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Looking to Lose Belly Fat? Here's What You Need to Be Doing at the Gym

27/09/2018 - 09:13 PM

If you find that your midsection is your biggest trouble spot, you're not alone. Many people, especially women, find their bellies are the first place they gain weight and the hardest area to shed fat. Whether you're looking to flatten your tummy [1] or sculpt abs [2], blasting away belly fat is no easy task.

Here's a tough dose of reality: getting a flat belly can't be done by exercise alone. In fact, as you lose weight, it's impossible to spot-target fat loss [3]. That means you could do all the crunches in the world and still not reveal a flat stomach if you aren't actively losing weight. To shed belly fat, you need to lose weight overall by eating in a calorie deficit. If you're not sure what your daily caloric intake should be, using this formula [4] is a good place to start.

Once you've dialed in your nutrition (eating whole, unprocessed foods [6] and minimal sugar [7] is best), then you can focus on what you're doing at the gym. Getting a flat belly requires a mix of cardio, HIIT workouts, and core exercises. The cardio will rev up your calorie burn, HIIT has been proven to boost fat loss [8], and core exercises will strengthen your ab muscles.

Here are some of the best exercises and workouts you can incorporate at the gym to flatten your tummy and lose belly fat for good.

30-Minute Treadmill Workout

Be prepared to sweat with this killer treadmill workout [9]! Designed by the mastermind behind Equinox's Precision Running [10], you can tailor it to fit whatever level of fitness you're currently at by modifying the speeds however you see fit. Keep in mind the whole workout is intervals, so pace yourself in the beginning so you don't burn out too quickly.

Fat-Burning Plyo Circuit

If you're new to plyometrics or you have delicate knees, it's probably best to avoid this plyo circuit [11]. But if you're up for the challenge and you know your body is ready, you'll be damn proud of yourself for finishing this workout. From box jumps to jumping lunges, you'll feel this session everywhere.

Jump Rope HIIT and Strength-Training Workout

You'll get it all in this one workout [12]: HIIT cardio and strength training. Just grab a jump rope; the rest is done with your bodyweight. If you're sceptical about using a jump rope to get in a good workout, just trust us. You'll sweat your butt off.

20-Minute Cardio Kickboxing HIIT Workout

Get ready to burn major calories with this 20-minute kickboxing HIIT workout [13]. You'll do kicks, punches, and all kinds of lower-body HIIT movements that will tone you up and even help you burn more calories throughout the day.

Towel Abs

You don't need disc sliders for this exercise; just grab a pair of towels and get to work.

Elbow Plank

This tried-and-true ab exercise will target all your abdominal muscles.

Knee Driver

You'll feel the burn — in your abs and shoulders — from this bodyweight exercise, which also adds a boost of cardio.

Twisting Mountain Climber

Get ready to obliterate your obliques with the ultimate core move. Mountain climbers are especially great because they also provide intense cardio. Start in plank position and prepare to burn some major calories.

Scissor Kick

Like reverse crunches, these target your lower belly and will strengthen your core.

Double Leg Lift

On top of working your abs and obliques, this move also doubles as a great thigh toner. Plus it's a great modification for hanging leg raises [14], too.

Ball Pike to Plank

This killer move focuses on your lower abs as the bottom half of your body is in full control of the ball. First things first: make sure the ball is sized to your body; you should be able to sit on the ball with 90-degree angles at your hips and knees. If you don't have an exercise ball, use two sliders or paper plates on carpet to slide up to pike position.

Russian Twists

Add weights to Russian twists to blast your front ab muscles, transverse ab muscles, lower back, and obliques.

Hanging Leg Raise

Master this advanced move, and you'll have those lower abs showing in no time. To modify, you can do this move with bent knees.

Battle Ropes

Using battle ropes is a fantastic full-body exercise: in addition to forcing you to engage your core, your entire body will need to kick into gear to stabilize you. On top of that, your heart rate will shoot up, which helps burn calories. Here are two variations to start with.

Try to do three sets, with rest in between. Each week, challenge yourself by extending the time of each set.


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/How-Lose-Belly-Fat-Gym-45322142