Will using a weight make my waist bigger????

[Love4Fitness]

I love doing Core Max expecially the one with the 8lb medichine ball. But I was recently told that using a weight while doing ab work will make my waist(mid section) bigger. That is the opposite of what I want to do. Is this true??????????

 

[LauraMax]

Much of this depends on genetics, & some depends on the kind of exercise. I think in Core Max you do a lot of reps, & if you keep the weight light (5-10 lbs) you don't have to worry about thickening your waist.

When I do heavy weights & low reps, my waist does get thicker, but my waist is already thick genetically so I try to be careful when I work obliques.

Also, heavy squats can thicken your waist.

 

[kathryn]

It's often recommended not to do oblique work with added weight, because it can add width to the waist.

Also, I think to get the kind of bulgy six-pack some Oxygen cover models have, you have to do weighted ab work.

But as Laura says, a lot depends on genetics. Just as some people develop thicker muscle more easily than others (and might be seen as 'bulky'), some people would develop ab muscles more easily.

I use weights for ab work, but usually keep it at 4 or 6 pounds (sometimes 8 or 10). And I do much more 'core' work like planks than weighted crunches. If I notice any unwanted thickening, I'll cut back. But that's the great thing about resistance training: you can adapt it to fit your needs and desires, and if you think you're getting 'too big' somewhere, just reduce or omit the weights.