Myth about obliques?

karissastephens
karissastephens Posts: 324 Member
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
I used to constantly work my obliques by doing side bends with weights.....

HOWEVER, recently I read that doing this makes your waist appear WIDER because the muscle building underneath..

Is this true?? I was doing those exercises to get rid of my love handles! :blushing:

Replies

  • lilmissy2
    lilmissy2 Posts: 595 Member
    Couldn't answer that one... but all I can say is that when I get into the habit of doing loads of crunches and start getting rid of some of the fat on my tummy and building some muscle, I sure don't feel like it looks bigger!
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
    The Jillian Michaels workouts I do (30 Day Shred, No More Trouble Zones) includes oblique exercises to help get rid of love handles and muffin tops. It's high reps and low weights so it's aimed at making them toned and not bulk up. So the only time you have to worry about your obliques making your hips look wider is if you do high weights to bulk up. Otherwise, I think you'll be fine - I haven't had an issue with mine!
  • karissastephens
    karissastephens Posts: 324 Member
    ok thanks!!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    I used to constantly work my obliques by doing side bends with weights.....

    HOWEVER, recently I read that doing this makes your waist appear WIDER because the muscle building underneath..

    Is this true?? I was doing those exercises to get rid of my love handles! :blushing:

    that is exactly what my trainer said!! And then she showed me a chick who does them and low and behold her waist was thick!.

    She showed me a great exercise for obliques.

    get a 3,5,or 10 lb weight-depending on your strength
    stand with feet natural width apart
    lift the left foot a bit off the floor, while holding the weight in the right hand
    now slowly bend over to place the weight where your left foot should be
    (I had to do in on both feet for a long time-just place next to the left foot)
    stand back up straight
    slowly bend over and pick up the weight
    that is one rep.

    I cannot WAIT to be able to do this one again. My waist became much more narrow in a few short weeks.
  • Saloule
    Saloule Posts: 19
    Thanks, that sounds really helpful! Just a wee question, how many reps and sets did your trainer recommend you do?
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Thanks, that sounds really helpful! Just a wee question, how many reps and sets did your trainer recommend you do?

    I started with 2 sets of 10 on each side. I had worked up to 3 sets of 15 when I fell ill and had surgery. I am on the mend but my poor tummy is taking the hit! :wink:
  • DeeDeeLHF
    DeeDeeLHF Posts: 2,301 Member
    thanks Jeannie!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    thanks Jeannie!
    Your welcome DeeDee!

    Also I am always surprised when I do planks that my sides get a workout. Hmm, I think I can do planks and push ups!
  • Saloule
    Saloule Posts: 19
    Sorry to hear about your illness, but it's great that you're on the mend and already thinking about keeping fit! If it was me I'd be thinking about ice-cream. :laugh: I'm going to try and get some of these done and get rid of those pesky love handles once and for all!
  • karissastephens
    karissastephens Posts: 324 Member
    wow thank you! :flowerforyou:

    Im trying to picture how you do this workout..not sure if I have it right but we will see haha
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    Unless you are specifically trying to BULK UP (meaning you are eating at a calorie surplus and lifting quite intensely), I don't think you have to worry about any specific move making you appear bigger. Personally, I think you should work on your strength using whatever moves you know and can do (correctly, without injuring yourself). I suppose there are probably better moves for targeting the obliques than the weighted side bends like doing plank moves and the like -- moves that require more core stabilization, but that could just be my personal preference.

    Love handles are a product of the fat that is on top of the muscle and no amount of any oblique targeting move is going to remove the fat. That requires proper diet, cardio and total-body resistance training.
  • hannah_lin
    hannah_lin Posts: 54
    I personally have to be very careful about overdoing it w/ any muscle building in order to keep my measurements small-- I definitely feel like I look bigger when I work out more. But, I also do get better definition... so it's kind've a tradeoff. :)
  • karissastephens
    karissastephens Posts: 324 Member
    Thank Kaitlin and Hannah U always give me great advice!

    I think from what I have read here I will keep working my obliques but without weights :) just do planks and different body weight oblique moves
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    I used to constantly work my obliques by doing side bends with weights.....

    HOWEVER, recently I read that doing this makes your waist appear WIDER because the muscle building underneath..

    Is this true?? I was doing those exercises to get rid of my love handles! :blushing:

    YES, this actually is true (sad isn't it?) BUT it’s only true if you are just trying to tone and are not doing any cardio to burn fat. You can do a million sit-ups but if you don't burn fat through exercises and proper nutrition the muscle will get stronger and bigger under the fat and just make you appear wider.

    I have that flat front wider side shape myself but so does Heidi Klum so it makes be feel better, ha ha! You may just be shaped like that but it by no means makes you fat, it’s just a shape and you can still tone and loose body fat.

    * My source on the above is Chalene Johnson/Beachbody.

    Ps: Here is the wide pic of Heidi - ignore the artical attached saying she is fat ok?

    http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2009/04/marilyn-monroe-was-fat-at-least-according-to-todays-absurd-standards/
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