Belly Fat Burning Exercises
Discover the best belly fat burning exercises that combine cardio and strength training to tone your abs and improve overall health
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
When people think about losing weight, one of the first things that comes to mind is having a toned stomach without belly fat. That’s why exercises to reduce belly fat are always a major concern. Beyond aesthetics, belly fat reduction exercises are also a proven way to improve overall health.
Studies have shown a strong link between larger waist size and the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers. In reality, doing hundreds of crunches a day is not the best way to burn belly fat. Core-targeted exercises alone are not an effective solution. A combination of cardio and strength training is the ultimate way to reduce fat across the body. Below are the most effective exercises to burn belly fat.
1. Burpees
This exercise engages your core, chest, shoulders, arms, and quads. Since burpees involve powerful, continuous movements, they raise your heart rate and boost calorie burn.
How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Lower into a squat, place hands on the ground, and jump feet back to a push-up position. Drop your chest to the floor, then push up back to plank. Jump your feet forward to your hands, then explode upward into a jump with arms overhead.
2. Mountain Climbers
Similar to burpees, mountain climbers are a favorite because they engage the core along with multiple other muscles.
How to do it: Begin in a high plank with wrists under shoulders. Keep your body tight and core engaged. Drive your right knee toward your chest, then return to plank. Switch with your left knee. Alternate quickly.
3. Turkish Get-Up
A 200-year-old full-body move using a kettlebell, the Turkish get-up is a favorite among trainers. It’s complex but very effective in strengthening and burning fat.
How to do it: Start lying down holding a kettlebell above you. Use one arm to support yourself as you move from lying down to sitting, then to kneeling, and finally standing — all while keeping the kettlebell lifted overhead.
4. Medicine Ball Burpees
Adding a medicine ball to the classic burpee increases intensity and metabolic burn.
How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding the ball. Slam the ball to the ground, squat down, and jump back into plank. Return to squat, pick up the ball, and jump upward with it overhead.
5. Sprawl
A more intense version of the burpee, the sprawl works the entire body while burning calories and sculpting your abs.
How to do it: From standing, squat down, place hands on the floor, and jump feet back to a plank. Lower chest to the ground, push back to plank, jump feet forward, then stand. For more intensity, add a jump at the end.
6. Side-to-Side Medicine Ball Slams
A dynamic exercise that boosts metabolism and engages multiple muscles, especially the obliques.
How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a ball. Rotate your torso and slam the ball to one side. Catch the bounce, rotate, and slam to the other side.
7. Overhead Medicine Ball Slam
This move challenges your core against gravity and spikes your heart rate.
How to do it: Hold the ball overhead with both hands. Fully extend your body, then slam the ball down hard while squatting to pick it up. Stand up and repeat.
8. Russian Twist
A simple but effective core exercise that targets the obliques.
How to do it: Sit on the floor with knees bent, feet lifted off the ground. Hold a ball or weight at chest level. Lean back slightly at a 45° angle. Twist your torso side to side, pausing to contract your obliques.
9. BOSU Ball Plank
More challenging than a regular plank because it requires balance, engaging deep core muscles.
How to do it: Place a BOSU ball dome-side down. Grip the edges of the flat surface and hold a plank for 30–45 seconds, increasing as you get stronger.
10. Running on an Incline
Running uphill or on an incline treadmill burns up to 50% more calories than flat running.
How to do it: Start with a 5–10 minute warm-up walk. Jog for 5–10 minutes, then increase the speed to a run for another 5 minutes. Alternate between jogging and walking for 30–45 minutes.
11. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
Short bursts of intense cardio are more effective for fat loss than steady-state cardio.
How to do it: After warming up, perform 30 seconds of intense moves like squats, push-ups, or kettlebell swings. Rest for 30 seconds. Repeat for 10 rounds, alternating between different exercises to work various muscle groups.