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Small Waist Workout (Complete Guide to Waist Trimming)
Want to get a small waist that makes your favourite jeans fit like a dream? We’ve all hoped to achieve that enviable small waist at some point. But let’s be honest, it’s not an easy journey and we often break the promises we make to ourselves about hitting the gym.
We have come up with the top exercises to get a smaller waist. Use our small waist workout guide to trim your waist and tone your core muscles.
Here are the top 10 exercises and workouts for achieving a small waist:
Russian Twists
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Lean back slightly while keeping your back straight and core engaged.
- Hold a weight or medicine ball with both hands and lift your feet slightly off the ground.
- Twist your torso to the right, bringing the weight beside your hip.
- Then, twist to the left. This counts as one rep.
- Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Target Muscles: Obliques (side muscles of the core).
Side Planks
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder.
- Lift your hips off the ground, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Hold this position for 20-30 seconds (or longer as you progress).
- Switch to the other side and repeat.
- Perform 3 sets on each side.
Target Muscles: Obliques and transverse abdominis (inner abs).
Bicycle Crunches
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your legs lifted off the ground.
- Bring your right elbow towards your left knee while simultaneously straightening your right leg.
- Alternate sides, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee while straightening your left leg.
- Perform in a fluid, pedalling motion.
- Aim for 3 sets of 20-25 reps (10-12 reps per side).
Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (front of the core) and obliques.
Standing Side Bends
How to do it:
- Hold a dumbbell in one hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Keeping your back straight and core engaged, slowly bend to the side with the weight.
- Return to the upright position.
- Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each side.
Target muscles: Obliques and lateral muscles.
Vacuum Exercise
- Stand or sit up straight.
- Inhale deeply, then exhale completely.
- While exhaling, suck your belly button in towards your spine as much as possible.
- Hold this position for 15-20 seconds while breathing normally.
- Release and repeat.
- Perform 3-4 sets of 3-4 repetitions.
Target Muscles: Transverse abdominis (deep core muscle).
Plank Twists
How to do it:
- Start in a plank position, either on your forearms or hands.
- Engage your core and glutes to keep your body in a straight line.
- Lift your right hand off the ground and twist your torso to bring it towards your left side.
- Return to the starting plank position and repeat on the other side.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 reps on each side.
Target Muscles: Obliques, rectus abdominis, and transverse abdominis.
Leg Raises
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and legs extended.
- Keeping your lower back pressed against the floor, lift your legs up towards the ceiling.
- Slowly lower your legs back down without letting them touch the floor.
- For an extra challenge, you can lift your legs all the way down to a few inches above the floor before raising them back up.
- Perform 3 sets of 15-20 reps.
Target Muscles: Lower abs and hip flexors.
Side Leg Lifts
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with your legs extended and your head resting on your arm.
- Keeping your legs straight, lift your top leg as high as you can while maintaining proper alignment.
- Lower your leg back down without letting it touch your bottom leg.
- Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each side.
Target Muscles: Outer hips (gluteus medius) and obliques.
Windshield Wipers
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your arms extended out to the sides and your legs lifted off the ground.
- Slowly lower your legs to one side, aiming to touch the floor.
- Lift your legs back up to the center and lower them to the opposite side.
- Keep your core engaged throughout the movement.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 reps on each side.
Target Muscles: Obliques and transverse abdominis.
Mountain Climbers
How to do it:
- Start in a high plank position with your wrists directly under your shoulders.
- Bring your right knee towards your chest, then quickly switch to bring your left knee towards your chest, as if you’re running in place.
- Keep your core engaged and maintain a quick, rhythmic pace.
- Perform this exercise for 30-45 seconds as part of a circuit or cardio workout.
Target Muscles: Full core engagement, including obliques and transverse abdominis.
Try Slimming Belt and Sauna Suit (Options)
- Slimming Belt: If using a slimming belt, remember that any temporary slimming effect is due to water loss, not fat reduction. Do not rely solely on the belt; focus on proper nutrition and regular exercise.
- Sauna Suit: Use a sauna suit in moderation, and avoid wearing it for extended periods. Be aware of your body’s signals and stay well-hydrated during and after use.
Get the Full Story: Do Sauna Suits Work? Busting Sauna Suit Myths Scientifically!
How Do You Achieve a Smaller Waist with Exercise?
Waist slimming means trimming the area around your waist. This involves two main processes: working on the muscles in your waist and reducing the layer of fat covering those muscles.
The Anatomy of Your Waist Muscles
The muscles in your waist that matter for this are the ones that help shape and support the area:
The “Six-Pack” Muscle (Rectus Abdominis):
This is the muscle that creates the “six-pack” look on your belly. It helps with bending your body forward and keeping your core steady.
Side Muscles (Obliques):
These muscles are on the sides of your waist. They help you bend sideways and twist your torso.
Deep Core Muscle (Transverse Abdominis):
This muscle wraps around your waist like a belt. It helps support your spine and keeps your core strong.
What Do Waist Slimming Workouts Do?
The workouts designed for waist slimming do two things:
Strengthen Muscles:
Exercises like planks, twists, and leg raises make these waist muscles stronger. This makes your waist look more toned and defined.
Burn Calories:
Exercises like running, cycling, and swimming make your heart beat faster and burn calories. When you burn more calories than you eat, your body uses stored fat for energy. This helps reduce the fat around your waist.
Explore Further: The Best Fat Burning & Weight Loss Exercises
Additionally, Waist Slimming Workouts
Boost Metabolism:
Strength training core muscle workouts boost your metabolism. This means your body burns more calories even when you’re not exercising resulting in long-term fat loss.
Improve Posture:
A strong core supports better posture. When you stand up straight, your waistline naturally looks slimmer.
Can You Trim Your Waist By Doing Exercise Only?
Waist workouts alone won’t bring about significant fat loss unless you follow a good diet. The body reduces fat from all over, not just one spot. Therefore, full-body exercises, combined with a healthy diet, are crucial for effective waist slimming.
Expert Tips to Supplement Your Waist Trimming Workout
Prioritize Effective Exercises
- Prioritize exercises like side planks, bicycle crunches, and Russian twists to directly engage and strengthen your oblique muscles.
- Integrate full-body workouts that combine strength training and cardiovascular exercises for maximum calorie burn and overall fat reduction.
Balanced Diet
- Consume lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, beans, and tofu to aid muscle recovery and growth.
- Opt for complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to provide sustained energy for workouts.
Cardiovascular Exercise
- Engage in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions to elevate your heart rate and burn calories effectively.
- Aim for 30-45 minutes of moderate to intense cardio exercises, like jogging or cycling, at least 3-5 times a week.
Hydrate
- Drink water before, during, and after your workouts to prevent dehydration and optimize exercise performance.
- For intense exercise, consider an electrolyte-rich beverage to replenish lost minerals.
Rest and Recover
- Allow each muscle group 48 hours of recovery time between targeted workouts to prevent overtraining.
- Prioritize quality sleep, aiming for 7-9 hours per night, to support muscle repair and overall health.
The Bottomline
Getting a slimmer waist is about finding a healthy balance between diet, exercise and recovery. Specific exercises like side planks and bicycle crunches trim your waist muscles, but remember, focusing only on one area won’t make fat disappear from there.
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