How to build a thick waste...not !!!

[dragonfly]

OK, to all "abs specialist" on the forum, what are the best exercises for building a strong core with minimum hypertrophy? I’m asking this because I’ve noticed that my waist line has somewhat disappeared ! I do have a six pack but it is just a biiiiit too thick for my liking I weigh 123lb, 15% BF and so far I’ve mostly done either weighed crunches on a decline bench (example: 66lb dumbell, 10reps, dropset to 55lbs 10 reps, 44lbs reps to failure, 3 sets) and cable crunches (132lb, 10 reps, dropset to 121lb, 15 reps, 3 sets). Only recently I started doing hanging knee raises. Most of what I do in the gym is compound exercises like deadlifts, squats, powercleans etc. Sure, some of these exercises work abs to an extent, however personally I found core strength to be a limiting factor to my deadlifting which is kind of annoying (currently may max dead is 165lb, 6reps, I’ve started weightlifting 15 months ago). I’d like to know how to get around that problem without looking like a tree trunk, I am a female after all, I am not afraid of heavy weights but I need to keep my curves ! :chick:

[futurepilot]

First...Mental and Texas' Wired BBing Show

All the deads, squats, powercleans are adding to a more solid core. Did you have the curves your talking about at one time? Because body type/shape has alot to do with your bone structure and genetics.

[dragonfly]

Yes I did have a smaller waste but then I got too carried away with dumbells on decline just to show off

[pistonpump]

thick waste as in a thick sh1t???

awww...its you, dragonfly, sorry i was gonna flame you on your spelling but its just sweet lil ol you. haha.


waist.

[dragonfly]

thick waste as in a thick sh1t???

awww...its you, dragonfly, sorry i was gonna flame you on your spelling but its just sweet lil ol you. haha.


waist.

Well, what can I say pistonpump, I'll do anything to get attention

OK, corrected my spelling, too embarrassing for someone with a PhD, haha ! Good my referees are not on this forum !

[smshannon001]

a lot of people say the squats will widen and/or thicken the waist... maybe throw in lunges every other instead of squats

[BigCasino]

Sure, some of these exercises work abs to an extent, however personally I found core strength to be a limiting factor to my deadlifting which is kind of annoying (currently may max dead is 165lb, 6reps, I’ve started weightlifting 15 months ago). I’d like to know how to get around that problem without looking like a tree trunk, I am a female after all, I am not afraid of heavy weights but I need to keep my curves ! :chick:

For your stats and lifting exp., that 165 x 6 Deadlift is pretty impressive young lady. Props for that!

At the same time however, I believe the deadlift (like squatting) not only strengthens the core but contributes to overall core hypertropy and thus a thicker muscles midsection. The deadlift is by far my favorite lift, but for me it shows, I have thick obliques on my sides, spinal erectors in the back that look like snakes, and my abs are just kinda this mass that juts out @ the front. All this on someone that started out with a pretty tiny little midsection.

I bet you are being harder on yourself than you need to be though, hypertrophy of your obliques would just add to the hour glass figure around your waist right? I vote for pix for constructive advice

[pistonpump]

i second the request for pics for a better analysis.

[dragonfly]

If you all insist....
Usually I'm a bit more cut than this but I've been "eatin' up" for the last week because I'm racing in an 8hr mountainbiking event this weekend...I'd rather do a mini-bulk before racing than risking to WASTE the muscle away...

Now that I have exposed myself, I want some constructive advice !! :clean:

[futurepilot]

I’d like to know how to get around that problem without looking like a tree trunk,

I think you solved that problem, whatever your doing has you in great condition, honestly.

When you started talking about a thick waist, squats and powercleans i pictured you as a female russian shot putter.

So to answer your question, you must be blind because you get a 10/10 from me.

[SoCo4Fun]

I think it has a lot to do with how you hold your core when lifting. My fiancee has been a dancer her whole life and she gets on my case for this all the time. By holding your core correctly throughout the day it helps you hold it correctly when you lift which helps keep the proper abdominal "shape"...the best way to find out how to hold your abs is to cough...the way you flex when you cough is how you want to hold your abs most of the time to help with posture and that shape...sorry if this rant doesn't make sense...my REDuctions PM pills are kicking in and my thoughts are a little random.

[BigCasino]

Dragonfly,

I'm going to have to agree with futurepilot here, I was picturing a much more blocky figure. You're saying this is you below your usual level of definition, but even this is very impressive to me. I really would like to compliment you on your obliques, especially in the second picture (color).

The only thing I could ask, is if your goal is to have visible abs? From those photos it is difficult to visually see the abs, although your core looks very good, but for a woman to have abs visible it just becomes a matter of body fat %. Personally though, I think the look you have is great in that it is athletic, strong looking, but also very feminine / natural. FWIIW, I showed it to my girlfriend and she said it was inspiring.

Only other thing I would add, is that if you want to make your waist look smaller, you could continue to develop your lats / delts to further enhance your v-taper

[dragonfly]

I think you solved that problem, whatever your doing has you in great condition, honestly.

When you started talking about a thick waist, squats and powercleans i pictured you as a female russian shot putter.

So to answer your question, you must be blind because you get a 10/10 from me.

HAHA, not blind, just a perfectionist I'm afraid....
Here is what I'm talking about:

I know that the woman in the pics is stage ready with sub 10% BF, however, my point is, there are some exercises that contribute to an hourglass figure and there are others that do the opposite. I've done some research, and things like planks, side planks, kickboxing, stability exercises (example, try to squat standing on a medicine ball) are do's for hourglass fig, while weighed crunches (specially training obliques with weight) are Anything else ?

[dragonfly]

Dragonfly,

I'm going to have to agree with futurepilot here, I was picturing a much more blocky figure. You're saying this is you below your usual level of definition, but even this is very impressive to me. I really would like to compliment you on your obliques, especially in the second picture (color).

The only thing I could ask, is if your goal is to have visible abs? From those photos it is difficult to visually see the abs, although your core looks very good, but for a woman to have abs visible it just becomes a matter of body fat %. Personally though, I think the look you have is great in that it is athletic, strong looking, but also very feminine / natural. FWIIW, I showed it to my girlfriend and she said it was inspiring.

Only other thing I would add, is that if you want to make your waist look smaller, you could continue to develop your lats / delts to further enhance your v-taper

Thanks BigCasino, yes I do want to have visible abs, and probably will straight after the 8hr race
Also, trying to work more on my upper body, as you say, great lats/delts will make the waist look smaller. I'm guilty of overexercising my lower body cause it is my strongest part and as a female I find it hard to build mass in my upper body. After 6 months of training I could deadlift more than my bodyweight, took me 12 to get the bench even remotely close to that, another 20lb to go, haha... !

[Cub]

I thought I was coming into this thread to get tips on taking a bigger crap.

Looking good dragonfly!

[pistonpump]

i say you look fine, great actually. Building lats will help you out but id say its you natural body type thats the main issue. Looks like you have a bigger lower body and high hips which tend to make peoples waist look bigger, im the same way i think. I dont know if that made sense at all but honestly your midsection looks perfect. Maybe bigger glutes and lats and and 1-2% bf less.....idk, i think you look fine

[TimberLakers]

Dragonfly,

I'm going to have to agree with futurepilot here, I was picturing a much more blocky figure. You're saying this is you below your usual level of definition, but even this is very impressive to me. I really would like to compliment you on your obliques, especially in the second picture (color).

The only thing I could ask, is if your goal is to have visible abs? From those photos it is difficult to visually see the abs, although your core looks very good, but for a woman to have abs visible it just becomes a matter of body fat %. Personally though, I think the look you have is great in that it is athletic, strong looking, but also very feminine / natural. FWIIW, I showed it to my girlfriend and she said it was inspiring.

Only other thing I would add, is that if you want to make your waist look smaller, you could continue to develop your lats / delts to further enhance your v-taper

I followed BigCasino's lead here and showed my girlfriend. She did NOT feel inspired, and instead just slapped me upside the grill...

[dragonfly]

[QUOTE=Cub;1474546]I thought I was coming into this thread to get tips on taking a bigger crap.

Take an overdose of Drive with an overdose of Flaxseed meal

[firefighter2032]

Now that I have exposed myself, I want some constructive advice !! :clean:

WOW...

I can't think of any constructive advise...so I'll stick with the above statement

[jakellpet]

Get a 10/10 from me too - I personally doing see a thick waist at all.