At home ab toning ideas?

JeanCricket
JeanCricket Posts: 176 Member
edited December 21 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Everyone - I have physical limitations but want to get my tummy muscles looking more toned. Have heard crunches not good for you.

Looking for easy or simple at home ways to tone abs.

Thanks!

Jean

Replies

  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    planks
  • JeanCricket
    JeanCricket Posts: 176 Member
    Thx. How long is best to hold planks? New to this so not sure if start with less time then work up to holding longer?

    Also when you plank are you supposed to tense up and hold in stomach muscles? Just learning and want to do it right.

    Thx!
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    https://www.self.com/gallery/5-minute-plank-workout: https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20813896,00.html:
    https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/abs-workout-secret-formula-flat-stomach:
    https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/ultimate-30-day-plank-challenge-your-strongest-core-ever
    https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a25628831/plank-exercise/
    or search on your own. Lots of stuff to look at.
  • JeanCricket
    JeanCricket Posts: 176 Member
    Thx!
  • Hannahwalksfar
    Hannahwalksfar Posts: 572 Member
    I’ve never heard that crunches aren’t good
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Do you do any strength training with weights? I find most compound movements also work the abs. But Planks are also great too. I prefer to do my ab work standing, hate floor work :/ there are several standing ab workouts on youtube, I like Jessica Smith TV.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    BeezBeez wrote: »
    People on this site like to act like they don't know what you're talking about when you say "toning." We know what you mean.

    There are basically only 2 physical changes we can make with the belly - the fat layer can be reduced, or the muscle layer under it can grow bigger (hypertrophy). Most people here are more concerned with reducing the fat layer, which ab exercises don't do (spot-reduction is a myth). If bulking of the muscle layer IS the goal, pilates is not the best choice (bodybuilders rarely do pilates). The ab wheel would be a better option. But your body fat level would need to be very low to notice a difference. :+1:
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    edited June 2019
    BeezBeez wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    BeezBeez wrote: »
    People on this site like to act like they don't know what you're talking about when you say "toning." We know what you mean.

    There are basically only 2 physical changes we can make with the belly - the fat layer can be reduced, or the muscle layer under it can grow bigger (hypertrophy). Most people here are more concerned with reducing the fat layer, which ab exercises don't do (spot-reduction is a myth). If bulking of the muscle layer IS the goal, pilates is not the best choice (bodybuilders rarely do pilates). The ab wheel would be a better option. But your body fat level would need to be very low to notice a difference. :+1:

    See what I mean? People can be so condescending on here. How about another lecture about how exercising doesn't actually help you lose weight and "muscle isn't heavier than fat?" We. All. Know. What. You. Mean.

    Anyway, I like that workout and it worked for me. Lost some inches around my waist, felt stronger, looked more "toned."

    That was the calorie deficit though... which is all I was saying is needed.

    I do very little ab work and can see my abs, due to lower BF%, so to "tone" your abs, eat at a calorie deficit long enough to drop enough fat to see your abs.

    The issue seems to be the OP thinks ab strengthening exercises will "tone" their abs, which it wont, and is really the issue people have when others talk about tonning. Do you want to lose fat to show your muscle, or grow your muscle? OP has not come back to clarify
  • corriepelc
    corriepelc Posts: 2,088 Member
    As someone already mentioned, ab definition is all built in the kitchen. The closest I've ever gotten to defined abs was after I cut out all processed sugars for 30 days ate super clean.

    I agree that a lot of strength training -- both with weights and bodyweight -- will help tone your abs, so I've found that to be very helpful. I'm also a runner, and honestly it's done a lot for my abs as well.

    When I want to get a just ab workout in, I've found exercises from Blogilates on YouTube to be great -- they are short, but effective, so great to add to the end of a full body workout for an extra ab blast.

    Planks are also good, but I personally can't stand them, so I'm not mentioning those. LOL :)
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    This is what I collected.
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
    erickirb wrote: »

    That was the calorie deficit though... which is all I was saying is needed.

    No, you can absolutely see a change in your abdomen doing pilates without a calorie deficit or weight loss. It reshapes where and how you are carrying your weight. If you are looking for weight loss, though, you need that deficit.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    BeezBeez wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »

    That was the calorie deficit though... which is all I was saying is needed.

    No, you can absolutely see a change in your abdomen doing pilates without a calorie deficit or weight loss. It reshapes where and how you are carrying your weight. If you are looking for weight loss, though, you need that deficit.

    If not losing weight or recomping it may make your waist bigger by growing the muscles under the fat slightly. There is no Shifting weight from ab workouts. That is recomp which requires eating at maintenance with adeqaute protein and a progressive weight lifting program.
  • BeezBeez
    BeezBeez Posts: 41 Member
    I'm just speaking from my own experience. Not lifting weights, but doing pilates.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    edited June 2019
    Working abs at home is very easy and requires almost no equipment (you might want a pad, but could just use a rug or towel). Here are a huge list of example workouts. (MFP makes it look like one video, but it is a playlist of 66 videos by the PopSugar fitness channel on YouTube.)

    https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLI37FJmOtrj1gAuNEaQ5if3XtD0s_3UrU

    Best of luck!

    (And, yes, losing weight makes your abs more visible, but working the abs has so many benefits that everyone should do it regardless of appearance.)
  • JeanCricket
    JeanCricket Posts: 176 Member
    Hi everyone and thanks for all your responses.

    Some of you asked for clarification. I would love to strengthen my abs and I hope in doing so will also help appear less ‘jelly belly’ and more healthy. I am eating at deficit and working towards losing additional 6-7 pounds. Currently 5’ 7” and 137lbs. My frame is small. Goal is 130-132.

    Hope that helps clarify what I meant by toned. I’m not a body builder. I do have dumbbells but they are 1lb to 10lb range. At this time my health prevents anything over 5 lbs tho.

    Thanks again!!

    Jean


  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,226 Member
    Stuart McGill Big Three -

    https://www.livestrong.com/article/392341-stuart-mcgills-big-three-back-exercises/
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    JeanCricket wrote: »
    Some of you asked for clarification. I would love to strengthen my abs and I hope in doing so will also help appear less ‘jelly belly’ and more healthy.

    The "jelly" is body fat and/or loose skin, and exercises don't target either of those, as millions of others have discovered over the years.

    If you shouldn't lift more than 5 lbs, you should ask your doctor before doing ab exercises, since many of the ones listed above are far more strenuous than lifting 5 lbs. :+1:
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