5 Exercises to Tone Core and Melt Away Belly Fat

There are several exercises to tone the core, but if you want to trigger weight loss at the same time, the exercises need to be more cardio-aligned.

The reason being that when you do bodyweight exercises that require more effort, the body dips into stored calories to generate that energy. Otherwise, while abdominal exercises are great for toning, not all of them use as much effort to trigger significant weight loss.

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Exercises for Core Toning and Losing Weight

The following five exercises to tone the core require more effort than others. As a result, you will be able to burn more calories than usual.

However, you must remember that you cannot spot-reduce fat. When you lose fat, it happens overall. However, there are exercises can enable you to tone specific muscle groups. So, if you want to tone your core and trigger weight loss, they need to be core exercises that are cardio based.

Let's get started:

1) Mountain Climber

Mountain climbers are one of the top exercises to tone your core and melt fat. It requires you to engage your core for the muscles, and move your legs inwards towards your elbows to use more energy.

Mountain climbers have various levels, which you can find here. Ideally, you should start with the basic move before moving to advanced levels.

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2) Plank

There is seldom a core workout routine that does not include planks. It’s a great way to have an overall impact on the core muscles.

The reason planks require more effort than other exercises such as crunches or bicycles is because the entire time you’re on your toes and arms. The body needs to provide more energy to the muscles to hold up while the core remains engaged.

You can find a list of plank variations here.

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3) Burpee

Burpees ideally focus on using energy to burn more calories. However, burpees have two parts - a jump and a push-up.

To ensure that the core muscles get worked up, you need to engage your core muscles. Additionally, an engaged core can help with providing better balance and stability during the exercise.

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4) Hanging Leg Raise

Another excellent exercise to tone the core are hanging leg raises. You need access to a pull-up bar or overhead handles (usually found on power racks) for the exercise.

Hanging leg raises allow you to massively strengthen the core muscles. Moreover, it trains the muscles to engage themselves for balance, as you need to ensure that the body does not sway back and forth during the exercise.

You can find a guide for doing hanging leg raises here.

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5) Plank Jack

Plank jacks are slightly stressful for the shoulders, so it’s better to develop some shoulder strength before attempting the exercise. However, if you’re able to plank jacks, you must not skip the exercise, as it helps with burning calories while strengthening the core.

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Bottom Line

Exercises to tone the core must be a part of your overall workout routine. You do not need to work on your core muscles every day, but such exercises should be in your routine at least thrice a week.

A strong core is extremely important for balance and stability during complex compound movements.