How do I get a smaller waist and a flat stomach? Here’s everything you need to know to get a smaller waistline and a flat stomach!
How can I get a Flat Stomach?
Do you want a flat stomach or a smaller waistline? If you are reading this you have probably been trying to pull your waistline in for a while now to no avail. You have probably also heard about all the gimmick-y pills, creams, waist trainers, magic teas or useless exercise equipment out there, hell, you might have even tried some of that stuff looking for the magic bullet. And if you have tried any of that stuff, well then by now you have rightly determined that all that stuff is a bunch of useless crap. The info in the rest of this article will finally shed light on what you need to do get a smaller waistline and flatten your stomach
The Simple Truth
The core is made up of muscles just like the rest of the body. But, (and this is a “big ol’ but) what you really have to do is move your core muscles through specific ranges of motion and if you do that correctly they will respond. Once you understand where these muscles are and what they do then it becomes really simple because then you know how to target them effectively. Am I making this sound too easy?? Maybe… but then again maybe not, you see the better you understand how your muscles in your core move and how they function in your body then you will be able to get the most out of your ab and core exercises. For instance, doing 20-30 crunches properly with good form is a helluva lot more effective than 100-200 done wrong.
The 5 key muscles to create a smaller waistline
There are a lot of people out there who want a smaller waistline and flatter stomach and I’m assuming you are one of those people otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this awesome article (see what I did there?). The problem is, people are typically focused on ”crunches, crunches, crunches”. While crunches, when done properly, do work;crunches alone will not give you a flat stomach and a smaller waist. There is a huge lack of understanding when it comes to all the other muscles involved in order to effectively tighten up your waistline and give you that flat stomach you’re aiming for. Here’s where this article comes in! This article is dedicated to focusing on the muscles you need to train in order to shape and tone your core into the flat, v-taper, slim awesome-ness you’re looking for.
How long will it take to see a smaller waistline?
Everyone has different goals when it comes to what they consider success in transforming their waistline. However you will likely begin to see a noticeable difference in about 2-4 weeks of consistency.
Core Area 1: Rectus Abdominis – “The Six Pack”
Your Rectus Abdominis or “Six Pack Muscles” as they are commonly known, are the most visible of the core muscles. They are responsible for bringing the chest and upper torso toward the thighs very similar to a “crunching” motion. When we see these muscles well developed on an individual we typically think “Fit”.
Example Exercise: Crunches
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Going too fast: You may have heard of someone doing 200+ crunches per day and think “Wow they’re strong” or “I should do that too”. The truth is, if you hear of someone doing that many reps for crunches, then 9 out of 10 times their form is incorrect. It is challenging to do 20-30 proper crunches, let alone 200. More often than not, they are rushing thru them and using a lot of momentum to complete the set. You will see much better results if you take the time to contract the rectus abdominis muscles at the top of each rep, even if that means you find your abs fatigue faster. This will let you know you are doing the exercise properly. Also, by going too fast, you miss the opportunity to effectively recruit the lower portion of the rectus abdominals.
2. Not “curling” the ab muscles: Many people are looking straight up and projecting their chin toward the ceiling. They don’t focus enough on making sure to really engage the abs by slightly rounding the upper back and immediately engaging the first two abs along with the centerline that really makes the abs “pop”. Even though they’re called crunches they could really be called “Ab Curls”. Furthermore, by not fully “curling” the abs you miss the opportunity to effectively recruit the lower portion of the rectus abdominals.
3. Overtraining: This is easily public enemy number 1. Folks are way too eager to do Abs every day. You could legitimately do core every day if you were to separate different areas of the core however the majority of people will simply aspire to do crunches every day. The problem with doing crunches every day is that they are just like every other muscle in the body in that they need rest and don’t not respond by being targeted daily. Like all muscles Abs develop during rest. Therefore it is necessary to rest abs on a regular schedule in order to see progress.
4. Thinking of the Lower and Upper Abs as completely separate muscles: Traditionally we have seen a number of ab programs that refer to “upper” and “lower” abs. The Rectus Abdominis is one muscle and therefore you can’t completely isolate one from the other. What will happen is that one region may be emphasized more than the other. This may sound like I’m splitting hairs but, you are doing your core a disservice and somewhat lessening the effectiveness of your ab development if you try to totally ignore the upper for the lower and vice versa. A simple example is in lying leg raises, at the bottom of the movement right before the legs hit the ground you’ll want to use the entire rectus abdominis and flex the lower region when your legs are about 6in. from the floor. The entire muscle was used however; the lower was emphasized at the peak of the contraction.
Core Area 2: The Transverse Abdominis- “Suck in that Gut”
The next muscle is very important but largely overlooked, it is known as the Transverse abdominis. This muscle is easiest described as the muscle that pulls the stomach in and pushes the stomach out (ex. like when you inhale deeply and exhale forcefully). It is a wall of muscle right under the Rectus Abdominis muscle. Think of it as the second layer of ab muscles. This muscle helps to further stabilize the core and is quite instrumental in flattening the stomach out. Also when people talk about engaging the core you are basically doing a combo of using the Transverse Abdominis to pull the stomach in to flatten it out and using the Rectus Abdominis tighten or brace the top layer of muscle. In some cases you may have seen someone who has a 6 pack but there stomach still appears to protrude, you may even be experiencing this yourself. If that is the case then it’s possible that you need to put more focus on the Transverse Abdominis.
Example Exercise: Plank Hold
Common Mistakes to avoid
1. Ignoring the muscle completely: Simply because this exact muscle is rarely discussed in general, people typically don’t know about it and if gets little if any attention at all. The most common use is when my fellas out there take their shirt off at the pool and suck their stomach in or when my ladies are trying to button the top button on their jeans. You definitely want to start incorporating more exercises for this muscle into your workout routines
2. Skipping Planks: People typically have a strong hate for planks. Mainly because folks think they’re hard. There aren’t a whole lot of folks who enjoy holding a plank for 60 sec or longer (Hell, I used to be one of those people) But if you are truly looking to have a flat stomach you have to incorporate planks into the mix. If 60 sec seems like a tall order start with 20-30 sec starting out and work your way up to 45-60 sec. If you do 2-3 sets of 60sec twice a week you will certainly notice difference in about 3 weeks when you go to engage your core. You will feel the stability. Give them a shot, they get easier with time…really!
Core Area 3: The Internal Obliques – “Bend it”
The third area we are going to focus on are the Internal Obliques. I’m pretty sure you are familiar with muscle. After the Rectus Abdominis, The Internal Obliques probably get the second most attention when it comes to core exercises. These muscles allow you to bend from side-to-side (think “im a little teapot”...yeah I know, but it made sense didn’t it??) They are very important in helping to stabilize and keep your balance. When you attempt to do any kind of balancing and you find yourself wobbling from side to side these muscle are trying to keep you upright and from falling either to the left or right. The Internal obliques are obviously critical in slimming the waistline. Since they run along both sides of your torso, targeting them is instrumental in eliminating those dreaded love handles that we are all too familiar with.
Example Exercise: Standing Side bend with 1 dumbbell in hand
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Going too fast: In the quest to shrink the waistline, you are likely hitting this muscle already. However, you need to make sure you take the time to contract the muscle on each rep. Many times when people do this exercise they say they feel like they are just squeezing fat. It is best if you slow down the exercise and focus on actually contracting the muscle on each rep. If you do that it will be able to feel the hardness of the muscle which will let you know that you are properly targeting it.
2. Going too heavy: Another fatal flaw of this exercise is people who regularly use a 45lb plate to during a standing side bend. Now if you want big thick obliques and consequently a thick waistline then by all means, knock yourself out. However; if you are looking to slim the waistline down and get that v-taper, then you’ll typically want to keep the weight around 35lbs or less and focus on reps of 20-25. If you want to do 45lb every now and then to change it up then go ahead but be careful, because if you are doing the activity properly you will wind up doing a lot less reps and you don’t want to strain or pull the muscle by trying to go to failure. Ultimately, since the obliques are a muscle like any other in the body, consistently using heavy weight over on them over the long-haul is going to make you waist thick and bulky. Also you put your lower back in jeopardy.
Core Area 4: The External Obliques – “Twist it”
Numero Quattro (uh that’s number four) The External Obliques. These muscles are responsible for twisting the trunk or torso. Without these muscles there would be no turning around to go in the other direction. Just like the Rectus Abdominis runs over the top of the Transverse Abdominis, The External Obliques run over the top of the Internal Obliques (External = outer, Internal = inner but, you already knew that)
Example Exercise: Russian Twist
Common Mistakes to avoid:
1. Skipping a twisting movement in your core routine: Similarly as good as people typically are about doing a few exercises for the Internal Obliques, folks are pretty negligent about targeting the External Obliques. This is a shame because if you are looking for rapid results, the more complete your core routine is the faster you’re going to see a transformation. You want to add in some form of twisting motion in to your workout not just because it will make your core look better but, also it will strengthen the core, give you better posture and reduce your exposure to back pain.
2. Going too fast: Another misstep people tend tom make when targeting this muscle is that they go so fast they feel like the exercise is a waste of time. Granted External Obliques don’t get that “burn” like the abs do however, when you take the time to slow down the exercise and contract the muscles during each rep you should feel a dull fatigue that will let you know you are doing the exercise correctly. Remember folks, quality over quantity.
Core Area 5: The Spinal Erectors – “Stand Up Straight”
The final muscle that you want to focus on to tighten up that core is your Spinal Erectors. These muscles start at the base of your neck and go down to your tailbone. From a standing position, if you were to bow at waist these muscles allow you to return your torso to a standing position. Hence, allowing your spine to return to an erect position. As far as your core is concerned, the erectors in your lower back when targeted, help reduce your waistline in the rear. Think of it as hitting your love handles from the back. However, in order to protect your lower back from strain, you want to be sure to engage the entire muscle and not simply concentrate on your lower back. Hitting this muscle group will also help with your posture.
Example Exercise: Superman (aka Hyperextensions)
Common Mistakes to avoid
1. Going too fast: By now you may be noticing a theme. Going too fast and not taking the time to let the muscle activate will prevent you from seeing results. This is also the case for the Spinal Erectors. Especially the lower back portion. Take the time to hold the contraction for a 1-count to allow the muscle to work and see real results.
2. Going too heavy: I can’t count the number of times I have seen someone on the hyperextension bench holding a 45lb plate trying to grunt through a set. I am not saying you can’t use a 45lb plate however; going back to number 1 above, if you a breezing through a set and not contracting the muscle and then you decide to move up to weight, you are doing yourself a disservice. Make sure your technique is fundamentally sound and then begin to slowly add weight. The other part is you don’t want to load up on weight too fast and injure yourself so, be careful of that as well.
3. Not engaging your core: When targeting the back you still want to be mindful of the front. Be sure to keep your core tight during your sets while working your Spinal Erectors. Not only to maximize your results but to also protect your spine by providing it with additional stabilization. As I said, the front and back are connected so, for instance if you are doing hyperextensions, don’t simply allow your abs to relax, by keeping them engaged you will get a much more efficient workout for your lower back. Don’t believe me, try it in your next workout and see for yourself!
4. Underestimating the importance of this muscle: This muscle group is so overlooked when it comes to focusing on your core that it’s criminal. Understand this: If you are not lean in the back you are not going to be lean in the front. What I am saying is, if you have back fat, then you are going to be much less likely to flatten out your stomach and get rid of your love handles. You must understand your core is one unit and focusing only on the front of your core is going to cut your results in half.
No Such thing as “Spot Reduction”
So with all the info above, I feel as though I must still take the time out to emphasize this. There are so many products out there trying to take your money with false promises. The body loses fat all over at the same time. The reason why some areas respond faster than others relates to where you personally gain weight in your own body as well as how much lean muscle you have in a given area. Your body will not lose body fat in an isolated fashion. That’s just simply not how the body works. You are setting yourself up for failure and disappointment if you are trying to simply lose fat in the midsection an only targeting the midsection with exercise.
The importance of eating right and drinking water and a smaller waistline
I am sure you have heard that the saying “Abs are made in the kitchen”, well that is a bit misleading. What people mean when they say that is, eating properly via a clean diet void of junk food, you will be able to uncover the definition in your midsection and therefore actually see a six pack. Meanwhile, you still have to put in the work necessary in order to develop the muscles themselves. You can eat as healthy as you want and get a flat stomach, and by no means is anything wrong with that. However; eating properly will not put a rock-hard defined six pack stomach in your upper torso. In fact if you don’t want to exercise at all, then the only way to shrink your waistline without exercise is to eat properly. The six pack is made up of muscle like the rest of your body and they need to be worked and exercised in order for that to happen.
In conclusion
Please don’t fall victim to information that claims to help you have a smaller waist overnight. That is nonsense and you’re setting yourself up for massive disappointment. It is definitely possible for you to slim down your waistline and flatten your stomach but it takes time. You are now armed with the knowledge of all the muscles that need to be targeted in order to achieve this.
Until next time!