The Gym: Treating Cellulite Through Movement

When it comes to tackling cellulite, the gym is a logical place to start. But did you choose to pursue your anti cellulite efforts in the gym because you want to or because that’s what you think you should do?

You might be surprised to hear that the gym is the last room I recommend for rookie cellulite investigators.  So if you are on the fence about starting in the gym, go back and choose another room to kick off your cellulite investigation. If you’re here because you genuinely enjoy working out, then I think you will be pleasantly surprised to learn what our investigation has uncovered so far regarding the best exercises for cellulite.

Freedom from Treadmills, At Long Last!

Let me begin by explaining what are NOT the best exercises for cellulite.  Some so-called experts assert that cellulite reduction is a simple matter of burning calories. If you’ve spent countless hours of your life on any mindless cardio machine, you know this is not the case.

I do not believe burning calories is even an effective method for losing weight.  The calorie theory of weight loss assumes calorie intake and hunger are independent variables –meaning you can increase one without affecting the other. In his book Good Calories, Bad Calories, world-renowned physicist Gary Taubes explains the scientific research that proves this is not the case. Weight loss (and cellulite reduction) have more to do with biochemistry than physics. To lose weight over the long term, you must successfully alter the chemicals (hormones) that influence hunger and, consequently, caloric intake.

You can learn more about the biochemistry of cellulite reduction over in the kitchen.  For now, know that burning calories is not a cellulite treatment you will be prescribed here at CI.

Yoga, Tai Chi, and other Movement Practices from the East

If you’ve read our primer on cellulite, you know that impaired lymphatic flow is a primary factor in the formation of cellulite.  Adjacent to the blood circulatory system, the lymphatic system is a series of vessels, ducts, and capillaries designed to drain metabolic debris from the cells, including our fat cells.  Here in the U.S., we’ve developed complex regimens to exercise the heart and the muscles, but we neglect the lymphatic system even though it is essential to everyday health.

The lymphatic system is a central component of many eastern movement traditions such as yoga and Tai Chi.  To circulate lymph to the outermost cells, the body relies on a combination of skeletal movement and breath.  Knowing this, it is not surprising that some women see dramatic improvements in their cellulite after taking up yoga. Bikram yoga is particularly effective (as this email I received from one CI reader attests) because the heat of the room accelerates detoxification through the skin.

Bouncing Your Way to Cellulite-Free Thighs

Rebounding is another exercise that is particularly effective to counter cellulite. Jumping on these mini-trampolines doesn’t seem like a rigorous workout compared to the sweaty torture that often accompanies cardio work, yet rebounding is widely credited as the supreme exercise for improving lymphatic flow.

Even scientists from NASA have studied the physical effects of rebounding. In this study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, four NASA scientists conclude that jumping on a trampoline produces a “biomechanical stimuli” up to 68% greater than running on a treadmill.  The difference has to do with the g-force that is generated by the changes in gravity at the height of each jump.

For more information on rebounding, including a video of advanced rebounding techniques, see Exercise for Detoxification by Elizabeth from The Nourished Life. But please heed Elizabeth’s warning and start slow if you are a beginner: “Seriously, you could break some bones!”

Modern Muscle Building Techniques

Strength training is a topic we will be investigating more on the CI blog in a few weeks. We already researched conventional weight training programs, such as Joyce Vedral’s classic Bottoms Up! workout. These regimens are worthwhile, but I’m curious if there is a more efficient muscle-building workout for targeting cellulite.

Based on the information we’ve uncovered so far, I’m interested in studying weight training techniques that work the muscle to the point of overload in a short matter of time followed by long periods of rest.  Examples include SuperSlow weight training and the Slow Burn method.

Other promising exercises for cellulite include thigh dancing from Physique 57, and similar routines based on the Lotte Berke method. Check out this post for a video demonstration of thigh dancing (with Anderson Cooper, no less!).

Roll Your Cellulite Away

Foam rollers have been used in rehabilitation clinics since the 1970′s but they recently started popping up in Pilates studies, weight rooms, and fitness centers across the country. Rolling individual muscles across the roller works to loosen the muscle fascia –the interwoven fibers surrounding muscle tissue –and deliver nutrient-rich blood to the cells.

My review of the Rumble Roller reveals why I won’t be without this simple self-massage tool.  Foam rollers are effective at restoring alignment, improving posture and flexibility, and alleviating muscular tension.   Once you try one, you will understand why foam rollers are known as “the poor man’s massage.”

This also explains why the rolling pin treatment is something of an urban legend amongst cellulite sufferers. Rolling pins are, in effect, miniature foam rollers.

Click here for a video demonstration of how-to use a foam roller.  Elle over at The Body Window also offers several video demonstrations of foam rolling for various target areas.

To continue your cellulite investigation, select another room below:

natural treatments for cellulite

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photo credit A, B, C, and D