Wide Load Ahead: 2 Exercises You Should Avoid

As long as women continue to breath, retailers will push machines and exercises targeting women’s most popular trouble areas – the waist and thighs. Companies, like the Thigh Master and the Slim Waist Belt, will succeed even if their products fail, because all they need is your purchase. You, on the other hand, want results. So, even if one thing fails you, you’ll keep trying other ways to fix your trouble spots.

While on the quest to slim down, you’ll likely discover exercises that feel like they work. Unfortunately, these exercises may give you more than you bargained for.

If you want to avoid a wide load, then here are a few things you should know.

NO!
Inner and outer thigh machines can add width to your thighs – and width is something most people (women in particular) do not want. In addition, our thighs may not lack tone as much as they simply have an over abundance of fat, causing them to feel mushy.

GO!
To slim down giggly thunder thighs, spend less time on the inner thigh machine and more time on the elliptical or treadmill to melt the fat. Incorporate more exercises like Walking Lunges, Bench Step-up Lunges, Single-leg Leg Press (pictured above) or One-legged Squats. Because these exercises require balance, you will shape your entire thigh in one move, including your inner and outer thighs, without bulking up – and outward.

NO! 
Weighted side bends are another exercise that can add width to our physiques. Ironically, people do them in attempt to slim down the waist, not thicken it.

GO! 
Trade side bends for streamlining exercises like Oblique Crunches, snowboarder crunch, Medicine Ball Chop, or Bicycle Kick. These exercises tighten all the muscles that act as tie down straps to your waist, much like a corset (like in this photo) – pulling your waist inward.

NOTE: Resistance exercise simply tones muscle under the fat. Remember, no exercise will improve fatty thighs or love handles without a proper diet and necessary cardio to help shed excess body fat.

Photo Credits:
Bikini Photo: bodychronicle.com
One-Legged Leg Press: exercise.com
Celebrity Corset: funny-pics-fun.com