Summary
If you have a triangle shaped body, then you need to balance it out by building a heavier lower body. Incorporate exercises such as goblet squats, deadlifts, lateral band walks, step-ups, hip thrusts, Bulgarian split squats, leg presses, and calf raises. To slim your upper body and get toned, add push-ups, inverted rows, lateral raises, dumbbell flys, rear delt flys, face pulls, tricep dips, and plank shoulder taps to your routine. For a snatched waist, make sure to train your core with bicycle crunches, plank, Russian twists, leg raises, side plank, mountain climbers, toe touches, and flutter kicks.
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If you’ve been crushing it with maximum reps at the gym, stacking up weights and still not seeing the results, then it’s probably because you’re not working out according to your body type. For instance, if you have an inverted body shape and you start doing a pear shaped body or apple body shape workout, it just won’t garner the same results.
If you have a triangle shape body, then you’re likely to have wider shoulders and a slimmer waist and hips structure. This means your upper body is much broader than your lower body. To achieve a well-balanced physique, you need to grow your lower body while toning your shoulders and arms – and this guide will help you with that!
Ready to achieve your dream physique? Let’s dive into the best exercises for inverted triangle body shape!
8 Lower Body Exercises for Inverted Triangle Body Shape
Goblet Squats
This exercise targets your glutes, hamstrings, and quads, helping you grow your lower body.
Step-by-step:
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands pressed against the center of your chest and feet at a shoulder distance.
- Descend into a squat, bracing your core and keeping your back neutral.
- Do not let your knees cross your toes as you lower yourself down.
- Elevate yourself, pushing through your heels, and repeat.
Grow your lower body muscles with resistance band squats!
Deadlifts
Working multiple muscles at once, the deadlift is one of the best compound exercises that strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
Step-by-step:
- Keep a barbell or dumbbell in front of you, and stand with your feet at a hip distance.
- Keep a bend in your knees and your back straight, hinging at your hips.
- Now, grab the weight, and keeping it close to your shins, lift the weight, squeezing your glutes as you stand straight.
- Return to the starting position, controlling your movement and keeping a steady grip.
Build your strength with this 30 minute leg workout!
Lateral Band Walks
Working your saddle bags (outer thighs) and glutes, this exercise helps you develop a balanced lower body.
Step-by-step:
- Step into a resistance band and pull it upward, wrapping it around your thighs, right above your knees.
- With a slight bend in your knees, step to the side, feeling the tension in your thighs and butt.
- Keep stepping side to side, maintaining tension on the band.
Try these 7 kettlebell lunge variations for a challenging leg workout!
Step-Ups
Not only does this exercise give you powerful legs, but it also helps you develop overall coordination and balance.
Step-by-step:
- Place a bench in front of you and place your foot on it.
- Push yourself upward with this foot to take a step up.
- Lower yourself back down, stabilizing your body with your non-working leg, and repeat.
- Switch to the other leg to complete one set.
Level up your lower body gains with these 10 leg exercises!
Bulgarian Split Squats
Isolating each leg, this exercise helps you gain muscle in your glutes while boosting strength and giving you balance.
Step-by-step:
- Put one foot on the bench – this will be your supportive leg.
- Take a few steps away from the bench with your working leg to take your position.
- Bend and lower yourself into a lunge, without letting your knee cross your toe.
- With your heel, push upwards and stand up straight to get back to the starting point.
Try these 5 resistance band leg workouts!
Hip Thrusts
Since the inverted triangle shaped body type has a slimmer lower body, this exercise is perfect as it gives you a plump and well-rounded booty.
Step-by-step:
- Take a seat on the floor, resting your upper body against a bench.
- Bend your knees and keep your feet flat, bringing them closer to your glutes.
- With a dumbbell or barbell over your pelvic area, thrust your hips upward, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Bring your hips down until it’s almost touching the floor, then thrust back again to complete one rep.
Learn how to do hip thrusts in-depth!
Leg Press
A versatile exercise, the leg press works several muscle groups within your legs including your hamstrings, quads, and glutes.
Step-by-step:
- Take a seat on the leg press machine and brace your core, keeping your back flat.
- Place your feet at a shoulder distance, making sure they’re flat on the surface.
- With a bend in your knee, lower the weight, bringing it to your chest.
- Now, push the weight back with your legs, extending your legs to complete one rep.
Try this leg and booty workout at home to grow your lower body!
Calf Raises
This exercise isolates your calf muscles, giving you definition in your legs.
Step-by-step:
- Grab onto anything for support and balance, and stand with your feet at a hip distance.
- Push your heels off the floor with your toes, holding this position as you’re elevated.
- Lower yourself again, touching the ground with your heels and repeating.
Try these 10 calf exercises to build vigorous legs!
8 Upper Body Exercises for Inverted Triangle Body Shape
Push-Ups
Without increasing mass, push-ups boost your upper body strength and help you get muscle definition.
Step-by-step:
- Get into a conventional plank position, keeping your hands at a shoulder distance.
- With a bend in your elbows, lower your body towards the ground, letting your pecs stretch out fully.
- Squeezing your pecs together, push yourself back up, extending your arms fully.
Learn how to do diamond push-ups properly!
Inverted Rows
One of the best exercises for your pull-day workout, this exercise strengthens your back and rear delts.
Step-by-step:
- Set a bar, preferably on a smith machine at your torso level.
- Lie down on the ground with your chest directly under the bar.
- With an overhand grip, hold the bar, letting your arms extend fully.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull your chest towards the bar, keeping your back neutral.
- Lower yourself down and repeat.
For a different variation of this exercise, try the T-bar row!
Lateral Raises
This exercise gives you sculpted shoulders without making you gain mass.
Step-by-step:
- Grab onto a dumbbell on each side and take your position with your feet at a hip distance.
- Maintain a slight bend in your knees and raise both arms to your sides, aligning them with your shoulders.
- Bring the weight back down and repeat.
Try this complete shoulder band workout to get sculpted!
Dumbbell Flys
Toning up your chest and shoulders, this exercise helps you gain upper body strength while defining your muscles.
Step-by-step:
- Lie down on a bench with your shoulder blades retracted and an arch in your lower back.
- Push the weights above you, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Stretch your arms outwards to your sides, letting your chest muscles expand.
- Then squeezing your pecs, bring your arms together right over your chest, and repeat.
Struggling? Try the cable crossover instead!
Rear Delt Flys
Not only does this exercise target you’re the back of your shoulders, but it also helps you get rid of rhomboid pain and improve your posture.
Step-by-step:
- With a slight bend in your knees, bring your upper body parallel to the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and squeezing your shoulder blades, push your arms to your sides.
- Bring the weight back to the starting position and repeat.
Learn about rear delts or bent over flys in-depth!
Face Pulls
This exercise helps you build a sturdy posture while improving your overall coordination and stability.
Step-by-step:
- Fix the cable pulley to the highest level and attach a rope extension.
- Attach a rope to a high pulley and grab it with both hands.
- Pull the rope towards your face, flaring your elbows out.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and return to the starting position.
Try these 6 shoulder cable workouts to build strength and get sculpted!
Triceps Dips
This exercise tones your arms and minimizes the flabbiness and bulkiness of your triceps area.
Step-by-step:
- Take a seat at the edge of a bench and place your hands behind your hips.
- Extend your legs fully, sliding your butt off the bench.
- Now, lower your body, bending your elbows until they form a 90° angle.
- Maintaining the tension in your triceps, push your body upwards, extending your arms fully.
Try this complete triceps workout routine to tone your arms!
Plank Shoulder Taps
Not only is this one of the best shoulder exercises, but the plank shoulder taps also build your core and upper body strength.
Step-by-step:
- Get into a plank position with your palms flat on the floor and your hands aligned with your shoulders.
- Tap your right shoulder with your left hand, keeping yourself elevated with the right hand.
- Keep switching between both sides with your core braced and activated.
Empower yourself with this 10 minute plank workout!
8 Core Workouts for Inverted Triangle Body Shape
Standing Oblique Crunches
This exercise works your sides, giving you that snatched waistline.
Step-by-step:
- With your hands at the back of your neck, stand with your feet at a shoulder distance.
- Bring your right knee into your right elbow from the side, crunching it.
- Switch to the other side and keep alternating.
Try these 10 oblique exercises for a killer ab workout!
Seated Knee Tucks
This exercise not only sculpts your lower abs but also builds your core strength and stability.
Step-by-step:
- Take a seat at the edge of a chair or bench, grabbing onto the sides to support yourself.
- Slightly lean back and elevate your legs from the ground.
- Bring your knees to your chest, and extend them fully, keeping them above the ground.
Set your core on fire with these 10 ab exercises!
Heel Touches
One of the best exercises for inverted triangle shaped body, heel touches target your obliques and tone your waist.
Step-by-step:
- Lie down on the ground with your back neutral and feet flat on the floor.
- Crunch up slightly so your shoulders are off the ground.
- With your arms extended by your side, tap your right heel with your right hand and switch sides.
For a more challenging exercise, try reverse crunches instead!
Modified Bicycle Crunches
This core exercise works your main and side abs, giving you a snatched waist.
Step-by-step:
- Lie down with your back straight on the ground and place your hands behind your head.
- Bend your knees and bring your right knee towards your chest.
- At the same time, crunch up and bring your left elbow closer to your right knee so they’re tapping.
- Switch to the other side and repeat, controlling your movement.
Try these 4 effective ab exercises!
Toe Taps
Gentle on your back, this exercise effectively engages your lower abs.
Step-by-step:
- Lie down flat on your back and bring your legs to a 90° angle bend, lifting them up.
- Controlling your movement, bring one foot down and tap it on the ground.
- Switch to the other side, repeating with the other leg.
Try these 10 hourglass body exercises!
Seated Russian Twists
Gentler on your lower back, this easier version of Russian twists works your sides just as effectively.
Step-by-step:
- Take a seat on the floor, bending your knees and keeping your feet flat.
- Clasp your hands together in a fist and lean back slightly.
- Now, rotate your torso from left to right, and right to left, letting your sides stretch fully.
Try this lower ab workout routine for a strong core!
Spiderman Planks
This ab exercise stabilizes your core and sculpts your sides, giving you a tight and snatched waistline.
Step-by-step:
- Get into a conventional plank position, extending your arms beneath your shoulders.
- Now, crunch your right knee to your side, bringing it to your right elbow.
- Return to the starting position and switch to the other side.
To burn up your core, try flutter kicks as well!
Butterfly Crunches
This complete core exercise engages your lower and upper abs simultaneously, giving you that chiseled waistline.
Step-by-step:
- Lie down flat on the ground, keeping your back neutral and straight.
- Bring the soles of your feet together, bending your knees sidewards.
- Place your hands at the back of your neck to get into the starting position.
- Crunch up off the ground, keeping your core engaged, then lower it back down.
Try this washboard abs routine to get ripped!
7-Day Meal Plan For Inverted Triangle Body
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Oatmeal with banana and honey | Grilled chicken salad with mixed greens and vinaigrette | Stir-fried tofu with mixed vegetables and brown rice | Greek yogurt with berries |
| Day 2 | Smoothie with spinach, banana, and almond milk | Turkey and avocado wrap with whole grain tortilla | Quinoa with roasted vegetables and chickpeas | Apple slices with peanut butter |
| Day 3 | Scrambled eggs with spinach and tomatoes | Lentil soup with a side of whole grain bread | Grilled salmon with steamed broccoli and sweet potato | Carrot sticks with hummus |
| Day 4 | Cottage cheese with pineapple and chia seeds | Quinoa and black bean salad with lime dressing | Chicken stir-fry with mixed vegetables and brown rice | Mixed nuts and a pear |
| Day 5 | Whole grain toast with avocado and poached egg | Spinach and feta wrap with whole grain tortilla | Grilled tilapia with asparagus and quinoa | Sliced bell peppers with guacamole |
| Day 6 | Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts | Chickpea and cucumber salad with lemon-tahini dressing | Beef stir-fry with broccoli and brown rice | Banana with almond butter |
| Day 7 | Fruit smoothie with berries, spinach, and almond milk | Chicken Caesar salad with light dressing | Baked cod with quinoa and roasted Brussels sprouts | Celery sticks with cream cheese |
Conclusion
You might think it’s difficult to build the kind of physique you dream of with a triangle body shape. However, opting the right training strategy, incorporating focused exercises, combined with the right nutrition can help you turn things around in your favor. Just make sure you’re patient and consistent, and you’ll be on your way to earning a balanced physique.
FAQs
What are the best exercises for an inverted triangle body shape?
The best exercise for an inverted triangle body shape is a mixture of upper, lower, and ab workouts. However, since your upper body is broader than your lower body, you need to incorporate leg workouts 2-3 times a week. Some of the best exercises to grow your legs and glutes include hip thrusts, squats, deadlift, lunges, step-ups, etc. You also need to do some upper body workouts such as rows, triceps dips and kickbacks, chest presses, pushups, etc to improve your strength, and get muscle definition without adding bulk. You also need to incorporate planks and crunching movements to get a more ripped and chiseled torso.
Can I change my body shape from inverted triangle to hourglass?
You cannot change or 'fix' a body type. Each body type is unique and beautiful in its own way. However, you can develop a well-balanced physique by incorporating the right kinds of exercises that target certain muscles in your body that you need to work more on. This includes doing goblet squats, calf raises and banded lateral walks to grow your glutes and legs. You need to combine these with knee tucks and Russian twists for a slimmer waist. You also need to incorporate lateral raises, pushups, and face pulls to slim down your upper body and develop a more proportionate look.
How can I gain muscle mass with an inverted triangle body shape?
You cannot genetically modify your body shape. However, you can certainly train your body in a way that you get the physique you want. You need to start training your legs more, lifting more weights to gain mass and size up your legs and glutes. You also need to add more tension and rep frequency in your upper body to get lean muscles. In addition to this, you need to consume a nutrient-dense, high-protein diet that helps you achieve your fitness goals. And most importantly, you also need to incorporate some other form of upper body movement such as dancing or stretching that tone your body up.
How can I lose weight with an inverted triangle body shape?
If you want to lose weight with an inverted triangle shaped body, you need to add some cardio workouts into your strength training routine. This means you need to add some running, treadmill walking, cycling, biking, swimming, or HIIT - anything that helps you burn some extra calories. At the same time, you need to do high intensity strength training that helps you gain muscle mass in the lower body and become lean and sculpted in your upper body and core area. Make sure you're consuming a balanced diet with lean proteins, veggies and fruits and lots of whole foods to satiate and energize yourself!
