Stomach Exercises to Work off Those Love Handles

A major complaint of people who want to look moreThe next two stomach exercises require you to get
fit is belly fat. Specifically, a large number of peopleoff your feet and lie down, preferably on the floor or
have trouble with "love handles." Far from lovely orother flat surface. Use a mat or towel as a cushion if
lovable, these are deposits of fat that take upyou have a particularly hard floor to work with. Lie
residence on the sides of one's lower torso, arounddown on one side. For simplicity, let us say you are on
the external oblique muscles. Traditional crunches andyour right side to start. Bring your right arm across
sit-ups will not do much for this sort of chub, as theyyour waist so that your right hand comes to rest on
mainly work the abdominal muscles and not theyour left side. Touch your ear with the fingertips of
obliques. The good news, however, is that there are ayour left hand, so that your left elbows winds up
few stomach exercises which specifically target thepointing straight upward. Lift your shoulders up off the
obliques, helping trim love handles. As with any newfloor while simultaneously raising your left leg to height
physical activity, consult a professional before beginningof about twelve inches (30 cm). Contract your obliques
and be sure to properly warm up to avoid injury.as you do this. Hold for a few seconds, then gently lie
Side Bendback down. Do this for an entire set, then switch to the
A simple exercise, side bends are also probably theright side.
most effective method for losing love handles. Start bySeated Knee Drop
standing upright. Position your feet shoulder width apartFirst, position yourself on the floor so that you are
and bend your knees slightly. Lower your whole torsoresting on your hipbones (not sitting on your butt). You
to one side, then back to the other. Lean only side tocan put your hands on the floor behind you to keep
side, not backwards or forwards.yourself stable in this position. Bend your knees so that
Torso Twistyour feet are flat on the floor. Put your ankles
This stomach exercise is also effective at reducingtogether. Now lower your knees to the right. Your feet
love handles, and is good to do right after the sidewill roll on to their sides, but should remain on the floor.
bends in your routine, as it is also done in a standingContinue this lowering move until your knees are about
position. Again, with feet shoulder width apart, slowlysix inches above the floor. Hold for one second, then
twist the body to one side, then to the other. The keygo back up and down to the left side. Move slowly
here is to twist from your torso, not from the hips. Asand under control, using your stomach muscles rather
much of the twisting work as possible should be donethan momentum to raise and lower your legs.
by your oblique muscles, not your hip flexors. KeepRead more about treadmill workouts, including the
your torso upright with no bending.tread climber at The Treadmill Workouts website.
Side Crunch