Summary

Lower body exercises like squats, lunges, and deadlifts are essential for apple-shaped bodies as they build muscle mass in the legs and glutes.
Upper body toning with push-ups, triceps dips, and shoulder presses helps reduce excess fat in the arms and chest while improving posture and upper body strength.
Core-focused movements such as Russian twists, planks, and bicycle crunches are key to trimming the midsection, sculpting the waistline, and achieving a more proportionate figure.
A clean and structured 5-day meal plan with high-fiber, high-protein, and whole foods supports fat loss, stabilizes blood sugar, and promotes muscle building.
Combining strength training with targeted ab and leg workouts helps shift fat storage away from the belly and strengthens underdeveloped areas.

If constantly working out doesn’t significantly change your physique, then chances are you’re not exercising according to your body type. If you have an apple shaped body and want your mid-section to have that sleek v-figure along with thicker thighs, then you need to do exercises according to your body type.

However, if you’re clueless about where to start, then this guide is meant for you. It has the complete apple body shaped workout routine that’ll help you sculpt your core, build lower body muscles, and get a leaner upper body.

Try this complete powerful leg workout routine to gain muscle mass in your lower body!

8 Leg Exercises for Apple Shaped Body

1. Squats

Squats are crucial for people with apple shaped bodies as they help them build well-rounded glutes, helping them grow their lower body muscles.

Steps-by-step:

With your feet shoulder-width apart and toes outward, stand straight and brace your core.
Slightly hinge at your hips and bend your knees.
Now, lower your body as much as you can without your knees extending your toes.
Push back using your hamstring and glute muscles and squeeze as you’re standing up.

Build your lower body muscles with resistance band squats!

2. Lunges

Lunges are excellent for toning and evening out leg muscles, which is important for improving the lower body proportions if you have an apple shaped body.

Steps-by-step:

Your starting point should be with your back straight and feet together.
Take one step forward and lower your body with your working leg, bending your knee at a 90° angle.
Your back knee should also have a slight bend to support your front leg.
Raise yourself back up, step back to your starting position, and repeat this with your other leg.

Try these 7 kettlebell lunge variations for a challenging leg workout!

3. Deadlifts

Deadlifts are one of the best compound movements out there that effectively build lower back and hamstrings strength. They also target your glutes, giving you those stallion-like legs!

Steps-by-step:

Keep the dumbbells or the barbell in front of your shins and take a position with your feet hip-width apart.
Hinge at your hips and bend your knees slightly, holding the weights with an overhand grip.
With your back neutral, lift the weight up and straighten your knees completely.
Lower the weight down on the ground to complete one rep.

Learn how to do dumbbell deadlifts in-depth!

4. Step-Ups

Step-ups help make your legs stronger and improve your balance, which is especially helpful for people with an apple-shaped body. They also improve your overall coordination and stability.

Steps-by-step:

Stand with a bench or step in front of you.
Keep one foot on the bench or step, and push yourself up with your heel.
Lower yourself with your non-working leg, then switch to the other leg.

Try these 10 leg exercises with ankle weights!

5. Glute Bridges

Glute Bridges tone and lift your butt, which is important for shaping and firming your glutes and creating a more balanced look for apple-shaped body types.

Steps-by-step:

Lie down with your back neutral and tuck your knees in, bringing your heels close to your glutes.
Push your hips off the ground, bringing them to knee level with your hands by your sides on the ground.
As you lift your glutes up, squeeze them, then lower them again.

Swap glute bridges with hip thrusts.

6. Calf Raises

Calf raises are great for toning and growing the muscles in your lower legs, which can make your legs look better, especially if you have an apple-shaped body.

Steps-by-step:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart with your toes on a step or on a flat surface, holding onto something for balance.
Raise yourself on your toes, pause for a few seconds, then return to your original position.

Try these 10 calf exercises to build vigorous legs!

7. Leg Press

The leg press works multiple leg muscles at the same time, making it a great exercise for building overall leg strength and growing your muscles.

Steps-by-step:

Sit on the leg press machine with your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart.
Lower the platform, bringing your knees as close to your chest as comfortable, then push it back.

Learn more about how to do leg press in-depth!

8. Hamstring Curls

Hamstring curls help strengthen the back of your legs, which is good for improving the balance of muscles in your lower body.

Steps-by-step:

Lie down on your stomach on the machine and place your legs under the padded bar to hook your ankles.
Pull the weight with your hamstrings, close to your glutes, then lower it back down.

Try these 6 hamstrings exercises for stronger legs!

8 Upper Body Exercises for Apple Shaped Body

1. Push-Ups

To build strength in your upper body, lift your chest and stabilize your core, push-ups are one of the best exercises out there.

Steps-by-step:

Get into a plank position with your palms flat on the ground and your hands at a shoulder-width distance.
Keep your back neutral and your feet together.
Bend your elbows and lower your body to the ground, letting your chest feel a stretch.
Through your pecs, push back up, squeezing your chest muscles together.

Learn how to do diamond push-ups in-depth!

2. Triceps Dips

To get rid of those flabby arms, this is the perfect exercise. It allows you to tone your arms whether you’re at the gym or at home.

Steps-by-step:

Take a seat at the edge of a chair or a bench, keeping your hands behind your back, and close to your hips.
Push your butt off the edge and stretch your legs out fully.
Lower your body to the ground with a bend in your elbow, forming a 90° angle.
Elevate yourself back up, maintaining tension in your triceps.
Sit on the edge of a stable bench or chair with your hands next to your hips.

Try these at home triceps workouts to get toned arms!

3. Bicep Curls

For an apple body, this is the perfect exercise to get leaner, as the bicep curls help you gain lean muscle and develop definition.

Steps-by-step:

With your feet shoulder-width apart, grab a dumbbell in each arm, fully extended by your sides.
Using your bicep, curl the weight upward, tucking your elbows into the sides of your torso.
The dumbbells should slightly reach your shoulder level, then control your eccentric and lower the weight again.

Explore the 5 types of bicep curls!

4. Shoulder Press

One of the major things people with apple shaped body struggle with is a poor or hunched shoulder. This exercise boosts shoulder and upper back strength, improving your overall posture.

Steps-by-step:

You can do this exercise while standing up or sitting on a bench.
Either way, maintain a neutral back and brace your core.
Grab a dumbbell in each hand and raise it to shoulder level.
Push the dumbbell up above your head, fully stretching your arms.
Lower the dumbbells back down before pressing again.

Not comfortable with weights? Try these shoulder band workouts instead!

5. Chest Flys

dumbell-chest-fly

Chest Flys is an excellent apple body exercise as they target chest muscles by expanding them, improving upper body strength, and contributing to a more balanced overall body proportion.

Steps-by-step:

With your back flat, lie down on a bench or yoga mat, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Stretch out your arms vertically on top of your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
Now stretch your arms to your side, going as far as you can, feeling the stretch in your chest.
Squeezing your pecs together, bring the dumbbells back to the starting point.

Try a different variation of this exercise with the cable crossovers!

6. Lat Pull-Downs

This exercise for apple shaped body not only broadens your back but also tones it up. It helps you get rid of excess fat, improve posture, and develop a muscular physique.

Steps-by-step:

Attach a wide bar and take a seat at the lat-pull-down machine.
Grab the bar from both ends and pull it down to your upper chest, squeezing your rear delts as you do so.
Maintaining your control, release the bar, letting it reach the starting point again.

Try these 4 lat workouts for a stronger back!

7. Bent Over Rows

Improving your spinal alignment, this exercise gives you a well-balanced upper body and gives power in your back and shoulder muscles.

Steps-by-step:

Maintain a slight bend in your knees and stand with your feet at a shoulder distance.
Keep a neutral back and bend forward to take your stance.
Grab a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell, fully extended ahead of you.
Pull the weights toward your torso, squeezing your upper back and lats, then lower them again.

Try a different variation of this exercise with T-bar rows!

8. Arm Circles

This exercise develops shoulder flexibility. It boosts endurance and strengthens the rotator cuffs, giving you arm strength and flexibility.

Steps-by-step:

Take your position shoulder-width apart and stretch your arms parallel to the ground.
Holding weights in each hand, start circling your arms, expanding the circular movement with every rep.
After 30-45 seconds of movement, switch the direction to work your stabilizers in both ways.

Try these 4 chair arm workouts to increase your strength and get toned!

8 Ab Workouts for Apple Body Shape

1. Russian Twists

This is the best exercise for working your obliques! It targets the fat in the side of your torso, helping you get that snatched waist look.

Steps-by-step:

Sit on the floor with your knees tucked into your abs and feet on the ground.
Keep a straight back and lean behind.
Hold your arms above your torso or add some resistance by holding a kettlebell or dumbbell.
Start by twisting from one side to another to complete one rep.

2. Bicycle Crunches

This dynamic exercise is perfect for toning and sculpting your abs and helping you shred off the fat in your midsection. It will help reverse that ‘apple’ body look.

Steps-by-step:

On a yoga mat, lie down with your back flat and your fingers behind your ears.
Lift your working leg to form a 90° angle with your non-working leg lifted off the ground.
Bring your working leg (for instance right leg) into your torso and touch your left elbow with its knee to complete one rep.

Set your core on fire with these 10 ab exercises!

3. Plank

Great for sculpting your abs and strengthening your core, planks also help you build stability and improve your body’s coordination.

Steps-by-step:

Get into the plank position with your feet together.
Lift yourself up with your knees, making sure your back is neutral and straight.
Brace your core and keep it tight, without letting your hips sag.
Stay in this position for 30-45 seconds, building your way up to 1 minute with practice.

Try this 10-minute plank workout to amp up your core strength!

4. Reverse Crunches

With an intense focus on your lower abs, this exercise tones your entire core.

Steps-by-step:

Reverse crunches for a well defined body

With a neutral back, lie down on the floor or the mat and keep your hands by your sides. You can also tuck them under your hips for some support.
Bend your knees and tuck them towards your hips.
Now, lift your hips off the ground and push your knees towards your chest.
Gradually bring your hips back to the starting position, completing one rep.

Learn how to do reverse crunches properly!

5. Leg Raises

Specifically targeting lower abs, this exercise helps you build core strength while working your hip stabilizers.

Steps-by-step:

Lie down with your back flat on the floor and extend your legs out.
Place your hands underneath your hips for support.
Elevate your legs to a 90° angle, then bring them back to the point where they’re almost touching the floor to complete one rep.

Try these 4 effective ab exercises!

6. Mountain Climbers

This ab exercise is perfect for apple shaped body as it not only slims down your waist but also gives you a full-body workout.

Steps-by-step:

Get into the plank position with your palms flat on the ground, supporting you.
Bring one knee into your chest, then extend that leg back into the starting position.
Switch to the other leg and keep switching between the two at a rapid speed.

Try these 10 hourglass body exercises!

7. Heel Touches

With this exercise for apple body shape, you’ll tighten up your waist and have that hourglass figure.

Steps-by-step:

With your back flat on the floor, bend your knees and keep your arms by your sides.
Slightly elevate your upper torso into a half crunch and tap your right heel with your right hand.
Then, switch to tapping your left heel with your left hand.

Try this lower ab workout routine for a strong core!

8. Flutter Kicks

Get that V-shaped core with this apple shaped body exercise for lower abs. It targets your lower core area, boosting your power and creating flexibility in your hip stabilizers.

Steps-by-step:

Make sure you’re comfortably lying down on the ground, keeping your hands under your hips.
Engaging your core, push your working leg 30° to 45° angle above the ground, rotating between both your legs.

Learn how to do flutter kicks in-depth!

5-Day Meal Plan For Apple Shaped Body

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Day 1	Greek yogurt with mixed berries and flaxseed	Quinoa salad with chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, lemon-tahini dressing	Grilled salmon, steamed broccoli, sweet potato	Almonds and a pear
Day 2	Oatmeal with banana and almond butter	Turkey and avocado wrap, whole grain tortilla, mixed greens	Stir-fried tofu, mixed vegetables, brown rice	Greek yogurt and walnuts
Day 3	Spinach smoothie with protein powder, banana, almond milk	Lentil soup with a side salad	Baked chicken breast, quinoa, steamed asparagus	Carrot sticks with hummus
Day 4	Scrambled eggs with spinach and mushrooms	Grilled chicken salad, mixed greens, balsamic vinaigrette	Beef stir-fry with vegetables, cauliflower rice	Apple and pistachios
Day 5	Cottage cheese with pineapple and chia seeds	Baked tilapia, roasted Brussels sprouts, baked potato	Vegetable chili with kidney beans and vegetables	Mixed berries

Conclusion

To transform your apple shaped body, you need to do specific exercises, consume a healthy and nutrient-dense diet, and follow a regular workout plan. Focus on gaining muscle in your legs, improving your core, and reducing upper body size. With consistency in your exercise routine and protein-rich, high-fiber diet, you can improve your overall health and achieve the physique you dream of.

FAQs

How do you slim down an apple-shaped body?

To slim down an apple-shaped body, focus on burning upper body fat with cardio and core workouts, while building leg muscle with resistance training like squats and lunges. A high-protein, fiber-rich diet and consistency in your workout routine will help sculpt a balanced figure.

Can you transform an apple-shaped body?

While genetics define your body type, an apple-shaped body can be reshaped with lower body strength workouts and midsection fat reduction through cardio and diet. Over time, this approach helps create more balance and definition across your upper and lower body.

What looks good on an apple body shape?

Apple-shaped bodies look great in v-necks, wrap dresses, high-waisted bottoms, and structured activewear. These styles define the waist, highlight the lower body, and provide flattering support, making your proportions appear more balanced and sleek.

How to get an apple-shaped body?

Apple body shapes occur due to genetic predisposition or hormonal imbalances, leading to fat accumulation around the midsection. This can be influenced by lifestyle factors such as poor diet, low activity levels, and stress, so adopting healthy habits is key for balance.

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