The Most Effective Crunch Exercises To Burn Stomach Fat, Trainer Says

Everyone has different journeys when it comes to working out. Losing belly fat is arguably the number 1 most common fitness goal most individuals want to achieve. The belly is a stubborn area that takes forever to burn off, and it's usually the area where people store fat first. If you're losing weight to slim down your waistline and shrink your stomach, then you'll have to make it a point to live a healthy, active lifestyle. This means maintaining a diet high in lean protein and vegetables, while strength training and getting in cardio on a routine basis. Take it from a trainer—this is the only road to losing your stomach fat, and performing endless sets of ab exercises alone won't help you burn in this particular area. When you're ready to burn stomach fat, we have the most effective crunch exercise regimen for you to try, along with your healthy lifestyle choices.

If you're already maintaining a fit lifestyle, then performing ab exercises such as the crunch movements we've come up with can help blood flow in that area, while at the same time building and developing your core muscles. This in turn allows fatty acids to be released from your midsection, and you'll slowly but surely notice better-defined abs as you continue to lean out and tone up.

When choosing crunch-type movements, it's necessary to perform exercises that are challenging, isolate the abs directly, and take you through a longer range of motion. This solid list of effective crunch exercises can easily be incorporated into your routine and will help develop your abs. Check them out below, and get ready to burn stomach fat. And next up, don't miss The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

GHD Sit-ups

If you have access to a GHD machine, this is an awesome exercise. To start your GHD sit-ups, sit on top of the pad, and position your feet in front of it with your legs straight so that they're locked in. Begin lowering yourself under control, maintaining tension in your core as you come down. Go as low as you can comfortably before your lower back takes over, then curl yourself back up, flexing your abs hard to finish. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

Janda Sit-up

You will begin the Janda Sit-up by positioning yourself to where you're lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your heels pressing against a sturdy surface. Perform a sit-up while digging your heels towards you, flexing your hamstrings. As you come up, flex your abs as hard as you can, exhaling all of your air. Lower yourself slowly—aka with control—before performing another rep. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.

Weighted Stability Ball Crunch

stability ball crunch to burn stomach fat — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

For the Weighted Stability Ball Crunch, get into position by setting your upper back on a stability ball with your feet firmly planted. Hold a weight plate or light dumbbell, and straighten your arms fully. Begin by slowly curling up and crunching, reaching towards the ceiling while holding the weight. Pause at the top of the rep for a second, maintaining tension in your core. Slowly reverse the motion until your abs are stretched at the bottom before performing another rep. Complete 15 to 20 reps.

Cable Rope Crunch

To begin the Cable Rope Crunch, place the rope attachment on the top portion of the cable pulley. Grab the rope, and place it just around your neck. Get into a kneeling position, and start by having your spine fully extended. Begin driving your elbows towards your knees while keeping your hips locked. Crunch all the way down at the bottom while hollowing out your stomach, flexing hard for at least 2 seconds. Come back to the top before performing another rep. Complete 3 sets of 20 reps.