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This Ab Exercise Actually Slims Your Waist: Ms. Figure Olympia Erin Stern

The right ab exercise can make all the difference when it comes to creating a slim waist and hourglass silhouette.

  • That’s according to two-time Ms. Figure Olympia Erin Stern, who said you can “lose up to an inch or two off your waist” with one specific move: the vacuum crunch.

It’s a cable ab exercise that combines two rock-solid core movements. We’re going to explain how to do it and look at some science to see if Stern is on the money.

The Best Ab Exercise for a Slim Waist: Vacuum Crunch

According to Stern, certain core training moves can improve your posture and waistline simultaneously. The vacuum crunch combines two ab-training moves: a standard cable crunch and the stomach vacuum technique.

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To win the Ms. Figure Olympia, the rules stipulate all contestants must have a pronounced v-taper, which has two parts: A broad upper body and a slim, snug waistline. Stern won the Figure Olympia twice, so we’re inclined to take her word on what works for ab training.

How To Do It

  1. Place an exercise mat in front of an adjustable cable station set to around eye level and fix a rope or bar attachment to the carabiner.
  2. Stern recommends setting the weight “nice and light” for this exercise; don’t put the pin too far down the stack.
  3. Grab the rope and get into a full kneeling position, holding it in front of your head or behind your neck.
  4. Round your back over and exhale forcefully, pushing all the air out of your belly.
  5. Perform a stomach vacuum, pulling your stomach inward.
  6. Hold your breath and perform crunches.

From the Expert: “Do as many reps as you can without breathing, pause briefly, inhale, exhale, and repeat.” Stern herself performs two to three sets of 15 to 20 reps in total.

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Does This Ab Exercise Actually Slim Your Waist?

Stern makes some lofty promises about the vacuum crunch. Naturally, we were a bit skeptical, so we took a look at the science.

  • Stern says the vacuum activates your deep core musculature, including the transverse abdominis and pelvic floor. She’s correct. (1)
  • She also says training these deep muscles can shrink the waist by improving tone and tautness. Vacuum exercises are used to treat low back pain associated with poor posture, (2) but there’s little scientific evidence backing Stern’s specific claim here.

But an absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence. Stern is hardly the first physique pro to sing the praises of ab exercises like the vacuum crunch and their potency for shaping the waist.

“Golden era” bodybuilding great Frank Zane once noted that the stomach vacuum was among his most successful bodybuilding poses and helped him “get control of his waistline.”

[Related: 10 Bodybuilders With the Best Abs Ever]

It’s plausible that mastering the vacuum crunch can create muscle growth and strength in your deep abdominal muscles, which may in turn improve your posture and make your waist appear smaller.

Caveat: If you’re carrying too much body fat, no ab exercise in the world will alter your silhouette. Should you want to move toward that hourglass shape, you may want to consider adjusting your diet to create a calorie deficit.

All told, Stern’s favorite waist-slimming exercise is certainly worth a shot. The vacuum technique is a bit of a novelty, but we could all do with a bit more core training in our lives.

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References

  1. Lynders C. The Critical Role of Development of the Transversus Abdominis in the Prevention and Treatment of Low Back Pain. HSS J. 2019 Oct;15(3):214-220. doi: 10.1007/s11420-019-09717-8. Epub 2019 Aug 29. PMID: 31624475; PMCID: PMC6778169.
  2. Saiklang P, Puntumetakul R, Chatprem T. The Effect of Core Stabilization Exercise with the Abdominal Drawing-in Maneuver Technique on Stature Change during Prolonged Sitting in Sedentary Workers with Chronic Low Back Pain. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 8;19(3):1904. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031904. PMID: 35162924; PMCID: PMC8835683.

Featured Image: @ErinSternFIT / YouTube

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