What Exercises Can Be Done Standing Up To Reduce The Stomach And Waistline?

Reducing the stomach and waistline is important to your overall health. Not only does midsection fat compromise your self-confidence, but it also increases your risk for chronic conditions. Exercise is a key component to this game plan. If you are not into lying down, sitting or hanging from objects, you have several exercises to do from a standing position. Before you begin training, make sure to get cleared from your healthcare provider.

Standing Cardio

If you want to lose fat in one area, such as the waist, you need to understand that spot reduction is not possible. This means a single exercise performed over and over again will not completely rid your stomach area of fat. Your best bet is to do some form of cardio to burn the fat and use weight-training exercises to tone and tighten your abs. Running, walking, stair climbing, elliptical training and jumping rope are all performed from a standing position and make good options.

Jump Squats

Jump squats target the muscles in the lower body, but they also cause you to forcefully contract your abs. In addition, these exercises quickly raise your heart rate, leading to a high caloric expenditure. Stand with your feet spaced about shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Slowly lower yourself into a squat by bending your knees and jump in the air with all your might. As you do this, raise your arms above your head. Land softly on the balls of your feet and repeat.

Medicine Ball Slams

Medicine ball slams achieve two goals. They quickly elevate your heart rate, and they cause you to work your abs. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ball directly over your head with your arms fully extended. After rising up on your tiptoes, forcefully throw the ball into the floor or ground out in front of your body. As the ball bounces up, grab it, raise it back above your head and repeat.

Knee Cross Crunch

A knee cross crunch targets all areas of the abs. Begin with your feet spaced in a wider than shoulder-width stance, with your right hand on your hip and left arm raised above your head. Steadily lift your right leg, bend your knee and move your left elbow down to meet it. Move back to the starting position, repeat for a set of reps and switch sides.

Cable Rotations

Cable rotations work the waist area with the help of a single handle attachment and cable machine. Fasten the handle to a stomach-high setting on one side of the machine and stand with your right side facing the weight stack. Keeping your feet about shoulder-width apart, grasp the handle firmly with your hands overlapping and pull it across your body in a chopping motion. Twist your torso as you do this. Slowly move back to the starting point, repeat for a set of reps and switch sides. For a more challenging variation, perform the exercise on one foot.