Revamp your fitness routine and target your lower belly with these effective standing exercises designed to burn fat.

Few things are more frustrating than arriving at the gym ready to follow your workout plan, only to find your preferred machines occupied. Instead of waiting around, why not switch things up with a set of standing exercises? These moves are excellent for burning belly fat, as they engage the core, improve stability, and mimic everyday activities. You’ll not only torch calories but also tone your muscles and notice a reduction in belly size.

We consulted Felicia Hernandez, a NASM-Certified Personal Trainer and Community Engagement Lead at Eden Health Club. She shared five standing exercises that can help flatten your lower belly more effectively than machines, especially for those over 55.

“Machines tend to focus on surface-level muscles by confining movements along a fixed path,” Hernandez says. “In real life, our core doesn’t function that way. Standing exercises engage deep core muscles, such as the transverse abdominis, to stabilize the body during dynamic movements. This approach not only activates more muscles and burns more energy but also trains your body to work as a cohesive unit. Standing exercises are functional, efficient, and they deliver results.”

“Machines often isolate surface-level muscles in a fixed path of motion. The core does not work that way in life,” Hernandez explains. “Standing exercises require deep core muscles (like your transverse abdominis) to stabilize you as you move dynamically. That means the person engages muscles, burns energy, and trains the body to work as a unit. Standing exercises are functional, efficient, and translate to results.”

According to Hernandez, ab machines don’t train the core and they don’t effectively promote total-body fat loss.

“The deep core stays idle. Women over 55 deal with hormonal shifts, slowed metabolism, and muscle loss, all of which require integrated movement and strength building. Integrated movement and strength-building work better than isolated burnout reps,” Hernandez tells us.

Standing Cross-Body Knee Drives

“This exercise targets the lower abs, activates your obliques, and mimics real rotational patterns,” Hernandez shares.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart, knees bent slightly, and hands placed behind your head.
2. Pull your lower abs in.
3. Lift your left knee as your right shoulder and elbow rotate toward the knee.
4. Lower to the start position.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. Complete 12 to 15 reps on each side.

Standing Band Pallof Press

“Unlike crunches, this anti-rotation move trains your core to resist twisting, exactly what tightens the waistline and protects the spine,” Hernandez tells us.

1. Stand with your left side beside an anchored resistance band at chest level.
2. Brace your core and position your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Hold the band in both hands, and push the handle to about chest height.
4. Hold the handle out for a moment while bracing against the resistance of the weight.
5. Perform 3 sets of 20 to 30 seconds on each side.

Standing Oblique Side Bends With Dumbbell

“This exercise strengthens the lateral waist muscles and teaches you to control your posture under load,” Hernandez says.

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in your left hand at your side.
2. Slowly bend at your waist toward the weight, stretching your obliques as you do so.
3. Return to standing.
4. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps on each side.

Standing Hip Hinge With Reach

“This move works your core and posterior chain in one movement. Adds flexibility and reinforces good spinal alignment,” Hernandez points out.

1. Stand tall, and, with a flat back, press your hips back and reach your arms out front for a total-body hinge.
2. Maintain tension in the core.
3. Release.
4. Complete 3 sets of 10 to 12 slow reps.

High-to-Low Band Woodchops

“This is one of the most effective rotational moves to whittle the waist and build functional oblique power,” Hernandez says.

1. Set a resistance band to a high position.
2. Stand perpendicular to the band with your feet placed shoulder-distance apart.
3. Hold the band with both hands.
4. With extended arms, pull the band diagonally across your body—a high to low chopping motion—so it ends near your opposite hip.
5. Maintain a braced core and square hips.
6. Use control to return to the start position.
7. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.