Turn on your television late at night and you are bound to come across a commercial advertising some expensive apparatus, workout video series or dietary supplement claimed to target abdominal fat. These marketers know that their advertisements are bound to reach a new mother, a holiday over-eater or a zealous fitness enthusiast looking for a proven, sure fire way to lose flab, stomach pouches and fatty flanks. Unaware consumers have no idea that they can forgo expensive fads and engage the rectus abdominal and oblique muscles with a 1 to 8 pound medicine ball and a regimen of side-to-side twists.
Beginners
Step 1
Grab your medicine ball and sit on the floor or mat. If you are a beginner start with a very light ball. Unite your legs and make sure heels are flat against the surface. Bend your knees up slightly off the floor. Lift your back up making your spine as straight as possible.
Step 2
Grip your medicine ball between both hands. Hold it firmly against the middle of your chest. Inhale. Pull your navel in towards your back.
Step 3
Do not move, lower, raise or reposition the ball in anyway. Exhale and slowly turn your torso to the right or left. Breathing out while turning fully engages the upper and middle abdominal and oblique muscles and causes them to contract.
Step 4
Pause after the twist. Stay cognizant of the ball and do not move it. Inhale.
Step 5
Exhale slowly while slowly turning your upper body completely to the other side. Keep your navel tucked in. Do this several times. Remember to inhale after each twist. Keep the ball close to the center of your chest. Exhale while turning.
Intermediates
Step 1
Do not worry about buying a heavier medicine ball when the beginner-level steps become easy for you. Just change the position of your body.
Step 2
Grab your medicine ball and sit on the floor or mat. Unite your legs and make sure heels are flat against the surface. Bend your knees up slightly off the floor.
Step 3
Center the medicine ball at your chest and lean back until you are half way up from the floor instead of sitting up perfectly erect. Make sure your elbows are not touching the floor. Inhale.
Step 4
Exhale and twist the torso slowly to one side. Stay conscious of both the position of the ball and the engagement of the abdominal muscles. Do not arch the back. Performing this exercise in a slightly reclining position will engage the lower abdominal muscles and the lower back muscles.
Advanced
Arching the back while performing a medicine ball twist may cause lower back injury.
Medicine ball
Mat (optional)
Step 1
Increase the difficulty of this exercise after performing the medicine ball twist in the intermediate position becomes easy for you.
Step 2
Grab your medicine ball and sit on the floor or mat. Start by leaning back to the intermediate halfway-to-the-floor position.
Step 3
Position the medicine ball over the center of your chest as done at the beginner and intermediate levels. Unite your legs. Bend your knees up and lift your heels up off the floor. Elevated legs further engages the lower abdominal muscles.
Step 4
Relax your shoulders and keep your back straight. Inhale. Pull your navel in towards your spine. Exhale while slowly twisting to one side. Consciously engage your abdominal muscles to prevent back arching.
Step 5
Pause. Inhale and repeat slow exhalation while turning to the other side.
Warnings
Things You'll Need
References
Warnings
- Arching the back while performing a medicine ball twist may cause lower back injury.
Writer Bio
Sarah McLeod began writing professionally for the federal government In 1999. In 2002 she was trained by Georgetown University's Oncology Chief to abstract medical records and has since contributed to Phase I through Phase IV research around the country. McLeod holds a Bachelor of Arts in human services from George Washington University and a Master of Science in health science from Touro University.