Weight Loss Tricks

Boot camp has a reputation for being a grueling experience that transforms your body and mind from soft to hard. While boot camp training was originally reserved for the military, at the end of the day, you can use the same intensity to get you "battle-ready" for whatever life may throw at you—that includes dealing with excess belly fat. So gear up to flatten your belly in 30 days, just in time for spring. We've put together the ultimate 30-day boot camp workout that'll help build stamina and mental toughness, along with torching fat and building muscle in a speedy manner.

This compound exercise workout should be performed four to five days a week for four weeks. Aim to take two active rest days per week, ideally not back-to-back. For the resistance exercise, you will perform four sets of maximum repetitions on each exercise using your body weight. Rest for 90 seconds between sets, and work to increase the total repetitions from workout to workout.

This workout will be grueling—it is a boot camp workout, after all! However, at the end of 30 days, you will see drastic changes in your body and mind and be ready to hit spring looking great and feeling even better. Gear up to flatten your belly in time for spring. And next, don't miss Get Rid of Hanging Belly Fat With This Cardio & Strength Workout.

Begin this 30-day boot camp workout with 10 to 20 minutes of running or more. Run at a steady pace and work toward around seven to eight minutes per mile, going for one to three miles. You don't want to blow your entire wad on the run, but it should feel challenging—especially if you are not used to running already. I recommend starting with ½ mile and adding ¼ mile per workout until you reach 1.5 miles.

Pushups are a boot camp staple exercise. They blast your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, giving you the lean look of a soldier ready for battle or spring breaker ready to party!

To perform pushups, begin in a plank position on your hands and knees. Lift your knees off the ground to enter the full plank position. Lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows, and keep your core contracted throughout. Once your body is an inch or two off the ground, push through both hands to return to the top plank position. Repeat for maximum repetitions.

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Squats build serious strength and muscle in your lower body. They are arguably the most effective all-in-one exercise for a variety of fitness goals, but they work very well within the boot camp style of training.

To perform squats, begin standing with your feet hip-width distance apart. Sit your hips back, and begin lowering into the squat position. Lower by bending at the knees and hip until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push through both feet to return to the starting position. Repeat for maximum repetitions.

Pull-ups are an upper-body staple exercise for building the strength you need in your upper body for major pulling-type movements. They also build muscle in the right places in the biceps and back to give you a classic spring physique.

To perform pull-ups, grip a pullup bar with an overhand grip and begin to hang. Engage your lats and shoulders by pinching your shoulder blades "back and down," then pulling your chest to the bar by bending your elbows and bringing them toward your sides, which in turn raises your body towards your elbows. Aim to hit your sternum to the pull-up bar. Return to the starting position. Repeat for maximum repetitions.

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Lunges are a great functional exercise for combining lower-body strength with improved walking and running patterns as well as building muscle and burning fat.

To perform lunges, begin standing with your feet hip-width distance apart. Step forward with your left foot, and lower your right knee toward the ground to lower your whole body until your right knee is about two inches off the ground. Push through your left foot, and step forward with your right foot to repeat on the other side. Repeat for maximum repetitions.

V-ups are better than situps for training core and help develop washboard abs ready for the beach, pool, or wherever you spend your spring.

To perform V-ups, begin seated on the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your legs outward and straighten them. Raise your arms overhead, and lower your torso back toward the floor. Lower your legs and your torso until each is roughly six inches off the floor. Sit up until your hips make roughly a 90-degree angle, keeping your torso and legs straight the whole time. Repeat for maximum repetitions. Stop when you cannot keep your core engaged throughout the movement.

Sprints are the finisher for this boot camp workout to flatten your belly. They are an excellent anaerobic training method that builds muscle and transfers well to real-world fitness since you are on your feet performing a functional movement.

To set up your sprints, map out roughly 50 meters of clear distance for your sprint runway. Perform five sprints, stopping at 50 meters, but aiming for maximal speed. Take 30 to 60 seconds between each sprint. You can increase the distance as you improve, but it's better to focus on increasing the speed in the context of this exercise. You can also perform up to 10 sprints if you need additional progressions.

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