9 Best Gym Equipment for Targeting Belly Fat
Losing belly fat is a marathon, not a sprint. Many people carry extra weight in their middle, and that stubborn fat is far more difficult to remove than it is to pack on. A healthy, balanced diet and targeted workouts are the best methods for reducing tough belly fat and trimming down your waistline. If you’re wondering what’s the best gym equipment to lose belly fat, then you’ve come to the right place!
There is plenty of gym equipment that will help you lose weight and burn belly fat, and we’re going to discuss the top nine. This guide will walk you through how these machines work and the best exercises that target and help you lose even the stubbornest belly fat.
What is a Good Exercise Machine to Lose Belly Fat?
Exercise machines that target your abdominal muscles and obliques are great for strengthening your core. High-intensity interval training workouts focusing on these muscles will speed up your fat loss by as much as 50% compared to steadier workouts. The best equipment for losing belly fat will target your abdominal region and provide you with the opportunity for high-intensity workouts.
Equipment | Duration | Effort | Calorie Burned | Recommended Product |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rowing Machine | 30min | Vigorous | 319 | View Amazon Price |
Treadmill | 30min | Brisk Walk | 143 | View Amazon Price |
Elliptical | 30min | Vigorous | 225 | View Amazon Price |
Spin Bike | 30min | Vigorous | 394 | View Amazon Price |
Weight Lifting | 30min | Vigorous | 225 | View Amazon Price |
Stair Climber | 30min | Moderate | 338 | View Amazon Price |
Ski Machine | 30min | Moderate | 263 | View Amazon Price |
Vibration Plate | 20min | Just Standing | 180 | View Amazon Price |
Kettlebell | 30min | Vigorous | 386 | View Amazon Price |
**This table is based on estimated burned energy for a person of 75kg (165 lbs). Calories burned per session depend on personal weight/height/body composition.
Rowing Machine
The rowing machine is a great place to start on your weight loss journey. This machine will work out your arms, legs, core, back, and shoulders. To use a rowing machine correctly, follow these easy steps:
- Turn the machine on and select ‘Just Row’ from the menu.
- Grab the handles.
- Keep your chest up and your back straight.
- Pull the handle back to just below your ribs while straightening your legs. Keep your core engaged, and your legs slightly bent.
- Bring the handle back to the starting position and bend your legs. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
- Repeat steps 3-5 until your workout is finished.
Rowing machines may not look like the most impressive piece of equipment in the gym, which may lead you to wonder- Does the rowing machine burn belly fat? Rowing machines offer the perfect opportunity for HIIT (high-intensity interval training), and your core must stay engaged while you use this machine.
While using a rowing machine, a 185lb person can burn up to 440 calories! Since a pound of fat equals roughly 3,500 calories, this machine is an excellent tool for burning belly fat.
The best way to use a rowing machine is by rowing for 20 seconds and then resting for 10 seconds. Repeat this for 10 full sets, and you’ll soon see you’re travelling further during each set.
Read More About This: The Best Rowing Machines In The UK
Treadmill
When most people think about going to the gym, they picture long rows of treadmills with people in all stages of their fitness journey getting down to business. Treadmills are popular for a reason. These machines are customizable to your physicality and goals, which makes them the perfect starting point for anyone’s weight loss journey.
Using a treadmill is easy. All you do is step on, select the speed and incline or program you wish to follow, and go. This is probably the most user-friendly equipment in gyms and the least intimidating.
A 150lb person can burn an average of 258 calories per hour when walking on a treadmill at a speed of 3.5mph with no incline. Compared to the rowing machine, the number of calories burned on a treadmill might seem discouraging. So, if your next thought is- does inclining a treadmill help to lose belly fat- then get ready to feel encouraged.
Inclining a treadmill increases the resistance your muscles feel and gives your cardiovascular system a more intense workout. You may have heard the phrase, “The more you sweat, the more you lose,” and that’s definitely the case with treadmills! Inclining your treadmills enhances your workout and burns fat more quickly.
Using the settings available to change up your speed and incline will give you a HIIT workout like no other machine. For this reason, treadmills are the best exercise machine for stomach fat and love handles.
Check Out This Article: The Best Treadmill UK Buyer’s Guide
Elliptical/Cross Trainer
Cross trainers and ellipticals are essentially the same pieces of equipment, but they look slightly different. However, they achieve the same result, so we’re grouping them together for the purpose of gym machines that help you lose belly fat.
Ellipticals and cross trainers are low-impact but work to burn calories quickly. They’re also very intuitive, making them an excellent choice for gym newbies. Simply step into the feet stirrups, select the program you wish to follow, grab the hands, and go!
Are you wondering how much weight you can lose on a cross trainer? You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that cross trainers work well for HIIT-style workouts, and you can burn as many as 500 calories in just 30 minutes. Knowing that a pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories, then you’d need to do 30-minute workouts for 7 days to lose one pound of fat. However, that’s not considering any calorie deficit you may have from your diet and other activities.
Since ellipticals are a full-body workout, many people wonder- Will the elliptical slim my stomach? The answer is, yes! Full body workouts help to eliminate the entirety of your body’s fat content, including that stubborn spare tyre around your middle!
Check Out This Guide: Best Cross Trainer Reviews
Spin Bike
Spin bikes are easy to use, ideal for targeting stubborn belly fat, and perfect for interval training. This exercise machine skyrocketed in popularity in the late 90s and saw another surge in popularity during the 2000s.
Like most of the machines on this list, you must select the program you want to follow to get started. Aim for long, steady strokes with your bottom lifted above the seat to get the most out of your workout. This will place more strain on your thighs and core, which is ideal for burning belly fat.
Many spin bike machines have HIIT programs you can select, and these are the best spin bike fat-burn workout option. You could burn 400-600 calories in an hour, depending on your speed and intensity!
Exercise Tip: Keep your core engaged and your back straight when using a spin bike. This will increase the calories and belly fat you burn while preventing potentially risky muscle strain.
Click Here For More Guide: Best Spin Bikes UK
Weight Bench + Dumbbell
One of the simplest ways to burn belly fat and strengthen your muscles is by exercising with a weight bench and dumbbell. This is a great workout because it’s so customizable. You can do dozens of different workouts with a couple of dumbbells and a weight bench that will get your heart rate going, build your muscles and burn fat.
However, this exercise burns a much smaller amount of calories than other options on this list. Workouts using a weight bench and dumbbell are still a vital part of any workout routine, but if your goal is to reduce belly fat, then you don’t want this to be the sole focus of your workout routine.
Choosing a dumbbell workout to reduce belly fat is pretty simple. A simple method is to grab 10-pound weights and hold them in either hand while lying flat on your back on the weight bench. Place your feet on the ground for stability and raise the weights up over your chest until they’re touching. Then, lower your arms until you’re holding the weights straight and parallel to your sides. Do five or ten reps, then take a break and repeat.
Working out this way for 30 minutes will burn about 90-150 calories, depending on your size and the intensity of your workout. Building muscle strength is just as important as losing fat, so make sure you throw in a set of this in your workout routine at least once a week!
Related guide:
Stair Climber
Stair climber machines seem like they’re working out your legs more than anything else. New gym goers may look at these imposing machines and wonder- Does climbing stairs reduce tummy fat?
While stair climbers put a lot of emphasis on your leg muscles, you also need to keep your core engaged while using these machines. Many have built-in programs (including HIIT programs that are perfect for tummy fat!) you can select to get started. Then, you just climb the stairs while keeping your core tight and your back straight. Feel free to hold on to the handles if necessary. It’ll reduce the number of calories you’re burning by a small percentage, but you can congratulate yourself when you no longer need them.
An average 30-minute workout on a stair climber can burn between 180-260 calories. This is definitely a workout worth keeping in your routine. It will help build your resistance and allow you to train harder for longer.
Kettlebells
Kettlebells are an excellent full-body workout. These weights are easy to use, especially at home, and burn a surprising number of calories. Using kettlebells engages your core, back, shoulders, arms, and legs.
Studies have shown kettlebells burn fat more quickly and efficiently than other exercises. There are tons of kettlebell exercises for lower stomach toning. Many of these exercises will burn 20 calories per minute, which means you could burn as many as 600 calories in as little as 30 minutes! For those looking for a simple workout to help them tone their body and reduce belly fat, kettlebell exercises are a must.
A simple set of standard kettlebell swings is an ideal way to add this exercise to your workout routine. Follow these steps to get started:
- Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Stand straight and hold the kettlebell in a firm grasp with your palms facing your body.
- Lean forward, so your torso is parallel with the ground.
- Engage your core and legs, then push your body into a standing position. Follow through with the momentum and raise your hands and the kettlebell above your head.
- Swing the kettlebell back down through your legs until your torso is parallel to the ground again.
That is the basic technique for a standard kettlebell swing. Do sets of 10-20 swings at a time with a 30-second rest in between for a high-intensity workout that’s guaranteed to burn belly fat!
Additional guide: Kettlebell Workout Programme
Ski Machine
Working out with a ski machine will help you burn a large number of calories while targeting multiple muscle groups. When you use a ski machine, your arms, legs, and core will feel most of the strain.
A person of average physicality weighing about 175 lbs can burn as many as 800 calories when working out for an hour with a ski machine. That’s an impressive number, plus you’ll be toning your muscles and eliminating body fat.
If you’ve never used a ski machine before, then you might be a little confused on how they work. Having proper form is key to getting the most out of your workout. Here are the steps you should follow when using this machine:
- Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Once you grab the handles, your arms should start at a 90-degree angle.
- Engage your core and hinge your hips while pulling the handles down. Bend your knees and pull until the handles come down to the sides of your thighs.
- Return to a standing position and elevate your arms before proceeding to the next pull.
A great technique for ski machines is to do 10-20 pulls, then rest for thirty seconds. Do 5-10 sets of pulls and rest per workout to start. As your endurance builds, you’ll be able to add more pulls and sets, which will help burn calories and belly fat while toning your core.
Vibration Plate
Using a vibration plate will help improve your balance, strengthen your muscles, and increase the number of calories you burn during a workout. Depending on how you use a vibration plate, it can seriously enhance your exercise and help you target stubborn areas like your midsection.
Vibration plates are great for use in the gym or at home! You’ll burn a few extra calories by using one as well, but the total number of calories you burn will depend on which exercise you perform.
So, if you’re wondering what exercise is best for losing tummy fat when working out with a vibration plate, then we have a couple of suggestions for you. The first is to do crunches while sitting on the vibration plate. This will engage your core and legs. Most of the strain will be felt in your abdomen, so you know plenty of toning will happen in that area!
To perform crunches on a vibration plate, follow these simple steps:
- Sit on the vibration plate and lean back. Rest your hands on the back of the plate and bend your knees. Keep your legs held off the ground.
- Pull your legs up to your chest while keeping your core straight and tight.
- Extend your legs fully.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3.
Another good exercise for losing belly fat is squats! Perform squats as you normally would, but do so while standing on the vibration plate. This is a simple way to tone up your core and burn away belly fat.
Recommended Reading:
How To Lose Stomach Fat Workouts
Some people prefer to work out at home rather than pay for a gym membership. If that’s you, then don’t be discouraged! There are plenty of ways to exercise without equipment to lose belly fat. Keep reading to check out our best suggestions.
Develop a Full Body Workout Routine
When you want to lose belly fat, you need to develop a full-body workout routine. It may be tempting to develop workout routines that only target your stubborn areas, but toning up your entire body will cause quicker and more reliable weight loss. A practice like yoga is an excellent full-body workout that tones, stretches, and strengthens your muscles. There are many types of yoga, and depending on the intensity, you can burn between 180-600 calories per hour!
Get Plenty of Cardio
Cardio must be a vital part of your workout regime if you want to lose belly fat. Any activity that gets your heart and lungs going without you feeling like you need to rest after a short period is considered a cardio workout. So, running in place, jogging up and down your stairs, or chasing your kids around all count as cardio workouts you can do at home!
Continue reading this: Early Morning Cardio Benefits
Use High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
We’ve mentioned the importance of HIIT workouts earlier in this guide, but their effectiveness really can’t be understated! High-intensity interval training is the easiest way to burn belly fat at home. HIIT workouts raise your heart rate high during an intense period of working out, and then you switch to a less intense movement for a bit to lower your heart rate. This constant back and forth will increase the number of calories you burn during a single workout session. The simplest example of a HIIT workout is to sprint for five minutes, then walk for five minutes, and then sprint for another five. Keep cycling between sprinting and walking to keep your metabolism high and your heart rate moving.
Best And Quickest Way To Lose Belly Fat
Losing belly fat is a long-term process involving dietary and lifestyle changes. However, there are plenty of ways to speed up this process. Dietary changes are best implemented slowly, so you have a better chance of sticking to them long-term. Start by reducing the number of carbs and sugar you take in rather than trying to cut them out from your diet cold turkey. Trade your fizzy drinks for plain water, choose a healthier dressing for salads, and switch your ice cream with frozen yogurt. These are all simple lifestyle changes you can make immediately that will significantly impact your belly fat.
Exercise is very important too, but not everyone is ready to hit the gym at the beginning of their fitness journey. One of the quickest and cheapest ways to lose belly fat involves using a skipping rope. Even doing twenty minutes three days a week with a skipping rope will help you burn belly fat because it provides you with a full-body workout and is an excellent cardio exercise that will get your heart rate pumping and your fat burning!
Aside from exercise, you need to commit to making lifestyle changes. Here are some ideas for ways to get more exercise into your routine:
- Choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible to fit some extra cardio into your routine.
- Wake up thirty minutes earlier each day to take a quick walk before work.
- Download a tracker app on your phone or smartwatch to keep track of how many steps you take each day. You’ll burn about 300-400 calories every 10,000 steps you take, so set that as your daily goal.
Basically, take every chance you can to be more active! It’ll speed up the weight loss process and help you achieve your goals more quickly.
The Myths About Belly Fat
Belly fat is one of the biggest complaints trainers hear about in the fitness world. Many people believe that it’s harder to get rid of than fat in other areas of your body or that it can be eliminated simply by eating certain foods. It’s time to put the myths about belly fat to rest!
Targeted Weight
Targeted weight loss is a huge myth in the fitness world. It’s impossible to only burn fat from your midsection or your thighs. Instead, you need to focus on lowering the overall percentage of body fat you’re retaining. People’s bodies distribute fat in different ways. So, don’t be discouraged if you still have a little more fat around your midsection than you’d like, even after reaching your goal weight. The focus should be on developing and maintaining a healthier lifestyle.
Waist Trainers
Those tight, velcro straps worn around the waist won’t actually help you change your body shape. Waist trainers will give you the appearance of a slimmer middle, but it won’t create a permanent change over time. The only thing that will work to reduce the size of your tummy is regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Belly Fat Melting Foods
Despite the hype that apple cider vinegar or kale gets in the media, there is no proof that certain foods will help eliminate belly fat. Many of the foods you hear about that are supposed to target belly fat work simply because they contain plenty of fibre and help you stay full for longer or suppress your appetite. You can add these foods to your diet if you wish, but don’t rely on them to be the driving force behind your weight loss.
FAQs
What Exercise Machine Burns the Most Belly Fat?
The best exercise machine for burning belly fat will provide you with a full-body workout and the opportunity for high-intensity interval training. Treadmills, ellipticals, and stair climbers are all easy to use and very effective for burning belly fat! You’ll get in a solid, full-body workout and burn plenty of calories when doing HIIT workouts on one of these machines.
Can You Lose Weight With Gym Machines?
Gym Machines are excellent for toning and strengthening your body, but they won’t help you lose weight if you go home and eat a pint of ice cream afterwards. Maintaining a consistent, healthy diet with regular exercise is the only way to lose weight and keep it off long-term.
What To Use at the Gym To Lose Belly Fat?
Stair climbers, ellipticals, and treadmills are effective machines for burning belly fat at the gym. If your gym offers spin classes, you should also sign up for those! You burn a lot of calories using spin bikes in a short period, and they provide your core with an intense workout.
Conclusion
There are plenty of ways to burn belly fat at the gym and at home. Using machines that provide a full-body workout and high-intensity interval training will help you burn calories quickly while reducing how much fat is stored in your body. Make sure to keep up with a healthy diet as well, and your belly fat will soon be a thing of the past!
References and further reading:
- Body Types And Shapes – Diet And Exercise Tips For The Perfect Figure
- Body Weight Planner (NIDDK) & WebMD Exercise Calculator
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, April 2009 – Effect of exercise intensity on abdominal fat loss
- Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, September 2011 – The Effect of Abdominal Exercise on Abdominal Fat
- Front. Physiol., 31 May 2022 – Morning Exercise Reduces Abdominal Fat and Blood Pressure in Women