Despite the fact that for many of us, summer may feel like a lifetime away, time is passing by incredibly quickly, and if you want to be in your best shape yet come summer, it’s important to get to work now. If you’re looking to work on your mid-section, burn fat, and tone your stomach, it’s important to know which exercises and activities to work on, and which ones to avoid. We know that burning fat and toning your abs isn’t easy, but nothing worth having ever is. If you’re serious about getting in shape and working on your stomach, here’s a look at my top 3 exercises for a flat stomach and defined abs you can do anywhere. When training clients away from the gym these are my go-to exercises for 6 pack abs. A video demonstration of the following exercises is also provided thanks to part-time membership sales assistant Andrew who is performing the exercises at home.

Burpees

If you want a flat stomach, you need to burn fat, and work on your core at the same time. Burpees, therefore, are absolutely ideal. Burpees may be brutal to perform, but they work wonderfully and are great for people looking for a flat stomach.

To do a burpee, begin stood up with your feet shoulder-width apart.

Next, lower your body down until your palms are pressing onto the floor, again, shoulder-width apart.

Now, kick both legs backwards until you are in a push up position.

Do a push up and then quickly bring your legs forwards like you’re leap frogging, and jump up to stand up.

This is one burpee.

Planks

Planks are another awesome exercise for people looking to strengthen their cores and burn fat. On paper, planks may be very simple, but when you’re doing them, it’s a whole other matter entirely. Planks burn fat, they strengthen the core, they work the abs and obliques, and they’re great for your posture too.

To do a plank, begin getting down onto the ground so that you are in a standard push up position.

Rather than having your palms on the floor, displace your weight onto your forearms as you bend the elbows.

Now, from the shoulders through to the ankles, try to form a straight line through your body.

Try to pull the belly button into the spine, and hold this position without moving, for as long as possible. Each time you do planks, try to beat your previous time, even if it’s only by one second.

Sit ups

Sit ups, sometimes called stomach crunches, are probably the most common exercises when it comes to working the stomach muscle. Sit ups are very effective, especially when it comes to building up the abdominal muscles.

To do a sit up, begin by laying down on your back on a mat.

Either put your hands behind your neck, or cross them over the front of your torso.

Next, keeping your lower body stationary, slowly sit up by moving the upper body upwards towards your knees, exhaling as you sit up.

Repeat for as many reps as required.

By the end of each working set, you should definitely be able to feel it in your abs. You can see in just those few reps that Andrew got a good starting ab workout! Thanks again to Andrew for whipping up the above videos so quickly. Got any thoughts or comments about the above exercises or know of any better ones? Let me know in the comments area below or send me an email, I’d love to hear your approach to a flat stomach.