Why You Will Never Flatten Your Tummy...  

So you want to flatten your stomach? Lose an inch or two around the waist? What about half a foot? You can do it, but I gaurantee you're not going to be able to do it without knowing what's going on in your body. If you want to have a flattened stomach, you have to follow the rules.

There are three basic rules to having a flat, toned, and sexy stomach. This goes for men. This goes for women. It doesn't matter if you have had a baby, had a wife who had a baby, or have bad genetics, anyone can have a flat, lean looking stomach if they practice 3 basic rules.

In these 3 rules, there are sub-rules. But, they aren't really rules at all, they're more like daily activities that can either make your abs stick out farther, or make your abs stick in, creating what most like to call "a smaller waist". And these 3 guidelines are what I am going to share with you.

First, however, I want to talk about the anatomy of the abdominal muscles. Don't worry, I'll make it quick, painless, and easy to understand. Besides, knowledge is power. If you know about your muscles, how they work, you can find your own methods (ones that work the best for you, not just the ones that are more comfortable) to losing belly fat, and trimming your waist-line.

Basically, the main two parts of the abdominal wall are these: the rectus abdominus, and the obliques (internal and external). Even though they aren't the only muscles in the abdominal wall, they are the most popular, so I'll go ahead and explain them as a whole, then define them each specifically, and why they are so important to those who wish to slim their waistline.

The abs are pretty much the spine of the front of the body. Every bone in your body is framework for your muscles, skin, and organs to function and stay susbended without drooping to the floor. Having a twitching blob of muscle and skin on the floor would just look weird. But the only area in the body that doesn't have this structure is the belly, or stomach. It's a cavity without any structure. This is where the abs come in.

The abs are basically the center of the body. They are in control of balance, motion, breathing, and twisting the body. Your abdomnial muscles are almost vital to your body, because they also protect your internal organs.

The Rectus Abdominus:

The Rectus Abdominus is the big sheet of "bubble paper" that goes straight down the middle. It's characterized by the "six pack". This part of your abdominal wall, when it contracts, pulls the rib cage downward, bending your spinal chord from behind.

The lower area of the rectus abdominus also has the ability to curl the hips upward, and extend the legs toward the front of the body. Although this is not the primary motion, the abdominal wall does control some leg movement.

The Internal and External Obliques:

Although there are two different types of oblique abdominal muscles, they act synergistically, and almost identically. But the oblique muscles are what keeps your abdominal wall flat, and your waist thin.

If you want a tight waist, you have got to have strong obliques. You can have a strong rectus abdominus "sheet" and have weak oblique muscles, and your stomach will stick out as if you had no ab strength at all, and were carrying a pillow under your shirt.

The oblique muscles are in control of twisting the body, and forcing the rectus abs closer to the spinal chord. When the obliques are toned, strong, and shaped well, they actually do more of the work (in flattening the stomach) than the rectus abdominus.

If you're wanting a flat stomach, you have got to strengthen the abdominal wall. If you do not have a strong enough midsection, your waist will not be smaller than you have it now. So now, I want to go into the simple 3 rule system of shrinking your waistline. This won't be comfortable, but it won't be difficult.

All you have to do is incorperate these 3 rules into your daily life, and you'll feel great. The three rules of a slimmer belly are low body fat, strength of the abs, and posture.

I want to let you in on a secret that you've probably heard countless times in your life. I'll tell you in form of a cliche: Rome was not build in a day. These 3 rules will take time to develop your midsection. You have the ability to speed up the process (and I'll tell you how), but you cannot give up. These are not going to be extremely gruelling ab workouts either, so don't worry about that.

Rule Number 1: Low body fat.

You have toned abs. They are just covered with fat. You have to have lower body fat to have great abdominal muscles. To do this, I recommend you eat right, walk at least 30 minutes a day (more secret to this in Rule Number 3), drink plenty of water, and eat your daily servings of fruits and vegetables. That would be 5 to 9 servings.

If you have more questions on this (since I'm not going into a lengthy discussion on weight loss) go to my blog at the bottom of this article, and you'll find great information on how to lose weight effectively and healthily.

Rule Number 2: Strength.

This is when the true uncomfort for some of you may come in. You have got to strengthen your abdominal muscles!

We live in a society now where the majority of activity is done sitting down. Unless you're a fitness nut, and you already know this, you're probably sitting at the computer right now with your shoulders slouched, and your stomach may be sticking out a bit. This is not how your abs were suppose to be. They weaken with each passing moment because they are not engaged!

To strengthen you abs, I suggest two things. The first is called "the plank". This is one of the best abdominal wall strengthening exercises ever, and it only takes a minute a day to really do wonders for your waist.

1 - Lay face down on the floor. 2 - Get on your hands and knees. 3 - Extend your legs until you are in a "push up" position. 4 - Keep your entire body rigid, straight, and at an angle, arms still extended. 5 - Hold for as long as you can. (Prefereably, a minute).

This is intense, but it will strengthen your entire midsection without doing bothersome crunches and ab workouts.

The second suggestion is Rule Number 3: Posture.

Since we're driving, sitting, and slouching more in today's daily life, our posture is incredibly bad. Our backs are going out more often, our stomachs pooch, and we wonder why we don't look as good as we once did.

Posture is important because it forces your body to rest perfectly center on gravity. Your back is straight, your spine is aligned, your shoulders are back, and most importantly for those who wish to lose their gut, the abs are in. This position actually takes less energy in the long run, because gravity is pushing down against a structure designed for it, and it's entirely in line.

When you walk for 30 minutes a day, maintain perfect posture. Keep your shoulders back, your chin up, and your abs in. You'll feel like you can breath easier, take fuller breath, as well as look and feel more confident. This is the benefit of good posture.

In conclusion, the main focus on how to get a firm, slimmer belly is to engage your abdominal wall in the way it was made to be engaged. Low body fat, strength, and posture are all keys to a great stomach, and anyone can achieve this, no matter where you are now, you can do it.

About the Author

For more, go to Bryan's blog dedicated to help you learn how to flatten your tummy safely and quickly.

http://www.bellyfatology.com