Yes, Abdominal Spot Reduction Is Real

Here’s the Science That Proves It

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash.

For decades, we’ve been told spot reduction is a myth. A new 2023 study finally challenges that belief and delivers actionable insights you can use in your own training.

The study shows that the long-standing debate is still a debate.

If you’ve ever been told you can’t lose fat in specific areas by targeting them in your workouts, you’re not alone. Trainers, textbooks, and scientists have long dismissed “spot reduction” as a myth. The prevailing belief is that fat loss happens systemically, not locally. In other words, working your abs won’t burn belly fat.

But a new study out of Norway might be rewriting that rule.

The Study Design That Changed the Game

Researchers divided 16 overweight men into two groups:

• Group 1 (Aerobic Exercise Group): Combined treadmill running with abdominal endurance exercises (torso rotations and crunches).
• Group 2 (Control Group): Did only treadmill running.

Both groups trained four times per week for 10 weeks. Importantly, both groups were matched for total energy expenditure, meaning they burned the same number of calories. This detail is critical. It eliminated the…