Melting isn’t just for butter in a frying pan! When you have love handles, it’s a common goal to want that excess fat off ASAP. It can seem like an overwhelming task to achieve at the gym, but we spoke with Ronny Garcia, CPT, Blink Fitness, who shares with us some of the best HIIT exercises to melt love handles off your hips. No gym membership? No problem! The best part is, you can do any of these exercises right in the comfort of your own home. All you need is the motivation to get it done and the consistency to do it.
It’s important to fine-tune your training schedule in order to get closer to results. Garcia suggests beginners start with two to three sessions per week, and slowly increase it to three to five sessions each week. Allow yourself at least one rest day between sessions to properly recover. If you’re advanced, shoot for three to five sessions per week off the bat, and work rest days into your routine as necessary.
No matter what your fitness level may be, Garcia points out there will be short-term, medium-term, and long-term results. Short-term results (which can happen anywhere from two to four weeks) may include increased endurance and energy, along with weight loss or changes in muscle tone. Medium-term results (two to three months’ time) consist of improved overall fitness, enhanced strength, and defined, toned muscles. Long-term results (six or more months into your journey) include an all-around healthier lifestyle and decreased body fat. “Consistency and progressive overload are key to seeing results with HIIT workouts,” Garcia stresses.
If you’re ready to turn up the heat and start melting, keep reading to learn Garcia’s best HIIT exercises to melt love handles off your hips. And when you’re finished, be sure to check out these 10 Easy Kettlebell Exercises for Women To Melt Belly Flab.
The first of these HIIT exercises to melt love handles is the jumping jack. Start jumping jacks by standing tall with your feet shoulder-distance apart and your arms at your sides. Jump up while raising your arms overhead and jumping your feet out wider. Then, jump your feet back in, and bring your arms back down to the start position. Perform jumping jacks for 30 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for three to four sets.
This exercise starts in a high plank with your legs extended behind you and your hands planted below your shoulders. Activate your core. Quickly bring your right knee up toward your chest before bringing it back behind you. Then, bring your left knee up toward your chest. Continue to alternate sides for 30 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for three to four sets total.
Begin by placing your feet shoulder-width apart. Engage your core as you lower into a high plank, planting your hands on the floor and kicking your legs behind you. Do a pushup. Jump your feet up to your hands. Then, explosively jump up, raising your arms overhead. Perform burpees for 30 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for three to four sets.
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For high knees, stand tall and place your feet hip-width distance apart on the ground. Alternate bringing each knee and the opposite arm up toward your chest like you’re running in place. Do high knees for 30 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for three to four sets.
Begin lying on your side with your bottom forearm on the ground and your top hand resting on your hip or fully extended. Stack your feet. Lift your hips off the floor so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders all the way down to your ankles. Use control to lower, or “dip,” your hips toward the floor. Then, press back up to a side plank. Do this exercise for 30 seconds, and then rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for three to four sets.
Begin this exercise sitting on a workout mat. Bend both knees, and lift your feet off the floor. Lean back just a bit so your upper body forms a 45-degree angle with the ground. Keep your hands clasped at the front of your chest. Engage your abs as you twist to your left side, then back to the center, then to the right. Perform 15 to 20 twists per side. Rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for three to four sets.
Lie down flat on your back on a workout mat. Place your hands at the back of your head. Bend your knees, and lift your legs off the floor so they form a 90-degree angle. Crunch up as you bring your right elbow toward your left knee and extend your right leg. Then, crunch over to the other side as you bring your left elbow toward your right knee and extend your left leg. Perform 10 to 15 crunches on each side. Rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for three to four sets.
The last of these HIIT exercises to melt love handles is the squat jump. Start squat jumps with your feet shoulder-distance apart. Have your hands at the back of your heart. Bend both knees as you lower into a squat. Activate your quads, hamstrings, and glutes as you push yourself upward into a jump until your legs are extended. Use control to descend into a squat. Do squat jumps for 30 seconds, and then rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for three to four sets.
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Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness, and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa
