TOP 5 CALISTHENIC EXERCISES TO BURN BELLY FAT.

There is hardly any challenge more frustrating than trying to lose belly fat. But what do experts say? Well, according to doctors and experts,  with the right combination of exercises, you can burn calories, build muscle, and slim down your midsection. Moreover, burning calories can be achieved quicker by incorporating weighted vests and ab machines in your workout.  If your goal is a flatter stomach and improved overall fitnes, these six practical calisthenic exercises are for you.  

1. BURPEES

If performed regularly, burpees will help burn more belly fat than any other exercise or diet. Increased metabolism and fat-burning are activated when a trainee does burpees and continue even after the workout has been completed. Burpees are particularly efficient for muscle building and belly fat burning because they are high-intensity and combine cardio with strength training to engage your core, chest, arms, and legs. 

HOW TO PERFORM BURPEES

1. Start Standing: Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Drop to a Squat: Lower your body into a squat position, placing your hands on the floor in front of you.
3. Kick Your Feet Back: Jump your feet back to land in a high plank position, ensuring your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
4. Perform a Push-Up: Lower your chest to the ground in a push-up motion, then push back up to the high plank position.
5. Jump Back Up: Jump your feet back towards your hands to return to the squat position.
6. Explosive Jump: From the squat, jump up, reaching your arms overhead.

BENEFITS OF BURPEES

Improves cardiovascular endurance.
Builds muscle strength across multiple muscle groups.
Increases calorie burn, aiding in fat loss.

2. MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Mountain climbers are a dynamic exercise that combines cardio and core strengthening in a series of movements that engage the abs, shoulders, chest, and legs, providing a comprehensive workout. The primary benefit of mountain climbers to those who wish to lose belly fat is that they target multiple muscle groups at once, which increases heart rate and helps burn more calories. 

How to Perform Mountain Climbers

1. Start in a High Plank Position: Place your hands directly under your shoulders and extend your legs behind you, forming a straight line from head to heels.
2. Bring One Knee In: Drive your right knee towards your chest, keeping your left leg extended.
3. Switch Legs Quickly: As you extend your right leg back, bring your left knee towards your chest in a running motion.
4. Continue Alternating: Keep switching legs quickly, maintaining a steady rhythm

BENEFITS

Boosts cardiovascular fitness.
Enhances core strength and stability.
Burns a high number of calories in a short period.

3. HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT)

High-intensity training (also known as HIIT) involves alternating between short bursts of intense exercise and periods of rest or lower-intensity exercise. This method is highly effective for burning all kinds of fat within the body, leading to experts claiming that a few weeks of HIIT can turn anyone into a “fat-burning machine”.

How to Perform HIIT:

1. Choose an Exercise: Select a high-intensity exercise such as sprints, jumping jacks, or burpees.
2. Work Interval: Perform the chosen exercise at maximum effort for 20-30 seconds.
3. Rest Interval: Rest or perform a low-intensity activity (e.g., walking or light jogging) for 10-15 seconds.
4. Repeat: Continue alternating between work and rest intervals for 10-20 minutes.

Tips for Success with HIIT

• Start with shorter intervals and gradually increase the duration as your fitness improves.
• Ensure you warm up properly before starting a HIIT session to prevent injury.
• Cool down and stretch after your workout to aid in recovery.

BENEFITS

Quickly and efficiently burns calories and fat.
Boosts metabolic rate even after the workout.
Improves cardiovascular health and endurance.

4. RUSSIAN TWISTS

Russian twists are excellent for burning belly fat because they engage the obliques and help build rotational strength and stability in the core. With Russian twists, the results are almost immediate. By focusing on the core, you can begin to feel the pressure and pain in the abdomen, and yourself edging closer and closer on the journey towards a flat belly.

How to Perform Russian Twists

1. Sit on the Ground: Sit with your knees bent and your feet slightly elevated off the ground.
2. Lean Back Slightly: Lean back to engage your core, keeping your back straight.
3. Clasp Your Hands: Hold your hands together in front of your chest or hold a weight or medicine ball.
4. Twist Your Torso: Rotate your torso to the right, bringing your hands or the weight beside your hip.
5. Switch Sides: Return to the center and twist to the left.
6. Continue Alternating: Keep alternating sides in a controlled manner.

BENEFITS

Targets the oblique muscles.
Improves core strength and stability.
Enhances balance and coordination.

5. KETTLEBELL SWINGS

Kettlebell swings are a powerful, full-body exercise that combines strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. They engage the hips, glutes, hamstrings, core, and shoulders. 

HOW TO PERFORM KETTLEBELL SWINGS

1. Stand with Feet Shoulder-Width Apart: Hold a kettlebell with both hands in front of you, palms facing down.
2. Hinge at the Hips: Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips to swing the kettlebell between your legs.
3. Thrust Your Hips Forward: Drive your hips forward to swing the kettlebell up to chest height. Keep your arms straight and let the momentum lift the kettlebell.
4. Control the Descent: Let the kettlebell swing back down between your legs and repeat the motion. 

BENEFITS

Enhances cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
Builds strength in the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, lower back).
Increases calorie burn and boosts metabolism.

Remember, consistency is key, and combining these exercises with a balanced diet and adequate rest will yield the best results. This is perhaps why most people who fully commit to fat loss journeys end up discouraged and disappointed. Though HIITs are effective in the short term, it usually takes a long time for the effects of the other exercises to become obvious, and by then, most people have already given up. Remember to exercise patience and determination, and trust the process.

GETTING QUICKER RESULTS

But what neither patience nor determination are particularly your forte? Fortunately, fitness enthusiasts know some things that ordinary people don’t.

 

 Fitness experts agree that one way to speed up the effects of your workout and quickly burn belly fat in a healthy manner is to use weighted vests and ab machines.

The added weight of a weighted vest would put your muscles under greater strength, forcing them to work harder. This increases metabolism, which in turn speeds up the burning of fat. The same can be said for ab machines which target the core directly and help build core strength.

For quick results on your workout journey, you might need to get one of these. Zelus Fitness is a global supplier of fitness equipment to enthusiasts all around the world, and has accumulated some valuable information from the industry. It is time to check out Zelus Fitness for a collection of top-quality weighted vests and Ab machines.

Pay attention to safety tips, especially when using a weighted vest or ab machine.