Exercises to lose weight for specific goals
Cardio exercises are an ‘all-rounder’ when it comes to what areas you lose weight in. However, people sometimes want to lose fat in specific areas of the body, for which there are exercises that focus on specific points.
Here are some common places on the body that people exercise for and examples of exercises for those areas.
UPPER BODY
The upper body focus is in the chest, shoulders, and upper back areas. These mostly consist of exercises that have arm movements involving that arms going towards your chest area.
PLYOMETRIC PUSH-UP Basically, a push-up where you push off the surface with enough strength to have your upper body in mid-air. On the way down control your landing, so you end up having your body gently lay in a flat position against the ground.
RHOMBOID SQUEEZES Bring your arms up so they are straight up in front of your chest. Then bring your hands straight towards your chest until they line with your shoulders, elbows bended and you feel the back muscles pinch together.
PLANK ROWS Get on your hands and tip of your toes to have your body suspended in the air in a curved shape. Spread out your legs and step towards one foot with the other, so they come together while leaning your body sideways lifting one arm into the air in an elbowing motion. Then put your arm down and repeat the action with the opposite side.
LEGS AND BUTT
A lot of the movements for these focus on moving your legs and bending knees.
SQUATS Spread your legs out about shoulder length and while keeping your back straight as possible, perform a sitting position until your knees are bent then lift yourself up and repeat. Make sure that your knees don’t bend past your toes.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS Start in a push-up position, then bring one leg forward so your knee is around your chest with your foot skimming the ground and then alternate between your legs. Try to make sure not to do a hopping motion, to keep your body straight as possible.
ONE-LEG DEADLIFTS Stand on one leg then stretch one leg out behind you with your back flat and shoulders back. Lean forward from your hips till you feel a stretch in the back of your upper leg, making sure your chest stays above your hips. Raise to starting position and repeat while switching sides.
STOMACH
Most of these focus on having the body bend around the waist and stomach area and lifting your upper body.
CRUNCHES/SIT-UPS While lying down, bring your feet towards your body, so your knees bend and then attempt to raise only your upper body towards your knees. Careful to not strain your neck, try to use your back and stomach muscles to move.
LYING LEG RAISES Lie flat down on your back. With your legs together, raise them so that they are at a 90-degree angle. Then slowly lower them and have them hover just above the ground and then repeat the same actions.
BICYCLE EXERCISE While on your back, lift your legs in a sitting position. Tighten your stomach area and bring your upper body in a crunch position. Then kick out your feet like you’re pedaling a bicycle while rotating the upper body towards the bent knee.
ARMS
These exercises have a focus on different arm movements, stretching out the arms or actions that put pressure on the arms.
ARM CIRCLES Extend your arms, so you are shaped like a ‘T’ and then rotate them 360 degrees in small circles, switching directions after finishing a set.
INVERTED ROW Targeting the triceps, lie down and grab the edge of a sturdy surface, such as a coffee table, and pull your upper body off the ground, hold for the position for a few seconds, then lower yourself down.
DOWNWARD DOG Get on your hands and knees, move your feet to be on your toes, then put pressure on your hands and straighten your legs. Your body should end up in a triangle shape with your butt as the tip point, with your back straight.