If you're aiming to lose abdominal fat, you've likely tried countless crunch-focused workout routines to flatten your midsection. The truth is that targeting fat loss in one area is not possible. During exercise, your body uses multiple fat stores to gain energy. Therefore, even if your exercises are core-focused, your body will be burning fat everywhere, not just your midsection.
When clients ask us about the best exercises for abdominal fat loss, we explain that fat loss happens across the whole body, not in one isolated spot. The key to seeing fat loss results overall is combining strength, cardio and core exercise supported by expert guidance and consistency.
In this blog, we'll discuss exercises that focus on burning calories, strengthening your core, and building muscle, which will help you lose stubborn fat.
Here are 5 exercises for abdominal fat loss that we frequently use with our clients:
Acting as part of your cardio, mountain climbers allow you to activate your core while getting your heart pumping. This move targets the rectus abdominis, the primary front abdominal muscle.
Begin by placing yourself in a plank position, which means lifting your body off the ground with your arms shoulder-width apart and your palms flat on the floor. Stretch your legs out behind you with your feet together. Ensure your pelvis is tucked under so that your glutes aren't raised higher than the rest of your body.
Once you're in the plank position, slowly drive each knee to your chest, alternating sides. Repeat this 10 to 15 times on each side for 3 sets, gradually increasing your pace.
You can tailor your progression based on your goals. Slower repetitions build tension, while faster repetitions increase calorie burn.
While many abdominal workouts are performed on the floor, standing exercises are a useful way to build functional strength and burn more calories. This exercise works your obliques, which are the sides of your core, as well as your shoulders and hips.
To complete this exercise, follow these steps:
For progression, you can use a heavier dumbbell or speed up your movements to increase intensity. Even while increasing speed, keep your movements controlled to target your obliques.
Incorporating strength training into your workouts is crucial for maintaining long-term fat loss because it builds lean muscle and boosts your metabolism. This allows your body to burn more calories at rest and preserve muscle while reducing fat.
Kettlebell deadlifts are a powerful way to add strength training into your routine. They strengthen your core, glutes, and hamstrings while improving your posture, leading to a slimmer abdomen.
Begin by standing with your feet at shoulder-width apart, with the kettlebell between them. Grab the kettlebell handle by hingeing at your hips while keeping your back flat. Push through your feet in order to stand tall. Afterwards, lower the kettlebell back down to the ground in a controlled motion.
Perform 10 to 12 repetitions for 3 sets. To increase intensity, add weight gradually or lower the kettlebell slowly for deeper muscle engagement.
At Cordell Personal Training, we use burpees strategically as they're highly effective for full-body conditioning when performed with the correct technique.
Burpees combine cardio, strength and coordination into one fast movement, maximising calorie burn in a short amount of time. As they elevate your heart rate quickly, they induce the afterburn effect, or EPOC, which causes your body to continue burning calories at a heightened rate after your session.
To perform this exercise, stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower yourself into a squat position, placing your hands flat on the floor in front of your feet. Keep your body in a straight line, and swiftly step your feet behind you into a plank position. Following this, jump your feet back to meet your hands and perform a vertical jump, reaching your arms overhead. Ensure your landing is soft, immediately lowering yourself into the next repetition.
Creating a circuit can be an efficient way to perform this exercise, such as completing the exercise for 30 seconds, followed by a 60-second rest, repeated 6 to 8 times. To advance this move's intensity, add a controlled push-up during the plank position or incorporate mountain climbers.
Lying leg raises strengthen the lower abdominal muscles and hip flexors, focusing on building the deep core strength necessary for a tighter, more stable midsection.
Start by lying on your back with your legs extended, feet together, and your palms resting by your sides. Lift both of your legs together, ensuring they're at a right angle from the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds before lowering your legs back down to the floor.
We recommend repeating this exercise 8 to 10 times for 3 sets. Lying leg raises are easily scalable by adding ankle weights or holding a light medicine ball between your feet for a deeper core engagement.
At Cordell Personal Training, we remind every client that exercise and diet are always intertwined when it comes to fat loss. To achieve significant results from your training, your nutrition needs to support fat loss while fueling your body for recovery and performance.
Our core principles for fat loss nutrition include:
At Cordell Wilson Personal Training, we offer 1-2-1 coaching plans that help you slim down, tone up, and feel confident. We provide tailored workouts, expert guidance, and the motivation to keep you on track, helping you achieve results that last.
Get started by booking your free consultation today at Riverside Leisure Club in Cardiff or sign up for our online coaching programme, and let’s build a plan that helps you lose abdominal fat, boost your energy and feel happier.
