Best stomach & thigh toning exercises I can do at home?

LadyZephyr
LadyZephyr Posts: 286 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm trying to trim down my waistline and my particular problem areas are my stomach and thighs, as my body seems more inclined to be a 'pear' shape given I carry any excess weight on my lower half.

I know I'll be told to do sit-ups but that's exactly why I'm asking - I find sit-ups quite painful as I have a twisted spine and muscular problems in my back, so I'm trying to find alternative to sit-ups. I experience severe, often excruciating, pain daily due to my condition and have been advised to abstain from any exercise that aggravates the pain further.

So, what are your favourite exercises for toning your tum?

I haven't got a gym membership and so rely on what I can do at home. Currently, I use an exercise bike and have a set of dumbbells I use for toning exercises, and when I remember to, I do pilates.

Replies

  • stehmari
    stehmari Posts: 110 Member
    From my personal experience, you can't spot reduce. But continuing with the cardio and strength training will be beneficial.
  • Lucy177
    Lucy177 Posts: 35
    Can you do squats?

    Have you tried an exercise ball at home?

    It might take a long time to see any improvement but maybe you will be lucky! X
  • LadyZephyr
    LadyZephyr Posts: 286 Member
    I do around 20 - 30 squats with 5kg dumbbells in each hand around 5 times a week as part of my exercise programme. I haven't used an exercise ball yet, though, would you recommend it?
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Can you do a plank?
  • nornas42
    nornas42 Posts: 73 Member
    Try doing some exercised that strengthen your core. For example:

    1. Full body extends: Stand with feet apart like you should for a squat, but bend down to touch your hands to feet/floor, then extend up with arms above your head and on your tip-toes. Repeat all the way down and back.

    2. Plank pushes: Go into a plank position, but rest on your elbows and forearms rather than hands. Hold it, and then rock back and forth with your toes. Use your core muscles to hold your body in the plank. (Seriously it works your full stomach muscles!)

    3. Lunge with twist: Not sure if you can do this, but do lunges and when you're in the full lunge, do a half twist in the opposite direction of the leg that's forward. Do these walks forward twisting.

    4. Rapid twists: Stand feet apart holding a weight in front of you. Hold your stomach muscles, and twist rapidly side-to-side for at least a minute at a time.

    5. Kettle-ball - if you can get a kettle ball, stand feet apart and place the ball in front of your left foot. Using your right arm, reach across and lift the ball up and across your body and hold out to the side, like you're doing a Heisman trophy pose. Repeat on opposite sides of your body.

    6. Exercise ball - you can do a lot of core exercises off the ball. You can take the plank exercise and adapt it to the ball. The goal is to keep the ball stable and it will take your full body to do that. It can also make any exercises like crunches feel a lot better on your back/neck. You can do a roll up the wall with the ball between you and the wall. You can put your feet on the ball and hold your body up in a plank then roll your body up the ball from ankle to about knee and back. You can put your shoulders on the ball, feet on the floor, and hold your body up while pushing up weights.
  • SkienDhu
    SkienDhu Posts: 4 Member
    I have back problems also. One exercise I do at the gym is a cable machine crunch. This is done kneeling with the rope attachment at your shoulders and bending from the waist. It has the benifit of being able to start with a light weight and moving up as you get more comfortable with the exercise. I am sure this could be done with these bungy type resistance bands.
  • Lucy177
    Lucy177 Posts: 35
    The exercise ball is great and quite gentle. Mine only cost £5 from TK Max (UK). The children love jumping on it too x . I hope you like it if you decide to try it. Maybe you could ask at the gym and see if they think it would be good for you. Good luck!
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    Pop-pilates has quite a few good workouts for the thighs. As for abs, I would do winsor pilates ab workout. All of these videos can be found on youtube!
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Diet.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Ignore anyone who suggests abdominal exercises to burn abdominal fat. Sure, you'll have a stronger midsection but it'll be hiding behind that lump of fat still.

    If you want to burn fat on your abdomen or indeed your forehead or thumb, then you will have to pedal like crazy on your gym bike or do any other intense cardio-vascular workout. Also, eat at a mild calorie deficit.

    Hm. I suppose you could do 10,000 crunches a day as it is expending energy.
    The exercise ball is great and quite gentle. Mine only cost £5 from TK Max (UK). The children love jumping on it too x .

    I have mental images of kids bouncing all over the place! Must be a bit dangerous jumping on a gym ball, though.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    See the model in this: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/flatten-your-belly

    She didn't get lean doing that ****.
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Diet and exercise
  • sunshine_gem
    sunshine_gem Posts: 390 Member
    An exercise ball would be really good for you I think as it can definitely take the pressure off your back because it has the give to it that the floor doesn't. Planks are good for strengthening your core so try them too. Someone else also mentioned Pop Pilates which I have to agree with. There are loads of videos on youtube and loads of core exercises. Look for blogilates.

    As someone else said though, you can't really spot reduce. All you can do is eat at a calorie deficit and workout and the fat will come off wherever it wants. Nothing wrong with helping to strengthen your muscles at the same time though. Good luck!
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    Diet.

    ^^This. If you want a toned stomach that is formed in the kitchen.

    You can do all the sit ups and planks in the world. If you're carrying excess bodyfat.
  • ZozoMonster
    ZozoMonster Posts: 270 Member
    People saying 'diet and exercise' are really not being helpful. She asked WHAT exercise she can do to help tone her stomach and thighs... And I would like to know too as I also have a bad back and can't do sit ups :)
    I go swimming often and that has trimmed me down, especially helps with the legs if you do breaststroke.
    Also squats and lunges to tone thighs and bum. Biking, elliptical trainer etc...
    You can also just clench. If you tense the muscles in your stomach and hold for say, 5 seconds, relax and repeat it can help tone the muscles in your stomach, and you can do it anywhere like on the bus :)
  • yaddayaddayadda
    yaddayaddayadda Posts: 430 Member
    YOGA!! There are great videos on Youtube for free. You can choose the level of difficulty that works best for you.
  • LeeAnnSharkey
    LeeAnnSharkey Posts: 5
    An excercise ball might be a good way to help strenthen your core without straining your back too much. There are many different after you get strong enough there are ways to add in weights for additional strength training. I saw some of this style of excercise on the drop 5 show on the food channel. You might be able to get them off of the website.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    People saying 'diet and exercise' are really not being helpful. She asked WHAT exercise she can do to help tone her stomach and thighs... And I would like to know too as I also have a bad back and can't do sit ups :)
    I go swimming often and that has trimmed me down, especially helps with the legs if you do breaststroke.
    Also squats and lunges to tone thighs and bum. Biking, elliptical trainer etc...
    You can also just clench. If you tense the muscles in your stomach and hold for say, 5 seconds, relax and repeat it can help tone the muscles in your stomach, and you can do it anywhere like on the bus :)

    I think the point that's trying to be made is that it's not really a matter of which exercises she can do to "tone her stomach". In order to get a toned stomach you have to be at a certain range of body fat which won't happen without a proper calorie deficit.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    Pop-pilates has quite a few good workouts for the thighs. As for abs, I would do winsor pilates ab workout. All of these videos can be found on youtube!

    I was just going to recommend that! I use youtube's Pop Up Pilates. One of them is a good beginner's workout (trainer's name is Cassie, just search "Pilates for Beginners".) I've been doing her video for a week and feel much tighter already. It doesn't burn much of the fat off, but it's good to know that when the weight drops away, there will be a nice toned stomach already waiting underneath!
  • Lucy177
    Lucy177 Posts: 35
    Cleaning is supposed to be good exercise! I just can't get my head round it! My treat for doing the cleaning is a run tomorrow so I have to do it!

    X

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