You want to feel better about your figure, but you don’t want to spend hours on the treadmill. We understand that – we’re in the same boat! Luckily, there are plenty of different exercises for smaller waist to help you achieve a smaller waist without wasting hours in the gym or feeling like you have to give up your favourite foods! You don’t need fancy equipment or expensive monthly subscriptions; these 15 best exercises for smaller waist will give you effective results without breaking the bank!
To get a smaller waist, it’s important to lose weight overall and tone your core muscles. If you’re looking to slim down around your midsection, take the time to incorporate these 15 smaller waist workouts into your workout routine—you’ll be amazed at how much of an impact they can have on your look! For maximum effect, do these exercises twice per week and always follow them up with stretches or light cardio work. It’s also smart to drink plenty of water throughout the day, eat several small meals per day, and sleep at least 8 hours each night so that you can see results fast!
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1) Crunches
Crunches are one of my favourite core exercises for losing weight. Research shows that crunches provide higher training intensity in comparison with other traditional abdominal exercises, like sit-ups and leg lifts. A study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that using a crunch machine helped participants lose two per cent more body fat than participants who performed sit-ups or leg lifts. Crunches are an essential exercise if you want smaller waist. If you don’t have access to a crunch machine, try doing crunches on a weight bench instead.
2) Planks
Planks are a classic core-strengthening exercise, but they’re not just for abs. Planks challenge all of your core muscles and are one of the best exercises for smaller waist. Lie face down on a mat with your knees bent and place your forearms on the floor in front of you. Raise up onto your toes and hold for 30 seconds to one minute at a time; progress from holding for shorter periods of time as it gets easier. Make sure you keep your glutes squeezed tight—this will help make sure you aren’t sagging in your low back, which can lead to a back injury.
3) Flutter kicks
This exercise is great for targeting both sides of your core—your abdominals and obliques. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Put both arms out straight, palms down, so they’re perpendicular to your body. As you breathe in, lift both legs about 6 inches off the floor. As you exhale, slowly bring knees toward your chest, keeping them together as much as possible; your lower legs should now be perpendicular to your torso. Then extend both legs back down to starting position and repeat for 30 seconds or 10 repetitions.
4) Twists
Twists are a full-body exercise that effectively works out your abdominal muscles, obliques and lower back. Lie on your back with your knees bent, then bring both hands across your chest. Push up as you simultaneously rotate left and right for about 20 rotations on each side. An added bonus of twists is that they work out your spine’s vertebrae and can help reduce back pain in addition to helping you lose weight around your waist.
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5) Side planks
Side planks are great exercises for smaller waist and strengthening your core. They’re also low-impact, making them great if you have bad knees or hips. To perform a side plank, lie on your left side with your legs together and supported by an elbow or arm beneath you (or both elbows or arms beneath you if it’s too difficult). You can place a pillow beneath your hips if they don’t easily rest on your elbow/arm. Prop yourself up with one elbow/arm on top of that pillow as you rest all of your weight onto one foot and then extend yourself out onto that foot until only one leg is supporting all of your weight.
6) Reverse crunches
This is one of my favourite exercises for those looking for exercises for smaller waist. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hands behind your head. Your hands should be under your ears. From here, lift your shoulder blades off of the ground as you simultaneously lift your knees toward your chest (keeping them slightly bent) while trying to touch them together with opposite elbows. Repeat 20 times before moving onto bridge crunches.
7) Diagonal Crunches
Diagonal crunches gains a maximum recommendation on exercises for smaller waist and abs, while also strengthening your back muscles, says Lyzabeth Lopez, a NASM-certified personal trainer and yoga instructor. To do them, lie on your back with your legs stretched out in front of you. Cross one leg over so that your ankle is on top of your other leg’s knee. Keeping both knees bent at 90 degrees, crunch up. Don’t allow your low back to arch as you lift; keep it pressed into the floor during each rep. Then, uncross, return to starting position, and repeat on the opposite side for 1 set of 10 reps before switching legs. Do 2-3 sets total per day for maximum results.
8) Bicycle kicks
Bicycle kicks are excellent exercises for smaller waist and for strengthening your abs, especially if you do a small side-to-side movement at the same time. Start by lying on your back with your hands under your head. Make sure that you keep both feet on the ground and extend one leg out in front of you. Lift your extended leg off ground as high as possible and then bring it back down slowly. Then alternate legs without bringing them down and repeat 15 times each. After that do a similar movement, but with only one leg at a time; again complete 15 repetitions with each leg. This exercise targets all six abdominal muscles, including rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques and transversus abdominis muscles which will help you gain a smaller waist size quite effectively.
9) Beginners Stomach Crunches
Crunches are a great exercise for beginners looking for smaller waist workouts to try because it’s easy to maintain good form. Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your hands behind your head so that they stay in line with your ears as you sit up. Tighten your abs and slowly bring your shoulder blades off of the floor as you breathe out through pursed lips. Once you have done five repetitions, take a quick break before repeating another five times.
10) Dead Bugs
Dead bugs are a core exercise that targets not only your abdominal muscles but also your obliques and lower back. To perform dead bugs, lie on your back with arms outstretched above you, palms facing down. Curl both of your legs up to a 45-degree angle and then lower them as if you were performing a crunch motion, except leave your hips on the floor instead of raising them into an arch. Once your legs are fully lowered, raise them again in reverse crunches; return to start position for one rep. Do two sets of 15 reps daily for a stronger waistline.
11) Vacuum Pumps
If you’re looking for an at-home workout that provides results, consider using a vacuum pump to help create a smaller waist. These machines work by sucking in your stomach and can give you noticeable results in as little as two weeks. Don’t be surprised if you can wear clothes you thought were too small! Start with your belt on its loosest notch, and wear it while exercising (or while sitting). Stand up straight, letting your belly protrude forward. Clasp your hands behind your back and breathe deeply to inflate yourself; then slowly exhale to suck in all of your abdominal muscles and push out as much air as possible. When no more air remains inside of you, stand up fully erect once again.
12) Scissor Legs
To begin, get on your hands and knees, with palms and knees facing down. Extend one leg behind you as far as possible without arching your back or tilting your hips up too much. Now bring it back to meet your other leg, all while keeping both legs straight. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps per side for 3 sets to really feel a difference in your waistline and love handles.
13) Russian Twists
For a smaller waist, work your obliques by doing Russian twists. Sit on the floor with legs extended and toes pointed out. Hold a medicine ball close to the chest or rest arms on hips if holding a med ball is too difficult. Twist torso to the right side as far as possible without lifting shoulders off ground and twist back to centre. Repeat left side. Do 1-2 sets of 10-12 reps each day to see results in less than 3 weeks! (It’s important that you don’t just lie there when you do these, you actually want your abs to do some work!)
14) Yoga – Goddess Pose
This pose will flatten your belly, strengthen your back and improve circulation. If you’re not comfortable in a fully seated position, hold each side for 20 seconds and gradually work your way up to one minute per side. This is an advanced pose that should only be attempted by experienced yogis who know how to practice yoga safely. If in doubt, seek professional guidance before trying any new poses or yoga routines at home. Remember, breathing is key during all exercises so make sure you inhale and exhale while performing each move. Inhaling will help you fill your body with oxygen; exhaling will help release carbon dioxide from the lungs.
15)Straight Leg Raises