Just about every fitness trainer, from famous ones like Jillian Michaels [1] to not-so-famous ones like Champlain Valley CrossFit owner and head coach Jade Jenny [2], shares a clear message. If you want to lose belly fat [3], you need to focus on two main things. First, dial in your diet, eating whole foods and ditching sugar and processed crap. Second, when it comes to exercise, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts [4] are a must.
Here's a basic 20-minute HIIT workout [6] designed to help you lose belly fat [7] by burning calories to decrease your overall body fat, revealing a slimmer, leaner tummy [8]. This workout alternates between jumping rope and bodyweight moves, so all you need is a jump rope. If you don't have one, just pretend or run in place instead.
The Workout
Directions: Perform each exercise below for 40 seconds, then take a 20-second rest. Push yourself hard during each 40-second interval. This 10-minute workout is meant to be repeated twice, but you can go three times for a 30-minute workout.
- Jump rope
- Plank with bunny hops
- Jump rope
- Air squats
- Jump rope
- Burpees
- Jump rope
- Plank jacks
- Jump rope
- V-ups
Repeat the whole circuit two times.
Directions for each exercise are ahead.
Plank With Bunny Hop
- Begin in a plank position with your feet touching.
- Pull your abs in and jump your feet to the right, bringing your knees toward your right elbow. Your torso will twist to the right.
- Jump your feet back to plank to complete one rep.
- Do a hop on the other side, and continue alternating sides for 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
Air Squat
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, feet parallel or toes slightly turned out.
- Bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply. Bring your thighs parallel to the floor and bend the elbows, keeping weight back in your heels.
- Rise back up, straightening the legs completely, squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement to get the most out of the exercise.
- This counts as one rep.
- Do as many reps as you can in 40 seconds. Then take a 20-second rest.
Burpee
- Begin standing with the feet hip-distance apart.
- Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
- Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
- Do one basic push-up, bending the elbows and then straightening back to plank.
- Step or jump the feet forward to the hands and come into a squat.
- Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can.
- Do as many burpees as you can for 40 seconds. Then take a 20-second rest.
Plank Jacks
- Begin in the plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in one straight line, and your feet together.
- Like the motion of jumping jacks, jump your legs wide apart and then back together to complete a rep. Jump as quickly as you want, but keep your pelvis steady and don't let your booty rise toward the ceiling.
- Complete as many plank jacks as you can in 40 seconds. Take a 20-second rest.
V-Sits
- Lie on your back, and reach your arms rigidly to your side, off the floor. Lift your legs off the floor and point them, so they are at about a 45-degree angle. Lift your head so your shoulders are off the floor as well.
- When you're ready to begin, lift your upper torso off the floor and bend your knees. You can lean back to make this move harder or come up more to make it easier. Slowly lower your upper body back down to the floor, straightening out your legs as you do so. Stop when your back is on the floor, but not your head, shoulders, or legs.
- This completes one rep.
- Do as many v-sits as you can in 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.