There are no miracle exercise machines for whittling away your waistline, but certain types of equipment can efficiently tone the muscles that support your waist. These machines and small exercise devices that facilitate two types of waist-sculpting movement. Rotational movements involve rotating the upper torso to the right and left. Lateral movements involve side-bending at the waist. Aerobic exercise and dietary modification reduces body fat and increases muscle tone visibility.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are the cheapest and most versatile type of equipment. They offer resistance in both phases of the exercise. The bands facilitate lateral bending and rotary movements. Do the side bend by standing in an upright position, placing the band under your right foot, and holding the band with your right hand. Bend at the waist, bringing your left shoulder toward your left hip. Stabilize your hips and make sure to bend sideways, not forward. Perform 15 repetitions on each side.
Sit in a chair or on a stability ball for the torso rotation. Attach the band to a stable object at waist level. Grasp the band with both hands and hold it near your navel. Slowly rotate your upper body away from the attachment point. Perform 15 repetitions on both sides.
The Bosu
The bosu resembles half a stability ball. It has a platform side and a dome side. The bosu is a balance training device, which requires you to use your core muscles for stabilization during waist-toning exercises. The shape of the dome increases range of motion during side-bending exercises. Place the bosu so that the dome side is facing up, and position your body so that your right hip is on top of the dome. Extend both legs, and place your left foot on the floor in front of your right, and place your hands behind your head. Laterally flex your upper torso over the dome, making sure that your hips and shoulders are stacked. Bend at the waist, bringing your left elbow toward your left hip. Perform 10 repetitions on each side. Make the exercise more challenging by extending your legs and placing one foot on top of the other.
The Roman Chair
Like the bosu, the Roman Chair enables you to extend the range of motion during side-bending exercises. These adjustable machines come with hip pads to rest your hips, and foot pads to support your feet. The hip pads stabilize your lower torso, and force you to initiate the movement from the waistline. Add challenge to the exercise by lowering the hips pads to increase your range of motion.
Ground Base Torso Twist Machine
The seated rotary torso stabilizes the hips and works the obliques from a seated position. Many fitness centers carry this machine, but some sports medicine experts question its safety, referring to a 1981 article in the Spine Journal. Lead author Alf Nachemson measured spinal disc pressure during rotary movements performed in various positions, and found that the seated movement increased disc compression by 40 percent. The experts at Lifefitness reviewed this and other research studies, and created the Ground Base Torso Twist Machine, which facilitates total body rotary movement from a standing position. The machine accommodates numerous waist-toning rotary movements. Many of the exercises also simulate sport-specific rotational moves, making it suitable for waist toning and athletic conditioning.
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