Get a Curvy Body

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An hourglass figure is the epitome of femininity, made famous by Marilyn Monroe and other ‘60s icons. To get a curvy body, you need to accentuate the bust and hips, while cinching the waist and lifting the butt. What you need to do to achieve an hourglass figure will depending upon your starting point, so choose the methods below that apply to your body.

Steps

Reducing Overall Weight

  1. Do cardio exercise three to four days per week, every other day. Cardio keeps your weight stable while providing muscle toning. Remember that it is impossible to target fat loss in one area of the body; cardio helps you burn fat all over your body.
    • You can, however, target muscle growth. Move on to the hip and butt sections to learn how to do this.
  2. Choose interval workouts over moderate intensity workouts. You can increase your fat burning potential by alternating moderate and high intensity. 20 to 30 minute interval workouts can be more efficient than one-hour medium intensity workouts.
  3. Pick walking, elliptical training, swimming or biking over long-distance running. If you are naturally skinny, high intensity workouts might burn off the fat in your bust and hips that makes you more curvy. Choose a total body interval workout or walking to stay in shape without losing muscle mass and hip or bust size.
  4. Consider a cardio plus conditioning workout. Flow yoga, barre method, body sculpt and aerobics can build lean muscle while they burn fat, saving you time in your schedule.
  5. Embrace hills or stairs while you walk, hike or run. They will burn fat and tone your butt, hips, thighs and calves.

Reducing the Waist

  1. Learn the Pilates ab series. Pilates is focused on reducing inches and building deep muscles that will shrink your waist. Pull your ab muscles in and up and hard as you can while you lift your chest to the bottom of your shoulder blades during each of these exercises.
  2. Start with the Pilates “one hundred.” Lay on your back with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle, a pose called “table top.” Pump your arms between your knees and hips for 90 seconds.
    • Breathe in and out for five seconds each until the 90 seconds is up.
  3. Move to the “single leg stretch.” Remain in tabletop position. Hug your right leg into your chest while your left leg goes straight out to a 45-degree angle.
    • Pull your knee in twice and then switch legs.
    • Repeat for 60 seconds.
  4. Continue with the “double leg stretch.” Start in table top while hugging your legs. Then, reach your legs out straight to a 45-degree angle and your arms back to a 45-degree angle.
    • Hold for two seconds, and then fold into the starting position.
    • Repeat eight times.
    • Your torso should not move during the entire exercise. Only the arms and legs will move in towards your body and away from it.
  5. Do “straight leg stretch.” Straighten both your legs and place them in a 45-degree angle from your body. Bring one leg in and pull it in gently twice.
    • Switch your legs and grasp your opposite leg. Keep your legs straight the entire time.
    • Repeat eight times on each side.
  6. Follow with the “lower leg lift.” Place your hands behind your head with your elbows wide. Straighten your legs so that they are sticking straight up.
    • Lower them to a 45-degree angle, and then raise them up again.
    • Repeat eight to 12 times.
    • If your lower back starts to lift, lower the legs less than a 45-degree angle.
    • Place your hands below your hips when you do this exercise if you have lower back problems.
  7. Finish with the “criss cross.” Return to the same position you used when you did the single leg stretch. This time, place your hands behind your head with your elbow out.
    • Twist your left armpit toward your right leg as it bends in toward your chest.
    • Switch legs as you reach your right armpit in toward your left knee.
    • Repeat eight times on each side.
    • Lower your legs and arms down and reach them as long as you can on your mat to stretch out your abdominal muscles.[1]

Sculpting Hips and Butt

  1. Embrace strengthening exercises. Do 30 minutes of bodyweight exercises, weight machines or free weights two to three times a week on nonconsecutive days. Weightlifting in addition to cardio will help to tone muscles in the areas of your choice.
  2. Try butt-toning exercises every other day. Get on all fours on an exercise mat. Lift one leg straight out behind you at a low angle.
    • Pulse your foot toward the ceiling in small movements for one minute.
    • Switch legs and repeat.
  3. Exercise your hips every other day. Lay on your back in a bridge position, with your legs and shoulders steady on the ground and your hips lifted.
    • Pull your abs inward and up as you do this exercise.
    • Pulse your hips down and raise them up one inch. Repeat for one minute.
    • Rest and repeat again until you reach fatigue.[2]
  4. Do a one-minute plank. Get in a pushup position with abs tucked in and up. Hold your body straight for one minute while breathing in and out as slowly as possible.
  5. Perform side plank lifts. Hold a side plank, where your body has a straight line from your left arm to your ankles. Lift your hips one inch and lower them back to the straight line.[3]
    • Repeat for 30 seconds.
    • Switch to your right side and repeat.
    • This exercise tones your abs, obliques and hips.
    • For added benefit, reach your opposite, resting arm above your head to make your side longer and more engaged.

Tips

  • Lower your upper body and hug your knees to your chest if your neck gets tired during the Pilates ab series. Rest for 10 seconds. Try to look down at your stomach muscles and pull them in tighter. As you repeat the series, you will start to build strength in the stomach and you can do more exercises in succession.
  • To complete the hourglass figure, you will need to have the appearance of a large bust. You can use push up bras if you want to enhance the size of your chest and get a more dramatic curve between your waist and your bust.
  • You can also purchase butt-enhancing underwear. These panties include padding in the butt to accentuate the curve between your buttocks, hips and waist.

Things You'll Need

  • Hills/stairs
  • Exercise mat
  • Free weights/exercise machines
  • Push up bra
  • Padded underwear

Sources and Citations