Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Weight Lifting, 40 Optimal Exercises (with Images)

Resistance training offers the most reliable solution for the best skinny fat (1) fix. Weight-lifting is the gold standard. Evenly rotating upper and lower body routines spread out uniformly throughout the week is optimal. What specific exercises you need to focus on depends on where you are experiencing skinny fat on your body.

Skinny fat can technically exist anywhere on the human body where genetic default muscle tissue should be but is not. If you are unsure where you are experiencing skinny fat on your body, the Scientific Body Type Quiz (2) was developed using the latest science. There is a free option available. Accounts are secure, private, and anonymous (depending on what information you choose to give).

Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Weight Lifting, Upper Body

If you are experiencing skinny fat (thin fat, cellulite)(1) on your upper body, targeting the specific areas with proper weightlifting exercises is key. Once you have built the added muscle mass and are happy with your results, like any resistance training you must maintain (3) the added muscle mass or you will gradually lose it and eventually return to your original default genetic body composition including any skinny fat.

Typically one to three exercises per session, two to five different exercises per week. The intensity (4) of each exercise determines how many reps and sets.

Shoulders (5, 6, 7, 8) – Exercises:

Push press, dumbbell shoulder press (standing, seated), dumbbell lateral raise (side), dumbbell behind the neck press (standing, seated), barbell overhead press (seated, standing), kettlebell one-arm push press, front raise, face pull, reverse fly/rear delt fly, dumbbell front raise, upright row, dumbbell push press, cable lateral raise, rear delt raise/row, seated barbell press, seated Arnold press, incline barbell bench press, military press, halo, machine lateral raise, etc.

Upper Back (9, 10, 11, 12) – Exercises:

Barbell bent over row, dumbbell bent over row, cable lat pulldown (close, regular, wide grip), seal row, inverted row, barbell row, reverse fly, pull-up, deadlifts, face pull, t-bar row with handle, incline barbell bench press, etc.

Chest (13, 14, 15, 16) – Exercises:

Barbell bench press (guillotine), barbell incline bench press, dumbbell bench press, dumbbell flyes, dumbbell incline flyes, cable crossover, incline dumbbell bench press, dumbbell pullover, decline press, cables chest fly, machine chest press, machine fly, etc.

Arms/Biceps/Triceps (17, 18, 19, 20) – Exercises:

Dumbbell bicep curl (standing, seated), barbell bicep curl (regular, wide, close grip), dumbbell tricep extensions (standing, seated), incline dumbbell bench press, dumbbell upright row, incline bicep curl, twisting dumbbell curl, hammer curl, incline hammer curl, underhanded seated row, reverse curl straight bar, triceps kickback, overhead extension, concentration curl, bent over row, Arnold press, lateral raises, etc.

Core

Stomach/Abs/Midriff (21, 22, 23, 24) – Exercises:

Weighted crunches, cable crunches (standing, kneeling, seated), weighted Russian twists, weighted plank (front), plank with triceps kickback, barbell rollout, unilateral dumbbell march, squat to overhead press, cable twists, forward lunge with twist, half-kneeling kettlebell windmill, weighted sit-up, abs machine, deadlifts, etc.

Lower Back/Middle Back/Lats (25, 26, 27, 28, 29) – Exercises:

Cable lat pulldown (close, regular, wide grip), seated cable row, pull-ups, kettlebell swings, chin-ups, landmine row, straight-arm pulldowns, weighted Russian twists, bent-over row, barbell row, dumbbell row, barbell good mornings, cable twists, back extension, deadlifts, rack pull, etc.

Love Handles (30, 31, 32, 33) – Exercises:

Cable twists, cable side crunch, weighted Russian twists, weighted crunches, cable crunches (standing, kneeling, seated), weighted plank, dumbbell side bends, dumbbell bent-over rows, dumbbell squats, tempo goblet squats, dumbbell lunges, kettlebell swings, deadlifts, etc.

Lower Body, Weight Lifting – Resistance Training for Skinny Fat

Waist/Hips (34, 35, 36, 37) – Exercises:

Dumbbell hip thrusts, barbell hip thrusts, hip abductor machine, Bulgarian dumbbell split squat, lateral lunge, seated barbell good morning, barbell back squat, dumbbell back squat, dumbbell sumo squat, cable side crunch, weighted Russian twists, etc.

Buttocks (Glutes) (38, 39, 40, 41) – Exercises:

Seated barbell good morning, good morning, barbell rack pull, dumbbell goblet squat, dumbbell deadlifts, barbell hip thrusts, dumbbell hip thrusts, kettlebell swing, barbell Romanian deadlifts, dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, deadlifts, etc.

Upper Legs/Thighs (42, 43, 44, 45)  – Exercises:

Barbell Romanian deadlifts, dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, barbell good morning, dumbbell lunges, rack pull, deadlifts, dumbbell deadlifts, strongman deadlifts, leg extension, lever leg extension, leg press, captains chair leg raises, barbell back squat, etc.

Lower Legs (46, 47, 48, 49) – Exercises:

Dumbbell calf raises (standing, seated), barbell calf raises (standing, seated), seated calf press (90-degree, 45-degree), standing barbell calf raises, dumbbell squats, dumbbell lunges, dumbbell goblet squats, single leg calf raises, deadlifts, standing machine calf raises, etc. 

References

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