Introduction A firm and well-built physique is something we all want to have. Not only does it boost one’s confidence and appeal, it also allows us to look great with any type of clothing. However, with today’s fast-paced lifestyle, we often fall prey to fast food or microwavable meals which do not help us with our weight concerns at all. Additionally, we stay glued to our PCs all day (and night too!) and we hardly have time to hit the gym to workout. As a result, we gain more weight, arms become flabby, and we end up with love handles which are something we do not want to have at all.
In this article, you will find 5 love handle exercises.
As you probably know, love handles are one of the most difficult excess fats to get rid of, but if you follow these exercises consistently, you can lose those unsightly bulges and look great again. We also recommend you do all five of these love handle exercises in a single workout every other day.To see best results we do recommend you pick a good diet to maximize weight loss. Visit our home page often for new advice and tips and make use of our search located at the top right!
Good Ol’ Crunch (Weightless; Floor Mat) While this is probably one of the oldest and most common exercises, it is without doubt, one that really works. The good ol’ crunch needs no further introduction. What we do need to talk about is that while most people know what it is, not everyone knows how to do it right.
Here is the proper way to do the crunch: First, see to it that both your neck and your spine are straight. Lie flat on your back and your knees should be bent. Next, put your hands at the back of your head, with palms touching your neck. Try to raise your body as high as you can upward direction towards the ceiling and then towards your knees. Make sure that you are bending at the waiste, not rounding your spine and also your chin does not reach your chest otherwise you will end up with a stiff neck. Remember, you are aiming at your love handles and not your chin or a sore back! Additionally, your motion should be slow in both going up and down as this puts more pressure on your body, and this is of course, more effective.
A definite no-no for the crunch is having someone hold your feet down because this will not help at all in your plight to get rid of your love handles. You should do 25 repetitions of this every other day. It is OK and expected that you may not be able to do 25 crunches plus all 4 of the other exercises. Log how many you do in a diary and watch how much you progress..Crunches with a Twist (Weightless; Floor Mat) Crunches are very effective in trimming down the abs , as well as eliminating midsection fats (love handles). Another form of exercise that works great is the crunch with a twist.
This exercise is ideal because you do not need any equipment for it. All that’s required is a small space and a mat; if you do not have a mat then that is perfectly fine too.
To perform this exercise, all you need to do is to lie flat on your back, and your knees should be bent. Put your hands at the back of your head and slowly lift your head. To do the ‘twist,’ simply twist your body to the left while you bring your right elbow closer to your left knee. The free leg (which is the right leg) should be extended outwards. Do this alternately with the other side.
You should do 25 repetitions each direction (left/right) of this every other day. It is OK and expected that you may not be able to do 25/50 twist crunches plus all 4 of the other exercises. Log how many you do in a diary and watch how much you progress..
Trunk Twist in Standing Position (Weightless; No Equipment Needed) Probably one of the most convenient form of love handle exercise, the trunk twist in standing position works well for people on the go. You can do this at home, at the office, in the rest room, or anywhere that you can have a bit of privacy.
This exercise not only helps burn calories to help eliminate love handles, it is also a cardio exercise which will help increase your heart rate to burn that unwanted fat !
The exercise is very simple. First, stand upright with your feet about 12 inches apart. Twist your body to the left, and make sure the rest of your body is facing front. Next, as if about to punch something, cross your right arm to your left. Do the same procedure when you twist your body to the right, and this time, you cross your left arm to your right.
You can add hand weights to really increase the intensity! You should do 50 repetitions of this to each side every other day. It is OK and expected that you may not be able to do 50*2 Trunk Twists plus all 4 of the other exercises. Log how many you do in a diary and watch how much you progress.. Leg Raise Crunch Bench Press (Dumbbells) This exercise works wonders for your belly, and can totally eliminate your love handles. A great thing about the leg raise crunch bench press is that it is not very strenuous and yet, it works really well.
You would need dumbbells for this exercise, the weight should be something that is not too heavy but not light, either. Lie flat on your back, with both legs (and feet) on the floor. Raise and lock your arms at the farthest reach above your head towards the ceiling , and try to raise your legs slightly. This will cause your back to hurt and this is why the dumbbells work as an excellent counterbalance. Once this is all set up, you can get started with the exercise. Raise your legs and bring them into a vertical position, and as soon as your legs reach the top, press your abs tightly, then slowly put your legs back to the ground.
You should do 25 repetitions of this every other day. It is OK and expected that you may not be able to do 25 leg raise crunch bench press plus all 4 of the other exercises. Log how many you do in a diary and watch how much you progress..
Arm Crunch Yet another great exercise to remove love handles, the arm crunch is very easy and convenient for any working individual. All you need is a free floor space, a mat, and about 10 minutes of your time. How is the arm crunch done? Simple.
First, you need to lie down flat on your back. Fully extend both arms over your head, reach as far as you can. In this exercise, it is very important that you contract your abs so that the effect on love handles will be very significant. Press your abs while lifting your arms. Your head and shoulders should be at least 30 degrees from the ground. As with every other exercise we have mentioned, make sure the movement is slow and precise, especially as you put your head and shoulders down. Moreover, you should see to it that your arms stay locked (or straight) and placed behind your head throughout the exercise.
You should do 25 repetitions of this every other day. It is OK and expected that you may not be able to do 25 arm crunches plus all 4 of the other exercises. Log how many you do in a diary and watch how much you progress..
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1. help for love handles
Written by Jillian, on 16-01-2010 08:52
Both belly bulge and love handles are about excess body fat, not lack of muscle. Crunches and ab exercises are therefore not the solution. The best way to reduce these problem areas is to reduce your overall body fat percentage, and we all know that that requires diet and exercise.
That said, I'm actually experimenting with different stretches and light isolation exercises to try for specific areas of the body. These stretches will bring blood, and thus oxygen, to these problem areas — my theory is that the oxidization will help break down the fat. And hey, stretching is always beneficial! For love handles, try this side-bend stretch in conjunction with diet, exercise, sodium reduction, and 80 ounces of water a day:
Side Bend (Do this stretch at least three times a day throughout the day.)
* Purpose: To stretch the triceps, upper back, abdominals, and obliques.
* Here's how you do it: Bend to one side, while holding your opposite arm overhead, then quickly stretch to the other side, raising the other arm. This drill should be done in a controlled, continuous fashion for 10 stretches on each side of your body. |
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