I’m a PT – here’s a simple ‘ladder trick’ to blast belly fat
MOST people want to get their workout over and done with as quick as possible.
And we guarantee this “ladder” technique will make exercise pass in a breeze.
Anthony Mayatt, PT and owner of London-based, said mixing up the structure of your work-out routine is the secret to staying motivated.
The ladder workout is a fast-way to get hundreds of reps into 15 to 20 minutes.
With exercises including burpees for cardio, squats for lower legs, and planks for the core, it covers all bases.
And it’s bound to get your heart rate up, which is crucial for fat burn.
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Sadly, we cannot perform exercise to lose weight in a targeted area, such as the tummy.
And endless sit-ups and planks are not the key to getting rid of a belly. They only tone the ab muscles under the fat.
The trick is to lose weight from your body as a whole, which will also see your belly fat shrink too.
Anthony told that the ladder workout can be used to create either an easy or difficult challenge.
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He said: “This is a simple workout where you get to decide if you want to go up the ladder to make it harder or come down it for an easier workout.
"The way it works is by adding or reducing a rep each round.
“So you’ll have six exercises that you’ll perform one repetition of, then you’ll go back and do two reps of each then three, then four etc. – up to 10.
“For the easier workout, start at 10 reps and work your way down.”
The workout
Do one rep for each exercise in the first round, two for the second round, and so on.
Flip the ladder the other way to make it easier (reducing reps).
You can also go up and then come back down again.
The workout includes a rotation of:
Squats
Stand with your feet a fraction more than hips length apart.
Keeping your hips back, bend your knees and keep them slightly open.
Go into the squat position as if you were going to sit down - keep your heels on the ground and shoulders back.
After you've held the position for a few moments, press down into your feet and straighten your legs.
Push ups
Get onto all fours and place your hands on the ground slightly wider than your shoulders.
For the easier version, keep your knees on the ground as you lower your body to the floor, bending the elbows.
When your chest is close to the floor, hold for a moment before pushing back up to the starting position.
For the harder version, start in a plank position with your legs out straight behind you.
Burpees
Stand with feet around hip-distance apart and lower into a squat.
From the squat position, lower your upper body so your hands are on the floor, shoulder width-apart.
Jump out into a plank/press-up position, with your legs straight behind. For a hard version, do one press up.
To finish the move, jump your feet forward to back to the squat position. Stand up straight.
Plank walkout
Stand straight before moving into a position whereby you are touching your toes.
Walk your hands forwards on the floor until you are in a plank position, holding your core/abs as you do.
Hold the plank position for a moment before walking your hands back to your feet, and standing up straight.
Leg raises
Lie on your back with your legs either extended straight above your hips (hard version), or bent at the hips (easier version).
Lower your feet to the ground while holding your core. Push your lower back into the ground to avoid arching.
Once you tap the floor, raise the legs back up to the starting position.
Plank (1 rep = 10 seconds)
Start on your hands and knees - the former being shoulder-width apart and the latter being hip-width or narrower.
Lift your knees off the ground so your legs are straight.
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Hold your core tight as you stay in the plank position for 10 seconds (per rep).
You can also rest on your forearms with your elbows directly underneath the shoulders, with palms either facing down or clasped together.