Running is an excellent method of exercising, and many choose this as it helps to keep their cardiovascular fitness in check and can also clear their minds after a long day’s work. However, a commonly asked question is, does running tone your stomach?
Running will slightly tone your stomach because of its ability to reduce your body’s overall weight and can help you clear the body fat around your abs, making them more visible. However, if you want your abs to pop, you’ll have to incorporate some abdominal exercises as well as running.
This article will discuss whether or not running can help tone your stomach. So read on! We have everything you need to know about running and its ability to tone your stomach.
Does Running Give You Abs?
Running is one of the most prominent and loved forms of exercise for millions of people around the world. It provides one with a way to strip themselves of unwanted body fat, and anyone who runs regularly will tell you that it also has a calming effect on the mind, much like meditation.
When running, whether on the roads, around a track, or via a treadmill, it’s considered a cardio-based exercise primarily; however, it strengthens various muscles, including your abs.
As everyone technically already has abdominal muscles, however, they are generally hidden behind a layer of fat; one way to make them more visible is by dropping your body fat level. As you run, you stabilize your core, resulting in a workout for your abs.
So while running will reduce your level of body fat around your waistline; thus, resulting in visible abs, you’ll have to accompany this with various abdominal workouts to make them look muscular.
Does Running Burn Belly Fat And Love Handles?
If you struggle to burn belly fat and rid yourself of love handles, running may be an excellent option to help you in your ventures. Running is one of the best ways for anyone to target and reduce their overall body fat level.
However, the most important thing to consider in this scenario is the idea of a balanced lifestyle. If you really want to lose body weight, you will need more than running alone, especially if your diet is not balanced and unhealthy.
To ensure your body is ready to lose those love handles, you’ll need to ensure that your body is in a caloric deficit; this means that you’re consuming fewer calories than you burn through running.
This entails tracking your diet a little to ensure that you’re not overeating during meals; if you do all the hard work exercising and you still don’t see a reduction in your body weight or love handles, then it’s likely that your diet is not in check.
How Often Should You Run To Lose Belly Fat?
Running is typically seen as a method of exercise that can be done almost every day of the week. While it’s good to have a rest day once or twice a week, if you’re serious about achieving your weight loss goals, you’ll want to run at least 4-5 times weekly.
Each of your sessions could entail anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, and if this is completed four to five times a week, you should begin to notice a significant reduction in your body’s level of fat. However, this is a basic answer, as depending on your circumstances, you may need more time to run five times a week.
If you begin to run three times a week and the proper diet management can also significantly reduce your body’s overall level of fat. So, if you cannot run five times a week, don’t let this lessen your motivation, as profound change can occur even with three runs per week.
How To Build Abs Through Running
So, while we’ve acknowledged that running can undoubtedly help make your abs more visible via the reduction of body fat, if you’re serious about building quality abs, you’ll have to incorporate more than just running.
While running will help you drop off the unwanted body weight, it won’t necessarily build the abs you’ve been dreaming of. As abs are still a major muscle group of the body, you will have to incorporate various exercises to help them grow just as you would with your biceps or quadriceps.
However, this should not be disconcerting, as though running, you will still be able to reduce your waistline and strip your body of unwanted fat, resulting in visible abdominal muscles. Just accompany this with a balanced and healthy diet and the occasional abdominal workout, and you’ll have chiseled abs in no time.
Benefits Of Having Abs
While abdominal muscles or ‘abs’ are typically seen as purely aesthetic, they play a significant role in reducing the impact of weight on your joints. This helps to prevent various injuries when you’re working out and helps to strengthen other muscles which are connected to the core, such as your quadriceps, hips, and back.
Final Thoughts
So, if you struggle with losing body fat around the hits and abdominal area, maybe it’s time to take up running. As we’ve acknowledged in this article, running can reduce the body fat around your stomach resulting in a toned belly and visible abs.