What type of exercises should I do to target my love handles?

Introduction

Do you feel like you can’t seem to get rid of those annoyingly persistent love handles? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Upper body fat can be stubborn to shift, with some areas, such as the lower abdomen, being even trickier. Yet, with the right approach, you can start to make a dent in getting those love handles to disappear!

The key is to implement an effective muscle-building and toning routine that will not only reduce fat around your love handles but also target your entire upper body. This guide takes a look at the different exercises which you can use to help get rid of love handles and tone your body in no time.

Upper Body Workouts

There are plenty of exercises which you can use to help reduce fat around your love handles as well as tone and build muscle in your upper body.

Chest Exercises:

• Push Ups – One of the most popular chest exercises. Start by getting into a push up position, keeping your body in a straight line with arms extended, then lower your chest to the floor. Push back up and repeat.


• Dumbbell Bench Press – This exercise targets your chest muscles in one of the most effective ways. Lie flat on your back with a dumbbell in each hand, and slowly press the weights upwards until your arms are extended, and then slowly lower them back down to your chest.


• Barbell Chest Press – Similar to the Dumbbell Bench Press, but this involves using a barbell. You’ll need to use a firm and sturdy spotter to ensure you can keep proper posture and lift the correct weight.

Back Exercises:

• Pull Ups – Grab hold of a bar with a wide grip, and pull yourself up until you reach the top of the bar. You can use a pull up machine or a set of dip bars for this exercise.


• Barbell Rows – To do a barbell row, stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and slightly bend your knees. Hold the barbell with both hands and pull it towards your chest, keeping your back straight. Slowly lower the barbell back to starting position and repeat.


• Lat Pulldowns – This is a great exercise for working your lats and other back muscles. Attach a bar to a cable machine and grab it with a wide grip. Keeping your back straight, pull the bar down until it is just below your chest and slowly release back up.

Shoulder Exercises:

• Shoulder Press – Start with the barbell at shoulder height and your feet shoulder width apart. Push the barbell up over your head, and then lower back down to the start position.


• Barbell Front Raises – Grab the barbell and hold it straight in front of your body with arms extended. Then, lift the barbell up towards your forehead and lower it back down to starting position.


• Cable Rear Delt Raises – Fasten a rope handle to a cable machine and stand facing away from it. With arms extended, hold the handle and pull it towards your sides, raising your arms up to shoulder level. Slowly lower your arms back down to starting position and repeat.

FAQ

Q: How often should I do these exercises?

A: To see the best results, aim to do at least 3-4 upper body workouts per week. Be sure to always take a day or two off in between sessions to give your muscles time to rest and recover.

Q: How long will it take me to see results?

A: That really depends on how often you are doing the workouts, how much effort you are putting in, and your diet. Typically, if you are following a consistent routine and eating a healthy diet, you should start to see results in a few weeks.

Q: Is it possible to target love handles with exercises?

A: While there are no specific exercises which can target your love handles, targeting the main muscles of your upper body can help to reduce fat around them. Using the exercises mentioned in this guide, you can begin to tone and build muscle in your core, shoulder, and back which can help reduce the fat around your love handles.

Conclusion

Love handles can be hard to shift and take some patience and determination, but with this upper body workout guide, you can start to make a difference. Implement the exercises outlined above into your weekly routine and you can begin to see a difference in no time!