If you’re aiming to reduce the unwanted belly overhang, engaging in standing exercises can be an excellent method to achieve your goals. You just need a few basic tools such as dumbbells and resistance bands—no expensive gym membership is necessary. We have compiled five essential standing exercises to reduce belly fat without the need for a single crunch. You can thank us later!

Let’s face it: Not everyone can fit in an hour-long gym session. Balancing work deadlines and family commitments can quickly fill up your schedule. The following exercises can be done comfortably at home without requiring any floor work, which is particularly advantageous after age 45.

“After 45, crunches can put a strain on the spine and primarily target surface muscles,” emphasizes Karen Ann Canham, CEO and founder of Karen Ann Wellness. “Core strength should be aimed at supporting posture, balance, and back health—not just aesthetics.”

Standing exercises recruit the entire body—glutes, abs, hips, and stabilizers while torching a greater number of calories than floor workouts, says Canham.”They’re also more functional, mimicking daily movements,” she adds.

5 Standing Exercises That Shrink Belly Fat After 45

“Hormonal shifts and muscle loss make belly fat more common after 45,” Canham notes. “Standing core moves are safer, more effective, and better at shrinking belly fat than crunches while also keeping your body strong for everyday life.”

Standing Knee-to-Elbow Twists

1. Start standing tall with your hands behind your head.
2. Lift your knee as you twist your torso and bring your right elbow toward it.
3. Continue to alternate sides with control.
4. Complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Woodchop

1. Stand tall, feet shoulder-distance apart, holding a medicine ball above one shoulder.
2. Breathe in, chopping the weight diagonally toward your opposite foot and bending your knees.
3. Reverse the motion.
4. Repeat on the other side.
5. Complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

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Dumbbell Side Bends

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in your left hand by your side.
2. Slowly bend at your waist toward the left, stretching your obliques as you do so.
3. Return to standing.
4. Complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

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High Knee March

1. Stand tall.
2. Begin to march in place while lifting one knee up toward your chest, as high as you’re able to.
3. Draw in your abs tight as you lift each knee.
4. Slowly lower before switching sides.
5. Complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

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Standing Plank Band Pulls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54pyLjf_GpE

1. Anchor a band at chest level.
2. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
3. Hold onto the band with both hands, arms extended straight ahead of you.
4. Step back so the band has tension.
5. Keeping your arms straight, pull the band forward a bit against the resistance before returning to the start.
6. Complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Alexa Mellardo