Floor workouts can be an extremely effective form of training for those looking to slim down their lower abdomen region, also known as an “apron belly.” By working with just your body weight, you will fire up your core muscles to tighten and strengthen your entire midsection. To help you get started, we spoke with a fitness professional who outlines five stellar floor workouts to lose your apron belly and reclaim your lower abs.
Before we dive in, Ronny Garcia, CPT, Blink Fitness, stresses, “One very important thing to remember is that you cannot spot reduce fat, but the following exercises can help in hardening your abdominal muscles and strengthening as well. Proper diet and caloric deficit paired with exercise will [produce the] best results.” He adds, “When combined with cardio workouts like walking or running, these exercises contribute to a holistic weight loss approach. Cardio burns calories directly, while core strengthening improves muscle tone.”
Let’s explore the best floor workouts to lose your apron belly.
The Workouts
- Reverse Crunch
- Leg Raises
- Flutter Kicks
- Dead Bug
- Heel Taps
Reverse Crunch
- Lie flat on your back.
- Bend your knees to form a 90-degree angle.
- Lift your legs so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor.
- Activate your core, curl your hips off the ground, and bring your knees to your chest.
- Gradually lower with control, making sure your feet don’t touch the floor.
- Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Leg Raises
- Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and hands placed under your lower back for support.
- Lift your legs to 90 degrees.
- Gradually lower with control, making sure your upper back stays pressed to the ground and your feet don’t touch the floor on the way down.
- Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Flutter Kicks
- Lie flat on your back with your hands under your hips and legs extended.
- Lift both legs off the floor and alternate doing flutter kicks in tiny, quick motions.
- Perform 3 sets of 20-30 seconds.
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Dead Bug
- Lie flat on your back with your arms extended toward the sky and legs bent to 90 degrees.
- Use control to lower your left arm and right leg toward the floor.
- Return to the start position and repeat on the other side.
- Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side.
Heel Taps
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet on the ground.
- Activate your abs and lift your shoulders a bit off the floor.
- Reach your right hand to touch your right heel, then your left hand to touch your left heel in a side-to-side movement.
- Perform 3 sets of 15-20 reps per side.
