5 Daily Exercises That Firm Muffin Top Faster Than Crunches After 60

By Alexa Mellardo

May 31, 2026

The dreaded “muffin top” can occur naturally with age. It develops as a result of hormonal changes, a slower metabolism, and the loss of lean muscle. But just because it happens, that doesn’t mean you can’t prevent it. We spoke with Jacob Siwicki, founder and head coach of Siwicki Fitness, NCSF and AFAA certified, former top 1% globally ranked Equinox group fitness instructor (2019), Dartmouth economics graduate and former Dartmouth football player, fitness expert on FOX 5 DC, ranked #1 personal trainer in D.C. in 2021, and are here to tell you how to reclaim your waistline.

The best way to avoid this stubborn fat is by incorporating the right workout and calorie burn into your routine. Decreasing total body fat overall can help you lose the extra fat that settles around your waistline. So, if you’re ready to get started, check out these daily exercises that will firm your muffin top faster than crunches after 60.

If you’re wondering where classic ab moves like crunches fall short, Siwicki breaks things down.

“Crunches really only target the rectus abdominis, which runs straight up and down the front of the stomach. But the muffin top sits on the obliques and the transverse abdominis and the lower back, which crunches barely touch at all,” he shares. “And crunches are a flexion movement, meaning they curl you forward, but after 60, most adults have already spent decades curled forward at desks and in cars and on couches. So, adding even more spinal flexion can actually make your posture worse, push the belly forward, and aggravate any disc issues you already have.”

Your waistline is shaped by glute strength, deep core tone, and the breath mechanics that pull your lower abs inward—not by constantly training the small surface muscle in repetitive flexion. So, Siwicki shares five daily moves to prioritize instead.

“The word ‘daily’ is the key one here. These moves are short and low-impact and recover fast, which is why we tell members to do them every single morning for 12 minutes instead of once a week for an hour. Consistency beats intensity every time when it comes to changing the waistline after 60,” he says.

5 Daily Exercises That Firm Muffin Top Faster Than Crunches After 60

Gear up to give your workout routine a major update. These exercises can be performed right at home in less than 12 minutes, making them sustainable and productive.

“I chose these specifically because they target the muscles that actually shape the waistline—the obliques and the transverse abdominis and the glutes and the deep spinal stabilizers—instead of the one muscle crunches hit,” Siwicki says. “They also avoid heavy spinal flexion, so they’re safer for adults over 60.”

Side Plank With Hip Lift

“This exercise trains the obliques and the quadratus lumborum directly,” Siwicki says.

1. Lie on your side with your bottom forearm on the ground and top hand resting on your hip or fully extended.
2. Stack your feet.
3. Lift your hips off the floor so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
4. Use control to lower, or “dip,” your hips toward the floor.
5. Press back up to a side plank, holding for 3 seconds.
6. Lower your hips back down.
7. Perform 8 to 10 reps on each side.

Standing Oblique Crunch With a Single Dumbbell

1. Begin standing tall, holding a 5 to 10-pound dumbbell in one hand.
2. Side bend toward the loaded side.
3. Crunch back up by squeezing the opposite oblique.
4. Perform 12 reps on each side.
5. For modification, lower the weight or perform the exercise with no weight at all.

Bird Dog

“This exercise builds the deep multifidus muscles along the spine that pull the waistline in,” Siwicki says.

1. Start on all fours.
2. Extend your left arm and right leg.
3. Hold for 3 seconds before returning to the start position.
4. Switch sides and continue to alternate.
5. Perform 8 reps on each side.

Pallof Press

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your left side beside an anchored resistance band (which should be at about chest height).
2. Hold the band in both hands, and push the band straight out from your sternum.
3. Hold the band out for 3 seconds.
4. Use control to bring it back to the start position.
5. Perform 8 reps on each side.
6. For modification, use a lighter resistance band or reduce the press distance.

Glute Bridge March

“In this exercise, the glutes pull the pelvis into a neutral position, which automatically narrows the waistline,” Siwicki tells us.

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet on the floor. Keep your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
2. Push through your heels to lift your hips into a glute bridge.
3. At the top, lift one knee to your chest, alternating lifting each knee 6 to 8 times.
4. For modification, skip the march and simply hold the bridge at the top for 5 seconds, completing 10 clean reps.