### Fitness Expert Shares 5 Core Exercises to Target Belly Fat
The director of an online boxing equipment retailer is sharing five exercises he claims will target belly fat and sculpt abs. Leon Bolmeer, boxing trainer and director of UK-based Geezers Boxing, shared these exercises in an article by Gloucestershire Live. Bolmeer recommends performing planks with shoulder taps, dead bugs, bicycle crunches, hollow body holds, and mountain climbers in three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions, two or three times a week, with at least one rest day in between.
### Plank with Shoulder Taps
To perform the plank with shoulder taps, start in a high plank position with your forearms on the ground and your elbows stacked under your shoulders. Engage your core and tap one shoulder with your opposite hand, then return to the plank position. Men’s Health notes that this exercise enhances core and shoulder stability, posture, and flexibility while testing balance and control.
### Dead Bug
The dead bug exercise focuses on pelvic stability. Start by laying on your back with your knees bent and your toes pointed up. Raise both arms toward the ceiling and extend your right leg in front of you while extending your left arm behind you. Keep your lower back from arching and return to the starting position before repeating with the opposite arm and leg.
### Bicycle Crunches
Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, and your hands behind your head. Lift your head and shoulders off the ground and rotate your torso as you bring one elbow towards the opposite knee. The bicycle crunch is intended to boost stability, coordination, and flexibility and works the internal and external oblique abdominal muscles.
### Hollow Body Hold
In the hollow body hold exercise, lay on your back with your legs together and arms extended behind your head. Engage your core to lift your shoulders and legs slightly off the ground, forming a slight ‘C’ shape with your body. Hold this position for as long as you can maintain proper form, aiming to improve your hold time over time.
### Mountain Climbers
Start in the high plank position and alternate bringing one knee to your chest and back out again to the plank position. Bicycling magazine offers five variations of mountain climbers that promise to “smoke your abs.” However, an obesity researcher recently contended that spot reduction is a myth and that overall fat loss is key to achieving desired results.
Original Story at nypost.com – 2024-03-17 21:14:00
