Do Waist Trainers Actually Work (And Are They Safe to Use)? My Experience with Them
We’ve all seen them— those skin-tight shape wear-esque articles of workout attire that look more like a corset (or torture device, in some cases) than a piece of athletic equipment. From the Kardashian crew wearing them while doing pilates on Instagram to seeing them pop up at your local gym, you’re probably wondering, “do waist trainers work?”
Well, yes and no. The real questions should be, “are waist trainers safe” and “how do I safely use a waist trainer" (as well as “how do I develop realistic expectations of what these are and what they can actually do?”, to boot.) In general, they work but not the way you’d think. Let me explain—
I tried the Fitreno waist trainer— here’s my experience.
Do waist trainers work? My experience with them
The assumption is that waist trainers will make you develop abs and burn belly-fat quicker as they localize sweating and contract your abdominal muscles when worn around the abdominal area while working out. In a way, that’s kind of true— they do localize sweating which may result in some water weight being dropped (which has been my experience, though it only lasts a few hours after working out), but they don’t really have much benefit in the muscle arena.
Waist trainers should not be worn tight enough to hurt or labor your breathing, so they aren’t really going to be able to contract your muscles (and it wouldn’t be good if they did!) You have to be safe and smart with these things, and really, they just help to correct posture and increase sweating in most cases.
TL;DR? I wear one for the suggested amount of time that is safe to wear one (never more than like, say, an hour’s worth of workout time) and to a safe setting— I don’t wear them to the degree that my breathing is labored (as that’s VERY unsafe) or that it hurts, and I mostly find they just help me keep good posture and form while running + increase my sweat output around my abdomen during cardio workouts.
These puppies may increase sweat output, but that’s about all they do, which is a really short-term play (and they should never ever be worn too tightly, as that is incredibly dangerous!)
Are waist trainers safe? The science
Again, waist trainers are mostly only safe if you’re using them safely. Sadly, people often misuse them or use them to an unsafe degree (tightening them until their breathing becomes labored, or until it physically hurts), and that’s never okay. In most cases, science says it’s best to avoid them. I use one sometimes, but it’s not worth it if you’re going to harm yourself while using one.
Ultimately, if you want to try a waist-trainer, just be safe about it and know how to do it correctly. You shouldn’t wear them for crazy long amounts of time and you should never wear them so tight that it affects your breathing or your comfort. That’s the opposite of healthy, and that should be avoided at all costs.
Long story short, I found that when used correctly they helped correct my posture during workouts and sometimes helped with localized sweating around the abdomen, but that’s it. They’re not a miracle cure for belly-bloat or anything (nor should they be, because there’s nothing wrong with your body changing shape throughout the day etc.) Don’t try them without consulting a doctor or certified personal trainer, and certainly don’t do anything to hurt yourself or make yourself uncomfortable. Stay well, friends!
Xoxo, MM.