Free weights side bends for obliques - waist bigger?

[clinthammer]

Well for the past 3 weeks - twice a week i do free weight side bends using 10lb plates on each side. I hold each plate with each hand and then do the side bend - similar to using dumbells.

Now I have found this extremely effective in conjunction with bar side twists, leg raises, hanging leg raises, janda situps, roman crunches and hanging gorilla crunch.

But the instructor told me today that even if my bf is low (14%) my waist will get bigger?

Is this true?

[aqua-beowulf]

Well for the past 3 weeks - twice a week i do free weight side bends using 10lb plates on each side. I hold each plate with each hand and then do the side bend - similar to using dumbells.

Now I have found this extremely effective in conjunction with bar side twists, leg raises, hanging leg raises, janda situps, roman crunches and hanging gorilla crunch.

But the instructor told me today that even if my bf is low (14%) my waist will get bigger?

Is this true?

I think people worry about that more than they should. Your waist could get bigger since the development of your oblique muscle through weighted side bends could make your obliques stand out more. Note, I said could. I doubt if that will happen at that low of a weight you're using.

[Uriel_da_man]

Yep, people worry too much with the size of their obliques (wich actualy help you keep your bowels tucked in tight) yet they work their abs like madmen (wich will simply stick out when hypertrophied).

[supplementsavvy]

I actually love this exercise and use 80 Ib. dumbells and do one side at a time. After starting these, by whole abdominal region has become much stronger and I feel it's really helped put more power in my strikes and kicks (kickboxing). My obliques are much tighter than they were before but they're not noticeably bigger. I think people just keep repeating the size 'myth' whenever somebody brings up this exercise..remember that some muscles are not programmed to hypertrophy the way other muscles are.

[GetImpact]

Unless you are after some sort of extremely slender waist, I wouldn't worry about whether you are putting too much effort into building the midriff. Hard to thicken it up too much without the use of anabolic drugs and GH.

I have a naturally thick, muscular waistline. Even so, I spend time hammering a heavy standing bag and doing a whole host of exercises focusing on strengthening the lower torso. That is the foundation for all of your upper body strength anyhow. If you are weak there, sustaining a lifting injury is just a matter of time (and you will get stuck using machines to lift).

Also, if you develop that area sufficiently, you will have potential for hugely powerful punches and kicks. Puts a little bite behind all that bark you are carrying around in a muscular body. IMO, that is something that is nice to have.

[IronBender800]

Well for the past 3 weeks - twice a week i do free weight side bends using 10lb plates on each side. I hold each plate with each hand and then do the side bend - similar to using dumbells.

Now I have found this extremely effective in conjunction with bar side twists, leg raises, hanging leg raises, janda situps, roman crunches and hanging gorilla crunch.

But the instructor told me today that even if my bf is low (14%) my waist will get bigger?

Is this true?

side bends will only make your waist bigger if you use a heavy enough weight. The abs and obiques will grow and get bigger just like any other muscle if you train them heavy. 10lbs wont thicken them imo though..

[BernieD]

^well said

I stay away from them, there are plenty of other good oblique exercise, cuz yes, if you do them heavy, you will get a thicker waist that may look like "love handles." Not saying it's a fact, that it's bound to happen, but there's a strong chance it will

[Autum To Ashes]

my waist is only 28 inches..should i try to make it bigger?

[Dominik]

Unless you are after some sort of extremely slender waist, I wouldn't worry about whether you are putting too much effort into building the midriff. Hard to thicken it up too much without the use of anabolic drugs and GH.

Man, that HGH stuff has sure thickened out some midsections in its time. It's refreshing to look at the older Olympia photos and see a genuine V shape. Remember the old stomach "vacuum?" Impossible for those big guys now.

I wouldn't worry about high rep work with light weights for the abs, I do it myself occasionally, but nothing heavy or extreme, and no oblique-specific stuff with any resistance involved, only light twisting without weight. The more narrow the waist is compared to everything above it, the better it all looks IMHO.