Walking is one of the most accessible and effective forms of exercise. It can help improve cardiovascular health, burn calories, strengthen muscles, and more. Some people believe that walking can also help create an hourglass, curvy figure by building up the glutes and thighs. But is there any truth to the idea that walking can make you curvy?
Does walking build up the glutes and thighs?
Walking is considered a low-impact cardio exercise. Unlike high intensity workouts like running or boot camp classes, walking doesn’t put excessive strain on the joints. However, walking still provides many benefits, including strengthening and toning the lower body with regular practice.
When you walk, you engage several major muscle groups in the lower body, including the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. The constant motion of walking works these muscles by contracting and releasing them. Over time, this action tones and shapes the muscles, potentially creating a lifted, perkier backside.
Walking also burns calories. If you create a calorie deficit by walking regularly and eating a healthy diet, you may lose fat from places like the hips and thighs. Losing excess fat can enhance your natural curves. As the glutes and thighs become more toned and fat decreases, your waist may appear smaller in comparison, further emphasizing an hourglass shape.
How often and how far do you need to walk?
To see results in terms of building muscle, losing fat, and enhancing curves, experts recommend walking at least 30 minutes 5 days per week. Brisk walking that gets your heart rate elevated is ideal. Aim for a pace that makes holding a conversation a bit difficult.
For optimal fat burning and body shaping, try to walk at least 5,000 steps per day. Tracking your steps with a fitness tracker can help you monitor your progress and ramp up your step count as your fitness improves. Logging around 10,000 steps daily is an excellent goal for enhanced weight loss.
You will burn the most fat and tone muscle faster if you incorporate hills or intervals into your walks a few times a week. Walking up hills engages the glutes more intensely. Interval walking, alternating faster paces with recovery intervals, also torches more calories.
What results can you expect?
Many factors determine the specific results you’ll see from regular walking, like your starting fitness level, genetics, and body composition. However, walking 30-60 minutes daily can lead to:
– Increased muscle tone in the glutes, thighs, and calves
– Greater muscle definition and separation between muscles
– A lift and perkier shape to the butt
– Potential slimming of the hips and thighs
– An accentuated waistline
– Improved posture
– More confidence and body satisfaction!
Some women do report going up a pants size with walking due to building muscle in the lower body. Keep in mind that muscle takes up less space than fat. So even if your thighs or hips gain muscle bulk, they’ll likely appear more toned and trim overall.
Tips for maximizing an hourglass figure with walking
If creating a curvier hourglass shape is your goal, keep these tips in mind:
– Walk at an incline on hills or stairs to target the glutes more directly
– Add lateral walks like grapevine steps to hit the outer thighs and hips
– Pump your arms vigorously to burn more upper body fat
– Wear ankle and wrist weights for extra resistance and calorie burn
– Mix interval training into your walks 1-2x a week
– Focus on good posture, keeping the core engaged
– Eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in protein to support muscle growth
– Stay hydrated since water helps metabolize fat cells
– Be patient and consistent with your walking routine
Supplemental exercises for an hourglass figure
Adding strength training to your fitness routine can complement the fat burning and muscle building effects of walking. Try incorporating these curves-enhancing exercises 1-3x per week:
– Squats and lunges – Tone and lift the glutes and thighs
– Donkey kicks and fire hydrants – Target the glutes
– Planks and side planks – Strengthen the core and enhance waist definition
– Resistance band hip abduction – Focus on outer thighs and hips
– Bridge variations – Work the glutes from different angles
Full body strength training provides many benefits beyond just building an hourglass shape. It can strengthen bones, improve balance and coordination, support metabolism and weight loss, and lower injury risk.
Things that can prevent you from getting curvier from walking
While walking can certainly help you build a curvier, more hourglass figure, results will vary based on the factors below:
– Genetics – Your natural body shape and distribution of fat can limit your potential for curviness.
– Diet – Eating excessive or unhealthy calories can undermine fat loss and muscle building goals. Staying in a calorie deficit is key.
– Low starting weight – Women who are underweight often struggle to build substantial curves. Healthy weight gain may be necessary first.
– Insufficient steps – If you aren’t walking enough weekly mileage, you may not see major changes in body composition.
– Lack of lower body focus – Adding butt and thigh targeted exercises helps maximize an hourglass shape.
– Prioritizing cardio over strength training – Building muscle is crucial for curviness. Cardio alone often won’t lead to dramatic results.
– High body fat percentage – Excess body fat can obscure muscle definition and waistline reduction.
– Poor muscle building genetics – Some naturally build muscle easier. Muscle growth potential varies by individual.
– Under fueling – Restrictive diets with inadequate protein intake impede muscle growth.
– Medical conditions or medications – Some impair metabolism, healthy weight gain, or fitness potential.
– Age – As estrogen declines in the 40s/50s, women tend to hold weight more centrally.
Should you avoid running if you want an hourglass figure?
This is a common question among women looking to build a curvier body. Running is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise. But it primarily strengthens the legs versus the glutes.
Running alone likely won’t create substantial lift in the butt or accentuate an hourglass shape. In fact, running often leads to slimmer thighs. Women with naturally straight figures can become even less curvy from lots of running.
However, running need not be avoided altogether if curviness is the goal. The key is balancing it out with glute focused exercises like squats and lunges. Make sure to also eat enough protein to support muscle growth in the lower body.
If running is your cardio of choice, limit it to 20-30 minutes just 2-3x weekly. Fill your other workout days with strength training and short, power walks. This varied approach to exercise gives the best odds of sculpting an hourglass physique.
Can you target stubborn fat with walking?
Spot reducing fat from specific areas of the body through exercise is essentially impossible. Where and how readily you store and lose fat is largely dictated by genetics.
However, walking can help burn visceral fat, the dangerous belly fat associated with health risks. While you can’t dictate fat loss in the hips, thighs or backside with walking, you can reduce overall body fat percentage.
A study from Duke University Medical Center found walking at least 4 hours per week significantly reduced belly fat. Participants also saw improved insulin resistance.
To reveal a curvier figure, focus on full body fat burning strategies:
– Increase your weekly step count
– Walk most days of the week
– Add interval and hill training
– Cut calories moderately
– Eat more protein
– Lift weights 2-3x per week
– Get enough sleep and manage stress
Fat loss and muscle building together enhance curves by improving body composition. Be patient through the process by making fitness and healthy eating a lifestyle.
Conclusion
Regular walking can definitely help sculpt a curvier, hourglass figure. The key is staying consistent with walks that get your heart rate up through brisk pacing, hills and intervals. Make sure to eat a diet that supports fat loss and muscle growth. Adding targeted lower body strength training provides the biggest impact.
It’s important to have realistic expectations, as genetics limit how dramatically your shape can change. Those with ruler-straight figures may only see subtle improvements in curves. But starting from a healthy weight, fueling your body properly, and exercising smart will accentuate your natural proportions.
While spot reducing fat in problem areas isn’t possible, walking as part of a balanced workout routine and healthy diet can help reveal a trimmer, curvier shape over time. The rewards of improved fitness, strength, and body confidence make committing to regular walking incredibly worthwhile!