Many individuals bulk at the idea of cutting down on the amount of abdominal work they perform. Instead, they insist on spending 15-20 minutes at the end of their workout focusing on gut-busting ab movements in hopes of obtaining the elusive six-pack. Little do they realize this time could be better spent by doing little or no direct ab work at all!

If your goal is to slim your waistline, cut your abdominal workout in half and instead, dedicate more of your training time to compound movements such as squats, presses, and pulls. The energy requirements to perform these exercises far exceed the energy taken up by doing simple ab movements. While weight loss is not just a matter of simple math (calories in minus calories out), the increased energy expenditure, as well as the accompanying muscle added as a result of the compound movements (which will increase your metabolism), will go a long way towards slimming your waist!