14 Effective Exercises for Your Waist

Here are 14 exercises for your waist. Remember to combine them with a proper diet and cardio exercise for best results. Read more here.
14 Effective Exercises for Your Waist
Karla Henríquez

Reviewed and approved by the doctor Karla Henríquez.

Last update: 09 October, 2022

We all know that those spare tires or so-called ‘muffin tops’ are the result of sweets, beer, and fast food that we enjoy so much.

All of these excess calories have been deposited as fat in the tissues around your waist. It’s a good time to do something about it and we are here to help you!

Get ready to learn about the 14 best exercises for your waist.

14 Exercises for your Waist

If you want to get a slim waist, it’s true that you need to drink a lot of water and eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.

But beyond this, there’s no doubt that exercise is essential for maintaining your figure.

Here is our list of exercises for your waist that will help you tone this area up. Choose a group of 7 exercises each day and warm up before starting so that you prevent injuries. 

Remember that you will need to do them frequently to get good results. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes too!

See Also: Healing Benefits of Water Therapy

exercises-for-your-waist

Exercise #1: Abdominal Twists

  • Standing up, with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your hips, twist your upper body left and right, keeping your back straight. Do 30 repetitions.
  • Next, lift your arms to the height of your chest with your fists closed and do slightly more strenuous twists. Repeat 30 times.
  • Lastly, in the same position as before, do 30 twists by stretching to each side alternatively.

Exercise #2: Side Twists

  • Standing up, with your legs shoulder width apart and your hands on your neck, do lateral twists to one side and the other 30 times.
  • In the same position, stretch your arms above your shoulders with your arms crossed and let them fall to the side while trying to touch the ground. Come back to the first position and do the same movement towards the other side. Repeat 30 times.

Also Read: Best Exercises to Tone Your Legs

Exercise #3: With a Bar

  • Use a medium-sized bar to do this exercise.
  • Put it behind your shoulders while you hold it with your hands on either end
  • With your feet shoulder-width apart, do strenuous twists with your back straight.
  • Repeat 50 times.

Exercise #4: Side Twists With a Bar

  • Standing up, with your feet shoulder width apart, hold a bar horizontally above your head.
  • Do side twists while holding on to the bar.
  • Repeat 50 times.

Exercise #5: Abdominal Bends

  • Standing up, with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your neck, bend your body forward while trying to touch the tips of your toes and then return to the initial position. Repeat 15 times.
  • It doesn’t matter if you can’t do this at first. Your flexibility will increase over time as you do these exercises for your waist.

Exercise #6: Abdominal Bends

  • Do the same exercise as before but with your legs wider this time. Bend forward to try to touch one ankle and then the other. Do 15 repetitions.

Exercise #7: Bent Leg Twists

  • Sitting down with your legs bent and your back straight, twist while keeping your arms at chest height. Do 50 repetitions. This exercise is amazing for your waist and abdomen.

Exercise #8: Crossed Leg Twists

  • The position of your legs influences this exercise. This time, it is necessary to sit down with your legs crossed and your arms at chest height. Do 50 twists while keeping your back straight and your gaze forward

Exercise #9: Working Your Waist on the Ground

  • Lay on one side with your legs slightly bent.
  • Put your hands on your neck and avoid pulling on it. Lift your abdomen sideways 15 times.
  • Then, do the same exercise but this time, lift your bent legs laterally. 15 repetitions.
  • Lastly, lift your abdomen laterally and keep both legs extended. 15 times
  • Do these exercises on the other side as well.

Exercise #10: Working Your Waist on the Ground with Legs

  • Laying on one side, extend your legs and put the arm that’s on the ground in front. Then put the other on your neck. Lift your abdomen laterally and the leg on top 15 times.
  • Repeat the exercise, but bend your leg laterally this time and lift it up. Try to touch your knee. 15 repetitions.
  • Repeat the exercises on the other side.

Exercise #11: Abdominal-Waist Exercises

  • Lay down on your side with your legs slightly bent and twist your abdomen until your back is supported on the ground
  • Put your hands on your neck and lift your abdomen 15 times. You will be working the abdominal and neck muscles
  • Put your legs on the other side and repeat the exercise

Exercise #12: Move Your Legs

  • Lay down face up, with your hands supported on both sides of your body, slightly bend your legs and twist them to one side and the other, while keeping them together and without touching the ground, 15 times. Rest for 5 seconds and repeat the exercise.

Exercise #13: Another Combination

  • Lying face up, with your hands on your neck and your legs extended, bend your legs alternately and lift your abdomen while trying to touch your left and right knee alternatively. Do this 15 times. Rest for 5 seconds and repeat the exercise.

Exercise #14: The Worm

  • Lay on the ground with your legs extended and put both hands on your neck (without supporting them so that you don’t hurt your neck vertebrae)
  • Lift your abdomen and, keeping your chest off the ground, then return to the first position. The more you lift up, the more fat you will burn. Do 15 repetitions, rest for 15 seconds, and repeat.

To Prevent…

Do-exercises-for-your-waist-to-tone-your-waist

We hope this article has been useful.

In conclusion, we’ll give you some tips that will help prevent your waist from getting bigger aside from exercises for your waist:

  • Avoid gaining excess weight.
  • Limit your consumption of foods high in sugar and fat.
  • Avoid wearing tight clothing that squeezes your hips because they tend to misshape your figure.
  • Dancing can help slim your waist.

All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • G. González Calvo; S. Hernández Sánchez; P. Pozo Rosado; D. García López. 2011. Asociación entre tejido graso abdominal y riesgo de morbilidad: efectos positivos del ejercicio físico en la reducción de esta tendencia. Nutrición Hospitalaria. http://www.nutricionhospitalaria.com/pdf/5201.pdf
  • Ramírez-Campillo, R., Andrade, D. C., Campos-Jara, C., Henríquez-Olguín, C., Alvarez-Lepín, C., & Izquierdo, M. (2013). Regional fat changes induced by localized muscle endurance resistance training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 27(8), 2219–2224. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31827e8681
  • Strasser, B., Spreitzer, A., & Haber, P. (2007). Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss. Annals of nutrition & metabolism, 51(5), 428–432. https://doi.org/10.1159/000111162

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.