Intro

In order to drop 1/2 inch off of your waist, you'll need to first take a waist circumference measurement. The landmark to use is your belly button. Start the end of the tape measure on your belly button and fish the other end around making sure not to tangle it or get it caught on clothing. Then pull it tight, but not too tight to the point it makes your stomach recede inward. This measurement will be done again later to demonstrate the results so write down your first measurement.

As a side note, this test won't work if you are on the extreme ends of the body comp spectrum. If you're too lean or if you're significantly overweight it will not work.

Posture

How this technique works is through posture. Your body's preferential mode or way of moving you through space is posture. Some people have the ability to get into and out of all different positions or postures, others get stuck or are limited to a position or pattern regardless of what movement they are doing. The most common posture I see on a daily basis is an anterior pelvic tilt with a ribcage flair. This is ultra common in the gym setting due to the nature of most bilateral exercises pushing your center of mass forward and flaring your ribcage up and pelvis down.

When stuck in this position, your abdominal muscles get loose and weak. Your body loses its ability to pull the ribs down and stack them on top of a neutral pelvis. This position is where waist lines can look worse than they are. Your abs are relaxed and the fat around your midsection tends to protrude more because of those relaxed abs and forward lower back.