5 Best Compound Workouts to Lose Love Handles

Love handles can be one of the most frustrating areas to tackle when working towards a slimmer physique, but with the right approach, they are far from unbeatable. Compound workouts, which engage multiple muscle groups at once, are a game-changer for targeting stubborn fat in your abdomen. By activating large muscle groups and increasing your overall energy expenditure, compound exercises not only burn calories during the workout, but also boost your metabolism long after you’ve finished. So I’ve rounded up the five best compound workouts to lose love handles and get your body back in shape.

Unlike isolated basic movements, compound exercises require a full-body effort, making them very effective for fat loss and muscle building. These workouts incorporate multi-joint movements that work your obliques, core stabilizers, and major muscle groups like your legs, back, and chest. The result? A powerful calorie burner that burns fat from head to toe, including those pesky love handles.

To help you reach your goals, I’ve designed five compound workouts prioritizing fat burning, functional strength, and core engagement. Each workout combines three powerful exercises that work in unison to target your core while improving your overall fitness. Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or looking to improve your routine, these workouts are your blueprint for success.

The workouts

Workout 1: Total Body Fat Burner

Full body fat burning workout is a great starting point for tackling love handles while improving strength and endurance. This workout combines dynamic movements that increase your heart rate, engage your core, and build muscle mass. Integrating full-body actions with targeted core work creates a powerful calorie deficit, helping you lose fat and sculpt a more defined waistline.

The routine:

1. Dumbbell Deadlift to Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
2. Russian Twists – 3 sets of 20 reps (10 per side)
3. Jump Squat to High Knees – 3 sets of 12 reps

1. Dumbbell deadlift for pressing

This versatile exercise works your hamstrings, glutes, back, shoulders and core, making it an ideal choice for burning calories all over your body.

1. Start with a dumbbell in each hand, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinge at the hips, lowering the dumbbells toward the floor while keeping your back flat.
3. Return to standing by driving through your heels and pressing the dumbbells overhead in one smooth motion.
4. Lower the weights to shoulder height and repeat.

2. Russian twists and turns

Targeting your obliques and core muscles, Russian twists are a must-have for melting fat from your waistline.

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet off the ground, and hold a dumbbell or medicine ball.
2. Lean back slightly to engage your core, then turn your torso to one side, tapping the weight into the floor.
3. Turn to opposite side and repeat.

3. Jump while squatting to high knees

This explosive cardio move increases your heart rate while working your lower body and core, which is perfect for burning fat quickly.

1. Start in a squat position with your weight on your heels.
2. Explode upward into a jump, then gently drop back into a squat position.
3. Immediately move to four high knees, bringing your knees toward your chest with each step.

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Workout 2: Crushing Power Moves

This workout focuses on the muscles responsible for stabilizing your spine and shaping your waistline. Combining core-focused exercises with rotational movements not only chisels your obliques, but also improves functional strength. These powerful moves are designed to challenge your stability and coordination while creating the ideal environment for fat loss.

The routine:

1. Side Plank with Hip Dips – 3 sets of 10 reps per side
2. Kettlebell Swing – 3 sets of 15 reps
3. Burpee with Side Lunge – 3 sets of 12 repetitions

1. Side Plank with Hip Dips

This exercise strengthens the obliques and improves core stability, helping to tighten and tone your waist.

1. Start in a side plank position with your forearm on the floor and your body in a straight line.
2. Lower your hip toward the floor, then lift it up.
3. Maintain a strong core throughout and repeat all reps on one side before switching.

2. Kettlebell swing

A classic for burning calories and improving overall strength, the kettlebell swing also activates your core with each rep.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in both hands.
2. Hinge at your hips to swing the kettlebell between your legs.
3. Drive your hips forward explosively to propel the kettlebell to chest height.

3. Burpee with side lunge

Combining a fat-burning burpee with a functional side lunge, this exercise works your entire body and burns away calories.

1. Start by performing a traditional burpee.
2. Get back on a plank.
3. Perform a push-up.
4. Come back to standing.
5. Standing up, do a side lunge, alternating sides with each repetition.

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Workout 3: Strength and Burn Circuit

Designed to build muscle mass while burning fat, this workout uses a blend of strength and cardio moves to work your body to its full capacity. Engaging multiple muscle groups in each exercise elevates your metabolism for hours after your workout.

The routine:

1. Renegade Rows – 3 sets of 10 reps per side
2. Woodchoppers Dumbbells – 3 sets of 15 reps per side
3. Mountain climbers – 3 sets of 20 repetitions

1. Renegade Rows

The renegade row is a challenging move that works your upper back, shoulders, and core, making it a perfect addition to sculpting your waist.

1. Start in plank position with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Row a dumbbell toward your waist while keeping your hips square.
3. Lower the dumbbell and repeat on the other side.

2. Wood choppers with dumbbells

This rotation exercise is perfect for trimming your obliques and improving your functional strength.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in both hands.
2. Rotate the dumbbell diagonally across your body, starting at one hip and ending over the opposite shoulder.

3. Mountaineers

A high-intensity bodyweight movement, mountain climbers help you burn calories and engage your core with every rep.

1. Start in plank position.
2. Drive one knee toward your chest, then quickly switch legs in a running motion.

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Workout 4: Oblique shredder workout

The oblique shred workout focuses on your sides to sculpt well-defined obliques and eliminate love handles. By combining rotational and lateral movements with powerful calorie-burning exercises, this workout creates a powerful blend of strength and fat loss. The combination of core functional training and high-intensity movements makes it perfect for sculpting a slimmer waist while building athleticism.

The routine:

1. Side-by-side push-ups – 3 sets of 12 reps
2. Standing oblique crunch – 3 sets of 15 reps per side
3. Skater Jumps – 3 sets of 20 reps

1. Side-by-side push-ups

This twist on traditional push-ups highlights your obliques and shoulders while engaging your chest and arms.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your chest toward one hand, bending your elbows.
3. Push back up to plank and repeat on the other side.

2. Standing oblique crunch

A simple but effective standing movement that targets your obliques while engaging your stabilizer muscles.

1. Stand straight with your hands behind your head and your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift one knee toward your elbow on the same side while contracting your torso.
3. Return to the starting position and alternate sides.

3. Skater Jumps

This lateral plyometric exercise improves coordination, burns calories and works your glutes, quads and core.

1. Start standing, then jump sideways to one side, landing gently on your opposite foot.
2. Swing your arms to gain momentum and repeat the jump in the opposite direction.

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Workout 5: Dynamic Core Sculptor

The Dynamic Core Sculptor is designed to stimulate your core while simultaneously working your lower and upper body. This workout combines powerful compound movements with intense core engagement, making it a go-to choice for torching love handles and improving overall strength. The exercises not only target your abdomen but also improve your functional fitness.

The routine:

1. Reverse lunge with twist – 3 sets of 12 reps per side
2. Plank Shoulder Taps – 3 sets of 20 reps (10 on each side)
3. Jumping Jacks with Cross Body Crunch – 3 sets of 15 reps

1. Reverse lunge with twist

By combining lower body lunge activation with a core twisting movement, this exercise delivers a double dose of fat-burning power.

1. Start standing straight with your hands, holding a light medicine ball or dumbbell.
2. Step back into a lunge while rotating your torso toward the front leg.
3. Return to standing and repeat on the other side.

2. Board shoulder taps

This anti-rotation move strengthens your core and stabilizers while challenging your endurance.

1. Start in a high plank position, keeping your hips stable.
2. Raise one hand and tap the opposite shoulder.
3. Alternate sides to ensure your body stays tight throughout.

3. Jumping Jacks with Cross-Body Crunch

This twist on the classic jumping jack adds a powerful core-focused twist to burn calories and strengthen your core.

1. Perform a standard deviation jump.
2. When you land, bring one knee across your body to meet your opposite elbow.
3. Alternate sides with each repetition.