A muffin top might be tasty to eat, but if that extra credit around your midsection is making you uncomfortable, you’re in the right place. You can whittle those waists with some carefully executed exercises to target those obliques and have you loving your clothes once again.
We love those yummy muffins like crazy, but reality hits home the moment we notice muffin tops peeping out of our sexy low jeans or body-con sheaths! It’s time to melt our muffin tops with these exercises that will attack your obliques furiously and effectively.
But before we go on to the exercises, to get rid of those love handles and muffin tops, you need to do cardio and total body movements as well as part-specific exercises. You cannot spot-reduce but you can spot-sculpt! But to sculpt, you first need to get rid of the excess fat.
Weighted Standing Side Crunch:
Grab a dumbbell and get going! This move targets your oblique abs to slim your sides.
Instructions:
- Grab a dumbbell and let it hang at arm’s length on your left side.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, feet pointing forward and abs tight.
- Bend your other arm and tuck your hand behind your head.
- Keeping your core tight, lean to your left letting the weight guide your body.
- Do not bend at the neck or break your posture.
- Focus on lowering the weight.
Side Star Plank:
We love any new twist on a classic plant and this Side Star Plank is no exception! You’ll love the new way you can work your core. This is one of the best oblique exercises for women!
Instructions:
- Get into a side plank position with the top hand resting on top of your thigh, feet stacked.
- Make sure that your shoulders are stacked directly over your shoulder.
- In a controlled movement, raise the top leg up as high as you can while staying balanced, and simultaneously extend the top arm straight up from the shoulder toward the ceiling.
- Return top leg and arm to start position and repeat.
- Modified (Beginner): Get into side forearm plank position.
Spider woman Push-ups:
You start out this move like you would a standard push-up. It’s got an extra step, however, allowing you to get in an extra oblique workout.
Instructions:
- Get in a pushup position.
- Lower into a pushup, and while your chest is hovering over the floor, lift your left foot.
- Bringing your left knee up to your elbow so your leg is at a 90-degree angle.
- Bring your left foot back to the floor and push up to the start position.
- Continue alternating legs with each rep.
Side Plank Super Crunch:
Want to get rid of your muffin top? This move does a great job of targeting the sides of your core! You’ll love the oblique workout and variety this move offers.
Instructions:
- Get into a side plank position with the top hand resting on top of your thigh, feet stacked.
- Make sure that your shoulders are stacked directly over your shoulder.
- Bring your top leg in with a bended knee pointing toward your top elbow.
- When bringing your knee in toward your elbow, keep your hips raised and your abs in tight.
- Return top leg to starting position and repeat.
- Modified (Beginner): Get into side forearm plank position.
Side Plank Toe Touch:
This is a total body move that will change up any boring workout routine. Add it to your usual workout to work your muscles in a new way.
Instructions:
- Get into a forearm side plank position with your shoulder directly over your elbow and your top hand behind head, legs, and hips stacked, feet flexed.
- After you are balanced, raise your top arm up and keep your gaze straight ahead.
- Extend your top leg in front of your hip (keeping your knee as straight as possible, bending to modify if needed) and touch toes with the top hand.
- Return to starting position. That’s one rep.
- Switch sides to complete set.
Hip Twister Planks:
In a controlled motion, rotate your torso to the opposite side, dropping your right hip to the floor. In between rotations, stop in the middle to get control of your balance if necessary.
Instructions:
- Begin in a forearm plank position with shoulders directly over elbows.
- Your body should be in a straight, diagonal line from your head to your heels.
- Keeping your abs in tight and your shoulders above your elbows, rotate your torso as you drop your left hip to the ground.
- In a controlled motion, rotate your torso to the opposite side, dropping your right hip to the floor.
- That is one rep. Repeat for the allotted time.
- In between rotations, stop in the middle to get control of your balance if necessary.
Side Crunch:
The side crunch specifically works your abs and obliques. You’ll love the burn you’ll feel from this move.
Instructions:
- Start by lying on the floor face up with your knees together and bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Without moving your upper body, lower your knees to the right side so that they’re touching the floor.
- Place your fingers behind your head.
- Raise your shoulders toward your hips, pause for one second, and then take two seconds to lower your upper body back to the starting position.
Crazy Ivan:
Similar to a Russian Twist, this move is great for anyone who wants to trim their core.
Instructions:
- Sit down on a mat with your medicine ball next to your left hip, keeping your knees bent.
- Slowly lean your upper body back to a 45-degree angle.
- Raise your feet up with knees bent, and cross your right foot over your left.
- Rotate your upper body to bring the medicine ball from your left hip up and across so that it is over your right shoulder.
- It should be above your forehead.
