Although there are certainly some people who begin a healthy living program simply to improve their internal health, nearly everyone would eventually like to get a flat stomach and have a fit body they can show off to the world.
One of the reasons that many people find it difficult to achieve their goals is because they do not know how to begin a program, or they don’t trust the information they commonly find. Fortunately, you can use the exercises listed below to help develop a flat stomach, while also improving your body in numerous different ways.
“Abs” exercises are not always the best exercises to get a flat stomach. In fact, there are a few “legs” exercises which will help more than anything else!
Keep reading below to learn the best exercises to help you get an aesthetic body and a flat stomach!
Table of Contents
Forearm Plank
There are a lot of options for the best overall exercise for a flat stomach, but the best option overall is probably the forearm plank. The forearm plank is great because it directly targets the abdominal region, but it also strengthens the entire core of the body. If you want to get a lean and toned body that is also healthy, the forearm plank is definitely the best option!
One of the best additional benefits of the forearm plank is that it improves your posture and helps reduce back pain.
Goblet Squat
The back squat and front squat are also great exercises to get a flat stomach, but the goblet squat is the best option because it is safer and will help develop a better body overall in the long-run. Although you cannot use nearly as much weight with the goblet squat as you can with the back squat, it works the abdominal region and the legs nearly as much because you will utilize a deeper and better range of motion.
As you become better at goblet squats, you will notice that your abdominals will become much stronger, and your posture will become much better. Doing heavy goblet squats is one of the best ways to develop a “functional” core.
Deadlifts
There are two main types of deadlifts you should do to get a flat stomach- trap bar deadlifts and conventional deadlifts. Although trap bar deadlifts are easier for most people to learn, some people enjoy doing conventional deadlifts more.
Deadlifts are easily one of the best exercises for a flat stomach because they force you to contract every single muscle in your body, which develops strong and stable core muscles. If you can deadlift two or three times your body weight, you are going to have a flat and defined stomach!
If you have ever had back problems in the past, you should avoid conventional deadlifts. Trap bar deadlifts are great for people rehabbing from injuries, people with a history of back problems, and people who are too tall for conventional deadlifts.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups are a great exercise for a flat stomach because it is nearly impossible to do more than 5 real pull-ups if you are overweight! To do a single pull-up, your core needs to completely contract in order to control your body. If you can do over 10 pullups, there is a good chance you will have 4-6 abdominal muscles showing!
Pull-ups are difficult for many people, so beginning with the inverted row is often a good idea. After you master the inverted row, you can become excellent at pull-ups and watch how quickly you get a flat stomach!
Push-ups
Although pull-ups are more challenging and slightly more effective, pushups are another incredible exercise for your core muscles that don’t require any external weight. Many people can do pushups, but not many people can do more than 50. If you can do over 50 strict pushups, you will have an incredible abdominal region!
During the pushup, your core muscles contract to balance and remain horizontal. Doing proper pushups is great for your shoulders and pectoral muscles, while also strengthening your entire core.
Sit Ups
There are a lot of good abdominal exercises, but sit-ups are one of the simplest and most effective basic movements for your abs. The main drawback to doing a lot of sit-ups is that repeated “flexion” movements of the spine can cause back problems. However, you do not need to over-do sit-ups!
There are also various versions of sit-ups, and many people will notice that doing sit-ups on a yoga ball helps prevent any back issues.
Sprints
Although not everyone can naturally do sprints, they are easily one of the best exercises for getting a flat core if you can do them safely! Sprints are great because they stimulate your metabolism and develop nearly every muscle in your body!
For example, have you ever looked at the body of an Olympic-level sprinter? Sure, you are probably not going to become that lean from your own workout program, but you will certainly improve your body from sprinting!
For an additional challenge, you can try running sprints up hills! Running up-hill sprints is more physically demanding, but it is also less impact on your joints. You can mix flat-ground sprints and up-hill sprints together in your workout program to receive multiple different benefits!
Concluding Thoughts
As you can see, the best exercises for getting a flat stomach are not just traditional “abs” exercises. The main reason that ab exercises are not great for improving your overall physique is that they only work for one muscle group at a time, and your body will not develop as fast.
Therefore, you should be conscious of using more compound movements and exercises that stimulate multiple muscle groups at the same time. Using these types of exercises will stimulate your metabolism, help you develop lean muscle mass throughout your body, and help you obtain a defined abdominal region.
All of these exercises can be used together in the same routine, although you should not try to use them all in the same workout. Regardless, using any combination of these exercises will help you get a flat stomach if you use them correctly!