20 Best Exercises To Lose Love Handles

The love handles (muffin tops) are the accumulations of fat on the sides of the waist, just above the hips. They get their name from the idea that they look like handles you could grab onto

Love handles can be frustrating because they can be difficult to get rid of and may affect the shape and size of the waist.

If you struggle with stubborn love handles that do not reduce, regardless of what you do? You are not alone; many people struggle and challenge to get rid of them.

But don’t worry; you can get rid of those love handles with the right exercise routine.

Remember that’ spot reduction is not possible, so in addition to the right exercise regime, you must focus on a healthy diet and lifestyle changes that can help reduce overall body fat and achieve a trimmer and more toned oblique.

Learn more about love handles and how to reduce them.

What Causes Love Handles?

The Love handles can be caused by many things like genetics, hormone changes, sitting too much, eating too much food, and eating too many calories.

• Fat that accumulates around the waist and hips.
• Genetic predisposition to storing fat in specific regions.
• Hormonal imbalances, particularly elevated levels of cortisol.
• The diet is full of processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fat.
• The lack of exercise and the sedentary lifestyle.
• Aging and Metabolism slow down
• Stress and elevated cortisol levels.
• Lack of sleep

Although love handles are not dangerous in themselves, they can be a sign of excess body fat. Obesity can increase the risk of developing chronic health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Here are some additional facts about love handles:

• They are more common in women than in men.
• They tend to become more pronounced as people age.
• They can be difficult to lose, but it is possible with diet and exercise.
• There is no one-size-fits-all solution for reducing love handles. What works for one person may not work for another.

Know Your Body Fat %: Use Our FREE BODY FAT Calculator

Oblique Exercises To Target Love Handles

Oblique exercises specifically target the muscles of the obliques, which are located on the sides of the abdomen. They contribute to the formation of love handles. Through targeted exercises, you can help reduce love handles and achieve a more sculpted waistline.

1. Side Plank

The side plank (oblique plank) is one of the best core exercises for strengthening the oblique abdominal muscles, which help to reduce love handles.

The side plank position also activates the shoulder, arm, and back muscles, enhancing the overall strength of the upper body.

If you’re new to planking, you should master the basic forearm plank before moving on to the side plank variation.

How To Do

1. Lie on your side with your legs extended and feet stacked on top of each other.
2. Place your elbow directly beneath your shoulder and align your forearm parallel to your body.
3. Engage your core, raise your hips off the ground, and Keep your body straight without sagging or arching.
4. Keep your neck relaxed and gaze straight ahead or slightly upward.
5. Hold the position for a desired amount of time (start with 20–30 seconds) and then lower your hips back down.
6. Repeat on the other side.

2. Oblique Crunch

The oblique crunch is a workout that works on the muscles on the side of your body. It helps to make the love handle area more slim and toned.

Oblique crunch also known as oblique V-up is a moderate-level oblique exercise that only requires the use of a mat.

Once you master the basic oblique V-up, you can increase the difficulty of the exercise by raising both legs off the ground.

How To Do

1. Lie on your right side, legs together and left leg on top of your right.
2. Place your left hand behind your head and your right elbow close to your body for support.
3. Use your oblique muscles to raise your top leg while simultaneously raising your torso to meet it.
4. Lower in a controlled motion and repeat until you complete your set.
5. Then, switch sides and repeat.
6. Exhale as you crunch upwards, and inhale as you lower back down.

3. Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch targets the rectus abdominis (six-pack muscles), obliques, and hip flexors, providing a comprehensive workout to get to love handles.

In a 2001 study by ACE, it was found that in compared to the standard crunch, the bicycle crunch produces 148% more mean activity in the abs and 190% more mean activity in the obliques.

How To Do

1. Lie on the floor with your legs straight and lower back flat.
2. Place your hands behind your head and raise your feet and upper back slightly off the floor.
3. Simultaneously, bring your right knee towards your chest while rotating your torso to bring your left elbow towards your right knee. Aim to touch them together.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement, bringing your left knee towards your chest while rotating your torso to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a bicycle pedaling motion.

4. Alternate Heel Touches

Alternate heel touches, also known as lying oblique reach, is the best home exercise that targets the oblique and abs muscles.

Reaching across the body to touch the heels also helps improve flexibility and increases the range of motion in the hips.

It is one of the great oblique exercises that beginners and intermediate athletes can do easily to grow their midsection.

How To Do

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Place your arms by your sides, palms facing down.
3. Engage your core muscles to stabilize your spine and maintain a neutral position.
4. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, keeping them elevated throughout the exercise.
5. As you exhale, reach your right hand toward your right heel, feeling the contraction in your right oblique.
6. Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side, reaching your left hand toward your left heel.
7. Continue alternating sides.
8. Don’t jerk from side to side; focus on oblique muscles while touching.

5. Dumbbell Side Bend

The dumbbell side bend effectively targets the internal and external obliques, strengthens the lateral flexion of the spine, improves spinal mobility, and helps reduce love handles.

It is an easy core exercise to practice at home. If you’re new to the exercise, practice the movement with your bodyweight alone.

For a more challenging oblique exercise, perform the side bend using a kettlebell or a pulley machine. But avoid using a heavy dumbbell for this exercise. Large, overdeveloped oblique muscles will make your waist appear bulky.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell with a neutral grip in your right hand and your arm at your side.
3. You can place your free hand behind your head.
4. Keep the dumbbell close to your side, your elbow very slightly bent, and your hips still.
5. Bend sideways at the waist to the left as low as possible, using your oblique muscles to pull your torso down.
6. Hold for a second and return to the starting position.
7. Complete the desired number of reps and repeat on the other side.

6. Cable Wood Chop

The cable wood chop is also known as the cable up-down twist; you must add these oblique workouts to your love handles exercises arsenal.

This is great for strengthening the twisting movement pattern of your torso and improving its ability to resist twisting forces.

It is a compound pulling motion and a functional exercise. While it primarily targets the abs and obliques, it also employs the shoulders, back, and glutes.

How To Do

1. Attach a handle to the top of the cable pulley.
2. Grasp the handle with both hands, with either your fingers interlaced or with one hand over the other.
3. Stand next to the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
4. Pull the handle diagonally downward until your torso faces away from the pulley and your hands are knee-height.
5. Don’t lock the knees and hips. Allow the hips and knees to rotate slightly.
6. Hold for a count of two. Then, slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Repeat the exercise on your opposite side.

7. Standing Oblique Twist

The Standing oblique twist is one of the best exercises to target your core muscles. It is one of the few exercises that specifically target the side muscles of your abs also known as “obliques”.

When you work out your oblique muscles, they become more visible, making your Love handles look slimmer and more defined.

How To Do

1. Grab a light barbell and rest it on your upper back, or bodyweight alone.
2. Stand up straight, with your feet firmly on the floor in a stance wider than shoulder width.
3. Slowly twist your torso to the right and then to the left. Tense up your midsection. Twist as far as possible.
4. Try to keep your abs tight throughout the whole set.
5. Keep the movement slow and under full control. Do not let momentum build because this can hurt your spine.
6. Avoid using heavy weights because the momentum may become too difficult to control.

Strength Exercises To Melt Love Handles

Strength exercises, such as weightlifting or resistance training, help reduce love handles by increasing muscle mass and boosting metabolism.

Resistance training builds lean muscle, which burns calories even when you’re not working out. This results in a reduction in body fat and a shrinking of love handles.

1. Standard Push-Ups

Standard push-ups are a classic and effective bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the upper body, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core

Push-ups are a convenient exercise option because they require no equipment and can be performed anywhere.

If you find full push-ups challenging, you can modify or try:

• Knee Push ups
• Wall Push ups
• Incline Push ups

How To Do

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms flat on the ground, and fingers pointing forward.
2. Make sure your feet are hip-width apart, drawing a straight line from your head to your toes.
3. Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line.
4. Keep your elbows close to your sides as you lower your body until your chest is a few inches off the ground.
5. Extend your arms to push back up to the starting position.

Know More: 25 Different Types Of Push Ups (Best Variations)

2. Bodyweight Squat

The squat is a good starting point if you want to add bodyweight exercises to your love-handle workout routine.

The bodyweight squat is a strengthening exercise that can be performed virtually anywhere without equipment and limited space. It’s a highly functional movement, working all the major muscles of the legs.

Beginners need to learn the bodyweight squat before progressing to weighted squats.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. The knees and feet should be pointed in the same direction.
2. Raise your arms out in front of you for balance (or you can leave them by your side)
3. Keep your back straight, head up, and torso upright.
4. Now push you pelvis back and simultaneously bend at the knees, lowering yourself until the crease of your hip is at least parallel with the top of the knees.
5. Don’t allow your knees to push too far forward.
6. Exhale as you return to the starting position.

3. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The dumbbell overhead shoulder press is a fundamental compound exercise that primarily targets the deltoid muscles, specifically the anterior (front) and medial (side) delts.

Compound exercises, such as the shoulder press, stimulate the body’s metabolism and increase calorie burn even after the workout.

As a result, it can create a calorie deficit, essential for losing body fat and reducing love handles.

How To Do

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, and hold two dumbbells at shoulder height with an overhand grip. (or can do the same on a seated position)
2. Extend through your elbows without leaning back to press the weights above your head.
3. Then, press the weights up above your head until your arms are fully extended.
4. Pause, and slowly return the weight to the starting position.
5. Always use the longest range of motion possible and control the dumbbells throughout the set.

4. Dumbbell Farmers Walk

The Farmer’s Walk is a strength and conditioning exercise in which you hold a heavy load in each hand while walking.

It engages various muscle groups throughout the body, including the core, shoulders, arms, back, and legs. It provides a comprehensive and functional workout.

Farmer walk is a great exercise for building abdominal and oblique muscles, improving grip strength, and toning love handles.

How To Do

1. Start by selecting a pair of dumbbells of equal weight that you can comfortably hold in each hand.
2. Hold the dumbbells at your side with a firm grip.
3. Stand tall, keeping your shoulders, back, and core tight.
4. Take controlled and deliberate steps to ensure that your shoulders stay down and relaxed.
5. Walk a certain distance or time, depending on your fitness level and available space.
6. To complete the exercise, stop walking and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

5. Kettlebell Swing

The Kettlebell Swing is a powerful exercise that involves swinging a kettlebell between the legs and up to chest height.

Kettlebell swings are based on the deadlift movement pattern and hit almost every muscle in the body, especially those of the posterior chain and core. This results in a stronger back, hamstring, calf, and hips.

Due to its dynamic nature and engagement of multiple muscle groups, the kettlebell swing promotes calorie burning and contributes to fat loss, including in the love handle area.

How To Do

1. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and stand in a spine-neutral position.
2. Place your arms in front of your body and hold the kettlebell with both hands, palms down.
3. Take a squat position with your knees bent and hips back, but don’t go too far down.
4. Drive your hips forward while swinging the kettlebell forward and up to shoulder height. You should feel your hips and glutes engaging in this motion.
5. Do not swing the kettlebell too high; stop when your arms are parallel with the floor.
6. The kettlebell should then be lowered back between your legs, and the swinging motion should be repeated for 12-15 repetitions.

6. Deadlift

The deadlift is the most powerful exercise for building an overall physique, utilizing more muscles than any other exercise.

The deadlift is the best exercise for posterior chain muscle strengthening. It works the whole body, including the Lower and upper back, arms, legs, and buttocks.

Doing deadlifts to reduce love handles has the following four main benefits:

1. Work several muscle groups, which will promote high-level fat loss.
2. Increase anabolic hormones that stimulate fat loss and muscle growth.
3. Burn more calories as compared to running
4. If you do it right, you can increase your cardio endurance.

How To Do

1. Place a barbell loaded with weights in front of you.
2. Grab the barbell using an underhand grip with one hand and an overhand grip with the other hand.
3. Now raise the bar from the ground using your hamstrings and glutes.
4. It would be best if you kept your legs slightly bent, your back straight, and your head looking up. Your heels, not toes or elbows, should provide the initial movement.
5. Raise it to the point where your body is erect.
6. Hold the bar for a moment at the top of the lift and remember to lockouts.
7. Complete the lift and do not go only halfway through.
8. Now lower the bar slowly at a steady slow pace by bending at the hips first and then at the knees and let the weight touch the ground for a moment before you begin the next rep

7. Renegade Row

The renegade row is a full-body exercise that targets the primary muscle groups of the back, shoulders, and core while also engaging the triceps, biceps, and legs.

Because it uses many muscles at once, it can burn a lot of calories and help you lose fat, especially around your love handles.

It is a variation of the traditional plank exercise that adds resistance by incorporating a rowing movement with dumbbells.

How To Do

1. Start by positioning yourself in a plank position with a pair of dumbbells placed on the floor underneath your shoulders.
2. Your hands should be in a neutral grip position, with your palms facing each other.
3. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
4. Begin the exercise by rowing one dumbbell up to the side of your chest.
5. Keep your elbow close to your body. And try to squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine as you lift the weight.
6. Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
7. Perform the row with your other arm; this completes one repetition.
8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Keep your hips steady and maintain a stable plank position throughout the exercise.

Cardio Exercises To Get Rid of Love Handles

Cardio exercises are good for reducing love handles because they help you burn calories, lose fat, and improve your cardiovascular fitness.

When you engage in activities such as running, cycling, jumping, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), you will create a calorie deficit essential for losing excess body fat, including love handles.

1. Jumping Rope

Jumping rope is a calorie-burning exercise that aids in weight loss and fat burning. This is a good way to lose calories and eliminate extra fat on your body, especially around your love handles.

Jumping rope is a convenient exercise option that can be done anywhere because it requires minimal space and equipment. It is a versatile exercise suitable for both indoor and outdoor settings.

How To Do

1. Hold the rope with your hands at hip height.
2. The knees must remain slightly bent, to land softly and to keep it from locking.
3. Engage your abs, loosen your shoulders, and turn the rope only with your wrists, not your entire arms. Rotate your wrists to swing the rope and jump.
4. The rope is flicked over the head and passed under the feet by pushing the toes into a quick but gentle hop.
5. Jump with both feet simultaneously, one foot at a time, alternating between feet, etc.
6. Repeat until the set is complete.

2. Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are an efficient total-body workout that you can do almost anywhere. This exercise is part of what’s called plyometrics, or jump training. Jumping jacks also involve your abdominal and shoulder muscles.

Jumping Jacks are a great full body exercise that enhances aerobic fitness, strengthens the body, and promotes relaxation. This workout also strengthens your muscles, boosts your metabolism, and aids in shedding love handles and sculpting your obliques.

How To Do

1. Stand straight with your feet together and hands by your sides.
2. Jump up, spread your feet and bring both hands together above your head.
3. Jump again and return to the starting position.
4. Repeat until the set is complete.
5. So, this is the last exercise, guys. Push it as hard as you can.
6. Keep the knees slightly bent and land softly on the balls of your feet.
7. Start with a comfortable pace and gradually increase the speed.

3. High Knees

High knees is an excellent bodyweight full-body movement that increases your heart rate, warms the muscles in your lower and upper body. It is suitable for people of all fitness levels because all you need to do is lift your body weight to burn love handles..

It engages your core, strengthens all the muscles in your legs, improves momentum, coordination, and flexibility.

Furthermore, it is possible to do it anywhere without any equipment, and it will fit into your busy schedule.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and start to jog in place.
2. As you do so, bring up one knee towards your chest, then switch legs when the other knee comes up.
3. With each high knee, trying to bring the knee up as high as possible while keeping a steady rhythm and maintaining your balance.

4. Battle Rope Training

Battle rope training is the perfect form of High-Intensity interval training to make your muscles stronger and build better cardio stamina. Furthermore, rope battles (HIIT) are a great way to trim down love handles.

One thing you need to remember is that, do not only work out with a single move (just making circles you should move and change your position after fewer repetitions, it will help to target the core muscles as well.

How To Do

• Stand facing the anchor with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
• Hold the ends of the ropes with an overhand grip, palms facing downward.
• Use your arms, shoulders, and core to make waves, slams, or other patterns.
• Keep standing up straight and steady while doing the exercises, making sure you do them correctly and with control.
• Vary the movements, intensity, and duration based on your fitness level and goals.

5. Jump Squat

Jump squats also known as squat jumps are the power—packed HIIT version of squats.

And their variations help shed fat from the body, tone your love handles, butt and legs, and improve strength and balance.

Squat jumps are a great leg exercise to include in-home workouts since they can be done in a small space without any equipment.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Quickly drop down by bending at the knees and hips, letting your glutes track backward to lower yourself into a squat.
3. At the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor, quickly and explosively reverse direction, driving up through your heels and the balls of your feet to lift your body off the floor as high as possible.
4. Land with soft knees and immediately lower into the next rep.
5. Don’t perform this exercise with cold muscles. Do a cardio warm-up before it.

Know Your Fat Loss Calories Requirement: Weight Loss Calculator

6. Crab Walk

The Crab walk is an excellent bodyweight exercise that particularly works the upper arms, shoulders, legs, and core.

It is excellent for toning, effectively targeting all your muscle groups and working them hard to build strength.

Moves like the crab walk are great total-body exercises that don’t require any additional equipment, making them ideal moves to perform when you don’t have a lot of time or fitness gear on hand.

How To Do

1. Position your hands and feet so that they are flat on the ground, and you are face up.
2. Lift your butt up off the ground by tightening your gluteal muscles.
3. Begin “walking” by first moving your hands and then your feet.
4. To avoid excessive shoulder strain, move your hands no more than 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) at a time.
5. Caution: Do not let your feet move too fast for your upper body so as not to injure your shoulders.

Avoid These Mistakes To Get Rid of Love Handles

When trying to get rid of love handles, it’s important to avoid common mistakes that can hinder your progress. Please be aware of the following mistakes:

• Exercise alone is not enough to eliminate love handles. Failure to maintain a healthy diet can sabotage your efforts. Remember to eat whole, nutrient-rich foods to create a calorie deficit.
• Working the oblique muscles is important, but doing too much of them can cause muscle imbalances. You should ensure that you do full-body strength and cardio workouts.
• Neglecting rest and recuperation. Overtraining can lead to injuries and burnout. Take breaks and recover from exercise to help your muscles grow and stay healthy.
• As mentioned earlier, spot reduction is a myth. To get the best results, combine exercises targeting the waistline, strength, cardio, and fat loss strategies.
• If you want to lose body fat, including love handles, you must make a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories than you burn.
• Pay attention to your overall calorie intake and aim for a balanced diet that is rich in whole foods, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.

Conclusion

To reduce love handles, it is important to take a comprehensive approach that combines targeted exercises, strength cardiovascular training, and a balanced diet.

• Specific exercises like side planks, oblique crunches, and bicycle crunches can strengthen and tone the oblique muscles.
• Strength exercises such as push-ups and shoulder presses help build muscle, boost metabolism, and improve overall body composition.
• Cardiovascular exercises, such as jumping rope, kettlebell swings, and jumping jacks, increase the heart rate, burn calories, and aid in fat loss, including the reduction of love handles.

Avoid common mistakes, such as not focusing on nutrition, eating more calories, not doing cardio, being inconsistent and patient, and not taking proper rest and recovery after training.

Stay motivated and keep working toward a stronger, fitter, and more toned body.

References

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• Hamlyn N, Behm DG, Young WB. Trunk muscle activation during dynamic weight-training exercises and isometric instability activities. J Strength Cond Res. 2007;21: 1108–1112. doi: 10.1519/R-20366.1
• Babraj JA, Vollaard NBJ, Keast C, Guppy FM, Cottrell G, Timmons JA. Extremely short duration high intensity interval training substantially improves insulin action in young healthy males. BMC Endocrine Disorders. 2009;9, article no. 3:1–8
• Crampes F, Beauville M, Riviere D, Garrigues M. Effect of physical training in humans on the responses of isolated fat cells to epinephrine. Journal of Applied Physiology. 1986;61(1):25–29
• Broeder CE, Burrhus KA, Svanevik LS, Wilmore JH. The effects of either high-intensity resistance or endurance training on resting metabolic rate. Am J Clin Nutr 55: 802–810, 1992 
• Ismail I, Keating SE, Baker MK, Johnson NA. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of aerobic vs. resistance exercise training on visceral fat. Obes Rev 13: 68–91, 2012

Best Exercises To Get Rid Of Love Handles (V- CUT)

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.