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Do core workouts burn belly fat?

Spot-correcting any area of your body is a fitness myth. If you want to lose stubborn belly fat, you need to incorporate a combination of weight training exercises, aerobic exercise, as well as focusing on quality foods and adequate sleep. Even a difficult, fast-paced cardio core workout filled with countless stomach crunches and sit ups will be not be as beneficial if you are not eating appropriately. In fact, it could lead you more prone to injury and workout burnout.

How to start training your core?

Abs and core are not interchangeable terms. The abs are specific group of muscles within your core. The abs play a critical role in the strength of your entire core, including the pelvis, hips, and the lower back. These muscles of your core help to support the vertebrae of your spine, preventing back pain and leaving you less vulnerable to injury and strain.

It is important to perform daily exercise for your abs by performing workouts that challenge the strength and stabilization of your lower and transverse abdominals. Your core is also essential in your everyday routine, since the core engages during most daily activity, such as: walking, twisting, bending, balance and posture. A weak core can lead to injury, back pain, or poor posture.

This workout is easily modified, which makes it perfect at-home 15 minute core workout for beginners or advanced athletes. If you need a longer, 30-minute workout, simply do two full sets of the workout for an added challenge.

See our full workout series here.

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15-Minute Fast + Effective Total Core Workout

Suggested:

5-10 Minute Warmup + cool down of your choice.

Optional:

Add in a mini band over your knees for an added resistance challenge. If you prefer to use a set of weights, use a light pair of dumbbells during the hollow body series to challenge the arms and shoulders.

Increase the difficulty!

During the seated series, lift your heels from the ground to add in a balance challenge.

Need a modification?

Reduce the repetitions of each exercise or, if you prefer, change this workout routine into a time-based workout, giving yourself 15 seconds rest in between each exercise.

Core Exercise List:

Perform 25 reps of each exercise.

Plank Circuit:

Plank Saws

How-to: Start in a forearm plank, with shoulders over wrists. Flex and point your toes to saw your body back and forth.

Form tip: This core and shoulder exercise means keep your body in one long line and preventing your hips from piking towards the sky. Squeeze your butt and core and press forward and back.

Challenge: Lift one foot off of the ground for a balance and stability test.

Bear Shoulder Tap

How-to: Start in a table top position, shoulders over wrists, hips over knees. Press through the hands and core to lift the knees 1-2 inches from the ground. From here, touch the opposite hand to the opposite shoulder. Alternate without setting the knees to the mat.

Form tip: Prevent unnecessary rocking and engage the core and abs, squeeze the pelvis and tilt it forward and press through the hands.

Modification: Drop the knees to the mat.

See Saw Pushups

How-to: Start in a pushup position, shoulders stacked over wrists, body in one line. Drop one knee to the mat. Perform a full range pushup, dropping the chest to the mat, elbows extended backwards and point the opposite leg towards the ceiling in a see-saw motion.

Form tip: This pushup variation is a great way to build strength through mobility and range of motion if you struggle with traditional pushups. However, make sure that there is no arch in your back. Squeeze the glutes and the core to keep the body straight.

Lying Circuit:

Hollow Body Hold

How-to: On your back, extend the arms overhead, head between the arms. Extend the legs out at a 45 degree angle, making sure that the low back stays on the mat. Lift the head and shoulders and lower the legs to the farthest point you can maintain control.

Form tip: The key is to not loose the engagement in the lower abs and back. Prevent arching by raising the legs until you don’t lose contact with the mat.

Challenge: Hold a dumbbell in your hands for a weighted challenge.

Hollow Body Rocks

How-to: On your back, extend the arms overhead, head between the arms. Extend the legs out at a 45 degree angle, making sure that the low back stays on the mat. Lift the head and shoulders and lower the legs to the farthest point you can maintain control. Press the legs down and your chest up and rock your body along the mat.

Form tip: This movement may be very small at first, but as you grow stronger you can increase the rock. Do not let your arms stretch in front of you.

Challenge: Hold a dumbbell in your hands for a weighted challenge. .

Boat Sit Ups

How-to: Lay on your back on your mat. Sit up, tucking the knees into the chest as you do so. Fully extend your body as you lower back down.

Form tip: Make sure the movement starts at the hips and the hip flexors are pulling the knees to the chest. Your chest and knees should meet as you are sitting upright on the mat.

Modification: Start with your hands behind you, fingertips pointed towards your glutes. Extend the legs long and bring the knees to the chest without fully extending your body to the mat.

Seated Circuit:

C-Curve Pulses

How-to: In a seated position, knees bent, feet pressed into the mat, round the back and scoop the tailbone. For added support you can grab behind the knees. Pull your chest to your knees with tiny pulses, focusing on maintaining the c-curve of the spine.

Form tip: This exercise helps to build strength and stability in the muscles of the core.Make sure to keep breathing and squeeze at the top.

Challenge: Lift the feet from the ground to over parallel with the mat for a bonus stability workout.

Single Leg Lowers

How-to: In the same c-curve position as the previous exercise, extend one leg and lift and lower while controlling through the abs. Complete all reps before switching to the opposite leg.

Form tip: Make sure that the lift and lower is coming from the hip flexor. A small bend in the leg is okay, but point the toe as you lift and lower. For added stability, you can place your hands on the mat.

Challenge: Lift the opposite foot off the ground for added difficulty.

Oblique Twists

How-to: Keeping the body positioning from the previous exercise, extend one leg long and twist to the opposite side, bringing elbow and knee to touch. Twist the body to that size, maintaining the c-curve and keeping the leg long.

Form tip: To get the most out of this oblique ab exercise, keep the opposite elbow past the knee to get the most engagement from your twist.

Heel Slide Outs

How-to: In a seated position, knees bent, feet into the mat in front of you, place your hands on either side of your hips, fingertips pointed inward, elbows slightly bent. Press back into the hands, bending the elbows for additional tricep work. Extend both legs long, sliding the heel along the mat and then pulling the heels back to the center. Only extend the legs as far as you can control the movement.

Form tip: This challenging exercise is perfect for your lower abs to get stronger. Make sure to not lose the connection with the heels and the mat.

Modification: If extending both legs at the same time is too challenging, alternate extending each leg for a bigger range of motion.