Exercises that target hips/love handles, and upper/lower abs

blah2989
blah2989 Posts: 338 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
The only real exercises I have done for my abs are crunches and leg lifts ( that target lower abs) I have been on MFP a week shy of 2 months and Ive lost a good amount of weight since, but Id really like to start toning those areas. :) Thanks for any input!

Replies

  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Unfortunatly you can't target areas to lose fat. What you can do is weights that build muscle and lower your body fat %
  • HeyGoRun
    HeyGoRun Posts: 550 Member
    running and aerobic dancing is helping me out with all those areas...
  • CTcutie
    CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
    running and aerobic dancing is helping me out with all those areas...

    Same here! And its seriously getting rid of back fat, too:smile:
  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
    swimming
  • ahavoc
    ahavoc Posts: 464 Member
    Yup, lose fat. But you can strengthen those areas. I find using the cable machine at my gym and doing side bends have really helped my core. And you can do side bends with weights too. Turn it all to muscle baby, and let your body do the rest!
  • blah2989
    blah2989 Posts: 338 Member
    Sorry if I didnt make it clear. Im not trying to lose weight in those areas Im trying to tone them. My abs mostly, since you cant exactly tone love handles LMAO.
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
    Compound lifts are working for me in that they are giving me an all over workout, and my abs, hips, tush and legs are seeing the benefits (as well as my upper body, too).

    I was soooo disappointed when I learned that you can't spot target, so I found something that not only do I enjoy, but gives me the most bang for my buck.

    The most effective workout is one you will do. :smile:
  • thesifter
    thesifter Posts: 107 Member
    Prone holds, keep upping the timing , start at 30 seconds aim to move up to 3 minutes
  • thesifter
    thesifter Posts: 107 Member
    Compound lifts are working for me in that they are giving me an all over workout, and my abs, hips, tush and legs are seeing the benefits (as well as my upper body, too).

    I was soooo disappointed when I learned that you can't spot target, so I found something that not only do I enjoy, but gives me the most bang for my buck.

    The most effective workout is one you will do. :smile:

    This!
  • HeyGoRun
    HeyGoRun Posts: 550 Member
    Sorry if I didnt make it clear. Im not trying to lose weight in those areas Im trying to tone them. My abs mostly, since you cant exactly tone love handles LMAO.
    Eat less junk carbs to lose those love handles
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Sorry if I didnt make it clear. Im not trying to lose weight in those areas Im trying to tone them. My abs mostly, since you cant exactly tone love handles LMAO.

    Since you do crunches and leg lifts, your ab muscles are currently "toned". If they don't look toned, it's either because the fat layer covering the muscle is too thick, or you have loose skin there. Ab exercises don't target either of those. To reduce fat (from anywhere) do vigorous cardio often, eat correctly, and follow a full-body strength training program, like New Rules of Lifting, for example.
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    there is no such thing as a toning exercise..

    Do you want your muscles larger? or smaller? or to stay the same?

    Do you want your body fat to increase? or decrease? or stay the same?

    answer those and we can advise you on what to do. All the nonsense people here are blathering on about this exercise or that routine are currently just that, nonsense, because you have yet to define what your goals are because there really is no such thing as toning, or toning exercises. They are made up words by female fitness magazines to shill to the lowest common denominator.
  • EmilyJackCO
    EmilyJackCO Posts: 621 Member
    Eat at a moderate deficit, lower your bodyfat percentage, and fullbody compound lifts. It really does work. Whereas targeting areas does not, and can actually lead to injury because the stabilization isn't in place. I learned that the hard way.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Unfortunatly you can't target areas to lose fat. What you can do is weights that build muscle and lower your body fat %

    Nope but it's definitely possible to do exercises that target the specific muscles. I personally don't do a lot of specific ab work as I find that my heavy lifting does a pretty good job but I do like planks and all variations (including side and back).
  • NaEl1
    NaEl1 Posts: 67 Member
    Here lately ive been walking two hours a day, a hour in the morning and a hour at night. Ive seen quite a difference in the inches ive lost. specially in the hips and stomach area.
  • dez_yaoichan
    dez_yaoichan Posts: 454
    Unfortunatly you can't target areas to lose fat. What you can do is weights that build muscle and lower your body fat %

    Nope but it's definitely possible to do exercises that target the specific muscles. I personally don't do a lot of specific ab work as I find that my heavy lifting does a pretty good job but I do like planks and all variations (including side and back).

    THANK YOU! there is a difference between "targeting" and "spot reducing"

    Targeting is working out a certain muscle/group to build strength.

    Spot Reducing is when you try to lose fat from only one portion of your body.

    I also am trying to work on my mid/lower half and build muscle. I still have a lot of fat to get off but I want to be strong while doing it.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    What most people want when they say "tone" is to lose fat and keep muscle, reveling firm, somewhat defined muscles.

    The best way to do this is to continue eating at a calorie deficit and lift heavy weights. I'd recommend most beginners use a good standard program like Strong Lifts 5x5, or Starting Strength. Although you won't be individually targeting your problem areas directly, I promise you they will still be worked and you'll see a nice balanced increase in strength and fitness that includes your problem areas. Once you lose the fat you want I bet money you'll be happy with those areas, if not, then maybe you might consider some targeting moves.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    My trainer has me doing several things that he says will work on core strength.

    crunches
    russian twists
    side bends
    heel touchers
    flutter kicks

    Last month I did a crunch challenge, and I did see a difference in the muscle definition in my abs. This month I am doing 50 crunches a day Monday-Friday, and doing a plank challenge.

    My profile pic is 2 weeks of my crunch challenge. The pic on the left is the end of the challenge, the pic on the right is after 2 weeks of crunches.

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