Although it is commonly thought that you can lose belly fat by doing ab exercises over and over again, this is not possible. According to the American Council on Exercise, this is the flawed notion known as spot reduction. The tried and true way to melt belly pounds is by doing cardiovascular exercise. Cardio burns calories and causes you to lose weight through your body as a whole. Interval training is an exercise method where you alternate your intensity. This not only boosts your caloric output while you do it, but also keeps your metabolism elevated once you are done.
Step 1
Execute a series of dynamic stretches before your workouts. Interval training is intense, and it causes a lot of stress to the bones, muscles and joints. If you go into your workouts without the proper stretching protocol, you run the risk of suffering an injury. Dynamic stretches, which are performed in motion, can help prevent this from happening. Spend five minutes doing dynamic stretches like alternating toe touches, side bends, trunk rotations, lateral lunges, ankle bounces and arm crossovers.
Step 2
Choose a type of cardio that you enjoy and perform a light warm-up. Make your warm-up five to 10 minutes and gradually increase your intensity to a point that you are breaking a sweat. This will further loosen your connective tissue and raise your core body temperature.
Step 3
Increase your pace to a point where you are exercising at 75 to 80 percent of your maximum effort. Remain there for 20 seconds, then reduce your pace to about 50 percent maximum effort for 40 seconds. Alternate for 30 minutes, and finish with a light five-to-10-minute cool-down.
Step 4
Mix in Tabata training for a variation. Tabata training is more intense than regular interval training, but it is also considerably shorter. Perform a regular warm-up, then exercise at a maximum effort for 20 seconds. Rest completely for 10 seconds, then go all out again. Repeat this pattern eight times and finish with a light cool-down.
Step 5
Perform an ab circuit right after your interval sessions. Target your lower abs, obliques and upper abs to maximize muscle fiber recruitment. Do exercises like hanging leg raises, bicycle crunches and stability ball crunches. Perform each exercise back to back, take 30-second rest breaks between and repeat three or four times.
Step 6
Train on a regular basis, but do not overdo it. Take one day off between your interval workouts to allow for recovery, and stay disciplined enough to train every week to maximize your results.
Tips and Warnings
- Using 20 and 40 seconds for your intervals are only examples. You can make your times shorter or longer. The most important thing is that you double your lower intensity intervals.
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