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For decades, crunches and sit-ups have been the exercises that were part of just about any workout routine for anyone looking to strengthen their core and flatten their tummy. But that’s just not the case anymore. In fact, we would challenge you to believe you don’t have to do a single sit-up ever again and you can still get a toned middle.
Not to sound old or anything (LOL), but the popularity of crunches and sit-ups goes back to the Jane Fonda days of fitness in the 1970s and 80s. They were easy to perform anywhere, required no equipment, and provided a burning sensation in the abs that many equated with effectiveness.
Just like a lot of things in life, we know better now; we have more information and science that tells us otherwise. It is true these exercises work abdominal muscles, but they also have limitations and even drawbacks that make them less ideal as a key move in your everyday routine.
If not crunches and sit-ups, then what? Here are some more effective alternatives for strengthening your core and reducing belly fat.
Alternative Core Moves
1. Plank variations: Standard planks, side planks, and plank rotations engage multiple core muscles simultaneously.
2. Mountain climbers: A dynamic move that combines cardio and core stabilization.
3. Russian twists: Great for obliques and rotational strength.
4. Bird dog: Improves balance while working the deep core muscles.
5. Dead bug: An excellent exercise for core stability and lower back health.
Hidden Core Work
The FASTer Way health and wellness program provides new workouts daily 365 days a year and all of them are led by FASTer Way pro trainers with CEO and founder Amanda Tress even showing up to lead HIIT (high intensity interval training). The workouts are simple, 30 minute routines that are strategically created to be effective and efficient.
Many of the exercises our trainers include don't even seem like "core moves.” You’re working your abs and you don’t even know it!
Some of our favorites include:
Thrusters - combining a squat with an overhead press requires intense core stabilization throughout the entire movement. As you explode upward from the squat, your abs work overtime to keep your torso stable and transfer power from your legs to your arms.
Lat pullovers - popular on the days we work back and biceps, and may seem like they're all about the back, but they heavily engage the entire core for stability. As you lower the weight behind your head, your abs contract to prevent your lower back from arching, effectively working your entire midsection.
Deadlifts are another powerhouse move for core engagement. Proper form demands a braced core from start to finish. Your abs and lower back work in unison to maintain a neutral spine as you lift and lower the weight, essentially giving you an intense isometric ab workout with every rep.
Kettlebell swings are a fan fave at the FASTer Way. They might look like they're all arms, but the real power comes from the hips and core. Your abs contract forcefully at the top of each swing to prevent overextension of your back, while also helping to drive the kettlebell upward.
Even push-ups, a classic upper body exercise, require significant core engagement. Your abs work hard to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, essentially holding you in a moving plank position throughout the exercise.
Why This Approach Works
Incorporating these types of moves into your workout to improve your core and abdominal strength offers more real-life benefits. These are what we call functional moves. They mimic real-life activities so the muscles you’re improving and the strength you’re building doesn’t just tone your tummy, it helps you with daily movements even as you age. Having total core strength also helps with better posture and reduces back pain. This holistic strategy creates a more balanced, functional, and resilient core that serves you well both in and out of the gym.
Free Core Circuit Routine
You’ll work your core every single day in the FASTer Way whether the exercise movement says core or not. On Fridays, we provide a core circuit - 15 minutes completely dedicated to strengthening that midsection. So, we can’t let you go today without at least offering you a little sample of that circuit.
Try this 15-minute circuit, performing each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest between moves:
1. Plank hold
2. Mountain climbers
3. Russian twists
4. Bird dog (alternate sides)
5. Dead bug
6. Side plank (right side)
7. Side plank (left side)
8. Plank to downward dog
Repeat the circuit twice for a complete workout.
Most importantly, you have to remember you can’t spot reduce belly fat. And, it’s often the last area our bodies want to release fat. As frustrating as it is, you have to have enough patience and trust the process to see the results you really want.
You’ve probably also heard ‘abs are made in the kitchen,’ so no core workout will get you very far if you’re not also focused on whole food nutrition and consuming the right amount of carbs, fat and protein. FASTer Way provides a full program with daily workouts, meal plans and strategies like intermittent fasting to speed up your fat burning so you can build muscle and get a lean, toned physique. To learn more, click here.
Subscribe to our blog
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.
For decades, crunches and sit-ups have been the exercises that were part of just about any workout routine for anyone looking to strengthen their core and flatten their tummy. But that’s just not the case anymore. In fact, we would challenge you to believe you don’t have to do a single sit-up ever again and you can still get a toned middle.
Not to sound old or anything (LOL), but the popularity of crunches and sit-ups goes back to the Jane Fonda days of fitness in the 1970s and 80s. They were easy to perform anywhere, required no equipment, and provided a burning sensation in the abs that many equated with effectiveness.
Just like a lot of things in life, we know better now; we have more information and science that tells us otherwise. It is true these exercises work abdominal muscles, but they also have limitations and even drawbacks that make them less ideal as a key move in your everyday routine.
If not crunches and sit-ups, then what? Here are some more effective alternatives for strengthening your core and reducing belly fat.
Alternative Core Moves
1. Plank variations: Standard planks, side planks, and plank rotations engage multiple core muscles simultaneously.
2. Mountain climbers: A dynamic move that combines cardio and core stabilization.
3. Russian twists: Great for obliques and rotational strength.
4. Bird dog: Improves balance while working the deep core muscles.
5. Dead bug: An excellent exercise for core stability and lower back health.
Hidden Core Work
The FASTer Way health and wellness program provides new workouts daily 365 days a year and all of them are led by FASTer Way pro trainers with CEO and founder Amanda Tress even showing up to lead HIIT (high intensity interval training). The workouts are simple, 30 minute routines that are strategically created to be effective and efficient.
Many of the exercises our trainers include don't even seem like "core moves.” You’re working your abs and you don’t even know it!
Some of our favorites include:
Thrusters - combining a squat with an overhead press requires intense core stabilization throughout the entire movement. As you explode upward from the squat, your abs work overtime to keep your torso stable and transfer power from your legs to your arms.
Lat pullovers - popular on the days we work back and biceps, and may seem like they're all about the back, but they heavily engage the entire core for stability. As you lower the weight behind your head, your abs contract to prevent your lower back from arching, effectively working your entire midsection.
Deadlifts are another powerhouse move for core engagement. Proper form demands a braced core from start to finish. Your abs and lower back work in unison to maintain a neutral spine as you lift and lower the weight, essentially giving you an intense isometric ab workout with every rep.
Kettlebell swings are a fan fave at the FASTer Way. They might look like they're all arms, but the real power comes from the hips and core. Your abs contract forcefully at the top of each swing to prevent overextension of your back, while also helping to drive the kettlebell upward.
Even push-ups, a classic upper body exercise, require significant core engagement. Your abs work hard to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, essentially holding you in a moving plank position throughout the exercise.
Why This Approach Works
Incorporating these types of moves into your workout to improve your core and abdominal strength offers more real-life benefits. These are what we call functional moves. They mimic real-life activities so the muscles you’re improving and the strength you’re building doesn’t just tone your tummy, it helps you with daily movements even as you age. Having total core strength also helps with better posture and reduces back pain. This holistic strategy creates a more balanced, functional, and resilient core that serves you well both in and out of the gym.
Free Core Circuit Routine
You’ll work your core every single day in the FASTer Way whether the exercise movement says core or not. On Fridays, we provide a core circuit - 15 minutes completely dedicated to strengthening that midsection. So, we can’t let you go today without at least offering you a little sample of that circuit.
Try this 15-minute circuit, performing each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest between moves:
1. Plank hold
2. Mountain climbers
3. Russian twists
4. Bird dog (alternate sides)
5. Dead bug
6. Side plank (right side)
7. Side plank (left side)
8. Plank to downward dog
Repeat the circuit twice for a complete workout.
Most importantly, you have to remember you can’t spot reduce belly fat. And, it’s often the last area our bodies want to release fat. As frustrating as it is, you have to have enough patience and trust the process to see the results you really want.
You’ve probably also heard ‘abs are made in the kitchen,’ so no core workout will get you very far if you’re not also focused on whole food nutrition and consuming the right amount of carbs, fat and protein. FASTer Way provides a full program with daily workouts, meal plans and strategies like intermittent fasting to speed up your fat burning so you can build muscle and get a lean, toned physique. To learn more, click here.
Subscribe to our blog
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.
Skip the Sit-Ups, Do This Instead to Blast Belly Fat (FREE AB WORKOUT)
For decades, crunches and sit-ups have been the exercises that were part of just about any workout routine for anyone looking to strengthen their core and flatten their tummy. But that’s just not the case anymore. In fact, we would challenge you to believe you don’t have to do a single sit-up ever again and you can still get a toned middle.
Not to sound old or anything (LOL), but the popularity of crunches and sit-ups goes back to the Jane Fonda days of fitness in the 1970s and 80s. They were easy to perform anywhere, required no equipment, and provided a burning sensation in the abs that many equated with effectiveness.
Just like a lot of things in life, we know better now; we have more information and science that tells us otherwise. It is true these exercises work abdominal muscles, but they also have limitations and even drawbacks that make them less ideal as a key move in your everyday routine.
If not crunches and sit-ups, then what? Here are some more effective alternatives for strengthening your core and reducing belly fat.
Alternative Core Moves
1. Plank variations: Standard planks, side planks, and plank rotations engage multiple core muscles simultaneously.
2. Mountain climbers: A dynamic move that combines cardio and core stabilization.
3. Russian twists: Great for obliques and rotational strength.
4. Bird dog: Improves balance while working the deep core muscles.
5. Dead bug: An excellent exercise for core stability and lower back health.
Hidden Core Work
The FASTer Way health and wellness program provides new workouts daily 365 days a year and all of them are led by FASTer Way pro trainers with CEO and founder Amanda Tress even showing up to lead HIIT (high intensity interval training). The workouts are simple, 30 minute routines that are strategically created to be effective and efficient.
Many of the exercises our trainers include don't even seem like "core moves.” You’re working your abs and you don’t even know it!
Some of our favorites include:
Thrusters - combining a squat with an overhead press requires intense core stabilization throughout the entire movement. As you explode upward from the squat, your abs work overtime to keep your torso stable and transfer power from your legs to your arms.
Lat pullovers - popular on the days we work back and biceps, and may seem like they're all about the back, but they heavily engage the entire core for stability. As you lower the weight behind your head, your abs contract to prevent your lower back from arching, effectively working your entire midsection.
Deadlifts are another powerhouse move for core engagement. Proper form demands a braced core from start to finish. Your abs and lower back work in unison to maintain a neutral spine as you lift and lower the weight, essentially giving you an intense isometric ab workout with every rep.
Kettlebell swings are a fan fave at the FASTer Way. They might look like they're all arms, but the real power comes from the hips and core. Your abs contract forcefully at the top of each swing to prevent overextension of your back, while also helping to drive the kettlebell upward.
Even push-ups, a classic upper body exercise, require significant core engagement. Your abs work hard to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, essentially holding you in a moving plank position throughout the exercise.
Why This Approach Works
Incorporating these types of moves into your workout to improve your core and abdominal strength offers more real-life benefits. These are what we call functional moves. They mimic real-life activities so the muscles you’re improving and the strength you’re building doesn’t just tone your tummy, it helps you with daily movements even as you age. Having total core strength also helps with better posture and reduces back pain. This holistic strategy creates a more balanced, functional, and resilient core that serves you well both in and out of the gym.
Free Core Circuit Routine
You’ll work your core every single day in the FASTer Way whether the exercise movement says core or not. On Fridays, we provide a core circuit - 15 minutes completely dedicated to strengthening that midsection. So, we can’t let you go today without at least offering you a little sample of that circuit.
Try this 15-minute circuit, performing each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest between moves:
1. Plank hold
2. Mountain climbers
3. Russian twists
4. Bird dog (alternate sides)
5. Dead bug
6. Side plank (right side)
7. Side plank (left side)
8. Plank to downward dog
Repeat the circuit twice for a complete workout.
Most importantly, you have to remember you can’t spot reduce belly fat. And, it’s often the last area our bodies want to release fat. As frustrating as it is, you have to have enough patience and trust the process to see the results you really want.
You’ve probably also heard ‘abs are made in the kitchen,’ so no core workout will get you very far if you’re not also focused on whole food nutrition and consuming the right amount of carbs, fat and protein. FASTer Way provides a full program with daily workouts, meal plans and strategies like intermittent fasting to speed up your fat burning so you can build muscle and get a lean, toned physique. To learn more, click here.
