There is a wide variety of exercises that can help us reduce abdominal fat, a common goal for both men and women that often requires considerable effort.
In this post, Paco Cascajosa — personal trainer and Head of the MedicalGym at Clínica Planas — introduces us to some exercises for reducing abdominal fat that you may not know about, as well as some tips that can help you achieve your goal with less effort. Read on!
Exercises to reduce abdominal fat
Self-elongation
Self-elongation is a postural and stretching technique that involves voluntarily lengthening the body without external assistance, with the aim of decompressing the spine and actively and consciously stretching the muscles. This generates a response in the tissues (muscles and skin), resulting in natural and active contraction as the exercise is practised.
It is important because it helps us maintain good posture, which translates into greater energy expenditure. This is because a hypotonic muscle — in other words, a weak or flaccid muscle of which we have little bodily awareness — does not consume the same amount of energy as a toned, active muscle.
If we begin practising self-elongation exercises, while simultaneously tightening the area, the muscle will consume more energy throughout the day without the need to perform dozens of abdominal exercises. We should bear in mind that, particularly if we work sitting down, we spend far more time in this position than we do exercising.
Therefore, sit and keep your spine upright, maintaining this correct posture for as long as possible.
Cardiovascular training
Following a cardiovascular exercise routine is also very beneficial because, in addition to toning the muscles, it increases the oxygenation of the tissues. This can be achieved through cardiovascular exercises such as walking on an inclined treadmill, always bearing in mind the importance of lifting the pelvic floor to facilitate muscular contraction and stabilise the pressures generated. In this way, we are simultaneously increasing blood flow and oxygen supply, allowing this oxygen to contribute to fat oxidation.
Exercises that engage the trunk
Exercises that mobilise the upper trunk — when performed correctly — can help when it comes to reducing body fat. Two interesting examples are:
- Rowing: to engage the entire abdominal area, in addition to the specific muscles involved in the exercise.
- Planks: when held for a sufficient amount of time, they can provide significant energy expenditure and powerful activation of the abdominal area. However, it is very important to pay close attention to activating the transverse abdominal muscle and all the muscles that protect the lower back, as well as positioning the pelvis correctly (posterior pelvic tilt). If we are not experienced, we can start at a basic level with the knees supported and gradually progress to a full plank, which provides a more intensive core workout. Particular care must be taken with the lower back, as there is a risk of unintentionally disengaging the abdominal muscles, which places greater stress on the lumbar vertebrae and can also disengage the pelvic floor. Therefore, although this exercise may appear simple, developing body awareness is essential in order to perform it correctly.
The importance of posture for a flat stomach
Improving posture
Although it is rarely taken into account, the posture we maintain throughout the day has a significant impact on the appearance of the abdomen and can increase the likelihood of experiencing back pain. For example, if we spend many hours sitting down, maintaining correct posture is essential to prevent abdominal distension, which can create unwanted volume due to the expansion of the tissues.
Therefore, we can improve the appearance of the abdomen by maintaining good posture in this area throughout the day. This can be combined with gym-based exercise, which helps improve the effectiveness of the postures we maintain throughout the day while also improving metabolism so that it works more efficiently when the body is at rest.
Therefore, this is an important recommendation for:
- Improving posture
- Preventing pain
- Achieving a more defined and aesthetically pleasing waistline
Urinary control exercises
It is also beneficial to practise exercises that improve control of the muscles involved in urination by performing small voluntary contractions repeatedly. This allows us to easily work the abdominal muscles and strengthen the pelvic floor while also increasing our body awareness of this area.
Lifting the pelvic floor
Lifting the pelvic floor helps activate the abdominal muscles; this is the deepest muscle layer of the abdominal wall and helps prevent abdominal expansion.
At Clínica Planas, we have state-of-the-art technology that can help us perform these exercises effectively and with less effort:
- Huber 360: a neurophysical laboratory in motion that reproduces strength, endurance, balance, coordination, flexibility and mobility exercises, providing an intensive and precise muscular workout — while remaining safe for the joints — with a particular focus on postural re-education (the abdominal wall is engaged throughout the entire session).
- The BTL Emsella is a non-invasive therapeutic chair designed to treat the pelvic floor muscles. During the session, the person remains fully clothed while sitting on the chair, and the device generates deep stimulation of the pelvic muscles — using high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy — similar to an intensive workout for this area. It is suitable for both women and men of different ages and can also help accelerate postpartum recovery, with the added advantage that neither the joints nor the skin are affected or require prior preparation.
When it comes to reducing abdominal fat, is cardio or strength training better?
Today, we know that the two cannot be separated:
- Strength training tones the muscles.
- Cardiovascular training increases the supply of oxygen to the tissues, helping to increase fat oxidation.
Strength and cardiovascular exercise are two different but complementary forms of training.
When you perform strength exercises, you tone and strengthen your muscles because the body needs to generate tension to move loads or maintain certain positions. However, even during activities such as using an elliptical trainer or running, although the main goal may be to improve endurance, you are also using strength: your muscles contract to support and move your body, engaging large muscle groups that consume more energy.
For this reason, combining both types of exercise is ideal. Cardiovascular training improves the body’s ability to transport oxygen and promotes energy expenditure during activity, while strength training increases muscle mass and, consequently, energy expenditure at rest, as stronger, more active muscles consume more energy even when the body is not moving.
Together, both types of training complement and enhance each other to achieve a stronger body and a greater sense of well-being by increasing the release of endorphins, serotonin and noradrenaline, contributing to improved hippocampal function.
RECOMMENDED TREATMENTS
Personal Trainer
To help you develop healthy physical activity habits and achieve your goals, we offer a personalised training service.
Nutrition and Diet
Metabolic testing at rest and during exercise is the only technology that allows us to create the nutrition and exercise programme that each individual needs.
Emsella Chair
A new type of technology that provides a non-invasive treatment for the pelvic floor muscles.
