Get Rid of Love Handles with These Two Exercises
Love handles.
It almost seems like too nice a name for the mounds of flab that can build up on the sides of your abdomen.
But as cute as the name might be, those layers of fat that have gathered on either side of your stomach are anything but.
These mounds of fat can be hard to get rid of.
The exercises you might be doing to tone and tighten your abs, like basic crunches and sit ups, don't have much of an effect on your obliques, those muscles along the sides of your stomach.
Here are two exercises that will specifically target your obliques.
The Bicycle 1.
Lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
Gently rest your fingers on the sides of your head, behind your ears.
2.
Lift your knees until they are above your hips.
At the same time, lift your head and shoulders a few inches off of the ground.
This is your starting position.
3.
Straighten your right leg out and up, to about a 45 degree angle.
At the same time, twist your upper body to the left and touch your right elbow to your left knee, then return to the starting position.
4.
Straighten your left leg out and up.
At the same time, twist your upper body to the right and touch your left elbow to your right knee, then return to the starting position.
5.
Repeat this exercise 5 to 10 times on each side.
Oblique Crunches 1.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat against the floor.
Gently rest your fingers against the sides of your head.
2.
Cross your legs, placing your left ankle on top of your right knee.
Then lift your head and shoulders a few inches off of the floor.
This is your starting position.
3.
While contracting your abdominal muscles, twist your upper body to the left.
Imagine you are trying to touch your right elbow to your left knee.
Hold for a second, and then return to the starting position.
4.
Repeat this exercise about 10 to 15 times, twisting to the left side.
Then change positions, resting your right ankle on your left knee, and twisting your upper body to the right another 10 or 15 times.
Try to make these exercises a part of your regular ab workout.
They, along with a low fat diet, regular high intensity work-outs and strength-training, will help your love handles melt away.
It almost seems like too nice a name for the mounds of flab that can build up on the sides of your abdomen.
But as cute as the name might be, those layers of fat that have gathered on either side of your stomach are anything but.
These mounds of fat can be hard to get rid of.
The exercises you might be doing to tone and tighten your abs, like basic crunches and sit ups, don't have much of an effect on your obliques, those muscles along the sides of your stomach.
Here are two exercises that will specifically target your obliques.
The Bicycle 1.
Lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
Gently rest your fingers on the sides of your head, behind your ears.
2.
Lift your knees until they are above your hips.
At the same time, lift your head and shoulders a few inches off of the ground.
This is your starting position.
3.
Straighten your right leg out and up, to about a 45 degree angle.
At the same time, twist your upper body to the left and touch your right elbow to your left knee, then return to the starting position.
4.
Straighten your left leg out and up.
At the same time, twist your upper body to the right and touch your left elbow to your right knee, then return to the starting position.
5.
Repeat this exercise 5 to 10 times on each side.
Oblique Crunches 1.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat against the floor.
Gently rest your fingers against the sides of your head.
2.
Cross your legs, placing your left ankle on top of your right knee.
Then lift your head and shoulders a few inches off of the floor.
This is your starting position.
3.
While contracting your abdominal muscles, twist your upper body to the left.
Imagine you are trying to touch your right elbow to your left knee.
Hold for a second, and then return to the starting position.
4.
Repeat this exercise about 10 to 15 times, twisting to the left side.
Then change positions, resting your right ankle on your left knee, and twisting your upper body to the right another 10 or 15 times.
Try to make these exercises a part of your regular ab workout.
They, along with a low fat diet, regular high intensity work-outs and strength-training, will help your love handles melt away.
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