Are you confused and bewildered by all the techniques for tightening your tum? Fitness expert to the Tesco Diets team, Brad Schoenfeld investigates the best ways to get a fit and firm figure

Myth 1: Training the abs will give you a flat stomach

You simply can't spot reduce fat. When you exercise, fat is removed from all areas of the body. The calories expended during ab exercises are very low.

Myth 2: The lower and upper abs are separate from one another

The abs are one long sheet of muscle. They aren't separate. Any ab exercise you do is going to involve both the lower and upper abdominal areas. You can shift the emphasis more toward the lower or upper regions by performing specific exercises.

To target the upper abdominal area, you use exercises that bring the chest towards the pelvis (crunch-type exercises). To target the lower abdominal region, use exercises that bring the pelvis toward the chest (reverse curls).

Myth 3:You should perform ab exercises every day for best results

If you train your muscles every day, you are going to be short-changing yourself. The muscles develop during rest. When you train them every day, you're actually breaking down muscles. It's best to allow 48 hours for the muscle to recuperate and provide optimal results.

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Flatten your stomach

Myth 1: Training the abs will give you a flat stomach

Myth 2: The lower and upper abs are separate from one another

Myth 3:You should perform ab exercises every day for best results