waist shapers

[judejude]

Are any of Cathe's videos good for shaping the waist to look smaller or curvier? I've found that my waist seems to have widened out since I've been working out. It's good to be tight, but I'd like to bring back a little hourglass curve in the waist.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[40something]

Geez, I would love to have even a quarterhour curve!

I can't help you JudeJude as I am a short-waisted person who has NEVER had a curve anywhere on my mid-section. But I find your question interesting...I wonder if curvaceous ladies thicken up from working the core??

 

[run4fun]

Hi,

My husband just commented two days ago about my waist getting smaller/curvier. I have to believe it has been from CoreMax. I thought for sure it would make me look thicker and more square, but it has not.

Also the core work in HSC and MM seem to be good too.

Beverly

 

[CurlyQ]

Well, ab work, particularly oblique work, will make the muscles bigger so you'll notice that a lot of athletes (including Cathe) have more of a boyish shape (which isn't a bad look at all, IMO). If you want to make your waist look smaller I would work lats and shoulders to give yourself that "v" shape. Pretty much all of Cathe's weight workouts cover these areas. I wouldn't avoid ab or oblique work since having a strong core will help your in all you daily activities and workouts.

Edited for typos

 

[kathryn]

I would say that WEIGHTED ab work CAN make your waist bigger. Especially if you use heavy weights for the obliques. I agree with a columnist in Oxygen magazine, that to build definition and a six-pack (with somewhat protruding muscles at times) you should work the abs with resistance and fewer reps, and to keep a leaner look, go for high reps and little to no resistance. I also think that moves like planks (front, side, rear, with and without added arm/leg movements) and other core stabilization moves help strengthen the abs without adding bulk.

Also consider that different people tend to store any extra fat in different areas. For many women, it's hips and thighs, but some ("apples" like Cathe) tend to store it in the abdominal area. In that case, an overall fat-reducing program (clean diet, cardio to burn fat calories, resistance training to increase the metabolism) will help.

 

[Renee McFar]

Tae-Bo curved my waist in more. Not his new stuff but his older workouts. He had good standing ab work. I like the "Get Ripped Advanced" series.

Cathe's core work in Cardio and Weights, ME and SJ&P is also very good.

Pilates is another option for you.

 

[judejude]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I guess I'll lay off the weights during ab exercises and use the workouts recommended & see how it works out for me in a month. I really have no hopes of anything 'ripping' - at least not in a good way. I just try to tighten up the loose meat.

Thanks all!