Love handles—slang for those annoying bulges on either side of the waist—are created by a layer of fat that exists above the external oblique muscles. The external oblique muscles are a member of the abdominal muscle family and work in conjunction with the internal oblique muscles to rotate your upper body, to support movement of your ribcage, and to bend sideways. To rid yourself of love handles, you need to do three types of exercises: cardiovascular exercises to burn your overall body fat, resistance exercises to build muscle, and toning exercise to firm your oblique muscles.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Cardiovascular exercises are exercises which work your heart by increasing your heart rate for extended periods of time. Besides working your heart, cardio exercises also help your body to burn fat. It’s impossible to target a specific area of the body for fat burning, but an effective cardio exercise will help you burn overall body fat, including the fat in your love handles. Cardio exercises can include walking, biking, running, swimming, jump roping, hula hooping and aerobics. The most important thing is that you raise your heart rate for at least 10 minutes at a time. The American Heart Association suggests that you do moderate cardio activity for at least 30 minutes each day.
Resistance Exercises
Resistance exercises, also known as strength training, are exercises which cause your muscles to contract against an external resistance. The most common objects used for external resistance would be dumbbells, resistance bands, and, of course, your body’s own weight. Resistance exercises work your muscles harder, and can help you gain strength, mass, endurance and tone. Resistance exercises can also raise your metabolism rate, causing you to burn fat faster. One resistance exercise appropriate for all levels of fitness is the dumbbell side bend. Stand straight with your feet placed a shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Your arms should hang straight down at your side. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand and place your left hand on your hip. Bend to the side at the waist, lowering the dumbbell toward the floor as far as is comfortable, and return to standing position. Do a set of eight and then switch sides. Work up to three sets of eight for each side.
Toning Exercises
Toning exercises are those which focus on toning a specific muscle area of the body. While burning fat will help to decrease your love handles (and your overall waist size), toning the oblique muscles beneath the fat is required to give you definition. This will also help to strengthen your core muscles which are integral to overall body movement. The Criss-Cross, also known as the Bicycle Maneuver, is an effective oblique toning exercise which also works your core abdominal muscles. Lay with your back flat on the floor, placing your hands under your head with the elbows bent. Bend your knees to a 45 degree angle, so that your knees are above your hips and your calves are parallel to the floor. Stretch out your left leg while raising your head and bringing your left elbow to your right knee. Return your left leg to the bent position and repeat with your right leg and left elbow. Continue by alternating for eight reps.
Member Comments