How to define and tone waisline

[lulu68]

Hi ladies,

I need your help and some recomendations on how to tone and define the waisline. Over all I have a tone body with some good muscle tone. I'm happy or satisfied with my waist measurements (26inch). After 6 kids I would say that's pretty good, the problem is my waistline seems a bit flabby. What are some good, quality, affective, exercise to tone the waistline or is there a certain DVd you would recomend that would help with that area? Thanks and have a great weekend!

Lourdes

[nkhansen1]

Lots of abdominal work to tighten up the underlying muscle. However, what you're seeing is most likely overly stretched skin from pregnancy, and there's nothing to be done about that short of surgery. I've got the same issue. My skin is pretty loose and flabby there even though my muscles are very tight.

[Lucia A]

I have an hourglass shape, even when I gained pounds I still maintain the hourglass.
It came because when I was younger I did the side to side static stretching and slow stretching moves. Those are the ones that helped me achieve that slooooowly but surely.

Try this move:
Reach your right arm above your head to the left, yes the arch move. then lift and lower your shoulder which automatically moves your arm up half an inch. Do you feel it in the side of your waist? If you do that's the move.
It doesn't have to be the swing to the side as you see in many tapes. just the tighten of the muscle is enough.
It's a slow effective move.
you can do it sitting in a chair, or at work, or wherever. I do it while I'm waiting for the bus.

It will take a while, but stick with it. It worked for me.

[jcm]

I just wanted to say I'm jelous of your 26" waist!! I've only had 3 kids, am a runner and have done STS, and will probably never see that! Wowza

[UNLVCrjChick]

Originally Posted by lulu68

Hi ladies,

I need your help and some recomendations on how to tone and define the waisline. Over all I have a tone body with some good muscle tone. I'm happy or satisfied with my waist measurements (26inch). After 6 kids I would say that's pretty good, the problem is my waistline seems a bit flabby. What are some good, quality, affective, exercise to tone the waistline or is there a certain DVd you would recomend that would help with that area? Thanks and have a great weekend!

Lourdes

After 6 kids that's pretty good? That's fabulous! I've had NO kids and my waist is still approximately 28 inches and has never been smaller, even when I was in the military! I guess I just don't have the genetics to be smaller.

[Pedmom]

I apologize for veering off topic, but where do you place the measuring tape to measure your waist?

[nkhansen1]

I put mine in line with my navel. When I had a trainer that was also where he put the tape.

[DirtDiva]

I love planks, and the one I feel is most effective for me is face down, elbows on the floor, body in line, toes dug in, and then I move forward on the toes and tighten my core with each push and then back. Do this slow and controlled and breath deep. I never get any back aches or twinges and it strengthens the entire pelvic area also. I read it quite a few times that over-working the obliques can be detrimental to the hour-glass look, but that may be more genetic then anything. I work my obliques and I admit they take away some of that curve, but I rather like that look anyway.

[Fit_mommy]

I work abs often, including obliques. I have always been built like a bit of a ruler though. Waist has always been "thick" when compared to my hips. Not much curve at all no matter what kind of shape I am in.

That being said, I work with what I have and enjoy the results of lots of oblique work both with and without weights. I will never have the curve so I don't have to worry about losing it and therefore work hard on muscle definition in that area instead!

[Jann]

Originally Posted by Lucia A

Try this move:
Reach your right arm above your head to the left, yes the arch move. then lift and lower your shoulder which automatically moves your arm up half an inch. Do you feel it in the side of your waist? If you do that's the move.
It doesn't have to be the swing to the side as you see in many tapes. just the tighten of the muscle is enough.
It's a slow effective move.
you can do it sitting in a chair, or at work, or wherever. I do it while I'm waiting for the bus.

It will take a while, but stick with it. It worked for me.

Wow, thanks! I can really feel this move.