How can I reduce the creases on my flanks? Exercise alone won’t do the trick

The warm season is approaching, people are slowly replacing bulky down jackets with lighter clothes, and everyone wants to get back to their best shape. Gaining a couple of pounds over the winter is not scary and even natural. For some people, these “stocks” turn into “love handles”. Love handles – this is the English word for the folds that appear on the flanks.

As you know, localized fat burning is only a myth. Therefore, if you want to get rid of fat deposits on the waist, only abs exercises will not be enough. Together with World Class trainer Stanislav Vakhrushev, we will find out how to reduce “love handles”.

Is it possible to get rid of folds on the flanks with the help of exercises?

Unfortunately, there are no miracle exercises to remove fat on the flanks. As with any weight loss, you need to keep a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as monitor the number of calories consumed.

To lose fatty tissue, you need to expend a little more energy than you receive. For everyone, the daily calorie intake will be different, depending on the intensity of physical activity and individual characteristics of the body.

How to tighten the abs?

The main function of the rectus abdominis muscle is to hold the spine in an upright position, that is, to provide uprightness. Secondary functions are the flexion of the body. Therefore, any variants of such exercises, sitting, lying down, hanging, are welcome, if you observe the correct technique of execution.

To engage the rectus abdominis muscle during training, you need to bend so that the lower ribs are directed toward the pelvis.

What exercises will not help to get rid of “love handles”?

As mentioned above, exercises can not remove fat exclusively on the flanks. Basically, the process of losing weight is due to a rational diet and general physical activity.

As for specific exercises, the trainer does not recommend emphasizing the plank in a static version. So intra-abdominal pressure increases, which in the long run is not very useful for blood vessels. And by tensing the abdominal muscles and twisting the pelvis, you can provoke the emergence of lumbar lordosis (a curve of the spine facing forward), which will negatively affect your posture.

Diastasis – a divergence of the inner edges of the abdominal muscles – can be a limitation for abdominal exercises. In this case, you should exercise with extreme caution and under the supervision of a specialist. As a rule, diastasis exercises are performed with a small amplitude, not including additional synergistic muscles (oblique muscles, hip flexors) – the movements should be isolated so as not to aggravate the condition.