It’s not uncommon to accumulate extra inches around your midsection as you age. According to Jumpstart by WebMD, this can be due to the fact that you lose lean muscle mass and gain fat as you grow older. A large belly can be incredibly frustrating; it’s also linked to serious health issues like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Needless to say, exercising to lose belly flab is a necessary step to take, and we have just the 10-minute mat routine that’ll get the job done.
In addition to bumping up your daily step goal and strength training to melt belly fat, you can increase your daily activity by performing some mini-workouts. One easy way to squeeze in a session is by doing mat routines. They’re low-impact, easy to recover from, won’t leave you sore, and can be done essentially anywhere.
Below is a foolproof 10-minute mat workout to add to your fitness routine to lose belly flab. Do it daily or in between workout sessions. Now, set a timer for 10 minutes, and perform as many sets of the following exercises back to back.
Keep reading to learn more, and next, don’t miss 7 At-Home Exercises To Reduce Belly Fat in 30 Days.
This mat workout kicks off with the quad press. Think of it as half squat/half pushup.
To set up, assume a tabletop position on the mat with your hands under your shoulders. Turn your forearms in about 45 degrees to form a diamond shape with your hands. Bend at the knees, keeping them just above the floor. Make sure your weight stays evenly balanced between your hands and the balls of your feet.
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Then, lower yourself by bending your elbows and pushing your knees out. Your back should remain flat. Push your back up through your toes and palms, flexing your triceps at the top with every rep.
Next, we have the split squat with a pulse. Move into a staggered stance with one foot in front of you and the other behind. Your chest should be tall and your core tight as you lower into a split squat. Then, rise up 1/4 of the way before lowering back down. Drive through your front foot’s heel to rise all the way back up. That’s one rep.
The single-leg glute bridge begins with one leg in the air and the other bent with your knee pointing up to the sky. Keeping your core tight, push through the heel of your working leg, extending your hip up. Flex your glute hard at the top of the motion, then lower to the floor while maintaining control.
Last but not least, let’s do some reverse crunches. Lie down on the mat, making sure to keep your lower back flat. With a tight core, raise your feet back toward your torso, flexing your abs hard. Then slowly lower your legs to the floor while keeping tension in your core.
Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.
Tim Liu, CSCS, is an online fitness and nutrition coach based in Los Angeles Read more about Tim
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