Target the bulges: Fitness for women

There are many fitness workout plans that you can follow to keep your body and health on tab. There are many that The Week has recommended in its past columns and has also suggested readers to change their fitness routines every week in order to draw motivation on trying something new and also because different fitness programs work on different target points.



But sometimes many efforts fail when you aren’t directing your daily exercises on the required areas. Women specially have such problems when they might be doing crunches or yoga but yet they aren’t able to look perfect in their favorite dresses. That’s because you aren’t focusing on the bulges that keep you from looking your best.[break]



The Week has listed some of the major bulge areas for women and the recommended exercise solutions. It’s time to try them out.



Photo: The Week



Beauty bones

If collarbones come into your priority list for having a perfectly shaped body but their visibility is just fading away, then it’s time to lose some fat from the neck and chest area. Many people believe that collarbones accentuate a lean appearance and help to look one attractive in deep neck tops that will surely be a regular for the coming summer.



The workout for love handles is also helpful for the visible collarbones. To decrease the fat in the neck and chest area, you’ll need to lose the overall fat of the body. So jogging or running for 30-45 minutes can also enhance the collarbones. Apart from that, there are a few stretch exercises that can help to make the collarbones visible.



Shoulder shrug is the simplest exercise for protruding collar bones. All you need to do is pull up the shoulders and hold for 4-6 seconds. Then relax your shoulders slowly and repeat it 10 times.



You can also pull the chest bone muscles in front till the collarbone protrudes out. Hold the stretch for 5-8 seconds before slowly relaxing. Repeat this 10-15 times.



Love handles

The bulge around the belly that makes a tire-like structure right below the waist may have a cute name to it, but it sure isn’t cute when it peeks through your t-shirts. Now that the summer is just around the corner and there will no more be thick clothes to cover the bulge, it’ll make its ugly appearance, especially if you’re wearing tight jeans. But thankfully, a lot of cardio exercises can flatten the lower abs and you can get rid of excess love handles.



Lie on your back and take your hands to the back of the head. Fold your knees and lift the shoulder blades and twist the right elbow to the left knee. Hold the position for 8-10 seconds and slowly lie back on the floor. Then repeat the same with the left elbow towards the right knee. Two sets of 15 repetitions will be helpful to rid of the belly bulge.



Armpit fat

Many of us are initially unaware of the bulge that hangs from below the armpit. These extra flesh go unnoticed till they become a huge roll. These kinds of fat are said to be more common in women than in men. If the bulge grows bigger, it may give you an ugly look when you’re wearing strapless dresses or tight blouse. No matter how classy and expensive the dress, the bulge will help only to decrease its charm. You may customize your clothing accordingly to cover up the excess bulge peeking from below the armpits but workouts focused on tightening those muscles will help you cut out the armpit fat and let you choose the dress without the fear of ugly armpit bulges.



Stand next to the chair with dumbbell in the right hand. Place the left knee and hand on seat and extend the right arm to the floor. Bending the elbow out to side, slowly bring the weight up to your chest. Two sets of 15 repetitions on each side are recommended during your daily workout session.



Thighs mushiness

The hips and thighs are considered to be the first places where most women tend to store fat and the last ones they lose. But who wouldn’t want shapely thighs that look just right in skinny jeans or summer shorts? The bulge on the hips and thighs can kill your style as much as the love handles do. So you should just get right straight on a workout regime because this part of the body will need a lot of attention and patience.



There are series of exercises like squats, lunges and hamstring rolls that specifically target the hips, butts and thighs. To make it more intense, you can add dumbbells and resistance bands to the exercises.



Stand with your feet slightly apart and flex your abdominal muscles and step forward with your right leg, while your torso stays straight. Bend your knee until it forms a 90-degree angle. Push into your heel and return to your starting position. Repeat with your other feet.



Stand with your feet slightly apart and bend in a sitting position until your thighs are parallel to the floor. If you want, you can also keep your arms parallel to the floor. Stay in this position for 30 seconds before returning to your starting point.

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