Does waist size increase when lifting?

Yes, waist size can increase due to weight lifting. Strength training breaks muscle fibers that then grow bigger and stronger after rest and an adequate intake of protein. Building your core muscles will make these muscles more pronounced and slightly increase your waist size. However, this isn’t typically very noticeable and can be easily fixed by reducing your body fat percentage. You get to keep the abs and reduce an extra inch off the waistline.

How does working the obliques increase waist size?

Due to the location of the obliques (the ‘love handle’ area of the midsection), targeting them during exercise can cause them to grow, thereby making your waist bigger and broader. Please note that this doesn’t mean you should stop exercising your obliques. These muscles are quite important to your overall core strength, and you’re advised to keep them in tip-top shape. It should be clear that it’s best to choose to avoid weights when working on your love handles ( 3 ).

Is waist size genetic?

Yes, it is. Two studies from 1998 and 1999 showed that aside from lifestyle and environmental factors, waist size is also highly influenced by your genes ( 9 , 8 ). This could explain why despite doing all the core workouts, some people can’t get an hourglass figure and some people tend to hold their weight in their stomach more than others.

Do squats increase waist size?

No, they don’t. Squats are largely a lower-body workout that targets your gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductor, hip flexors, and calves. Doing squats constantly will make these muscles bigger. Fun fact: squats also target the core muscles – specifically the rectus abdominis and erector spinae, albeit not directly. This helps increase core strength, which helps with balance.