When it comes to losing belly fat, you should focus on compound exercises that hit multiple muscle groups and use enough resistance to challenge your muscles, speed up your metabolism, and give your body a boost to burn fat. To help you with your fitness routine, we’ve rounded up the seven best compound exercises to lose belly fat and get your midsection back into shape.
The benefits of compound exercises for fat burning include increasing the number of calories you burn, which helps you maintain the daily calorie deficit needed for fat loss. Plus, you’ll see improved definition from the muscle growth you get from these exercises.
Perform the routine below in three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. You can also do it as a circuit using 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest per exercise, completing three to five rounds in total.
Now let’s take a look at how to perform the seven best compound exercises to lose belly fat and sculpt a lean, mean midsection.
Jump squats

Jump squats work the large muscles of your lower body. Explosive jumping increases the demand of the exercise compared to air squats. If jumping is too difficult for you, perform squats without jumping.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Squat halfway down while keeping your spine straight and neutral.
- Quickly explode through both feet and jump upwards, clearing the ground.
- Absorb the landing with a half squat and immediately move on to the next repetition.
- Repeat for target reps.
Push ups


Push-ups hit your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, providing calorie burning and muscle building to your workout.
How to do it:
- Start in a plank position with your arms placed under your shoulders.
- Breathe deeply, strengthen your body and keep your spine neutral.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
- When your chest reaches the floor, push with both hands to come back up.
- Repeat for target reps.
Lunge jumps


Lunge jumps are great for hitting your glutes and quads.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Step forward with your right leg.
- Lower your back knee toward the floor about ⅓ of the way toward the floor.
- Quickly cross your front foot and jump, keeping your right foot forward.
- Land in the same positions, absorbing the force by lowering the back knee and bending the front leg.
- Immediately move on to the next repetition.
- Repeat on both sides for target repetitions.
Burpees


Burpees are a full-body metabolic exercise great for circuits, calorie burning, explosiveness, and overall fitness.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Quickly move your legs back and get into a plank position.
- Upon landing, return to a squat position.
- Quickly jump upwards and reach the ceiling.
- Absorb the landing with a quarter squat, then move on to the next repetition.
- Repeat for target reps.
Parallel grip pull-ups
Parallel pull-ups are great for developing your upper body and arms while burning calories and building muscle. You will need parallel pull-up bar handles.
How to do it:
- Hand on the pull-up bars, gripping the bars with your palms facing each other.
- Pull your body upward with the goal of reaching your chest up to the bar.
- Lower completely.
- Repeat for target reps.
Ring Row/TRX


TRX rows are great for developing your back and biceps while also training core stability.
How to do it:
- Hold the TRX handles in each hand, facing up, with your hips off the ground.
- Row your body up until the handles are close to your chest.
- Lower to the starting position.
- Repeat for target reps.
Mountaineers


Mountain climbers are an explosive core exercise that hits the abdominal muscles, hip flexors, and arms.
How to do it:
- Start in a push-up position.
- Bring one knee to your chest, keeping the toes of that foot hovering an inch above the floor.
- Change feet explosively and place the front foot behind you as your planted foot.
- Repeat for target reps.
Tyler Read, BSc, CPT
Tyler Read is a personal trainer and has been involved in the health and fitness industry for 15 years. Learn more about Tyler
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