7 Best Workouts for an Hourglass Figure

Achieving an hourglass figure involves strengthening your core, tightening your waistline, and sculpting your hips and shoulders to create a balanced and defined silhouette. This shape typically highlights a smaller waist with more pronounced curves in the upper and lower body. While genetics play a significant role, targeted workouts can help you work toward this body shape by toning the right muscles and promoting fat loss. Exercises focusing on the core, glutes, shoulders, and legs are particularly effective in creating the hourglass shape. To help you out, we’ve put together seven of the best workouts for an hourglass figure.

To develop this body shape, it’s essential to combine strength training with cardio to reduce overall body fat while building lean muscle. Strengthening your core and glutes will define your waistline and enhance your curves, while exercises for your shoulders and upper body will create a balanced frame. In this article, we’ll outline seven of the best workouts to help you achieve and maintain that coveted hourglass figure. Each workout targets key muscle groups to promote a shapely, toned appearance.

Below are seven effective workouts to sculpt an hourglass figure. These exercises are easy to follow and require minimal equipment, making them accessible for most fitness levels. The goal is to perform each movement properly, focusing on engaging the muscles and maintaining control throughout the workout.

Workout #1: Waist-Cinching Core Workout

What You Need: No equipment is needed, just your body weight. This core-focused workout tightens your waistline, helping to define your hourglass shape. It takes about 15 minutes to complete.

The Routine:

• Bicycle Crunches – 3 sets of 20 reps per side
• Side Plank Hip Dips – 3 sets of 15 reps per side
• Russian Twists – 3 sets of 25 reps per side

Directions: Perform all exercises in a circuit. Rest for 1 minute between rounds and complete 3 rounds total.

1. Bicycle Crunches

1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and knees bent.
2. Lift your shoulders off the floor, twisting your torso to bring your right elbow toward your left knee as you extend your right leg.
3. Switch sides, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee, mimicking a pedaling motion.
4. Continue alternating sides for the listed reps.

2. Side Plank Hip Dips

1. Start in a side plank position with your right elbow on the ground and your legs stacked.
2. Lower your hips toward the floor, then lift them back up to the starting position.
3. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side.

3. Russian Twists

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, and lean back slightly to engage your core.
2. Twist your torso to the right, bringing your hands to the side of your body.
3. Return to the center, then twist to the left side. Continue alternating sides for the duration of the set.

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Workout #2: Glute Shaper

What You Need: No equipment is needed. This lower-body workout, which takes about 20 minutes to complete, focuses on building your glutes and thighs to enhance your hourglass figure.

The Routine:

• Glute Bridges – 3 sets of 20 reps
• Bulgarian Split Squats – 3 sets of 12 reps per leg
• Curtsy Lunges – 3 sets of 15 reps per leg

Directions: Perform all exercises in a circuit. Rest for 1 minute between rounds and complete 3 rounds total.

1. Glute Bridges

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top.
3. Lower your hips back down to the floor and repeat for the listed reps.

2. Bulgarian Split Squats

1. Stand before a bench or elevated surface and place your right foot on it.
2. Lower into a lunge by bending your left knee while keeping your chest upright.
3. Push through your left foot to return to the starting position.
4. Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.

3. Curtsy Lunges

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Step your right leg behind your left, lowering into a lunge as if you were curtsying.
3. Return to the starting position and switch legs, alternating sides with each rep.

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Workout #3: Shoulder Sculptor

What You Need: Light dumbbells (5-10 lbs). This upper-body workout focuses on your shoulders to balance out your figure and enhance the hourglass shape. It takes about 15 minutes to complete.

The Routine:

• Dumbbell Lateral Raises – 3 sets of 12 reps
• Front Raises – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 12 reps

Directions: Perform all exercises in a circuit. Rest for 1 minute between rounds and complete 3 rounds total.

1. Dumbbell Lateral Raises

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Raise your arms out to the sides until they’re at shoulder height.
3. Lower your arms back down to your sides and repeat for the listed reps.

2. Front Raises

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
2. Lift the dumbbells in front of you until your arms are parallel to the ground.
3. Lower them back down and repeat.

3. Shoulder Press

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
2. Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
3. Lower them back down to shoulder height and repeat.

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Workout #4: Hip Sculptor

What You Need: A resistance band. This lower-body workout strengthens your hips and glutes to create fuller curves. It takes about 15 minutes to complete.

The Routine:

• Banded Side Steps – 3 sets of 20 steps per side
• Clamshells – 3 sets of 15 reps per side
• Fire Hydrants – 3 sets of 12 reps per side

Directions: Perform all exercises in a circuit. Rest for 1 minute between rounds and complete 3 rounds total.

1. Banded Side Steps

1. Place a resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.
2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and squat slightly.
3. Step to the right, keeping tension on the band, then step your left foot to meet your right.
4. Continue stepping to the right for 20 steps, then switch directions.

2. Clamshells

1. Lie on your side with your legs stacked and knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee as high as you can without moving your hips.
3. Lower your knee back down and repeat.
4. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

3. Fire Hydrants

1. Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Lift your right leg out to the side, keeping your knee bent at a 90-degree angle.
3. Lower your leg back down and repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.

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Workout #5: Full-Body Burner

What You Need: A set of dumbbells. This workout engages your entire body, with a special emphasis on your core, glutes, and shoulders for an hourglass shape.

The Routine:

• Dumbbell Deadlifts – 3 sets of 12 reps
• Renegade Rows – 3 sets of 10 reps per side
• Squat to Press – 3 sets of 12 reps

Directions: Perform all exercises in a circuit. Rest for 1 minute between rounds and complete 3 rounds total.

1. Dumbbell Deadlifts

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs.
2. Hinge at your hips and lower the dumbbells toward the ground while keeping your back straight.
3. Return to standing by driving through your heels and squeezing your glutes at the top.

2. Renegade Rows

1. Start in a plank position with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Row the right dumbbell up toward your hip while stabilizing your core.
3. Lower it back down and switch to the left side. Alternate sides for the listed reps.

3. Squat to Press

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
2. Squat down, keeping your chest upright.
3. As you stand up, press the dumbbells overhead. Lower them back to shoulder height and repeat.

Workout #6: Thigh Toner

What You Need: No equipment is needed. This workout is designed to tone your thighs and glutes, contributing to the lower body curves of an hourglass figure.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The Routine:

• Sumo Squats – 3 sets of 15 reps
• Step-ups – 3 sets of 12 reps per leg
• Lateral Lunges – 3 sets of 12 reps per leg

Directions: Perform all exercises in a circuit. Rest for 1 minute between rounds and complete 3 rounds total.

1. Sumo Squats

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed out.
2. Lower into a squat, keeping your back straight and knees tracking over your toes.
3. Push through your heels to return to standing.

2. Step-ups

1. Stand in front of a bench or step.
2. Step your right foot onto the bench and push through your heel to stand up, bringing your left foot to meet your right.
3. Step back down with your left foot, then repeat on the other side.

3. Lateral Lunges

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Take a large step to the right, lowering into a lunge by bending your right knee and keeping your left leg straight.
3. Push off your right foot to return to standing, then repeat on the left side.

Workout #7: Cardio & Core Crusher

What You Need: No equipment is needed. This high-intensity workout combines cardio and core movements to help burn fat and tighten your midsection.

The Routine:

• High Knees – 3 sets of 30 seconds
• Mountain Climbers – 3 sets of 30 seconds
• Plank Jacks – 3 sets of 30 seconds

Directions: Perform all exercises in a circuit. Rest for 1 minute between rounds and complete 3 rounds total.

1. High Knees

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Run in place, bringing your knees as high as possible toward your chest.
3. Pump your arms and keep your core engaged throughout the movement.

2. Mountain Climbers

1. Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Bring your right knee toward your chest, then quickly switch legs, bringing your left knee forward.
3. Continue alternating as quickly as possible.

3. Plank Jacks

1. Begin in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders and feet together.
2. Jump your feet out to the sides, like a jumping jack, then jump them back together.

Tyler Read, BSc, CPT