A bold new finding is reshaping how fitness experts think about sculpting a flatter stomach. In a carefully controlled trial, overweight men who trained the abdominal region with an endurance workout alongside a cardio session reduced fat specifically in the trunk area more than men who did cardio alone, despite both groups expending the same total energy. The result challenges a long‑standing belief in fitness culture that you cannot selectively burn fat from a particular body part and that crunches or planks alone won’t whittle your middle. In plain terms for readers here in Thailand, the study suggests there may be more room to tailor training to shaved‑off belly fat without resorting to drastic or unsustainable dieting patterns, although it also reminds us that body fat is stubborn and multifaceted.
Traditionally, the science of spot reduction has walked a rocky path. For decades, researchers have debated whether exercising a specific muscle group can coax nearby fat depots to shrink more than other areas. Most consensus has leaned toward a whole‑body fat loss model: when you burn calories, fat tends to come off in a generalized fashion rather than melting away exclusively from the stomach, thighs, or arms. The Times article referring to experts who say core‑only workouts aren’t a “miracle back‑pain cure” echoes a common message in gyms and clinics worldwide: core training is essential for posture, spine health, and functional movement, but it’s not a standalone solution for fat loss. Yet the latest trial injects nuance into that message by showing that under certain conditions, targeted fat utilization may occur, at least in the trunk.
The new study recruited overweight men around their forties and older, a group that mirrors a sizable slice of the adult population in Thailand who wrestle with abdominal fat as part of a broader obesity challenge facing the country. The investigators designed a head‑to‑head comparison between two training regimens that were strictly matched for total energy expenditure over a ten‑week period. One group followed a dedicated abdominal endurance program in addition to their cardio workout; the other group performed cardio alone. Both groups exercised four times weekly and were supervised by exercise professionals to ensure consistency. Fat distribution was measured with precise body composition tools, and performance indicators such as maximal oxygen uptake and strength were tracked to understand how these training styles changed the body’s physiology beyond just fat.
The abdominal endurance group began with a substantial cardio block — a treadmill session at about 70% of maximum heart rate for roughly 27 minutes — and then engaged in a sequence of abdominal endurance intervals designed to tax the core muscles: short, repeated bouts of torso rotation and abdominal crunch work, performed in a controlled rhythm. The protocol used 4 sets of 4 minutes for each core exercise, with brief active recovery periods, and played out over four days a week. The control group did an equivalent cardio session, matched for intensity and overall energy cost, without the targeted abdominal work. The meticulous energy‑balance matching matters, because it isolates whether local fat loss can be influenced by performing abdominal work near or around the trunk region rather than simply by burning calories in a non‑specific way.
After ten weeks and forty sessions, the trunk fat story looked notably different between groups. The abdominal endurance group experienced a trunk fat reduction of about 7% on average, a drop of nearly 700 grams in the trunk region for the study’s sample. In contrast, the control group did not exhibit a trunk fat decrease. While total body fat declined in both groups, the targeted trunk change stood out as a regional effect rather than a universal thinning. On other measures, both groups improved their aerobic capacity, and the abdominal endurance group showed greater gains in the strength of core movements (torso rotation and abdominal crunch max resistance) compared with the control group. Body weight and waist measurements fell in both groups, with similar improvements in waist‑hip ratios, suggesting that the trunk fat reduction was a distinct local effect rather than simply a reflection of overall weight loss.
For readers who follow the broader science of exercise metabolism, the findings invite a closer look at how the body handles fat during and after training. The traditional model emphasizes whole‑body fat oxidation during cardio sessions, with fat released into the bloodstream and burned across the body. But this study hints at a potential local mobilization pathway: when the body is repeatedly stimulated with endurance work focused on the abdominal region, near‑by fat stores may be more actively mobilized and oxidized, at least in men. Several plausible mechanisms arise. The abdomen houses muscles that work in close proximity to trunk fat depots; hormonal signals and receptor profiles can differ regionally; and blood flow patterns in trained muscles might facilitate more efficient fat mobilization in adjacent adipose tissue during and after exercise. The higher intensity used in the core training blocks could also influence substrate use and metabolic signaling in ways that favor local fat availability for subsequent energy needs.
It is important to temper excitement with caution. The study’s participants were all men in a specific age and weight range, and the question remains whether similar trunk‑focused effects would appear in women or in younger or older populations. Other limitations include the controlled laboratory setting, the precise balance of energy expenditure, and the relatively short duration of ten weeks. Real‑world application will depend on individual bodies, hormonal milieu, and lifestyle factors such as diet and daily activity. Nevertheless, the researchers’ approach—carefully matching total energy expenditure while isolating abdominal endurance training—provides a compelling counterpoint to the blanket claim that “spot reduction is a myth” and invites further replication across diverse populations.
What does this mean for health and fitness conversations in Thailand? The country faces a rising burden of overweight and obesity, with many adults in the 40–60 age range carrying excess weight and a notable portion of younger people affected as well. National and regional health data highlight the need for practical, sustainable strategies to reduce abdominal fat, which is closely linked to higher risks of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. If later studies corroborate these trunk‑focused results, fitness guidelines could begin to incorporate targeted core endurance routines as a component of a comprehensive fat‑loss strategy for individuals who want to prioritize abdominal fat reduction alongside general health improvements. Public health messaging would still stress that overall energy balance remains the cornerstone, but it could also acknowledge that, for some people, adding abdominal endurance work might provide a local fat‑loss edge without resorting to extreme diets or unrealistic workout volumes.
In Thailand’s family‑centered culture, where gatherings, temples, and community spaces often shape daily routines, practical and culturally resonant exercise options matter. Many households already value routine activity, whether it’s a morning alms walk with family, a group bike ride, or a temple‑led community health event. The new findings could be woven into familiar patterns: a short cardio block followed by a light, rhythmic abdominal endurance circuit performed in the same setting, perhaps after a weekend merit making or in a park near a temple. The message would be simple: you don’t need to live in the gym to see meaningful changes around the middle, but consistency matters, and combining cardio with targeted core work could offer an added benefit for trunk fat reduction.
Looking ahead, researchers are likely to expand this line of inquiry. Important next steps include including women in similar protocols, exploring different age groups, testing other trunk or upper‑body regions, and extending the intervention beyond ten weeks to examine longer‑term effects on fat distribution and health outcomes. Scientists will also want to differentiate between subcutaneous trunk fat and visceral fat, the latter being a more dangerous fat depot linked to insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk. In clinical settings, physiotherapists and trainers may experiment with individualized programs that balance abdominal endurance training with full‑body conditioning, mindful of each person’s mobility, back health, and overall fitness goals. Thai health professionals could pilot community‑based programs that blend education about energy balance, safe progression, and targeted core routines in ways that respect local customs and religious sensitivities.
From a policy standpoint, the study adds to a growing recognition that obesity is not a one‑size‑fits‑all problem. It reinforces the value of integrating targeted training strategies into broader public health campaigns while maintaining the emphasis on healthy eating, regular physical activity, and preventive care. If the trunk‑focused approach proves reproducible across populations, it could support more nuanced public messaging that validates personal efforts and helps people set realistic, measurable goals. For Thai families, this means practical, accessible options that fit with busy work and school schedules, and that honor the country’s tradition of communal activity and respect for medical science.
In the end, the big takeaway is not that crunches alone will magically give you a six‑pack, nor that core exercise should replace a well‑rounded fitness plan. It is that the body’s response to exercise is complex and sometimes regionally nuanced. A regimen that combines endurance cardio with targeted abdominal work—delivered at a sustainable pace and matched for total energy expenditure—could offer an extra nudge toward reducing trunk fat for some people. The Thai audience can translate this into concrete actions: design a weekly routine that blends cardio sessions with a modest but purposeful abdominal endurance circuit, stay mindful of energy intake, and seek guidance from qualified fitness professionals when trying new training formats. Above all, approach fat loss as a holistic journey rooted in consistency, balance, and cultural context — a path that honors both science and everyday life in Thailand.
As this area of research evolves, Thai readers should stay tuned for more studies that include diverse populations and longer timelines. The information landscape around abs, core training, and fat loss is shifting, and the conversations in gyms, clinics, temples, and homes are likely to grow more nuanced. For now, the headline is clear: targeted abdominal endurance work may influence trunk fat more than previously thought, inviting a smart rethink of how people in Thailand—and around the world—approach their quest for a healthier waistline.