Shrink 'Apron Belly' Fat Rapidly with This 3-Step Ab Exercise Routine
Steve Stonehouse, NASM-CPT and VP of education for Body Fit Training, recommends a three-move ab workout to target and flatten an apron belly. This combo not only works the abs but also the hip flexors, obliques, and glutes, strengthening the core and sculpting the midsection.
The exercises are low-impact and can be done safely every other day, making them easy to add at the end of your workout for 5 to 10 minutes. Here's a breakdown of the three moves:
- Bicycles
This exercise targets the entire core, especially the lower abs and obliques, by mimicking a pedaling motion while engaging the abdominal muscles. To perform Bicycles, lie flat on your back, lift your legs with bent knees, lift your shoulders off the floor, bring your left knee in toward your right elbow, extend your right leg, and repeat on the other side.
- Traditional Plank
Lie flat on your stomach for a Traditional Plank. Place your hands below your shoulders or rise onto your forearms. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet. Planks are great full-body moves and low-impact exercises. The longer you hold the plank, the more you'll feel the burn in your belly.
- Hanging from a Pull-Up Bar
Hang onto a pull-up bar with both hands. This move is good for training the lower abs, shoulders, and grip strength. To increase the intensity, hold a weight with your feet.
While this ab combo helps sculpt and define the abdomen, burning belly fat overall is best achieved through cardio. Strength training supports fat burn by building lean muscle and boosting metabolism, making such ab workouts a valuable part of a comprehensive fitness routine for reducing apron belly fat.
It's important to approach these exercises with a low-impact approach and include this routine as the last 5 to 10 minutes of your workout for optimal results. To ensure effectiveness and safety, consult more detailed resources or videos from Steve Stonehouse or Body Fit Training for the full three-move sequence and form guidance.
Remember, dealing with "apron belly" can lead to skin irritation and discomfort. "Apron belly" fat is extra fat or skin in the lower abs region that hangs over the pelvis. If you're struggling with this issue, this workout could be a helpful addition to your fitness routine.
[1] Source: Body Fit Training Website
- Steve Stonehouse, NASM-CPT and VP of education for Body Fit Training, advocates a three-move ab workout for targeting and flattening an apron belly.
- The workout not only focuses on the abs but also works the hip flexors, obliques, and glutes, thereby strengthening the core and sculpting the midsection.
- Science backs strength training as a means to support fat burn by building lean muscle and boosting metabolism, making these ab workouts a valuable part of a comprehensive health-and-wellness plan for fat loss.
- If you're dealing with an apron belly, causing skin irritation and discomfort, adding this low-impact, three-move sequence to your fitness-and-exercise routine could be beneficial.
