The Best Hourglass Workout For Women

The Best Hourglass Workout For Women | Oner Active US

The hourglass silhouette is one of the most desired training goals for women, but it’s also one of the most difficult to achieve. With its toned upper body, slim waist and defined glutes and hips, it requires targeted training and consistency.

But the more you understand what to focus on, the easier it is to get there. And that’s where we come in, with a breakdown of the silhouette’s key muscle groups and how to build them.

Because the hourglass is more than just a shape. Achieving it through dedicated training is often a good signifier that your muscle mass and fat content are at healthy and balanced levels. Strong body = strong silhouette.

If you’re searching for the perfect fit for training days, explore Oner Active’s extensive activewear collection. Discover the best leggings for building your glutes and sports bras for building your abs and shoulders.

Understanding the Key Muscle Groups

There are three key muscle groups to focus on for an hourglass silhouette – think top, middle and bottom. Each group requires its own unique approach and routine (don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with more detail on exercises further down). But first, let’s break down each of the muscle groups in turn. .

1. Shoulders and upper back – the muscles here include lateral deltoids (delts), latissimus dorsi (lats), trapezius (traps) and rhomboids.
2. Core and obliques – these are the transverse abdominis (abs) and internal and external obliques.
3. Glutes and hips – think the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, hip abductors and hamstrings.

A Workout Plan For Achieving an Hourglass Figure

The good news is there are plenty of workouts that can help you achieve the hourglass shape. It’s just important to understand which muscle groups are being activated with each exercise.

Below we’ll explore some suggested exercises for each muscle group. Remember, consistency is far easier when you truly enjoy your workouts, so feel free to swap in different exercises to discover the ones you like – just make sure the exercises are balanced across all the three key muscle groups being targeted. And always consult a professional if you’re not sure how to do an exercise - this will ensure you avoid injury.

Shoulder and upper back exercises:

• Lateral raise – holding a dumbbell in each hand, slowly raise your arms to shoulder level and lower down slowly.
• Lateral pull down – using a lateral pull down machine, set to a comfortable weight, grip the bar and pull down slowly to meet your chest. Slowly raise your arms to return to the starting position.
• Face pull – using a cable machine, set to a comfortable weight and pull towards your head with elbows high and away from your ears. Slowly return your arms to the starting position.

Core and obliques exercises:

• Dead bug – lie on your back with your arms held up towards the ceiling and knees bent (at 90 degrees). Slowly lower one arm backwards to the floor while lowering your opposite leg at the same time. Repeat on the other side.
• Pallof press – using a cable machine, use both hands to pull the cable across your body at chest height. Slowly return the cable to the starting position.
• Cable woodchopper – using a cable machine, set to a comfortable weight at chest level, pull the cable out and across with your arms just about locked, twisting at the waist.

Glutes and hips exercises:

• Hip thrusts – sit on the floor with your upper back lying against a weight bench. Place a weighted barbell on your hips and thrust your hips towards the ceiling.
• Romanian deadlifts – holding a barbell at hip height, hinge from your hips while keeping your back and arms straight, with your legs slightly bent. Once you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, slowly bend back upwards to standing.
• Cable hip abduction – using a cable machine with an ankle strap, connect the cuff to your outer leg and slowly swing the leg out to approximately 45 degrees. Repeat on the other leg.

Want to get inspo from Krissy Cela herself? Follow along with her glute workout.

How Often Should You Train For an Hourglass Figure?

Completing targeted exercises around 3-4 times per week for a consistent amount of time is the best way to see results. How long it takes can be dependent on the individual, as well as factors beyond the gym – which we explore below.

Get Krissy Cela’s hourglass workout routine.

What Can I Do Outside the Gym to Help Achieve an Hourglass Figure Quicker?

Achieving an hourglass figure requires more than training sessions at the gym. You also need to consider diet and lifestyle. We suggest tracking your macros (carbs, proteins and fats) to ensure you’re giving your body the right kind of fuel needed to build muscle. Your optimal levels will depend on your body and activity levels, so do your research to find out what’s best for you.

Discover the meal prep routine Krissy Cela uses to help meet her macros.

Sleep also plays a fundamental role in your body’s response to training and muscle growth. Aim for 7-9 hours every night and a consistent sleep schedule (yep, even on the weekends). Stress levels also shouldn’t be ignored – cortisol levels (the ‘stress hormone’) can have a significant impact on where your body stores fat, and unfortunately fat tends to gather around the midsection. Breathing exercises and meditation can help manage stress, so it may be worth making these part of your daily routine.

We have styles for every kind of training - and we know how to look your best during hourglass figure workout sessions. Discover our wide range of gymwear in a variety of fits to suit any and every body, including our EnhanceLift and EffortlessLift collections which sculpt for style and strength.