Waist flab is like America Ferrera's make-up job in Ugly Betty - behind the braces and specs there's something really attractive. And don't think you need to crunch yourself silly to morph your waist from drainpipe to hourglass. The key is to burn off fat with cardio and work your core from every angle, so you'll have toned your whole waist - front, sides and back. We tapped top experts to show you how to get the most out of six popular activities, so you can whittle while you work out.


Tennis

Need a reason to book in lessons with the local Federer-lookalike? "You recruit your core muscles - stretching, twisting and contracting your abs with every shot," says tennis coach Bill Mountford. And when you run around the court for shots, you will also burn kilojoules and fat.

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To really kick your core and strengthen your obliques (the muscles on the side of your waist), turn completely through the ball, fully rotating your hips and shoulders in the direction of the shot - especially during forehands and two-handed backhands.

"You'll hit the ball harder without compromising consistency and you'll tax your core muscles," Mountford says. To emphasise your core even more, do this circuit against a backboard or use a ball machine for a more rapid-fire workout. Twist your torso completely through every hit to work your muscles through the entire range of motion.

Do the circuit, rest for a minute, then repeat.
20 forehands
20 two-handed backhands
20 alternating forehands and two-handed backhands
10 serves (much of the power will come as you stretch, then contract, your core)


Cross-countryrunning

Running can burn more fat than a KFC outlet, but for a bigger kilojoule burn mixed with core stability work, head for rough ground. "Cross-country running offers more of a core challenge because you're constantly stabilising on the uneven terrain," says Rebecca Rusch, a Red Bull adventure racer. "You're forced to use your obliques to balance yourself with every step. The more uneven the terrain, the better your core workout."

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Find a track with a variety of terrain, such as rocks, dips and different degrees of steepness. For a 30-minute cross-country run which will burn kilojoules and engage your core with every step, try this off-the-beaten-track routine.

Jog for 8 minutes at a relaxed pace.Do 1 minute of running at a pace where you're not sprinting, but you're huffing hard.

At the end of the minute, stop and do a series of 10 bounds - alternating one-legged leaps (pretend you're leaping over a small stream - hey, why not channel Bambi while you're in the wilderness?). Your bounds should be much longer than your average stride and much slower.

Bounding - especially on uneven terrain - forces your core to keep you balanced, so you'll be able to fully engage all of the muscles in your waist. For more of a twist, alternate between leaping forward and leaping laterally to work your obliques and the sides of your legs.

Follow with an easy one-minute jog. Repeat the cycle of hard running, bounding and jogging twice to complete the workout.


Swimming

Even if the pool in your gym is crawling with a hard-core Speedo squad, it's worth diving in and giving swimming a shot. Water provides natural muscle-toning resistance, and you can crank up the waist work simply by throwing your hips into every stroke. "While most people think of swimming with their arms, the best swimmers in the world rotate their hips to generate power," says Eric Harr, author of Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week . "It not only builds your whole core, it helps you move efficiently in the water."

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When swimming freestyle, rotate your hips by rolling your body side to side as far as possible (without flipping over) with every stroke. Focus on keeping your mid-section tight, so it's aligned as one unit with your shoulders and hips. "Backstroke is also terrific for waist-whittling because your whole core is constantly working to keep your body flat and stable on top of the water," Harr says. For more of a workout, warm up with five minutes of easy swimming and then grab a pair of fins. Float on your back with your arms stretched overhead and do dolphin kicks - kicking powerfully with both feet together - to propel yourself down the pool. Rest at the other end for 30 seconds and do eight to 12 more laps before cooling down with a few minutes of easy swimming, fin-free. "The fins increase resistance to work your core harder," Harr says.

Hiking

A steep hike makes a fitness trifecta: you'll strengthen your legs, glutes and abs. "Hiking downhill also strengthens your lower back because that part of your core works to compensate for the changing angle of the track," Rusch says.

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To amp up your hike, Rusch recommends using poles to add more total-body resistance. The poles allow you to pull and push your weight up the hill, so you burn more fat. Also, if you twist your middle to face the side of the pole you're pulling back, you can add a more focused resistance challenge that strengthens your obliques and the back of your waist. "Be aggressive, planting them at the same time as the opposite foot," Rusch says. "Your arm should be fully extended behind your body at the finish of each pole plant." Hike for at least 30 minutes to dip into your fat stores.

Mountain biking

Cycling can work your glutes, thighs and usually your lungs, but if you want to recruit more ab and back muscles, get off the road. "The balance required to roll over undulating terrain builds core strength while burning massive amounts of kilojoules," Harr says. And when you rise out of the saddle (outside or on a stationary bike), you wind up using your core muscles to power your pedal strokes.

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Get up. "Include anywhere from four to eight standing intervals, ranging in length from 20 seconds to two minutes at a time when you ride," Harr says. If you're a beginner, stick to the short intervals; if advanced, stand for two-minute sprints.

Burn your core even more with this move: turn the tension on your spinning cycle up high (so it feels like you're going up a steep incline), get out of the saddle and pedal uphill. After 10 or 20 seconds, remove your grip from the handles and stand up as straight as you can out of the saddle; now just lightly touch a few fingers on top of the handlebars (so you won't fall over). Without relying on your upper body so much for balance, you'll force your core to keep you straight and up. Alternate between 20 seconds on the handles and 40 seconds off for two to three minutes. Then sit back, spin for three minutes, and repeat the uphill interval.

Rowing

That underrated piece of gym equipment is one of the most useful. A rowing machine works your whole body, burning major kilojoules and it zeroes in on your back. "As you push with your legs, you pull with and really engage your lower back and lats," Rusch says.

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Most people round their backs while rowing, missing out on the back-toning benefits. The key is to keep it straight and use it. Rusch's formula for good form: start with knees bent, arms straight, and lean slightly forward with a straight back. "Lean from your waist, not by rolling your back over," she says. Next, push with and extend your legs, and then tighten your core and slightly pull with your lower back, keeping your back straight. Finally, bring your fists to your chest and reverse the order to straighten arms, lean and then bend legs. As the technique gets more comfortable, you can make each phase explosive. The return back to start is your rest time, so use that second to relax before exploding again. Row for at least 30 minutes for the best burn. When you've finished the workout, keep your legs stationary and, for five minutes, do the last two phases of the stroke for an extra back burn and to emphasise the unforgotten, yet just as essential, part of your core: your lower back. Sit and lean back (pull with back muscles, keeping back straight) and then snap your arms to your chest.



Middle Management: These moves from Kurt, Brett and Mike Brungardt's The Complete Book of Core Training, can be a stand-alone workout or part of your total-body routine. Pick four; do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 20 reps.

Click on gallery below to start your workout.

Middle Management Workout