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You can do a lot of exercises for belly fat, but you'll get the best results from compound exercises. These are movements that hit more than one muscle group at a time, like burpees and plank-to-upright-row.
Implementing a few compound exercises in your workouts will not only help to keep your muscles lean and firm, but can also help build muscle and strengthen the body. By keeping your workout routine fresh and challenging at the same time, you'll never feel like you're stuck on a plateau.
7 Best Compound Exercises to Get You Started
#1 Side Planks
The side plank is an excellent compound exercise for strengthening the oblique abdominal muscles, which are not as well worked during ab workouts like crunches.
How to do side planks:
• Place your right forearm underneath your shoulder and lie on your left side.
• Place your left foot on top of your right as you extend your legs. Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Lift your hips.
• Bring your left arm under your body and rotate your torso toward the floor.
• Return to the beginning position by rotating your torso and straightening your left arm.
#2 Bicycle crunches
Bicycle crunches are another great compound exercise that will help trim your waist and tone your midsection. They are fantastic compound exercises to increase stability, flexibility, and coordination as they demand more leg movement than normal crunches.
How to do bicycle crunches:
• Lay on your back with your legs bent and your heels resting on the floor.
• Engage your core, lift your upper body off the floor, and raise your knees.
• On an exhale, twist your torso as you pull your right elbow and left knee together.
• Hold this position for 1–2 counts.
#3 Boat Pose
Boat position is an effective compound exercise that strengthens the hip flexors and adductor muscles while opening the chest and engaging the core muscles.
How to do the boat pose:
• Sit with your legs together and your knees bent in a sitting position. Rise up onto your fingertips with your hands behind you. Draw your ribs and navel in as you lift your chest.
• Lift your legs up and lean back just enough to reach the very back of your sitz bones. Engage your core while pointing your toes and squeezing your inner thighs together.
#4 Burpees
If done regularly, burpees may help you burn belly fat faster than any other exercise or diet. Burpees are a great fat-burning compound exercise that can help you create strong muscles and boost your metabolism all day.
How to do burpees:
• Wide knees for a powerful leap. Jump into a squat and land softly.
• Squat with your chest high and your head in line with your tailbone.
• Place your hands on your knees, with your elbows wider than your knees.
• Maintain a flat back and hop your feet back into a plank position.
• Plank with your shoulders over your wrists and head-to-heels in a straight line.
• Lower into a push-up while maintaining a straight line from your head to your heels. Jump your knees to the outside of your elbows.
#5 Push ups
Push-ups are a fantastic all-around compound exercise because they activate muscle groups in the neck, back, and torso as well as the chest, shoulders, and arms.
How to do push-ups the right way:
• Begin in a plank position, with your palms spread evenly, shoulders over wrists, and legs extended behind you. Keep your back straight and suck in your belly button.
• Bend your elbows outward to the sides as you drop and exhale. Hold for a few seconds at the bottom before rising back up to complete one rep.
#6 Dead bug
The dead bug is a great compound exercise that strengthens and stabilizes your core, spine, and back muscles in a safe and effective manner.
How to do the dead bug:
• Lie down on your back with your legs raised and bend the knees at a 90-degree angle.
• Extend your right arm and left leg till they're almost touching the floor, and pull your belly button in towards your spine.
• Return to the beginning position after a pause and swap sides for repetitions.
#7 Squats
You can never go wrong with this classic compound exercise. Squats have a lot of advantages that can help you improve your workouts. They enhance testosterone levels, and they're also terrific for strengthening the complete body.
How to do squats:
• Stand with feet a little wider than the hip width.
• Push your hips back by bending your knees and ankles.
• Sit in a squat with your heels and toes on the ground and your shoulders back.
• Return to original position by pressing into your heels.
Takeaway
Choosing the right compound exercise is key. Choose those that challenge you, but don't make things so difficult that you get discouraged and quit.
