Saddlebags and cellulite are common concerns for many people, especially women. They can be difficult to get rid of, but with the right exercises, you can tone your legs, hips, and thighs and reduce the appearance of cellulite. And the best part? You can do these exercises right at home!
What Are Saddlebags?
Saddlebags aren’t some bags you take out for shopping, not in this context anyway! No part of the body is called a saddlebag. It is an underdeveloped area under your bum where the back of the thigh joins your glutes, creating an optical illusion. If muscles in this area are not toned with proper exercise, with fat accumulation, the skin stretches, giving it an appearance of what many call saddlebags.
What Causes Saddlebags Fat?
Many of us feel that saddlebags come straight from hell. But according to science, genetics plays a significant role in where fat is stored in your body. Imagine saddlebags as a satchel placed on your outer thighs that are full of energy for your body. Some reasons that cause saddlebags are as follows:
- Sitting the whole day without movement causes fat accumulation.
- Lower back problems also affect saddlebags.
- Estrogen dominance also plays a significant role in saddlebags even though you don’t have fat in any part of your body.
- Unhealthy dietary habits also affect the fat in your body.
Here are our 12 easy and best exercises to reduce saddlebags and how to do them. Let’s have a look into them.
1. Clam Series:
The moves of the clam series are made to tone up the upper outer thigh, which is the hub of saddlebags. Try to include this stretch series in your routines and reduce the saddlebags.
How To Perform:
- Lie on your side and bring your knees and hips at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Keep the top area of the pelvis away from the head and bring the bottom area of the pelvis off the floor.
- Maintain this position during the entire exercise.
- For the lift, lift your knee on the top upward, keeping the heels together.
- Bring back the knees together without moving the pelvis in the process.
- Keep making these moves till you feel the pressure on the lower glutes.
- Repeat the same on the other side.
2. Single-Leg Hip Raise:
Single-leg hip raise is an excellent stretching exercise to lose saddlebags. Your hips, glutes, and abs are toned and strengthened in the process.
How To Perform:
- Sleep on the mat with your back on the floor and palms facing down.
- Fold your knees at a 60 degrees angle.
- Applying pressure on your arms slowly lift your hip and right leg.
- Hold up for 5 seconds in this position. Slowly come into resting place.
- Repeat the same process with the other leg.
- Try to do ten stretches per leg for effective results.
3. Bent-knee Swiss Ball Reverse Hip Raise:
How To Perform:
- This is an exercise that provides stability to your whole body. Squeeze your glutes and let the hips take the significant workload reducing saddlebags.
- How to Perform:
- You need a swiss ball to perform this exercise effectively.
- Lie face down on the swiss ball with your hands folded in front of you with a shoulder-width gap.
- Make yourself stable by lifting your legs to the knees and into the ball.
- Keep your midsection as stiff as possible.
- Now, squeezing your glutes move your legs back into the initial position.
- Repeat the process 20 times, and every day for it to work well.
4. Grasshopper Beats:
Grasshopper beats exercise effects hips and thighs during the stretch process. It helps tone your arms and burn those saddlebags too. It is one of the best exercises to reduce saddlebags.
How To Perform:
- Lie down on the floor with your body facing downward.
- Fold your hands and rest your head on the back of your hands.
- Keeping the knees straight, raise your legs 2 to 3 inches above the ground. Pull your abs into the spine.
- Put your legs back to resting position.
- Repeat the process with an increased pace 15 times.
5. Side Saddle Leg Lifts:
Sidesaddle leg lifts are an effective and easy way to lose fat and tone your body. These stretches can be done anywhere.
How To Perform:
- Lie down sideways with your top hand on the hip and the other supporting your head.
- Make sure your legs are extended.
- Now slowly lift your upper leg for about 6 inches above the ground and make circles in the air for 20 repetitions.
- Bring the leg back to the resting position.
- To burn more fat, lift your legs with a more significant range of motion.
- Do it 20 times to lose your saddlebags!
6. Curtsy Lunges:
Curtsy lunge is similar to a regular lunge, except the style is different. This exercise targets inner thighs and glute muscles. It stabilizes your hips and improves posture.
How To Perform:
- Stand erect with a hip-distance between your feet and arms relaxed on your sides.
- Form a semicircle with your right foot till it reaches the area behind the left foot.
- Make a lunge as deep as possible, with your knees hovering a couple of inches off the floor.
- Now slowly return to a standing position.
- Repeat this process for 15 times with each leg.
7. Step-Ups:
This is a prevalent and straightforward technique to put your lower body back in shape. There is a pressure on the thigh, butt, and knees along with the direct attack on saddlebags with this exercise routine.
How To Perform:
- Take a small stepping stool of such a height that when you keep your foot on it, your calf and thigh should be perpendicular.
- For starters, stand with your back erect with both feet on the floor.
- Step up with your right foot and join your other foot, standing on the stool.
- Next, put your right foot down, followed by left coming back to the initial position.
- Repeat the same process at a faster pace.
- Do it 30 times. You can add variations once you get used to the exercise.
8. Hip Dip on Side Plank:
Side planks with a combination of hip dips are an excellent combination to lose saddlebags. This is an exercise that is a little tough for beginners, but with continuous practice, you can overcome difficulty.
How To Perform:
- Lie down on your side. Raise your upper body at an angle of 30 degrees with the support of your elbow(keep your hips on the floor)
- With the help of your elbows and feet, slowly lift your hips from the floor.
- At a 30 degree angle, your body should be in a straight line.
- Hold yourself up for 5 seconds before you bring your hips down.
- Repeat the same routine on the other side.
9. Sumo Squats:
These squats are also known as plie squats. Sumo or plie squats have a direct effect on butt and thighs along with knee and ankle joint strengthening. It is not advised for people with severe back issues.
How To Perform:
- Stand straight with a shoulder-length gap between your legs, toes slightly outward.
- Bend down until your ankles and knees form a straight line.
- Make a 90-degree angle on the insides of the knees with your thighs and calf.
- Hold up in this pose for 5 seconds before coming into a standing position, completing a single round.
- A routine comprises of 20 rounds minimum.
- Try to do three routines with a gap of 3 minutes.
10. Donkey Kick:
Donkey kick is an appropriate stretch for shagginess. It is tough to lose fat that has been in your body for a while. To avoid putting excessive strain on your knees, perform this exercise on a yoga mat.
How To Perform:
- Keeping a straight back get down on all fours.
- Slowly move your left leg upward and extend it backwards.
- Your aim should be to have your foot parallel to the ceiling.
- Holp up in that position for 10 seconds before coming back to the initial position.
- Repeat this stretch 15 times on each leg.
- Proper posture maintenance is the key for it to work.
- To avoid muscle tears, try not to overdo it a single go. Increase gradually.
11. Side Kicks:
Martial arts inspire sidekicks. They prevent your body from becoming wide, especially the hips and glutes. You can add additional challenges by adding leg weights or tension elastics on your ankles.
How To Perform:
- Stand straight with your back erect.
- Forming fists bring your arms close to your chest.
- Keeping your left leg straight, kick with your right leg sideways parallel to the ground.
- Keep your leg in that pose for 2 seconds.
- Bring your leg back to standing position.
- Repeat the same process with both the legs 15 times on each one.
12. Jump Squats:
A bonus with jump squats is that it helps burn calories and tones your lower body simultaneously. Performing these squats increases heart rate by jumping, resulting in cardio work out. People with a weak back need to take special care while performing this exercise.
How To Perform:
- Put yourself in a squat position with a bent lower body and hands-on either side facing the back.
- Applying full force, jump putting your hands up, and touch the ceiling.
- Land back into the squat position.
- Try to do 30 jumps initially and gradually increase the pace and number.
13. Booty Kick:
There are very few exercises that can be done anywhere, anytime. Booty kicks are one of those. It aims at shaping your butt and reduce fat from your lower abdomen.
How To Perform:
- Put your hands on the hips standing with the shoulder-length distance between your feet.
- Balancing your body on the left leg, kick your right leg backward, keeping your knees straight.
- Your target should be to stretch your leg as much as you can.
- Bring back the leg to start position without touching the ground, hit backwards again.
- Repeat the process 10-15 times and switch the leg, completing one set.
- Try to do four sets with 2-minute intervals. Gradually increase the number.
14. Superman Posture:
Superman posture is an excellent exercise if you want to tone your lower body and strengthen the shoulder. Toning of your hips occurs naturally as you are lying on the tummy, abdomen. Once you get a hold of the basic superman pose, you can add challenging variations. It is one of the effective exercises to reduce saddlebags.
How To Perform:
- Lie on a yoga mat flat on your belly with your hands raised straight over your head.
- Make sure to keep your toes pointed and knees straight.
- On the count of three, lift your hands and legs at the same time taking a deep breath. Keep your hands and legs straight.
- Stay in the pose for 10 seconds. Exhale and come back to lying position.
- Initially, staying in the pose for 10 seconds might be difficult. Slowly increase the count.
Tips To Reduce Saddlebags Fat:
- Try to adjust your diet: Carbs are an essential source of energy for our bodies.
- Choose foods that have healthy carbs such as veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts, etc.
- Be Active: Along with dietary changes staying active is also very important to lose saddlebags.
- Try to include activities like swimming, jogging, dancing, etc. into your daily routine.
These are the best exercises for saddlebags which works effectively. The best part is that you form these exercises anytime, anywhere, and even while watching your favourites on the television. The lower part of the body is a sensitive region. To avoid injuries, begin with basics and then move to more challenging exercises.
Along with these exercises to reduce saddlebags, try making changes in your diet for effective loss of saddlebags. All we need to remember is, it will not be secure, and you won’t lose them overnight. With continued effort and some dietary changes, it will help you say goodbye to saddlebags forever.
