Do Squats Make Your Waist Bigger Reddit

The Truth About Squats and Your Waist Size

To answer the question “do squats make your waist bigger reddit” directly: No, they don’t, but it’s the right question to ask. Proper squats will add 2-4 inches to your glutes over a year, while having a negligible impact on your waist size-maybe a quarter-inch of deep core muscle. This contrast is what creates the illusion of a dramatically smaller waist. You’re worried about getting a “blocky” or “square” look from lifting, and that fear is valid if you follow the wrong advice. Many people on forums and social media either blame squats for a wider waist or tell you it's impossible, but the truth is in the middle: the squat itself isn't the problem, but your form and your overall program can be.

The blocky look people fear comes from two main culprits: a layer of body fat over the midsection, or a program that overdevelops the obliques (your side abs) with the wrong exercises. Squats, when done correctly, primarily build your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Your core-including your transverse abdominis and obliques-works hard to stabilize your spine, but this stabilization work isn't the type of stimulus that causes significant muscle growth (hypertrophy). Think of it like this: your forearm muscles work when you do a bicep curl, but your forearms don't blow up in size from curling. Your core is acting similarly during a squat. The real goal isn't to avoid squats; it's to use them as a tool to build your glutes while strategically slimming your midsection through diet and avoiding a few key mistakes.

Why Your Obliques Aren't the Enemy (But Your Form Might Be)

Let's get into the mechanics. When you see someone with a thick, wide waist from lifting, it's almost never from squats. It's from two other things: high body fat or a love affair with the wrong kind of ab exercises. The fear is that the bracing motion during a heavy squat will cause your obliques to grow, widening your waist. While you do need to brace your core by taking a deep breath and tightening your midsection (the Valsalva maneuver), this primarily engages the deep abdominal wall, creating internal pressure to protect your spine. It’s an isometric contraction, not the repetitive, targeted movement needed for significant muscle growth.

The two real reasons a lifter's waist gets wider are:

1. Excessive Direct Oblique Training: The #1 culprit is exercises like weighted side bends, weighted Russian twists, and side crunches. These directly target the oblique muscles with added resistance, which is the exact recipe for hypertrophy. If you want a smaller-looking waist, you should eliminate these movements entirely. Your obliques get enough work from stabilizing during compound lifts like squats and deadlifts.
2. Increased Body Fat: As you get stronger and build muscle, your appetite often increases. If you're not tracking your intake, it's easy to eat in a calorie surplus. This new muscle is then covered by a new layer of fat, especially around the midsection. The result? You feel bigger everywhere, including your waist. The problem wasn't the squats; it was the uncontrolled diet that came with the new training.

So, the strategy is simple: squat to build the glutes, control your calories to reveal your waist, and stop doing exercises that directly thicken your midsection. The squat is your friend, not your enemy, in the quest for a better waist-to-hip ratio.

Build your glutes, not your waist.

Track your lifts and measurements to see the shape you want.

The 3-Step Protocol for a Smaller Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Building an hourglass figure isn't about magic exercises; it's about strategic construction. You build up certain areas (shoulders and glutes) while slimming down another (your waist). This creates the illusion of a smaller waist, even if its actual measurement only drops by an inch or two. Here is the exact protocol.

Step 1: Master the Glute-Focused Squat

Not all squats are created equal. A quad-dominant squat (narrow stance, upright torso) won't give you the glute growth you want. You need to make the squat a hip-dominant movement.

• The Form: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, with your toes pointed out about 15-30 degrees. Initiate the movement by pushing your hips *back*, as if you're trying to tap a wall behind you with your butt. Keep your chest up but allow your torso to lean forward naturally. Go as deep as your mobility allows without your lower back rounding. Drive up by thinking about pushing the floor away.
• The Reps and Weight: For muscle growth (hypertrophy), aim for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. The weight should be challenging enough that the last 2 reps of each set are a real struggle, but you can still maintain perfect form. For a beginner woman, this might start with just the 45 lb barbell. For an intermediate, it could be 95-135 lbs.
• Best Variation: Goblet squats are perfect for beginners to learn the pattern. Once you're comfortable, the barbell back squat is the king for loading the glutes.

Step 2: Build Your 'Shelves' to Create Contrast

The secret to a visually smaller waist is building the muscles above and below it. This is what we call building your 'upper shelf' (lats and shoulders) and 'lower shelf' (glutes and hamstrings).

• Upper Shelf (Back & Shoulders): A wider back and capped shoulders make your waist look smaller by comparison. Add these to your routine:
• Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Focus on pulling your elbows down and back.
• Dumbbell Overhead Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. This builds the roundness of the shoulder cap.
• Lower Shelf (Glutes & Hamstrings): Squats are great, but they aren't enough. You need to isolate the glutes directly.
• Barbell Hip Thrusts: This is the single best exercise for glute size. Do 4 sets of 8-12 reps. Focus on squeezing your glutes to lift the weight, not using your lower back. A good target for an intermediate woman is 135-225 lbs.
• Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs): These target the glute-hamstring tie-in. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps, focusing on the stretch in your hamstrings.

Step 3: Reveal Your Waist with a Calorie Deficit

This is the most critical step. You can build the perfect shape, but if it's hidden under a layer of body fat, you'll never see it. You don't need crash diets or endless cardio.

• The Math: Find your maintenance calories using an online TDEE calculator. Subtract 300-500 calories from that number. This creates a sustainable deficit that will lead to about 0.5-1 lb of fat loss per week without sacrificing your muscle.
• The Protein Rule: Eat 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of your body weight every day. For a 150 lb woman, that's 120-150 grams of protein. This is non-negotiable. Protein protects your muscle mass while you're in a deficit, ensuring you're losing fat, not hard-earned muscle.
• Forget Crunches: Doing hundreds of crunches will not burn belly fat. It's a myth that has wasted millions of hours in the gym. Focus your energy on your diet and your compound lifts. Your abs will show once your body fat is low enough, typically under 22% for most women.

You now have the complete plan. You know which squat form to use, which accessory lifts create the illusion, and the exact nutrition strategy to reveal your work. The only variable left is execution. You know the numbers, but hitting them day after day is a different skill. That's the gap between knowing and doing.

Your transformation, tracked.

Log your food and lifts in one place. Watch your body change.

What to Expect in the First 90 Days (and Why It's Confusing)

Progress isn't linear, and the first few weeks can feel like you're going in the wrong direction. You need to trust the process.

• Week 1-4: The 'Thick' Phase. This is where people panic and quit. You're lifting, so your muscles will be slightly inflamed and holding more water and glycogen. You might feel a little 'fluffy' or 'thicker' all over, including your waist. Your weight on the scale might even go up by 2-3 pounds. This is 100% normal. It's water and muscle fuel, not fat. Your glutes won't have grown noticeably yet. Stick with the plan.
• Month 2 (Day 30-60): The Shift. If your nutrition is on point (that 300-500 calorie deficit), this is where the magic starts. The initial water retention will have subsided, and you'll have lost 2-4 pounds of actual fat. At the same time, you'll have built a small amount of new muscle in your glutes. You might notice your pants fitting a little looser in the waist but tighter in the seat. This is the first sign of success. You might see a 0.5-inch reduction in your waist measurement and a 0.5-inch increase in your hip measurement.
• Month 3 (Day 60-90): Visible Change. By the end of 90 days of consistent training and nutrition, the change will be undeniable. You could be down 6-12 pounds of fat. Your waist could be 1-2 inches smaller, and your glutes 1-1.5 inches bigger. This is when the waist-to-hip ratio really starts to improve. People will start to notice. This is the payoff for trusting the process through that confusing first month.

Progress is slow. It's measured in months, not days. Take photos and measurements every 4 weeks. The scale is only one data point and often the most misleading one. The measuring tape and the mirror will tell you the real story.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Role of Heavy Lifting

Lifting heavy on squats (in the 3-6 rep range) will not make your waist bigger. The load is axial (compressive down your spine), which forces your deep core to stabilize intensely. This builds incredible core strength and density, but it does not cause the same kind of visible muscle growth as doing 15 reps of weighted side bends. Strength is a foundation for growth.

Exercises to Absolutely Avoid

If your primary goal is a smaller-looking waist, you should eliminate direct, weighted oblique exercises. The main offenders are weighted side bends, dumbbell or plate-loaded Russian twists, and heavy cable woodchops. These are hypertrophy exercises for your side-abs, which will make your waist physically wider.

The Impact of Body Fat Percentage

Visible abs and a defined waistline are a direct result of body fat percentage. For most women, the waist starts to look significantly smaller and more defined when body fat drops below 24%. The coveted 'ab lines' or full six-pack typically appear somewhere between 18-22% body fat. You can't spot-reduce fat from your waist; you must lower your overall body fat.

Squat Alternatives for Glute Growth

If squats cause you pain or you simply hate them, you can still build great glutes. Barbell hip thrusts are arguably better for pure glute isolation and size. Bulgarian split squats are another fantastic option that hammers the glutes and quads of one leg at a time. A combination of hip thrusts, RDLs, and lunges can completely replace squats in a program.

The Truth About Waist Trainers

Waist trainers do not make your waist smaller. They do not burn fat. They simply compress your midsection, and any 'slimming' effect disappears the moment you take it off. Worse, relying on one can teach your core muscles to become lazy, as the trainer is providing the stability your own muscles should be creating. They are a waste of money and can be counterproductive to building real core strength.