You burn many calories during cardio training – ideal if you want to lose weight. But which endurance sport is the best to tackle stubborn belly fat?
The following summer will come – and not only then do many dreams of a well-trained stomach.
Above all, the annoying love handles on the lower abdomen should be tackled as effectively as possible.
Cardio For Belly Fat
Three components will reliably get you to your destination and on which you should concentrate:
- a healthy diet,
- weight training and
- cardio units
Running, swimming, cycling and Co. are excellent ways to reduce your body fat percentage . But which endurance sport is best suited to lose belly fat in a targeted manner?
As lovely as the idea of telling the body where to lose weight may be: “Unfortunately, you can’t determine where you lose fat on your body,”
So cardio doesn’t directly target your belly fat, but it can help reduce it.
Customize Endurance Training
On average, cardio-based activities burn more calories than strength training. However, there is no “best cardio type.”
Therefore, when choosing an endurance sport, you should pay attention to your physical condition. For example, you shouldn’t run long distances if you have knee pain because the constant impact could worsen the pain.
Another rule of thumb is that any challenging workout within 10 to 15 minutes is a good option. The keyword here is demanding, not overstraining; you should keep up the movement for 20 to 30 minutes.
Machowsky recommends rowing because you can scale the pace from moderate to intense, and it engages both the upper and lower body.
If the daily routine allows it, the expert recommends a combination of cross-trainer, jogging, and cycling, with which you can fill a good hour of training.
With Short, Intensive Units To Success
Half an hour of demanding cardio training should always be the basis. If you’re short on time, it’s better to do a 20-minute high-intensity HIIT workout than do an easy jog for the same amount of time.
“If you put more effort into the same amount of time, you’ll burn more calories,” explains Machowsky.
So, in summary, the most effective cardio exercise is accessible on the joints, which can be done in a reasonable amount of time. It is challenging and fun to stick with it longer.
Lose Belly Fat: Strength Training Is Essential
Even if cardio training stimulates fat metabolism, it is essential to include strength training units in your training plan to continue to build muscle mass or at least keep it at the same level.
Because if you run a calorie deficit and only rely on cardio, you run the risk of your body also breaking down the muscle mass in addition to fat.
“Strength training helps to prevent this. Because this signals the body that it should better draw energy from the fat reserves and protect the muscles,” says the expert.
So, while you can’t dictate where your body burns fat, logically, you’re more likely to lose belly fat when the energy is drawn from fat stores.
Another advantage of strength training is that the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body burns at rest since the basal metabolic rate is higher.
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