“Sneakers for the belly”: why you should not wear training corsets

Many celebrities claim that “waist trainers” are what help them achieve an hourglass figure. However, professionals are convinced that corsets can do more harm than good, and here’s why.

As physiotherapist Natalie Toshkoff explains, corsets interfere with the natural breathing process. “They don’t allow the diaphragm to move properly as the lungs fill with air. This can lead to the use of small accessory muscles in the neck and shoulders for breathing, making it shallow,” says Natalie.

Her opinion is backed up by a small 2018 study conducted by Terrence Green and Amanda Roby: According to her findings, women who wear corsets are more likely to experience shortness of breath, sweating and increased pain than those who don’t. belt “simulators”.

According to certified personal trainer Brandon Nicholas, the pressure of the brace disrupts the natural process of stretching and contracting the core during exercise. “This leads to slow breakdown of diaphragm muscles and long-term breathing problems,” he says.

Workout corsets, like compression underwear, reduce swelling or bloating, but this effect won’t last long. “When the body restores the water balance, the kilograms will come back again. You can only take it off forever if you burn fat, ”says Nicholas.

After pregnancy, some women suffer from diastasis – an increase in the gap between the rectus muscles of the abdomen. According to Toshkoff, girls sometimes use corsets to bring them closer together, but this method can be extremely dangerous to your health.

“These ‘waist trainers’ cause increased pressure on the abdomen, which leads to greater pressure on the pelvic floor. Therefore, the use of corsets can lead to uterine prolapse or make an existing prolapse worse,” says Natalie .

Read also: Remove the stomach: how to exercise and what to eat to reduce the size

First of all, we must remember that a thin waist is only an aesthetic norm and not an indicator of health. You shouldn’t be looking for an “hourglass” – maybe you just have a different type of figure.

You need to lose weight through healthy habits, not “waist trainers”. Eat healthy, do 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week, get seven to nine hours of sleep a day, and beat stress to get lean and fit without hurting yourself.