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The #1 Bodyweight Workout To Shrink Hanging Belly Fat

Shed stubborn belly fat with this expert-recommended bodyweight workout.
FACT CHECKED BY Alek Korab

If you've tried to get rid of hanging belly fat, you know how stubborn it can be. Fat around the midsection is probably the hardest to get rid of. The great news is that with just several simple bodyweight workouts per week and an effective diet for losing weight, you can blast stubborn belly fat for good. Check out the #1 bodyweight workout to shrink hanging belly fat, and reclaim your waistline.

There are a few reasons I like bodyweight workouts for burning belly fat. The first is that you can perform them with little-to-no equipment. Second of all, the exercises are simple and do not have a major learning curve before you start seeing results. Finally, bodyweight workouts are quick and effective, going against the need to spend hours in the weight room just to see results.

The following bodyweight workout hits the main muscle groups across your whole body and allows you to increase or decrease your intensity depending on your current fitness level. Perform each exercise for three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. Rest for 60 seconds between sets, and perform the workout up to three times per week.

Keep reading to learn more, and next, don't miss 7 Simple Daily Exercises To Shrink Hanging Belly Fat

The #1 Bodyweight Workout To Shrink Hanging Belly Fat

Bicycle Crunches

fitness woman doing bicycle crunches, concept of core workout for rock-solid abs after 30
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"This exercise engages your entire core, especially the obliques (due to the twisting motion)," explains Ronny Garcia, CPT, Blink Fitness tells us.

  1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and hands behind your head.
  2. Crunch up as you bring your right elbow to meet your left knee and straighten your right leg.
  3. Switch sides and continue to alternate in a "pedaling" motion.
  4. Perform 3 sets of 20-30 reps (10-15 per side.)

Russian Twists

Russian twist with medicine ball
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"This exercise targets the obliques, helping to create definition along the sides of your waist," Garcia says. "The torso rotation engages both the internal and external obliques, which is needed for achieving a slimmer waist."

  1. Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat.
  2. Lean back just a bit, keeping your back straight.
  3. Choose a kettlebell, medicine ball, or dumbbell and hold it with both hands in front of you.
  4. Rotate your torso from one side to the other, bringing the weight to your hip.
  5. Perform 3 sets of 20 twists (10 per side).

Squat Jumps

woman doing jump squats, concept of exercises to melt love handles
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Any bodyweight workout that doesn't include squats is out of the question—unless you have a physical reason that prevents you from squatting. That being said, squats hit the major lower body muscles very effectively. Additionally, training the functional movement of squatting itself helps you maintain mobility and independence as you age. Jump squats are a great explosive squatting variation you can use to jack up the intensity of your bodyweight workout.

To perform jump squats, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a half squat down, then quickly drive upward through both feet and jump off the ground, raising your arms overhead.
As you land, absorb the landing with a full-depth squat, then explode into the next repetition.

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Plank to Pushup

up-down plank illustration to melt your gut
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"This exercise engages the entire core, including the transverse abdominis, which is the deepest muscle layer and crucial for a lean waist," Garcia explains.

  1. Begin in a forearm plank with your elbows under your shoulders and your body straight.
  2. Push yourself up one hand at a time to assume a high plank.
  3. Lower to a forearm plank one arm at a time.
  4. Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Lunge Jumps

jump lunges illustration to shrink hanging belly fat
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Lunge jumps are excellent for blasting your quads and upping your metabolism while building strength, power, and stability. This is also an excellent move to include in a workout to shrink hanging belly fat.

Begin in a lunge position, and quickly lower toward the bottom. As you push your front foot down to stand up, explode through both feet and legs to clear the floor at the top. Absorb the landing, and immediately drive into the next repetition.

You can decrease the difficulty of this exercise by skipping the jump and performing regular lunges. For increased difficulty, switch your legs midair, and land in the opposite stance.

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Plyo Pushups

plyometric pushups
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Plyometric pushups increase the difficulty of pushups without adding equipment.

When performing plyo pushups, lower toward the floor in a plank position by bending your elbows. Then, quickly push through both hands forcefully, and clear the ground. Absorb your landing, and immediately explode into your next rep.

To decrease difficulty, perform standard pushups. To increase the difficulty, elevate your feet. Be sure to avoid letting your hips sag by keeping your core engaged the entire time.

Mountain Climbers

woman doing the mountain climber exercise on the floor
Photo: Shutterstock. Design: Eat This, Not That!

Mountain climbers are one of my favorite bodyweight core exercises to include as part of a belly fat reduction program.

Begin in a plank position. Elevate one foot off the ground, and bring that knee toward your chest. As your thigh makes contact with your torso, quickly extend your leg, and switch off to the other side. Find a rhythm back and forth with each repetition, and complete 20 total repetitions per set, which is 10 on each side.

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Burpees

burpee
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Burpees are a full-body bodyweight blaster exercise that revs up your metabolism and trains explosiveness in a variety of muscle groups. Including burpees is a great way to add full-body power to your fat-loss routine. Additionally, the metabolic boost goes a long way toward keeping your fat-burning machine churning at full steam.

Begin each burpee with a jump squat. As you land, quickly drop down into a plank position. You can perform a quick pushup for extra intensity. Quickly bounce back with your feet under you in a crouch position. Then explode upwards into the next jump squat, and repeat for 10 repetitions. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.

Alek Korab
Alek Korab is Founding Editor of Body Network Read more about Alek