Shrinking your “jelly belly” is no easy feat. The process can be grueling and time-consuming, but getting your midsection back into shape and giving it the tone it deserves is such a rewarding—and necessary—health and fitness goal. Jiggly belly fat may be the most challenging type of body fat to lose, and it’s typically the last to go. But, with just the right healthy habits at your fingertips, you’ll be well on your way to shedding stubborn abdominal fat in no time. We have eight of the most productive bodyweight exercises to get rid of your jelly belly for good, so listen up.
Along with following a healthy diet of lean proteins and fresh fruits and veggies, you should be amping up your daily step count and performing strength training exercises. For most individuals, I recommend carving out at least three days for strength training work each week and performing your cardio afterward if you want to get rid of your jelly belly.
In addition to all of that, it’s important to make time for bodyweight exercises. Bodyweight training can seamlessly be worked into your routine, as you can do it anywhere, it’s relatively quick, and all you need is your body weight! I recommend performing bodyweight movements as a separate workout altogether on your non-training days or sprinkled into your current fitness routine.
If you want to bid farewell to your jelly belly, these are the eight bodyweight exercises that’ll help you do exactly that. Complete them as a circuit back-to-back or one at a time.
The bodyweight squat with pulse starts with you placing your feet just outside shoulder-width. Maintain a tall chest and a tight core as you press your hips back and descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground. Come up 1/4 of the way, then go back down to perform a pulse. Drive through both heels to come back to standing. That counts as one rep. Complete three to four sets of 15 reps.
Pushups start with you getting onto your hands and the balls of your feet. Your wrists should be below your shoulders. Keeping your core tight, lower your body toward the floor with a slight tuck in your elbows. Have your chest touch the bottom before pushing yourself back up to a high plank. Keep tension in your chest and your triceps as you perform this exercise. Complete three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps.
For split squats, assume a staggered stance with one foot in front of you and the other behind. Your chest should be tall and your core tight. Lower yourself until your back knee touches the ground, then drive through your front heel to return to standing. Complete three to four sets of 10 to 12 reps for each leg.
Start walking lunges by taking a long stride forward with one leg. Firmly plant your heel and descend into a lunge until your back knee touches the ground. Step through with your front leg to propel yourself forward, and repeat with the other side. Complete three to four sets of 12 to 15 reps for each leg.
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For bench dips, start by having your body in front of a workout bench (or a sturdy surface of comparable height) with your palms on it. Keeping your shoulder blades pulled back, slowly lower yourself under control. As you come down, keep tension on your triceps, not your front shoulders. Push yourself up, flexing your triceps hard at the top. Complete three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Begin side plank crunches by assuming the proper side plank position with your bottom leg in front of the top one. With your top hand holding your head, perform a side crunch by bringing your top elbow toward your bottom knee. Flex your oblique hard, then return to starting position before performing the next rep. Complete three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.
For reverse crunches, lie down on the ground, 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. Complete three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Last up on our list of the best bodyweight exercises to get rid of your jelly belly is the cross-body mountain climber. Start by getting into a pushup position. Your feet should be fully extended and your shoulders aligned with your wrists. Keep your core tight as you take one knee and drive it toward the opposite elbow, flexing your obliques. Bring your leg back to the pushup position before repeating the motion with the other leg. Alternate back and forth, maintaining tension in your core the entire time. Complete three to four sets of 10 reps per leg.
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Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.
Tim Liu, CSCS, is an online fitness and nutrition coach based in Los Angeles Read more about Tim
