Tricks to Get Tight, Toned Abs Faster

Follow these easy fitness tips to make your next abs workout more effective, so that you have more time to show it off!

By Jennipher Walters

Engage Your Pelvic Floor

You’ve probably heard of Kegels before, right? By engaging your pelvic floor (act as though you’re trying to stop your urine midstream) before and during any abs exercise you perform, you better engage your transverse abdominals, which act as a girdle for your entire core. This helps give you a tighter midsection—quite literally—all the way around!

Focus on the Burn

Many times we completely zone out while working out. We’re watching TV, thinking of our to-do list, or even wishing the workout was over instead of paying attention to what we’re doing. By focusing on the exercise at hand, you not only are less prone to injury (no distractions so that you can listen to your body), but you also engage the mind-body connection which helps to recruit more muscle fibers, thereby improving your results.

Close Your Rib Cage

In your average sit-up you probably come up and down and don’t think much more about the movement, right? Well, when you lower down from a sit-up, pay close attention and keep your rib cage closed. This helps to “crunch” your abs more, engage your transverse abdominals, and keep your back safely supported.

Don’t Hold Your Breath

Your core muscles need oxygen to work at full capacity, so be sure that you keep breathing. As a general rule, you want to inhale on the easiest part of the move (on the way down from a crunch) and exhale when you have to exert the most force (on the way up on a crunch).

Work in All Dimensions

Your body doesn’t just work in one plane of movement, so why should your abs? Instead of always doing crunches, include abs exercises that rotate, twist and turn your body like you do in real life.

Start Small

Just like you wouldn’t jump in the deep end of the pool before you know how to swim, you shouldn’t tackle a complicated or advanced core move on your first try. Start small by working in a smaller range of motion (holding a plank for 15-20 seconds), and then as your core strength improves and you master proper form, make the movement to larger and more difficult exercises.

Add a Weight

Dumbbells aren’t just for bicep curls! Like any other muscle, abs need to be challenged to get stronger. So if regular sit-ups aren’t doing it any more (or if you have to do more than 20 to feel the burn), throw some weight into the mix and watch your results multiply.

Always Warm Up Properly

A warmed up core is a happy core. Because your abs are tied in to your lower back, it’s extremely important to start any workout with a proper warm up to prevent injury. Warm those muscles up with some light marching in place and gentle standing rotation of your midsection.

Walk the Plank

Training your abs is not all about sit-ups and crunches. While those do work your abs, the plank is a more complete core move that works all the different parts of your abs and your upper-body. But instead of just holding the plank in a static position, engage even more of your ab strength by performing this challenging Plank Walk-Up. It’s tough, but your abs will thank you for it!

Go Slow

Think speeding through your ab workout will speed up your results? Think again. To really feel the burn, try slowing down. By changing the speed of your abs exercises, you’ll work your abs in a more targeted way that boosts strength and results!

Tweak Your Diet

It doesn’t matter how many hours you spend in the gym each week. If your diet isn’t on point, you’re not going to see that 6-pack. To show off those toned abs, eat a diet with plenty of lean protein, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, follow these tips to beat belly bloat (which might be hiding your fabulous abs!)