Standing exercises have gained immense popularity, especially among older adults, and for good reason. These exercises help build strength, improve balance, and enhance coordination, all while engaging multiple muscle groups at once. Movements like standing closely resemble everyday actions such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting, and rising from a chair. Furthermore, standing workouts are generally easy on the joints, making them a great choice for those with joint concerns. When performed consistently, they also support overall fat loss, including the stubborn belly fat.
Five Effective Standing Exercises for Belly Fat Reduction
We spoke with Steve Chambers, Senior Certified Personal Trainer and Gym Manager at Ultimate Performance, who shared five standing exercises that can help reduce belly fat more effectively than traditional gym machines for adults over 55.
Chambers explains that “Your core’s main job is to stabilize your body while upright. Actions like walking, lifting, bending, carrying groceries, or standing up from a chair all require your abdominal muscles to stay active. Simply standing already activates the core. Adding movement, load, or instability increases the demand on your abs significantly. That’s why standing core exercises are so powerful—they force the abs to brace, stabilize, rotate, resist movement, and support the spine in real-world positions.”
Another advantage of standing exercises is their ability to apply progressive overload easily by increasing weight or time under tension. Chambers notes, “Progressive overload is crucial for muscle change, especially for your abs. After 55, you’re not just training for appearance—you’re training for strength, balance, posture, metabolic health, and longevity. Standing core exercises provide all of that.”
Standing Exercises That Promote Fat Loss
Chambers emphasizes that spot reduction is a myth, and fat loss occurs throughout the body. “Endless crunches won’t target belly fat unless your diet helps you stay in a calorie deficit,” he says. “Standing core exercises help build muscle, boost energy expenditure, and strengthen the muscles that shape and firm your waist as body fat decreases.”
1. Farmer’s Walk
Although often overlooked, the farmer’s walk is one of the most effective core exercises. Carrying heavy weights while walking forces your core to stay braced and your torso upright and stable.
“Farmer’s walks engage the abdominals, obliques, lower back, shoulders, and grip, while also increasing your heart rate,” says Chambers. “This combination of muscular tension and cardiovascular effort makes them extremely effective for fat loss.”
- Hold a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell (about 50% of your body weight) in each hand.
- Walk forward with control, keeping your torso tall and steady.
2. Deadlifts
Deadlifts are not typically seen as ab exercises, but they are incredibly powerful for building core strength.
“Every rep of a deadlift requires the abs and obliques to brace to protect the spine while the lower body generates force,” explains Chambers. “For adults over 55, deadlifts help preserve muscle mass, strengthen the posterior chain, and increase metabolic demand. This is especially important for preventing age-related issues like sarcopenia and osteoporosis.”
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- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding a heavy dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
- Keep your legs mostly straight with a slight bend in the knees.
- Hinge at the hips and lower the dumbbells along your legs toward the floor.
- Engage your glutes and hamstrings to return to standing.
3. Squats
Squats are a foundational movement that should be prioritized. They activate almost the entire body, including the abs, which help maintain balance and posture during the exercise.
“To maximize the core benefits of squats, focus on bracing—take a deep breath, tighten your midsection, and maintain tension throughout the movement,” advises Chambers. “This transforms the squat into both a powerful core exercise and an effective calorie burner.”
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended forward or hands on your hips. Use a chair for support if necessary.
- Bend at the hips and knees to lower into a squat.
- Lower until your thighs resemble a seated position or go slightly deeper.
- Push through your heels to return to standing.
4. Dumbbell Side Bends
Side bends are excellent for targeting the obliques and deep spinal-support muscles. They allow you to use meaningful resistance, enabling progressive overload.
“After 55, maintaining muscle around the waist is essential for posture, spinal stability, and the appearance of the midsection as fat decreases,” Chambers explains.
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a light dumbbell in each hand.
- Engage your core and slowly bend to the right, lowering the right dumbbell toward your thigh.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side.
5. Standing Woodchops
Standing woodchops are a powerful rotational movement that can be performed with dumbbells, cables, resistance bands, or bodyweight. They work the abs, obliques, shoulders, and upper back.
“The twisting motion under tension challenges the core in ways that sit-ups and planks cannot,” says Chambers.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight in both hands.
- Twist your torso and bring the weight from one side to the other in a controlled, chopping motion.
- Focus on keeping the core tight throughout the movement.
