# Waistline and abdominal exercises **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163 "2008-04-20T22:28:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/1 "2008-04-20T22:28:59Z")
I’ve lost 50 pounds since I’ve been dieting, and have only a little further to go. A lot of the loss in volume has been from the hips and my backside. I’d like to tighten up my waistline and abdomen. The latter is still kind of droopy. What are considered to be the best exercises, not using gym equipment, to get a flatter belly, and to shrink the waistline? ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/2 "2008-04-20T23:44:24Z")
Everyone loses weight differently but, as far abdominal exercises go, this is a very good book. Some of the exercises are quite advanced but you don’t need to do all the exercises just pick the ones that work best for you. His book on stretching is even better. > **[Bullet-proof ABS](https://books.google.ca/books?id=CNpcnoCG87AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Pavel%2BTsatsouline&client=firefox-a&source=gbs_summary_r&hl=en)** > > Discover How to Gain Maximum Muscle-Strength in Minimum Time, Using Breakthrough Techniques That Blow the Roof Off Traditional Ab Exercises.As a former Soviet Union Special Forces conditioning coach Pavel Tsatsouline already knew a thing or two about... ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/3 "2008-04-21T00:40:25Z")
Thanks for the advice. I doubt I’ll ever look like a model, but my new clothes options would be better if I could trim a little more off of the waist. I’m going to call Barnes and Noble here in town to see if they have that book in stock! ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/4 "2008-04-21T00:47:32Z")
I hope it helps. I forgot to mention that the first few pages of the book feature a device he uses called a Pavelizer or something like that. Skip over that part, you don’t need it. I’ve lent out my copy so I can’t tell you which pages but it’ll be pretty obvious. It doesn’t take away from the value of the book but can be misleading if you open it to check it out and that’s the first thing that catches your attention. I found 3 or 4 exercises I liked and stuck with them (for a while anyway, I have to get back at it too). ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/5 "2008-04-21T00:49:29Z")
Pavel’s books are good, but if you have loose skin, nothing you do short of surgery is going to tighten it up. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/6 "2008-04-21T01:27:07Z")
No, it’s not loose skin, it’s just lack of tone. Like I said, I’m still kind of droopy. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/7 "2008-04-21T05:08:27Z")
[QUOTE=ultrafilter] Pavel’s books are good, but if you have loose skin, nothing you do short of surgery is going to tighten it up. [/QUOTE] Is that really true? Because following pregnancy I had some really loose skin, and yet now, 12 years later, it is no longer loose. In fact, six months later it was no longer loose. Note to Baker: I found a great one for getting rid of the pregnancy paunch. It’s basically sucking your gut in, as hard as you can, and holding it for ten seconds. Done regularly. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/8 "2008-04-21T12:42:28Z")
[QUOTE=Hilarity N. Suze] Is that really true? [/QUOTE] It’s true to first order. Your age and the amount of weight you’ve lost are factors in how well you recover, and there’s probably significant individual variance. But most people who are over 40 and lose a significant amount of weight (at least 50 pounds) find that their skin doesn’t tighten up in any reasonable amount of time. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waistline-and-abdominal-exercises/446163/9 "2008-04-21T14:16:05Z")
It doesn’t work like that. > **[Spot reduction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spot_reduction)** > > Spot reduction refers to the claim that fat in a certain area of the body can be targeted for reduction through exercise of specific muscles in that desired area. For example, exercising the abdominal muscles in an effort to lose weight in or around one's midsection. Fitness coaches and medical professionals as well as physiologists consider the claim to be disproved. > Over time it has become clear to trainers and health professionals that the idea of working out certain muscle groups, in order t...