5 Standing Core Moves That Flatten Your Stomach After 40
After you hit 40, muscle mass starts to naturally decline if you’re not consistent with strength training. This, in turn, reduces daily calorie burn and promotes fat accumulation in the belly area. With age, insulin sensitivity also declines, making major carb spikes much more likely to be stored as dangerous visceral fat—the type that surrounds your internal organs, says Denise Chakoian, Rhode Island certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness LaGree. In order to keep your midsection in top shape, Chakoian shares five standing core exercises that flatten and firm your stomach after 40.
Why choose standing core exercises? According to Chakoian, they train the muscles the way you utilize them in daily life—that strength carries over to chores, walking, and lifting.
“They load the spine less than many floor moves, which can feel better on the neck, wrists, and lower back,” Chakoian notes. “Standing work also trains balance and hip stability, key areas that slip after 40 and protect against trips and falls. Because you can pair them with light weights or steps, they raise the heart rate and burn more energy in less time. They also encourage better posture and breathing mechanics, which helps the core and pelvic floor work together.”
5 Standing Core Moves to Flatten Your Stomach After 40
Standing Knee-to-Elbow Crunches
- Stand tall with your hands behind your head.
- Lift your knee as you twist your torso and bring your right elbow toward it.
- Continue to alternate sides with control.
- Complete 3 sets of 12 reps on each side.
Standing Oblique Side Bends
- Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in your left hand at your side.
- Slowly bend at your waist toward the weight, stretching your obliques as you do so.
- Return to standing.
- Complete 3 sets of 15 reps on each side.
Standing Leg Lifts
- Stand tall.
- Lift your left leg straight out in front of you while keeping your core tight.
- Lower slowly.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Complete 3 sets of 12 reps on each leg.
Standing Woodchop Twists
- Stand tall, holding a dumbbell or medicine ball with both hands over one shoulder.
- Rotate your arms diagonally across your body toward your opposite foot, bending your knees.
- Perform 3 sets of 10 reps per side.
High Knee March
- Stand tall.
- March in place while lifting one knee up toward your chest, as high as you’re able to.
- Draw in your abs tight as you lift each knee.
- Perform 3 sets of 30 seconds, moving at a steady pace.
