Tips for sides/waist

lachique
lachique Posts: 13
edited December 21 in Fitness and Exercise
I've been going to the gym 3-4 times a week for the past 2.5 months and recently I've been getting into a bit of a routine. I will be going for a personal fitness session next week but I just wondered if anyone has any advice for me.

I'd like to make my sides go in at my waist. What's the best exercise to do that and how many reps/how long should I be doing it for. I'm sort of like a wide drainpipe at the moment but would prefer that my waist was curvy like this picture: http://www.weight-loss-tips-and-secrets.com/images/women-abs-diet-tips-21530259.jpg

I'm a 27 year old female and weigh a little over 10st at the moment. I am doing lots of cardio, and understand that toning muscles will do nothing if there's fat sitting there.

By the way my gym has pretty much every machine/kind of weight going if that helps and I can go more frequently if required.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    well for one you can't spot reduce, so nothing will specifically target the fat (which is what you want to lose) in any one location since your body will burn fat from all over.

    also another thing to keep in mind is that being able to have a curve like that will also depend on your skeletal structure. if you have a long torso (lots of space between the bottom of your rib cage and the top of your pelvic bone) then you can do it. for instance have a short waist (there's only 2" of space between my ribs and my pelvis so i'll never be able to get a waist indent

    anyway, just continue losing weight and you will gradually shrink your midsection
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    You can't spot reduce. you just have to lose weight all over, and it will come off everywhere, not just in one spot. As ^^^^^^^ already said, if you don't naturally have that shape, there's really nothing you can do to get it.
  • lachique
    lachique Posts: 13
    Thanks meshashesha20!

    I thought I'd get an answer like that, but was kinda hoping for the miracle secret lol. I'll just stick at it. I dont think I have a long torso at all, so maybe it wont happen for me. I feel I'm just a lot wider when you look at me straight on compared with my far narrower width sideways on.
  • lachique
    lachique Posts: 13
    Thanks neverstray too
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    As far as just strengthening those areas I like weighted side bends and hanging leg raises.
  • lachique
    lachique Posts: 13
    Thanks JNick77! I dont do those already, so I'll start fitting those in at gym time.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    the other thing is if you have the tendency to be apple or triangle shaped (most of your weight up top) then you're going to have keep at it because you'll notice weight loss most every where else at first.
    in the meantime you can do exercises to work the muscles underneath. weighted side bends, planks, side planks and bicycles are all good.

    just stick with it and you'll see results :smile:
  • Meg_78
    Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
    Well depending on you body type it might not be that attainable...I have always wanted a more innie waist, but my shape is too straight (not much difference between my hips and waist) so I am attempting to create more shape by building up my butt, legs and upper body as much as I can...someone also told me not to do too much oblique exercises as that will build up the side muscles and make me look even more square, so if you have this body type too then that's what I'd recommend ...otherwise just general wright loss and exercise should help bring in the waist more.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Thanks JNick77! I dont do those already, so I'll start fitting those in at gym time.

    I usually shoot for 4 sets of 15-20 reps and for the leg raises Ijust really try and focus on using my ab's and taking my hips out as much as possible. I've been getting better and engaging my ab's so much that I'm really hitting my upper region good as well.
  • DaughterOfTheMostHighKing
    DaughterOfTheMostHighKing Posts: 1,436 Member
    planks will help. side planks especially, but as they have all said, no spot reducing... just gotta work all over! :)
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    planks will help. side planks especially, but as they have all said, no spot reducing... just gotta work all over! :)

    On that note, I also like doing Palloff Press. It's a very similar exercise but you do it standing with some resistance. I don't have a link handy but I'm sure you can YouTube it.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    Do a lot of core work. Try Turbo Fire- it is a kickboxing program and involves a great deal of core strength while burning mega calories.
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