These exercises for your abs, back, and obliques are key if you're looking for how to get rid of a 'muffin top.'
If you're tired of that section of skin that rolls over the top of your jeans (commonly referred to as a 'muffin top' or 'love handles'), no shame; you're far from the only one looking for how to slim down in this area.
The hard truth: No matter how many lower abs, obliques, and lower back exercises you do, you can't tone your muffin top into oblivion. It's fat, meaning the only way to get truly get rid of it is to lose weight.
That being said, you can firm up the muscles underneath to make you feel better, look sleeker, and burn cals that will ultimately help you get the stomach you want. How? This muffin top workout from insanely fit (and funny) trainer Kym Perfetto (@KymNonStop). (This muffin-top melter workout will also help you burn cals and torch your core like crazy.)
If your abs aren't totally toasted after this, cue up Kym's 10-minute lower abs workout next, and you're sure to be burned up in no time.
How it works: Follow along with Kym in the video above, or do the moves step-by-step below. Complete the warm-up, then do each superset twice. Ex: Do a full sets of exercise 1a then do a full set of exercise 1b. Repeat. Then move on to 2a and 2b.
Warm-Up
Cobras
A. Lie facedown on the floor, palms flat on the floor below shoulders.
B. Inhale to press into palms and lift chest off the floor, pulling shoulders back and extending head toward ceiling.
C. Exhale and slowly lower to starting position. Do 5 reps.
Extended Cobras
A. Lie facedown on the floor, palms flat on the floor, and forehead resting on fingers.
B. Inhale to lift chest and extend arms backwards next to hips, fingertips reaching toward toes.
C. Exhale to lower chest and return to starting position. Do 5 reps.
1a. Bicycle Crunches
A. Lie faceup on the floor, hands clasped behind head and elbows pointing out to the sides.
B. Lift shoulders and feet to hover off of the ground. Drive right knee in toward chest and rotating torso to drive left elbow to knee.
C. Switch, extending right leg, and driving left knee and right elbow toward center. Continue alternating.
Do 20 reps, counting each side as 1 rep.
1b. Plank Bird-Dog
A. Begin in a high plank position.
B. Keeping core tight and maintaining plank position, lift straight right arm to extend forward and lift straight left leg as high as possible.
C. Return to starting position, then repeat on the other side, lifting left arm and right leg.
Do 20 reps, counting each side as 1 rep.
Repeat moves 1a and 1b.
2a. Side Plank Toe-Touches
A. Begin in a right side plank, resting on elbow with fingertips pointing forward. Extend arm overhead so biceps is next to ear.
B. Bring straight left leg forward and straight left arm forward to touch fingertips to toes in front of belly button.
C. Return to starting position.
Do 20 reps on each side.
2b. Mountain Climbers
A. Begin in a high plank position.
B. Drive right knee in toward chest, then return to high plank, and draw left knee in toward chest.
C. Continue alternating quickly while keeping core tight and hips in line.
Do 20 reps, counting each side as 1 rep.
Repeat moves 2a and 2b.
3a. Plank Twists
A. Begin in an elbow plank.
B. Rotate hips to the right, lowering until right hip taps the floor.
C. Lift hips back to center, then rotate hips to the left, lowering until left hip taps the floor. That's 1 rep.
Do 20 reps.
3b. Washer Crunches
A. Lie faceup on the floor, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hands are clasped behind head with elbows pointing out to the sides.
B. Lift shoulders off the floor. Squeeze right obliques to curve torso to the right, drawing right elbow toward right foot.
C. Squeeze left obliques to curve torso to the left, drawing left elbow toward left foot. That's 1 rep.
Do 20 reps.
Repeat moves 3a and 3b.
If you're tired of that section of skin that rolls over the top of your jeans (commonly referred to as a 'muffin top' or 'love handles'), no shame; you're far from the only one looking for how to slim down in this area.
The hard truth: No matter how many lower abs, obliques, and lower back exercises you do, you can't tone your muffin top into oblivion. It's fat, meaning the only way to get truly get rid of it is to lose weight.
That being said, you can firm up the muscles underneath to make you feel better, look sleeker, and burn cals that will ultimately help you get the stomach you want. How? This muffin top workout from insanely fit (and funny) trainer Kym Perfetto (@KymNonStop). (This muffin-top melter workout will also help you burn cals and torch your core like crazy.)
If your abs aren't totally toasted after this, cue up Kym's 10-minute lower abs workout next, and you're sure to be burned up in no time.
How it works: Follow along with Kym in the video above, or do the moves step-by-step below. Complete the warm-up, then do each superset twice. Ex: Do a full sets of exercise 1a then do a full set of exercise 1b. Repeat. Then move on to 2a and 2b.
Warm-Up
Cobras
A. Lie facedown on the floor, palms flat on the floor below shoulders.
B. Inhale to press into palms and lift chest off the floor, pulling shoulders back and extending head toward ceiling.
C. Exhale and slowly lower to starting position. Do 5 reps.
Extended Cobras
A. Lie facedown on the floor, palms flat on the floor, and forehead resting on fingers.
B. Inhale to lift chest and extend arms backwards next to hips, fingertips reaching toward toes.
C. Exhale to lower chest and return to starting position. Do 5 reps.
1a. Bicycle Crunches
A. Lie faceup on the floor, hands clasped behind head and elbows pointing out to the sides.
B. Lift shoulders and feet to hover off of the ground. Drive right knee in toward chest and rotating torso to drive left elbow to knee.
C. Switch, extending right leg, and driving left knee and right elbow toward center. Continue alternating.
Do 20 reps, counting each side as 1 rep.
1b. Plank Bird-Dog
A. Begin in a high plank position.
B. Keeping core tight and maintaining plank position, lift straight right arm to extend forward and lift straight left leg as high as possible.
C. Return to starting position, then repeat on the other side, lifting left arm and right leg.
Do 20 reps, counting each side as 1 rep.
Repeat moves 1a and 1b.
2a. Side Plank Toe-Touches
A. Begin in a right side plank, resting on elbow with fingertips pointing forward. Extend arm overhead so biceps is next to ear.
B. Bring straight left leg forward and straight left arm forward to touch fingertips to toes in front of belly button.
C. Return to starting position.
Do 20 reps on each side.
2b. Mountain Climbers
A. Begin in a high plank position.
B. Drive right knee in toward chest, then return to high plank, and draw left knee in toward chest.
C. Continue alternating quickly while keeping core tight and hips in line.
Do 20 reps, counting each side as 1 rep.
Repeat moves 2a and 2b.
3a. Plank Twists
A. Begin in an elbow plank.
B. Rotate hips to the right, lowering until right hip taps the floor.
C. Lift hips back to center, then rotate hips to the left, lowering until left hip taps the floor. That's 1 rep.
Do 20 reps.
3b. Washer Crunches
A. Lie faceup on the floor, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hands are clasped behind head with elbows pointing out to the sides.
B. Lift shoulders off the floor. Squeeze right obliques to curve torso to the right, drawing right elbow toward right foot.
C. Squeeze left obliques to curve torso to the left, drawing left elbow toward left foot. That's 1 rep.
Do 20 reps.
Repeat moves 3a and 3b.
