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Exercises

Love handle exercises: obliques plus the lifts that burn the most

Published October 29, 2026

Love handles are fat on the sides of your waist, and it comes off through overall fat loss, not by training that spot. What exercise adds is muscle: side planks, side plank hip dips, woodchops, Pallof presses, side bends, Russian twists and suitcase carries build the obliques under the fat, and goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, rows, push-ups and kettlebell swings use the most muscle to support the fat loss itself. Lift 3 days a week, put 2 or 3 oblique exercises at the end of each session, and eat a little less than you burn.

  1. Side Plank Abs
  2. Dumbbell Side Plank Hip Dip Abs
  3. Cable Woodchop Abs
  4. Pallof Press Abs
  5. Dumbbell Suitcase Carry Abs, Quads
  6. Goblet Squat Quads, Glutes
  7. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift Hamstrings, Glutes
  8. Kettlebell Swing Glutes, Hamstrings

Obliques: bending and lifting sideways

The obliques run along the sides of your waist, right under love handles. These exercises make them lift your hips or your trunk sideways against a load, which is the simplest way to strengthen and grow them.

Obliques, side hold

Side Plank

Abs

Holding your hips up on one elbow makes the obliques on the bottom side work to stop you sagging. It is the starting point for side waist training and needs only a floor.

How to do it

  1. Lie on one side with your elbow under your shoulder and your legs stacked.
  2. Lift your hips until your body is straight from head to feet.
  3. Hold, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Hips high
  • Stacked feet
  • Elbow under shoulder

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop toward the floor as the hold goes on.
  • Rolling the chest forward or back.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Plank, Copenhagen Plank

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Obliques, side plank with movement

Dumbbell Side Plank Hip Dip

Abs

Lowering and raising your hips from a side plank with a dumbbell on your top hip turns the hold into reps you can add weight to. It is the side plank's harder, loadable version.

How to do it

  1. Set up in a side plank on your elbow with a dumbbell on your top hip.
  2. Lower your hips until they almost touch the floor.
  3. Drive them back up past straight, squeezing the bottom side of your waist.

Cues

  • Lift past straight
  • Slow down
  • Elbow under shoulder

Common mistakes

  • Dropping fast into the floor and bouncing up.
  • Rolling the chest toward the floor as the hips drop.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Plank, Dumbbell Side Bend

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Obliques, side flexion

Dumbbell Side Bend

Abs

Bending sideways with a dumbbell and pulling yourself back up trains the obliques directly against a weight you can increase. Finish every rep on one side before you switch hands.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in one hand.
  2. Bend sideways toward the weight, sliding it down your leg.
  3. Pull yourself back to upright using the opposite side of your waist.
  4. Do all your reps, then switch hands.

Cues

  • Straight sideways
  • Pull up from the side
  • No twisting

Common mistakes

  • Leaning forward or twisting as you bend.
  • Holding a weight in each hand, which cancels the exercise out.

Swap for: Plate Side Bend, Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

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Obliques: twisting and resisting the twist

Your obliques also turn your trunk and stop it from being turned. Woodchops and twists train the turning; the Pallof press and suitcase carry train the holding, which is how they work when you lift and carry in daily life.

Obliques, rotation

Cable Woodchop

Abs

Chopping a cable diagonally from high to low trains the obliques to turn your trunk under load, using the hips and shoulders together. The cable keeps tension on the whole way.

How to do it

  1. Set a cable high, stand side-on and grip the handle two-handed above the near shoulder.
  2. Chop it on a diagonal to the far hip, turning your chest as your back heel lifts and spins.
  3. Let it return along the same line under control. Finish one side, then switch.

Cues

  • Turn the chest
  • Arms long
  • Pivot the back foot

Common mistakes

  • Pulling with the arms rather than turning the trunk.
  • Going so heavy the stack drags you back on the return.

Swap for: Dumbbell Woodchop, Pallof Press

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Obliques, rotation

Russian Twist

Abs

Turning your shoulders side to side while leaning back works the obliques with no equipment. Keep the movement in your ribs, not just your arms, and slow it down.

How to do it

  1. Sit with knees bent and heels on the floor, then lean back until your trunk is at an angle.
  2. Clasp your hands together at chest height.
  3. Turn your shoulders to one side, come back through the middle and turn to the other.

Cues

  • Turn the ribs
  • Chest tall
  • Slow

Common mistakes

  • Swinging only the arms while the chest faces forward.
  • Rounding your back to get lower.

Swap for: Dumbbell Woodchop, Windshield Wipers

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Obliques and deep abs, anti-rotation

Pallof Press

Abs

Pressing a cable straight out from your chest while it tries to turn you trains the obliques to hold your trunk still. It is easy on the lower back, so it suits anyone who dislikes twisting.

How to do it

  1. Set a cable at chest height, stand side-on to it and grip the handle two-handed at your chest.
  2. Step away until the cable pulls, feet hip-width.
  3. Press the handle straight out, hold for two seconds without turning, then bring it back.

Cues

  • Hands on the midline
  • Don't turn
  • Hold it out

Common mistakes

  • Standing too close, so the cable barely pulls.
  • Letting the arms drift toward the stack.

Swap for: Cable Woodchop, Landmine Twist

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Obliques and grip, loaded carry

Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

Abs, Quads

Walking with one heavy dumbbell at your side makes the opposite side of your waist work to keep you upright. It trains the obliques, grip and hips at once and raises your heart rate.

How to do it

  1. Pick up one heavy dumbbell and stand tall with it at your side.
  2. Walk with short, steady steps without leaning toward or away from it.
  3. Set it down, switch hands and walk back.

Cues

  • Shoulders level
  • Tall walk
  • Grip hard

Common mistakes

  • Leaning away from the weight to balance it.
  • Picking a dumbbell so light that nothing has to work.

Swap for: Farmer's Walk, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

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Full-body lifts that drive fat loss

Big lifts that move a lot of muscle burn more energy and protect the muscle you have while you eat less. They are the main part of every session, with the oblique work after them.

Quads and glutes, squat

Goblet Squat

Quads, Glutes

Your legs are the biggest muscles you have, and the goblet squat trains them with one dumbbell held at your chest, which also makes your trunk brace. It is the main lower-body lift in these plans.

How to do it

  1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically against your chest.
  2. Sit down between your knees, elbows inside them at the bottom.
  3. Stand up tall.

Cues

  • Elbows nudge the knees out at the bottom.
  • Chest stays up behind the weight.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the weight pull you forward.

Swap for: Bodyweight Squat, Barbell Back Squat

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Hamstrings and glutes, hinge

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

The Romanian deadlift loads the whole back of your body, hamstrings, glutes and spinal muscles, in one movement. More muscle worked per rep means more energy used per session.

How to do it

  1. Stand hip-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand resting against the front of your thighs, palms facing you.
  2. Push your hips straight back and let your torso fold forward, knees softly bent, the dumbbells brushing your legs.
  3. Lower until the dumbbells pass your knees and you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, with your back still flat.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top, and repeat.

Cues

  • Hips back, not down
  • Dumbbells slide down your legs
  • Flat back, chin tucked

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat so the dumbbells go lower: the depth comes from the hips, and most people stop just past the knees.
  • Rounding the lower back at the bottom: end the rep where your back stays flat, and lighten the load if that is high.

Swap for: Single-Leg RDL, Dumbbell Good Morning, Kettlebell Deadlift

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Lats and upper back, pull

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

Rowing one dumbbell at a time trains the back and the lats that wrap around your sides, and bracing against the twist adds oblique work. It balances the push-ups.

How to do it

  1. Put one hand and the same-side knee on a bench, or your hand on a chair seat with both feet on the floor, so your back is flat.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in the other hand with your arm hanging straight.
  3. Pull your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches your ribs.
  4. Lower it until your arm is straight again, finish all reps, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow to your hip
  • Back flat as a table
  • Full stretch at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Twisting your chest open to lift the dumbbell higher: keep both shoulders level.
  • Shrugging the shoulder up toward your ear: pull the elbow back, not the shoulder up.

Swap for: Band Bent-Over Row, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Seated Cable Row

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Chest, shoulders and triceps, press

Push-Up

Chest

The push-up trains your chest and arms while the abs and obliques hold a plank. It needs no equipment and scales from hands on a bench to feet raised.

How to do it

  1. Set your hands slightly wider than your shoulders with your body straight from head to heels.
  2. Lower until your chest nearly touches the floor, elbows at about 45 degrees.
  3. Press back up to straight arms.

Cues

  • One straight line
  • Elbows angled back

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows straight out: tuck them toward your ribs.

Swap for: Kneeling Push-Up, Incline Push-Up, Push-Up Plus

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Glutes and hamstrings, explosive hinge

Kettlebell Swing

Glutes, Hamstrings

Swings work a lot of muscle quickly and push your heart rate up, which makes them a good finisher on fat-loss days. Sets of 15 to 20 are enough.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips, the bell set about a foot in front of you.
  2. Hinge down, grip the handle with both hands, and hike the bell back between your thighs.
  3. Snap your hips forward to stand tall, letting the bell float up to about shoulder height on straight arms.
  4. Let it fall back between your legs as you hinge again, and go straight into the next rep.

Cues

  • Hips snap, arms just hold on
  • Stand tall at the top
  • Bell passes high between the thighs

Common mistakes

  • Squatting the swing by bending the knees deeply: push your hips back and keep the shins nearly vertical.
  • Lifting the bell with your shoulders: if your arms are working, the hips are not driving it.

Swap for: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Kettlebell Deadlift, Superman

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Lifting while dieting, three gym days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets42 a week
  • Per workout~35 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Adjustable Cable, Kettlebells

You are eating in a calorie deficit to lose fat around your waist and can get to a gym three times a week.

In a deficit, the job of lifting is to keep your muscle, so each big lift gets 3 sets at 2 reps in reserve, 4 to 6 sets a week as the days alternate. The obliques get 7 to 8 sets per session on top, about 22 a week. Each day has 14 working sets and takes about 50 minutes.

Day A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Goblet Squat1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Cable WoodchopPer side. 3 × 10–15 2 1 min
Dumbbell Side Plank Hip DipPer side. 3 × 8–15 2 1 min
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySeconds of walking per side. 2 × 30–45 2 1 min

Open Day A in the session builder

Day B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
Push-Up 3 × 6–15 2 90 s
Pallof PressPer side. 3 × 10–12 2 1 min
Dumbbell Side BendPer side. 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
Kettlebell Swing 2 × 15–20 3 1 min

Open Day B in the session builder

How to run it
Run A, B, A one week and B, A, B the next, with a rest day after each session. Walk on the days between; steps add up to more fat loss than extra ab work.
How to progress
Use double progression on the big lifts: add weight when every set reaches the top of the range at 2 reps in reserve. If a lift drops for two sessions running, hold the weight and look at your sleep and calories before you push.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home, two dumbbells, 30 minutes

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets48 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You have a pair of dumbbells and a mat at home, and 30 minutes three times a week.

One full-body circuit covers legs, hinge, push and pull with 2 to 3 sets each, then three oblique moves finish it, 16 working sets per session. Pairing exercises keeps rest short so the session fits the time and keeps your heart rate up.

Home circuit
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
A1 Goblet Squat 3 × 10–15 2 1 min
A2 Push-Up 3 × 6–15 2 1 min
B1 Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 3 × 10–15 2 1 min
B2 One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. 3 × 10–12 2 1 min
Side PlankSeconds per side. 2 × 20–45 2 45 s
Russian TwistPer side. 2 × 10–15 2 45 s
How to run it
Train Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or any three days with a day off between. Move from the first exercise of each pair to the second, then rest 60 seconds.
How to progress
When you reach the top of the range on every set at 2 reps in reserve, add reps on the next harder variation or heavier dumbbells. For side planks, add 10 seconds before moving to the hip dip version.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Already lifting, adding oblique work

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets16 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentAdjustable Cable, Dumbbells

You already follow a strength program and your main question is how much direct work the sides of your waist need.

Two short blocks of 8 sets each give the obliques 16 hard sets a week from side bending, rotation and anti-rotation, plenty for them to grow. They take about 15 minutes, so they fit after any session without cutting your main lifts.

Block 1
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Cable WoodchopPer side. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Side BendPer side. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySeconds of walking per side. 2 × 30–45 2 1 min

Open Block 1 in the session builder

Block 2
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pallof PressPer side. 3 × 10–12 1 1 min
Dumbbell Side Plank Hip DipPer side. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Russian TwistPer side. 2 × 12–20 2 45 s

Open Block 2 in the session builder

How to run it
Add Block 1 to the end of one training day and Block 2 to another, at least two days apart.
How to progress
Add weight to side bends, hip dips and woodchops when every set reaches the top of the range at 1 rep in reserve. Carries progress by adding 5 seconds per set, then a heavier dumbbell.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

How long does it take to get rid of love handles?

It depends on how much fat there is to lose. At a steady loss of about half a pound to a pound a week, expect a few months before the change around your waist is obvious, and longer if you have a lot to lose.

What is the hardest area for a woman to lose fat?

It varies from person to person. Many women store fat first around the hips, thighs and lower belly, and the places you store fat first tend to be the last to lean out.

What are the best exercises to lose belly fat?

The same as for love handles: full-body strength training three days a week plus daily walking, with a calorie deficit doing most of the work.

Do oblique exercises make your waist wider?

Not in a way you would notice at normal training volumes. The obliques are thin muscles, and losing the fat over them makes the waist look narrower even as they get stronger.

What flattens your stomach the fastest?

Losing body fat through a calorie deficit, plus strong abs and obliques to hold your middle in. Sleep and less bloating help the look day to day, but fat loss is what changes it for good.