HOW TO TIGHTEN YOUR STOMACH WHILE SITTING

Seated abdominal toning is possible and effective. Understand the anatomy of your abdomen and focus on these muscle groups as you exercise them. The transverse abdominis is your deepest abdominal muscle and is responsible for flattening or minimizing your waistline. Rectus abdominis, or six pack, causes forward flexion or bending. Finally, your oblique muscles run at a downward angle from your rib cage to the top of your pelvic bones. They are responsible for rotation and side bending of your torso. Concentrate on these muscles as you sit and tone them.

Abdominal Compressions

Step 1

Sit tall with your hands placed on the front of your abdomen. Draw your shoulder blades together.

Step 2

Inhale and relax your abdomen. Exhale and compress your abdomen inward toward your spine and away from your hands. Look down for a moment and notice how far you have drawn your stomach away from your hands.

Step 3

Sit tall again and continue. Concentrate on your stomach-flattening muscle, the transverse abdominis. Repeat three sets of 15 compressions. Hold your abdomen in while you sit and work.

Side Flexions

Step 1

Sit tall on the edge of your chair and compress your abdomen. Lay one hand on the top of your thigh. Raise the other arm straight up by your ear, palm turned in.

Step 2

Inhale, reach over your head and gently bend sideways. Exhale, engage or tighten your abdomen and side muscles and straighten up again. This action tones your oblique muscle group. Repeat eight to 12 times before switching sides.

Step 3

Work at keeping your abdomen compressed inward and coordinating your breathing. Discontinue if you feel spine pain.

Thigh Lifts

Step 1

Start by sitting tall on the edge of your chair. Stack your forearms one on top of the other and raise them to chest height. Square your shoulders.

Step 2

Breathe in through your nose. Breathe out through pursed lips, compress your abdomen and alternately lift one knee at a time. Inhale and lower one leg. Exhale and raise the other one. Continue for three sets of 15 repetitions with a 30-second rest between sets.

Step 3

Concentrate on feeling the muscle contraction in your lower abdomen where the lower fibers of your rectus abdominis are working. Coordinate your breathing and keep your tummy compressed inward.

Resistance Knee Lifts

Step 1

Stack both of your hands on top of one knee. Press down from your shoulders through your arms and onto your knee.

Step 2

Inhale and sit tall. Exhale and raise the knee you are pressing on. Inhale and resist slowly down. Exhale and lift the same leg again. Continue until you feel muscle fatigue. Repeat on the other leg.

Step 3

Focus on keeping your abdomen compressed inward. Feel your front and side stomach muscles contract; you are toning all three of your abdominal muscles.

Tips and Warnings

• Stretch your abdomen by reaching your arms straight up toward the ceiling.
• Refrain from holding your breath during exercise because it will spike your blood pressure.

References

• "Pilates"; Patricia Lamond; 2002
• "Pilates for Wimps"; Jennifer DeLuca; 2003
• "The Pilates Body"; Brooke Siler; 2000

By Lynne Shaw