Banish Your 'Dad Belly' for Good With This Free Weights Workout
Being a father is a truly rewarding experience. Fatherhood is also quite demanding and makes it easy for the pounds to creep up. Before you know it, you can end up with an excess amount of belly fat—aka, a "dad belly." If you're a father struggling to burn off your dad bod, you aren't out of luck. I've put together the ultimate free weights workout to help you get rid of your dad belly for good, so listen up.
I've seen countless dads over the years turn their fitness around and completely reshape their entire bodies by following some basic workout programs and a high-protein diet aimed at fat loss. I recommend combining the workout with your diet program for the most consistent result.
The following is my top free weights workout you can use to get rid of your dad belly for good. This workout includes dumbbell and kettlebell exercises as well as a pull-up bar. Perform each exercise for 10 repetitions with a weight that's challenging for that number of repetitions. Wait 30 seconds, and then begin the next exercise. Complete the entire exercise circuit three to five times, twice per week.
Keep reading to learn more, and next, don't miss The #1 Free Weights Workout To Melt Hanging Belly Fat.
Kettlebell Goblet Squats
Kettlebell goblet squats are a great way to train your lower body and kick up your metabolism as part of this circuit. Hitting the major muscles in your glutes and quads is arguably the best bang for your buck when it comes to free weight exercises for fat loss.
To perform dumbbell goblet squats, hold a kettlebell with both hands at your chest. Stand with feet hip-width distance apart. Stick your hips back, and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Drive through both feet to return to the starting position. Repeat for 10 repetitions.
Dumbbell Overhead Press
Hitting your shoulders with the overhead press helps build muscle in your upper body as well as strengthen your core due to the stabilization requirements. Focus on bracing your core throughout the movement and avoid shrugging your shoulders.
To perform dumbbell overhead presses, stand with feet shoulder-width distance apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Position the dumbbells at your shoulders and press upward until your arms are fully extended. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position. Repeat for 10 repetitions.
Kettlebell Goblet Lunges
Kettlebell goblet lunges have you holding the kettlebell in the same position as the goblet squat. I recommend performing walking lunges if you have the space. However, you can also perform lunges standing in one place and stepping back to the starting position with each repetition.
To perform dumbbell goblet lunges, begin standing with your feet shoulder-width distance apart and a kettlebell held in the goblet position. Take a large step forward with your right foot. Lower your back knee toward the floor while you bend your front knee to lower your whole base. As your knee approaches two to three inches above the floor, step your left foot forward with a large step, and lower your right knee as you perform the second lunge. Repeat for 10 repetitions on each side (20 total repetitions if alternating)
Pull-ups
Upper-body muscle is important for fighting off the dad bod and belly, and few exercises build upper-body muscle as effectively as pull-ups. You can perform pull-ups with overhand, neutral, or reverse grip. In all variations, avoid shrugging your shoulders while performing the exercise.
To perform pull-ups, grasp the pull-up bar with your selected grip and begin hanging onto it with your arms extended. Pull your body towards the bar until your chest reaches the bar. Lower to the starting position. Repeat for 10 repetitions.
Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are an excellent inclusion to your full-body circuit training routine to get rid of a dad belly. For this exercise, use a medium-weight kettlebell. Throughout the motion, keep your spine in a neutral position with your core braced. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the motion as you allow the kettlebell to swing up until your arms are parallel to the floor.
To perform kettlebell swings, begin with your feet wider than shoulder-width distance apart and a kettlebell on the floor in front of you. Hinge at the waist, and grasp the kettlebell with both hands. Hike the kettlebell backward between your legs. As it passes through your legs, engage your glutes, and swing the kettlebell upward to the top position with your arms parallel to the floor. Hike the kettlebell downward and back through your legs. Repeat for 10 repetitions.
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