stretches, let yourself rest for a few minutes. Just flop, lying on your back, completely relaxed. You will probably find you are becoming used to holding your stomach in more than usual - again -- DON'T clench tightly, just hold in.

You may be beginning to realize that holding a position increases its effectiveness. Build that up over several weeks as your muscles strengthen.

Move slowly and smoothly and STOP immediately if you feel any pain whatsoever. You are aiming for a gentle ache in your muscles to let you know they are working but never pain.

Head and Neck Plank

I discovered the effectiveness of this when I was having physiotherapy for neck problems. I happened to have my hands resting on my tummy while the physio was telling me what to do and I noticed how it tightened my abdomen. The important thing about this exercise is not to lift your head too high - it is a VERY subtle movement, you shouldn't even leave any space between your head and the pillow. 

1. Lie flat on the bed without a pillow or with only one. Bring your feet together and rest your arms on your upper abdomen.
2. Take a deep breath in, press your back into the mattress and hold in your stomach muscles.
3. Breathe out completely flattening your abdomen even more.
4. Taking a deep breath in, raise your head very slightly. Breathe out completely.
5. Hold that position for 3 shallow breaths - in and out counting as one.
6. Relax and take 3 breaths.
7. Repeat. Start with 3 and build up over several weeks.
8. Over several weeks build up how long you hold the position for - 4 breaths, 5 breaths - up to 10 but do make sure that is over several weeks to allow your muscles in your back and neck to strengthen. For as many breaths you hold, rest for that same number of breaths between each repeat. 
9. Flop for a few minutes. 

Muscles used in this toning exercise
Upper part of abdominal muscles	lower back	chest	shoulders	neck	waist

 Heel Plank

1. Lie flat, feet together and your hands resting on your lower abdomen.
2. Take a deep breath, press your back into the mattress and pull in your abdomen.
3. Empty your lungs completely, flattening your abdomen even more.
4. Pull your toes up toward you.
5. Taking a deep breath in, raise your heels off the bed and breath out completely.
6. Hold that position for 3 shallow breaths.
7. Relax for 3 breaths. 
8. Over several weeks build up how long you hold the position for - 4 breaths, 5 breaths - up to 10 but do make sure that is over several weeks to allow your muscles in your back and neck to strengthen. For as many breaths you hold, rest for that same number of breaths between each repeat. 
9. Flop for a few minutes. 

Muscles used in this toning exercise
abdominal muscles	lower back	thighs	calves	ankles	waist

 Head and Heel Plank

Yes you guessed it - all together now.

1. Lie flat, feet together, arms by your sides.
2. Take a deep breath in, pressing your back into the mattress, pull in your stomach.
3. Breathe out flattening your stomach even more.
4. Pull your toes up toward you.
5. Breathing in, raise your heels off the bed and breathe out.
6. Breathing in, raise your head VERY slightly and breathe out.
7. Hold in that position for 3 breaths.
8. Relax and rest for 3 breaths.
9. Repeat.
10. Be sure to rest for the same number of breaths as you hold as you build up.
11. Flop for several minutes when you finish. 

Bed from Amazon.co.uk

I have a bed with a metal frame like this one so I can reach through the bars to touch the wall, you may have to use your headboard so make sure it is secure.  Slip down the bed until you can raise your arms above your head to touch the wall and still be flat on your back.

Full Stretch

1. Lie flat and bring your feet together.
2. Take a deep breath in, pressing your back into the mattress and pulling in your stomach muscles.
3. Breathe out, flattening your stomach even more.
4. Breathing in, raise your arms straight above your head, your hands in fists pressed against the wall.
5. Breathe out.
6. Breathing in press both fists against the wall and hold for 3 shallow breaths.
7. Relax for 3 breaths.
8. Repeat.
9. Flop. Let the muscles relax, you might even feel them twitching a bit on rest. 

Alternatively you can do repetitions by

1. breath in as you press your fists onto the wall
2. breath out as you relax
3. repeat immediately.
4. build up over the weeks until you are doing around 30.

Add in the oblique abdo muscles

1. alternate pressing one hand then the other. Breath in, and breath out in rhythm with your movements.
2. relax completely for several minutes when you finish. 

Illustration of the oblique muscles - wiki public domain

Fingers to Toes Stretch

I can stretch out completely on my bed with my fists on the wall above me and toes curled on the top rail of the bottom of my bed.  See if you can too.

1. Lie flat, take a deep breath in, pressing your back into the mattress and pulling in your stomach muscles
2. Breathe out completely flattening your stomach even more. 
3. Breathing in, raise your arms above your head, hands in fists to touch the wall behind you.
4. Breathe out.
5. Breathing in, raise your feet so you can curl your toes around the top of your footboard.
6. Breathe out.
7. Take a deep breath in - press with your fists on the wall above you and down with your feet.
8. Breathe out.
9. Hold in that position for 3 shallow breaths.
10. Relax for 3 breaths.
11. Over several weeks increase the number of breaths you hold and relax for. 

Add in the obliques

1. Follow steps 1 to 8 as above. Holding some tension in your arms.
2. Breathing in rhythm with your movement, alternately press down one foot while relaxing the other in a stepping movement.
3. Repeat 5 steps on each side increasing the number over the weeks until about 30. 
4. Flop on you back, hands by your sides for several minutes. 

Muscles used in this toning sequence
abdominal muscles including oblique muscles	lower back upper back	thighs calves ankles	waist	chest	arms and shoulders

Your muscles should know you have been working them, but you should NOT be in pain with any of these. I can't emphasise that enough - ALWAYS protect yourself against injury.

Tomorrow I move onto the final part of my morning routine. I hope you join me.