Burn away lower belly fat with this quick routine.
If you have less belly fat, it is essential to incorporate the right exercises to get rid of it. is a part of visceral fatWhich clogs your organs and can cause chronic health conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease. type-2 diabetesCancer, and dementia. Crunches can be helpful in burning this fat after 60, but we have a faster way. Try this eight-minute chair routine strengthen your coreboost muscle mass, increase metabolism, and flatten your stomach. With consistency, you’ll see results in no time!
“The ‘pooch’ is often a combination of visceral fat and a weak transverse abdominis (TVA). The TVA is a deep, corset-like muscle that wraps around the spine and compresses the organs,” explains matt bandelierBusiness Development Director Eden Health Club. “When it’s weak, the lower abdomen protrudes outward. You should also target the pelvic floor muscles and internal obliques. Traditional crunches target the surface-level rectus abdominis (‘six-pack’ muscle), which can actually push the abdomen outward if the deep TVA isn’t strong enough to pull everything tight.”
Seated core training is quite safe for adults 60+. Getting up and down from the floor poses a potential fall risk and can also be painful for individuals with hip or knee osteoarthritis.
“Seated exercises eliminate this barrier, ensuring that the workout actually takes place. Additionally, seated training provides a stable base (chair) that supports the spine, making it easier to isolate the core muscles without putting pressure on the lower back or neck, which is a common problem with floor squats,” Bandelier tells us.
8-minute chair routine that flattens the lower abs
Do each of the exercises below for 45 seconds, resting for 15 seconds. Complete the entire circuit twice for an eight-minute routine.
seated knee tucks
- Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair with your back straight.
- Place your hands at the base of your spine or near your lower back to provide some support as you lift your knees.
- Leaning slightly back, pull both knees towards your chest.
- Then, extend your legs back to the starting position, keeping them off the ground.
Chair March with Overhead Hold
- Start by holding your arms straight above your head, holding a light book, or using only your body weight.
- Lift your legs up and slowly, bringing the knees above hip level.
- Raising your arms overhead prevents you from rounding your back and forces your deep core to stabilize the spine.
seated torso rotation
- Start sitting tall on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor. Activate your core.
- Join your hands together.
- Reach over your right shoulder.
- Cut diagonally across your body toward your left hip.
- Keep your hips straight and rotate through your ribs.
- Switch sides after the first 45-second round.
seated vacuum hold
- Start sitting tall.
- Let all the air out of your lungs.
- Pull your navel toward your spine as much as possible.
- Hold that pressure for 45 seconds while taking shallow breaths.
Alexa Melardo
Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle and home. Read more about Alexa
