This is part of Ben's advice on how to get a flat stomach like an Ironman Champ. Click HERE to read part 1
-Transverses abdominis: The transverses abdominis is an interesting muscle group, because it doesn't really move you through a range of motion as much as support the stomach and the gut. So when you suck in your stomach, that's the transverses abdominis muscles working.
Although you can work this muscle group anywhere, such as sucking in your stomach while you're driving in your car, sitting on an airplane, or standing in line at the grocery store, you can also make it work pretty hard with an exercise like front planks.
-Low back muscles: Finally, the low back muscles can be worked with a simple contraption at the gym that allows you to do low back extensions or, if you're not at a gym, you can do back extensions on a stability ball, or from the floor by lying on your stomach and lifting all four limbs off the ground.
So during a typical flat stomach workout, you would include several sets of a flexing exercise, a twisting exercise, a planking exercise and an extending exercise.
Get Rid of Stomach Fat
No matter how well you've developed your stomach muscles, you need to get rid of layers of stomach fat that can cover up your abs. Here are three tips to get rid of that last little bit of flab around your waistline:
1) Be sure you're using a well-rounded workout routine, which includes what I call the ³3 Pillars of Exercise:
Pillar 1: Weight Training
Pillar 2: High-Intensity Cardio Intervals
Pillar 3: Aerobic Fat-Burning Sessions
Weight training alone or cardio alone is often not enough to erase that last bit of storage fat, so use of the modes above in your training routine.
2) Control stress and get adequate sleep. Often, bloating and inflammation are a primary cause of a puffy stomach, or a little extra padding on the waistline. Use stress-reduction techniques, and try to sleep 7 to 8 hours each night whenever possible.
3) Eliminate or significantly moderate the big three belly fat triggers: high-sugar, starchy foods (yes, that includes wheat); processed, packaged foods; and alcohol. I've witnessed these simple changes produce visible stomach fat reduction in just 2 to 4 weeks.
Using the tips in this article, you can get the perfect musculature for a flat stomach, develop a functional core that gives you powerful physical performance, and lose belly fat.
If you want to learn more about how to swim, bike and run lightning fast, but also have a nice body, (and get access to the other 6 articles in this series) then head over to http://www.Tri-Ripped.com for a brand new approach to training for the ultimate triathlon body.
Ben Greenfield has been coaching athletes for over a decade from the website http://www.pacificfit.net, and is author of the modern triathlon coaching manual, "How To Be A Triathlon Coach," at http://www.triathloncoachguide.com.
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