How to Get an Hourglass Figure Through Weight Lifting
In order to give the illusion of an hourglass figure, you need to develop the muscles in the upper back, as well as strengthen and develop the shoulder muscles with weights. Shrinking the internal and external obliques is also a must to make the waist smaller. The following three exercises with weights will give you that V-taper, better known as the hourglass figure.
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Things You'll Need
- Lat pull-down machine
- Lat pull-down or other cable machine
- Cable cross machine
Instructions
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Wide-Grip Lat Pull-down
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1
Grab the lat pull bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with an overhand grip.
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2
Place the knees under the pad when seated and place your feet flat on the floor for support.
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3
Straighten your back and contract you abs. Keep your eyes forward and slowly pull the bar down toward the collarbone.
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4
Hold for a split second and contract the lat muscles.
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5
Raise the hands above the head back to the starting position. Repeat this movement slowly.
Standing Cable Straight Arm Pull-down
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6
Stand in front of the cable machine and grip the lat bar, palms facing down, elbows slightly bent, just slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
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7
Bend your knees slightly and contract the abs to support the lower back.
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8
Exhale, keeping wrists straight and strong. Pull the bar down toward the thighs in an arcing motion. Hold for a second.
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9
Inhale and slowly return the bar to the starting position. Repeat.
Terry Cable Pull
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10
Place yourself between two pulleys at a cable cross machine. Hold onto a grip, one in each hand.
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11
Keep one foot back and one foot in front, in a lunge-like position.
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12
Drop onto the back knee. Arms should be stretched out to the sides with the palms facing upwards.
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13
Pull the elbows down and inward toward the rib cage. Hold for a second.
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14
Release the arms back to the starting position. Repeat.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Shoulder blades should be pulled together throughout the entire movement to also strengthen the rhomboids, the muscles that help keep you from hunching over.
Avoid all exercises with weights that involve using the external and internal obliques. These moves will thicken up the side abdominal muscles and distort the hourglass figure.
