Exercises to Reduce Belly Fat

08. Aug, 2010 0 Comments

You’re getting ready to meet up with your friends. You take a shower, brush your teeth, and start putting on some nice casual clothes. But then you notice—with a little frustration that may be all-too-familiar—that your lower torso is bulging out of your pants’ waist! Your belt covers it up a little, but you know that it’s just because you’re standing, body stretched out in front of the mirror. The moment you sit down, or bend over, though, out it comes again.

If you want to reduce your belly fat, one of the best ways to start is by exercising. Check out these exercises to reduce belly fat:

Aerobics

Aerobics relies on multiple repetitions of a movement that forces you to exercise a particular muscle or muscle group. Some highly-recommended examples of belly-busting aerobic exercises are:

Abdominal Crunches - This is probably the best-known ab-exercise, and for good reason! As an exercise to reduce belly fat, however, normal crunches may not be the best way to go because they focus on the upper region of the abdomen. But the crunch movement can be modified by lifting your midsection every time you contract your upper abdominals. This put your lower abdominals to work.

Tummy Vacuum - This exercise is performed on one’s knees, with palms on the exercise mat, and it follows the rhythm of your breathing. Take a deep breathe in, and then exhale while using your abdominal muscles to bring in your stomach as much as you can. This will put your lower abs to good use, and isn’t as physically demanding as many other belly-busting techniques.

Side Crunches - Don’t forget the sides! To perform this belly-busting, love-handle leveling workout, lie sideways on the floor, with one hand supporting the weight of your head and your legs half-folded. Then “pull” your shoulders and hips together as close as you can. But be careful not to make things harder for yourself by pulling your head in, too. Not only will this put unnecessary strain on your neck, but it will also discourage you from making the full movement.

Yoga

Yoga is a relatively lower-impact alternative to aerobics, since it mostly relies on slow, sustained movements rather than repetitive cycles of muscle contraction and detraction.

Naukasana Yoga Asana – To begin, lie flat on your back and raise your legs and the upper body at an angle of about 30 degrees from the floor (your body should be in a V-like shape). Maintain this position for 30 seconds, then slowly lie back down. Try to breathe normally all throughout. It may be best to begin with ten repetitions, and then gradually work your way up. This is a great exercise to reduce belly fat.

Ushtrasana Yoga Asana – This exercise is meant to compliment other ab workouts by releasing the tension that has been built up in your lower torso. Start on both knees, with hands on knees. Then “push” your belly outwards, arching your back. Hold this position for 30 seconds before returning to the initial position.