Exercises to Lose Belly Fat & Gain Abs Quickly

Belly fat is especially dangerous, beating out other areas of the body as the worst place to hold fat, according to the Mayo Clinic. Based on its research, belly fat increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers in both men and women.
When planning a new exercise routine, it is important to consider how much control the exercise requires of the abdomen and how effective the exercise is in targeting the abdominal region.

  1. Crunches

    • No matter how overweight you are or how much belly fat you have to lose, abdominal crunches are an ideal way to target abdominal muscles and build abs quickly. The key to good crunches is how well you are able to control each crunch and how well you are able to contract these muscles while doing so. Because crunches require you to lie on the floor on your back (crunches can be performed with the legs bent, crossed or straight out (closed together) in front of the body), it is important to support your neck and ensure that your back is completely level with the floor (when at the starting position and after you lower your body when the crunch is complete). With your hands behind your neck, curl forward from the abdomen and hold. According to RealWomenFitness, "Hold each crunch for about four to five seconds."

    Prone Cobra

    • For greater support of the body while doing ab exercises do a routine that allows you to control the body and target your abs without putting strain on other parts of the body. For example, do the prone cobra, an ab exercise that should not be mistaken for crunches. To do the exercise, lie on your stomach with your arms extended to the side of your body (palms to the floor). Next, lift both arms away from the floor while keeping your hips and pelvis down on the floor. Lift your head back, lock your arms at the elbow and push out your chest.
      Great for abdominal muscles (core strength), the prone cobra also strengthens the spine, shoulders and gluteals. Concentrate on tightening the abdominal muscles as you lift your arms and legs to increase the effectiveness of the exercise.
      The objective of this exercise is to strengthen the core abdominal muscles by squeezing them as you lift and lower your arms and legs at the same time. Exhale as you lift your arms and legs. Squeeze as hard and as long as you comfortably can without placing undue stress on the abdominal region. When doing ab exercises, generally hold for 4 to 5 seconds and repeat 10 to 15 repetitions over 2 to 3 sets.

    Superman

    • Now that you've gained control of the body, its time to get off the floor and do abdominal exercises like the superman position. According to FullFitness.net, "To perform the exercise, you must kneel on all fours with your knees under your hips and hip distance apart and your hands on the floor a shoulder-width apart under your shoulders." With your spine in a neutral position, raise an opposite arm and leg until they are parallel to the floor. Exercises like the superman are ideal for people wanting to work several parts of the body while still controlling the abdominal area and building abdominal muscles. Whether you do the superman or a similar exercise, turn your attention to exercises that strengthen the abs by requiring you to squeeze your abdominal muscles as you move or work other areas of the body. These types of exercises are great for control and will help you to flatten your stomach more quickly than just running or dieting alone.