Crunches are a common go-to exercise for those looking to strengthen and tone the core. However, they may not be the most suitable choice for everyone. Spot-reduction—targeting one area of the body for fat loss—is a myth, so crunches alone are unlikely to make a significant difference in slimming down the midsection.
One modality to consider adding to your routine is bed exercises. Performed on a comfortable mattress surface, bed exercises can be a stellar choice for those who find it uncomfortable working out on the floor.
To help you get started, we spoke with Lyndsay Hirst, a Physiotherapist and Clinical Pilates Instructor with 20 years of experience, who suggests four bed exercises that can help strengthen your midsection as part of a well-rounded fitness regimen after 60.
“Midsection thickening is more than just loss of abdominal tone. Hormone, diet, and age all play a part in developing excess fat/thickening around the middle. Strengthening your core with some bed exercises is highly unlikely to get rid of any midsection thickening. Having said that, Pilates started as bed exercises,” Hirst tells us.
Below are four bed exercises that can help build core strength, according to Hirst.
One-Leg Stretch
- Begin lying flat on your back on the mattress, arms at your sides.
- Lift your legs one at a time into a tabletop position with your knees bent at 90 degrees.
- Then, straighten one leg down toward the bed as you exhale.
- Inhale to return to the start position.
- Repeat with the other leg, performing 10 reps on each side.
RELATED: This 8-Minute Standing Routine Builds More Core Strength Than 30 Minutes of Crunches After 50
Toe Taps With Arm Reaches
- Begin lying flat on your back on the mattress, arms at your sides.
- Lift your legs one at a time into a tabletop position with your knees bent at 90 degrees.
- Exhale as you lower and tap one foot on the mattress.
- At the same time, reach both arms overhead.
- Inhale and return to the start position.
- Perform 10 reps per side.
RELATED: 5 Best Low-Impact Exercises To Melt Belly Fat After 55
Hip Circles
- Begin lying flat on your back on the mattress.
- Lift your legs one at a time into a tabletop position with your knees bent at 90 degrees.
- Keep your pelvis and torso stable as you start to move one knee in a circular motion.
- Picture having a pencil coming out of the top of the top of your knee, and draw circles on the ceiling as large as you’re comfortably able to.
- Perform 10 reps on each side.
RELATED: 9 Best Daily Exercises for Women Over 50 to Sculpt a Lean Waistline
Side Bend Lifts
- Start by lying on your side with your knees bent and your elbow directly under your shoulder.
- Keep your spine elongated and your upper body supported by your forearm.
- Then, lift your hips away from the mattress, lifting your waist while keeping your body aligned.
- Slowly lower your hips back to the mattress.
- Perform 10 reps per side.
The post 4 Bed Exercises That Flatten Midsection Thickening Faster Than Crunches After 60 appeared first on Eat This Not That.
