5 Best Exercises for Men to Reduce Stubborn Love Handles

If nothing seems to help you lose those stubborn love handles, it might be time to do more than sit-ups and crunches. Incorporate an altogether different set of workouts.

The belly fat accumulated around your waist is an indicator of poor overall health. Some common factors that contribute to love handles, also referred to as side fat and muffin tops, include lack of regular physical activity, hormones, age, diet high in sugars and fats, thyroid, disturbed sleep, and so on.

While side fat is quite common among both men and women and isn't anything dangerous, excessive fat can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.

The good news is that specific exercises that engage the entire body and lead to a high rate of fat loss can help you get rid of love handles completely. In this article, we'll have a look at a few top exercises, particularly for men, to reduce their muffin tops.

Exercises for Men to Get Rid of Love Handles

Perform the following five exercises as a workout sequence at least twice a week or simply do them standalone on your regular strength training days. Also, stick to a healthy diet.

Let's get started with the five workouts:

1) Side Plank Circle

Side plank circles are a great variation of the standard plank exercise that targets the love handles, oblique muscles, and lower abdomen while toning the buttocks.

Here’s how to do it:

Take a side plank position on any side, and lower the knee that's closer to the floor.
Raise your upper leg till it gets straight and horizontal.
Start to make big circles using that leg.
Make ten circles clockwise and ten anticlockwise.
Once done, switch sides, and repeat for the same number of reps.

2) Triangle Pose with Weight

The triangle pose is an amazing stretching exercise that targets side fat and also works on the hamstrings. Adding weight to the move makes the exercise even more productive for your overall oblique muscles.

Here’s how to do it:

Stand tall with both feet wide apart from one another.
Point your right foot towards your right and left foot forward.
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in your left hand, and extend that arm overhead, keeping it sideways.
Bend towards your right, and reach the floor on the right with your right hand.
If you are unable to reach the floor, just go as low as you can comfortably.
Make sure to keep your back straight throughout the exercise.
Complete 20 reps on each side.

3) Russian Twist

Performing core workouts such as Russian twists can help accelerate the fat loss process by tightening and strengthening the entire midsection and developing muscles as well.

Here’s how to do a Russian twist:

Sit on the floor, and keep your legs bent, with your feet flat.
Extend both arms out holding a medicine ball, weight plate, or kettlebell in front of your chest.
Lean back your upper body so that your back is at 45 degrees to the floor.
Rotate both arms from one side to another, twisting just the upper body. Do not move your legs.
Complete at least 15 reps.

4) Bridge or Glute Bridge

This exercise not only works on the lower back but is effective for love handles too.

Here’s how to do a glute bridge:

Lie down on your back. Keep your arms at your side, with palms pressed against the floor and knees bent.
Lift your lower back and hips off the ground, and create a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Contract your glutes, and hold the position for ten seconds.
Lower yourself back to the starting position, and repeat the exercise 15 times.

5) Mountain Climber

Mountain climbers are an effective cardio exercise that elevates the heart rate, strengthens the muscles and also helps reduce fat from all over the body, including the waist.

Here’s how to perform a mountain climber:

Get into a plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders and both legs extended straight behind you.
Keep your face down, and curl your toes to press into the floor. Make sure your arms are not locked. Your body should be straight from toes to head.
Keeping your abs tight, lift your left foot off the floor, and pull your left knee towards your right elbow.
Return your foot to the starting position, and repeat the same on the other side with the opposite leg.
Continue to alternate the move for at least 20 seconds.

Takeaway

Reducing love handles is quite challenging and is a time-consuming process, but it's not impossible. Incorporating the aforementioned exercises combined with a few lifestyle and diet changes can help you see a drastic difference over time.