The Best Exercises to Help Burn Belly Fat

Bicycle crunches are so-called because they mimic the motion of one’s feet while riding a bicycle, working your core through rotation. By moving the body in a different way than a standard crunch, different parts of the core are exercised. Experts recommend doing bicycle crunches slowly and deliberately to maintain the tension in your abdominal area.

BOSU balls, or both sides up balls, are half balls with a solid base. They can be used either with the flat base on the floor or atop the dome to create a wobble board. These can help with planks to develop muscle definition and core stability, as you force your muscles to stabilize the ball underneath you as you plank, making the exercise much more difficult than a standard plank.

Burpees are a workout in which the exerciser starts in a standing position, moves to a squat, then to push-up position, then back up to standing and into a jump The process is then repeated. This workout has the dual benefit of providing intense cardio to burn fat and helping to tone and strengthen core muscles.

High knees may bring back memories of warming up before soccer practice, but the modified jog can help burn fat as you limber up. The heightened strides of running with high knees require engaged core muscles, and the workout increases the heart rate and works as a cardio exercise as well.

Exercise experts say that jumping jacks can help improve the results of other workouts when added onto other exercise regimens. Jumping jacks combine both cardio and strength training to help burn off excess fat while also toning core muscles.

Jumping rope is an intense cardio exercise, especially if done for long stretches, which can help burn stubborn belly fat. The classic exercise is also known to help stabilize the pelvis while strengthening the core.

Kettlebell swings involve swinging a handled weight between one’s legs, going from a crouched position up to a full stand. Like several other exercises on this list, kettlebell swings work by unevenly distributing weight, forcing the core to keep the exerciser upright and popping into a standing motion.

Leg lifts, or lying leg raises, improve the strength of not just the core, but the hip flexors as well. The simple exercise of lifting and lowering the legs while lying down is easily modified to target different specific muscle groups.

Mountain climbers are one of the most strenuous exercises on this list – providing both an intense cardio workout in addition to a tummy-targeting muscle workout. They are done by getting into a push-up position and lifting a knee up towards one’s chest, then alternating with the other knee. There are also variations of this exercise that can help target specific areas of the core.

When compared to a regular treadmill routine, running on an incline has been shown to be much more effective at shedding unwanted fat. The incline increases the difficulty of the cardio, while helping tone the lower body and the core.

Side planks are a good exercise to focus on the muscles on the side of the core – the oblique. Side planks also work out the shoulders and hips at the same time. The exercise requires balance and stability out of the core, helping keep it toned.

Side-to-side medicine ball slams are exactly what they sound like – an exercise in which one slams a medicine ball on either side of one’s body while standing still. The workout burns calories as a cardio workout, while also engaging the core.

Squat jumps can help burn fat as a cardio workout. They are a strenuous activity that elevates the heart rate while engaging the leg muscles. Squat jumps also require stabilization from the core, which adds core toning to its fat burning qualities.

Swimming is well-established as a good way to get cardio exercise. Aquatic workouts can also help strengthen all types of muscle groups, including the core, as moving yourself through the water comes with resistance.

Toe touches rely almost entirely on abdominal muscles, making it an ideal workout if you are looking to tone your core. Exercisers can also switch up their workout by adding in different speeds and variations to their toe touches.

Tuck jumps work out both the core and the legs as the exerciser leaps and tucks the knees to their chest repeatedly. In addition, these jumps can be physically strenuous and quickly burn off calories.