10-Minute Incline Workout For Reducing Belly Fat
Incline workouts are fitness exercises that use a treadmill set on an incline. Walking uphill for a certain amount of time to overcome the resistance of gravity, this workout is like going on a hike. "That additional resistance can make them effective at stimulating some of our largest muscle systems, like the hamstrings, quads, glutes, and abs," Craig, who works as a personal trainer at Inside Bodybuilding, explains. "Most people will do an incline workout on a treadmill that has incline adjustments. However, you can get creative with these workouts. If you have a stair climber or a hill in your neighborhood you like to walk on, you can adapt these incline workouts to fit your needs." Incline workouts are a great way to build up to running for beginners.
And, when it comes to reducing visceral belly fat, Craig says, "Incline workouts help reduce belly fat because they can be efficient at burning calories. Since you're adding resistance to a cardiovascular exercise, incline working can burn more than 30% more calories than walking or running on flat terrain. Many incline workouts include some intervals, meaning you benefit from the afterburner effect—a period of increased calorie burn at rest after a workout." Workouts with intervals can help boost your heart rate which can cause your heart and circulatory system to grow stronger. Plus, your body will become better at recovering from intense exercises like cardio.
Now, onto the 10-minute incline workout for reducing belly fat. Before your workout, Craig says that you should walk at a slow speed for a couple of minutes just to warm up and then, increase your incline setting to a 5 on the treadmill. As your muscles get stronger and this exercise gets easier, you can increase the incline or reduce it if you find it too difficult. Follow Craig's workout plan below:
1. Jog for two minutes.
2. Reduce the speed and do walking lunges for two minutes. When doing walking lunges, you don't want to bounce your knee off the tread. This isn't a static movement, so don't go to full depth, drive forward into the lunge, stand up, repeat on the other side.
3. Side walk leading with your left leg for two minutes.
4. In a half-squat, walk with your left leg leading. You'll feel a burn in your quads through this exercise. If you need to, take a break and keep the pace slow.
5. Side walk leading with your right leg [for] two minutes.
6. Walk backward for two minutes. Walking backward may feel silly, but studies have shown that walking backward on a hill or incline can be great for knee health. You can use the handrails on a treadmill to stay steady and take your time.
7. After the workout, cool down for 2 minutes with a slow walk.
Even though this incline workout is only 10 minutes, Craig wants to emphasize that you should still be warming up before and cooling down after this workout. "Warming up and cooling down can help prevent injury and soreness. Take it slow—these can be difficult movements, but you'll feel yourself getting stronger the more you do them," he says. Learn more about the mistakes we all make on the treadmill.
The Bottom Line
Working out on an incline is an incredibly powerful tool for weight loss. An incline makes your body work much harder to move—it uses and strengthens many more muscles. All you need is a treadmill! And, if you're looking for other cardio workouts to lose fat in your midsection, check out our list of the best exercises for to boost your heart health and weight loss.