Cellulite exercise | How to get rid of cellulite

Exercise and cellulite

• What is the best type of exercise for cellulite: get the facts, not the hype

• Do cellulite exercises work? Can exercise get rid of cellulite on legs?

• Don't waste your time: leg exercises, such as ‘plié squats’, ‘clockwork lunges’ and ‘hip bridges’, that “remove cellulite” do not remove anything

• Whole body anti-cellulite workout vs “cellulite exercises”

• Like spot fat reduction, spot cellulite reduction - with ANY exercise - does not exist. Period.

• So all these You Tube channels are wrong?

• Why? Because it sells, to the naive and the ignorant.

• Serious discussion about whole body exercise and cellulite

• Factor I: Burning calories during and after exercise

• Factor II: Boosting skin firmness and circulation

• The best types of exercise for cellulite

• "Thigh/butt cellulite exercises": zero effect on cellulite

• Pilates & Yoga: little or no effect on cellulite, sorry

• Fast walking or slow running: moderate cellulite reduction

• Steady state running, HIIT, circuit classes, spinning/Peloton, aerobics classes: enhanced cellulite reduction exercise

• Interval running, power plate, fast running: exercise for intensive cellulite reduction

• Uphill interval running: the ultimate exercise for cellulite

• Real spot cellulite reduction: only possible with intensive exercise combined and strong cellulite creams / treatments

• This "hack" only works with high intensity exercise

• Frequently asked questions

• Do squats get rid of cellulite?

• Exercises to get rid of cellulite on thighs & buttocks?

• Best yoga pose to reduce cellulite on legs

• How to reduce cellulite in a week with exercise

• Does running get rid of cellulite?

• Inner thigh cellulite exercises

• Cellulite before and after squats

• Legs cellulite workout

• How to get rid of cellulite on butt / thighs / legs

• "Best leg exercises for cellulite". Seriously?

• Have a skin tightening / cellulite treatment in London with the experts

What is the best type of exercise for cellulite: get the facts, not the hype

At the time of updating this article (October 2022) Google returned 3 million pages for the query “cellulite exercises”, volunteering “helpful suggestions” such as curtsy lunges, lateral lunges, glute bridges and squat jumps.

But do these so-called “cellulite exercises” work? Can you get rid of - or at least reduce - cellulite with specific exercises?

Here we present the ultimate “exercise for cellulite” guide. Honest, science-based and straight to the point, without clichés or even dangerous misinformation that you find all over the internet. Just science-based, actionable information.

(This article is part of five that examine the relation between exercise and cellulite. The other four deal with spot cellulite reduction, interval training, fartlek training and vibration plate training.)

Do cellulite exercises work? Can exercise get rid of cellulite on legs?

First things first: in most cases you cannot get rid of cellulite completely with any method of any kind, including so-called “cellulite exercises”.

Of course, the answer to the, more correct, question "does exercise reduce cellulite?", is yes. exercise is one of the most important ways to reduce cellulite, not just because it makes you burn calories, but also because it boosts your circulation and promotes skin firming.

However, too many people, instead of looking for an effective workout for cellulite, they look for specific leg “cellulite exercises”, which, as we will see below, is completely the wrong way to go about it.

Don't waste your time: leg exercises, such as ‘plié squats’, ‘clockwork lunges’ and ‘hip bridges’, that “remove cellulite” do not remove anything

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Images of so-called “cellulite exercises”, according to the “wisdom” of the internet

First off, if you are looking for specific leg cellulite removal exercises, i.e. exercises to remove cellulite from a specific area of your legs, for example your inner thighs, back of thighs etc, let me warn you that you are looking for something that does not exist: spot fat reduction (including cellulite fat) with exercise is biologically impossible, so all these exercises you see on the internet are utter BS (and that’s the best word I can use about them). Simple as that.

So if you are looking for that amazing squat or other leg exercise that will get rid of your cellulite, you can leave this website and visit one of the thousands of websites that peddle this "advice".

There are literally hundreds of thousands of photos, videos and articles, describing enough "cellulite-busting" thigh and butt exercises to waste your time and energy for decades, without seeing any results whatsoever.

Whole body anti-cellulite workout vs “cellulite exercises”

There are countless sophisticated yoga poses and complicated exercises with exotic names such as "Clockwork lunges", "Plié Squat With Alternating Heel Raise", "Alternating Abduction Squats", "Adduction Curtsy Lunge And Squat".

These are indeed great choreography and nice posing and show-off but they will do nothing for your cellulite.

On the other hand, if you are looking for effective, science-based advice on how to use different types of whole body workout for cellulite - as opposed to waste-of-time specific leg exercises for cellulite - then read on.

But before we go on our serious discussion on proper cellulite workouts, let’s examine the issue of spot cellulite reduction in more detail.

Like spot fat reduction, spot cellulite reduction - with ANY exercise - does not exist. Period.

Very simply, it is physiologically impossible to reduce fat (including cellulite fat) from a specific part of the body with exercise. This is because fat tissue from where fat is released during exercise is completely separated from muscle tissue where fat “burning” occurs during exercise.

To put it another way, fat from the cellulite fat cells in your bum cannot magically travel through several layers of tissue and reach the adjacent buttock muscles - this is not how the body works. That would be the equivalent to you crossing through walls like a ghost.

Any personal trainer worth their salt will tell you that spot fat reduction (i.e. removing fat from a specific body area by exercising the muscles above that area) does not exist. As explained above, this does not make any physiological sense whatsoever and it has also been proven beyond doubt with different studies, the two most important of which can be found on this link.

And exactly the same applies to cellulite, which is basically superficial fat inside the skin: spot cellulite removal with exercise does not exist.

So all these You Tube channels are wrong?

Yep.

Then how on earth all these exercise and cellulite "experts" on YouTube and the internet recommend outer leg exercises to get rid of cellulite on the outer thighs or inner thigh exercises for inner thigh cellulite etc?

Why? Because it sells, to the naive and the ignorant.

Unfortunately, it's the same marketing hype thing that makes people recommend ground coffee scrubbing and dry brushing: it sells.

Even the brightest lawyer, for example, could know all about law but she could not be expected to know about cellulite physiology. So naturally, she would trust an “expert” to enlighten her. Unfortunately those experts take advantage of the (understandable) ignorance of even the most intelligent people in order to sell their “advice”.

And then you have the millions of naive people who believe every miracle they are sold.

That’s why wrong information sells.

Serious discussion about whole body exercise and cellulite

There are two factors that determine if a type of exercise is effective against cellulite:

• Factor I: The ability of exercise to reduce cellulite fat, either by direct calorie burning during exercise or by stimulating long-term metabolic changes that result in calorie burning throughout the day, after exercise

• Factor II: The ability of exercise to provide mechanical stimulation to fibroblasts (collagen and elastin-producing cells), adipocytes (fat cells), blood vessels and lymph vessels, which in turn results in collagen production and contraction; elastin production; and fat cell reduction

Factor I: Burning calories during and after exercise

Burning loads of calories during exercise is a good thing, but a better thing is to stimulate your endocrine system into burning more fuel throughout the day, thereby reducing more cellulite fat deposits.

It has been known for several years now that intensive exercise (e.g. fast running) has a more pronounced effect on the endocrine system, whilst light exercise (e.g. slow walking) has a minimal effect on the metabolism.

And it is very easy to assess how fast you burn calories and how much the exercise impacts your metabolism: the more your heart rate and breathing rate increase, the more calories you burn.

This is a very basic biological principle: the only reason your lungs and heart pump air and blood faster is because you are burning fuel (calories) fast, therefore you need to supply your muscles with more fresh oxygen and fuel to burn.

Pretty simply, high intensity training beats low intensity exercise hands down: it burns calories faster DURING exercise, in addition to significantly boosting metabolism AFTER exercise.

Factor II: Boosting skin firmness and circulation

A type of exercise that provides intense mechanical stimulation to your fat cells, collagen cells and blood/lymph vessel cells will lead to reduced fat cell number, more firmness and improved circulation and lymphatic drainage, thereby further improving the appearance of cellulite.

Mechanical stimulation is usually more intense during high intensity training, but not always, as we will see below.

The best types of exercise for cellulite

Firstly, let’s reiterate again that in most cases, i.e. moderate and advanced cellulite, you cannot get rid of cellulite, with any method, but you can reduce it. Light/recent exercise can be completely eliminated, for some time at least.

Having made that clear again, let’s classify cellulite exercises, from totally ineffective to very effective, according to the two factors mentioned above:

1. "Thigh/butt cellulite exercises": zero effect on cellulite

These are the “specific leg exercises” that we mentioned at the beginning of this article: plié squats, curtsy lunges, hip thrusts, Romanian dead lifts, you name it. Fancy names, all nonsense.

You can do as many plié squats as you want, but these will not have a direct effect on cellulite on your bum and thighs.

Similarly you can perform hundreds of inner thigh exercises, but these will not affect your inner thigh fat or cellulite in the least. You will indeed have tighter muscle under your cellulite, but cellulite and local fat will still be there.

Simple as that.

2. Pilates & Yoga: little or no effect on cellulite, sorry

Pilates, Yoga, slow elliptical training, slow cycling and slow swimming burn very few calories and provide very little mechanical stimulation, so they will have minimal effect on cellulite.

Medium pace walking provides some mechanical stimulation and increased calorie burning, so it is a bit better than pilates and yoga.

Intensive yoga or pilates still provide little mechanical stimulation (being largely static) but they help you burn more calories, so they are at the same level as medium pace walking, regarding cellulite reduction.

On the other hand, medium speed cycling burns a moderate amount of calories and provide little mechanical stimulation, so do not expect much from it.

3. Fast walking or slow running: moderate cellulite reduction

Fast walking, uphill walking and fast uphill walking (hiking) provide more intense mechanical stimulation and more calorie burning so they are more efficient at reducing cellulite.

Slow running provides even more mechanical stimulation and burns even more fuel than fast walking, so it tops the list of moderate cellulite-reducing types of exercise.

Fast "elliptical" training and fast cycling can also burn a lot of calories but provide little mechanical stimulation, so they can be categorised as moderate cellulite reducers.

Fast swimming burns a lot of calories and provides moderate mechanical stimulation (via the micro-massage effect that agitated water exerts on the skin), so it is also categorised as a moderate cellulite reduction and prevention exercise.

4. Steady state running, HIIT, circuit classes, spinning/Peloton, aerobics classes: enhanced cellulite reduction exercise

Moderate speed running burns quite a few calories and provides the tissues with much needed mechanical stimulation, so it provides enhanced cellulite reduction.

Circuit classes and high intensity interval training in the gym (HIIT) provide moderate good stimulation and burn calories at a fast rate, so they have enhanced cellulite reduction potential.

High impact, high energy aerobics classes provide both good mechanical stimulation and calorie burning, leading to enhanced cellulite reduction.

Spinning/peloton classes provide moderate mechanical stimulation but burn calories very fast, so they offer enhanced cellulite reduction.

5. Interval running, power plate, fast running: exercise for intensive cellulite reduction

Doing squats and lunges on the vibration platform (power plate) provides very intense mechanical stimulation and can help you burn quite a few calories, if you do not rest much between sets. If this condition is met, vibration platform training can be very efficient in cellulite reduction.

Interval swimming (intermittent swimming sprints) provides good mechanical stimulation and enhanced calorie burning, so it is also a great anti-cellulite exercise.

Fast running provides intense mechanical stimulation and intense calorie burning . metabolism boost, so it is also one of the best cellulite reduction methods.

Interval running (i.e. intermittent running sprints) burns calories really fast, boosts metabolism and provides intense mechanical stimulation, therefore it is by far the best type of cellulite reduction exercise.

Intensive sports such as basketball, football, handball, netball, water polo etc. are in effect interval training sports and are also ideal for cellulite reduction and prevention.

6. Uphill interval running: the ultimate exercise for cellulite

If I had to choose one type of cellulite exercise then I would not hesitate to recommend uphill interval running (UIR). UIR provides your fibroblasts with intense mechanical stimulation, intense metabolism boost and intense calorie burning and it can safely be said to be the ultimate type of anti-cellulite exercise.

Learn all you need to know about uphill interval running with our dedicated article on interval training here.

Real spot cellulite reduction: only possible with intensive exercise combined and strong cellulite creams / treatments

We mentioned above that specific exercises cannot be used to reduce fat or cellulite from a specific part of the body (spot fat reduction / spot cellulite reduction).

However, if intensive exercise (such as category 4 or category 5 above) is combined with an good cellulite treatment or a highly concentrated cream, then the effects of exercise can indeed be focused on one area. If the exercise takes place and/or the anti-cellulite cream applied immediately before or after exercise, then the results are more pronounced.

How does it work?

• This is because during exercise fat cells release fat due to the effect of increased adrenaline and noradrenaline production

• Good cellulite treatments or creams tend to favour the release of fat from fat cells too, but only locally, where the treatment / cream is applied

• So by combining the two, an increased amount of fat will be released from the cellulite affected area, in relation to other body areas or in relation to just applying the treatment/cream without exercise

Indeed this is the best way to reduce cellulite and localised fat deposits and the best advice I can give to anyone who wants to use exercise to reduce her cellulite: receive a strong cellulite treatment and apply a concentrated cellulite cream just before or just after a high intensity exercise session (such as interval running / swimming / cycling etc).

This "hack" only works with high intensity exercise

Please note that this combination of exercise with treatments and creams works only with the more intensive types of exercise, such as fast running, interval running, spinning, circuit training, intense sports and high impact aerobics.

This is because low intensity training such as Pilates, Yoga, walking and slow running do not stimulate much adrenaline / noradrenaline release.

This is not to say that without exercise a good cream or a treatment will not "work". They will still work, but the treatment sessions and/or cream applications that are combined with high intensity training will be much more effective than the same treatment sessions / cream applications while being sedentary.

And of course, do not forget that to achieve maximum results you must combine exercise + treatment + cream with healthy eating (think veg, salads, fish, chicken, lean meat and berry fruits while avoiding sugary snacks, fatty/oily/fried food and carbs).

(Safety note: always check with your doctor if you are unsure about your ability to safely perform vigorous exercise.)

Frequently asked questions

I hope it is all clear regarding the difference between cellulite local exercises vs cellulite whole body workouts. The former doesn’t work, while the latter does. The more intensive the whole body workouts, the better. And if you can combine an intensive workout with a strong cellulite treatment or cream, even better. That’s the summary of the whole article.

Below are some straight, quick answers to the most common questions related to "cellulite exercises", to clarify finer points and add more detail.

Do squats get rid of cellulite?

It is evident from all the above that squats do not directly reduce cellulite on thighs/butt. Only indirectly, i.e. via calorie burning, can squats reduce cellulite. But that can also be achieved with equal calorie burning by exercising any other body area, like the arms, abs or whole body.

So, no, squats do not get rid of cellulite, they only tone up the muscles of your butt. This muscle toning will end up in butt lifting, which is nice to have. But no cellulite reduction on the butt will directly occur due to squats.

Exercises to get rid of cellulite on thighs & buttocks?

As discussed above: those exercises don't exist because an exercising muscle does not burn fat from the fat tissue that sits on top of it. The muscle derives fat and glycogen ("carbs") it burns from the general circulation, which could have originated from anywhere in the body and very little of it would have originated from the fat that sits above the muscle.

Basic biology.

Best yoga pose to reduce cellulite on legs

As per above, such a yoga pose does not exist, not matter how complicated, “spiritual” or advanced. Exercising a specific muscle, on legs or elsewhere, does not eliminate the cellulite underneath it. Any such exercises are pure, unadulterated, well, BS.

How to reduce cellulite in a week with exercise

A week is a very short period of time to effectively reduce something that took months, years and even decades to build up.

But high intensity exercise, such as HIIT or, even better, uphill interval running, can offer you the best chance to start reducing cellulite in a week - in combination with vegetable juicing, strictly healthy nutrition and contrast showers, among other interventions.

Does running get rid of cellulite?

Yap. Running is one of the best ways to reduce cellulite, and perhaps completely get rid of cellulite too, if cellulite is very little or very recent.

Inner thigh cellulite exercises

Again, you can do 500 inner thigh muscle exercises and cellulite on your inner thighs will be reduced at exactly the same rate as when you do 500 outer thigh muscle exercises.

Try it! Two scientist teams have tried this before and the result was the same: spot fat reduction / spot cellulite reduction does not exist.

Cellulite before and after squats

As per above: spot cellulite reduction with leg exercises simply doesn’t exist, so the before and after pictures you are looking do not exist either (except from the fake ones, of course).

If you do not believe the science and the experience of millions of people and want to prove to yourself that that personal trainer on YouTube is right, why don't you do daily squats on one leg, for one, two, three… twelve months and then check the cellulite on both legs? Cellulite will be reduced at exactly the same degree on both legs (if any).

Legs cellulite workout

Yes, there are three amazing leg exercise workouts and they are called "fast uphill walking", "fast running" and "interval running".

On the other hand, lunges and squats will not get you very far, as discussed above.

How to get rid of cellulite on butt / thighs / legs

As discussed above, exercise cannot be used to reduce exercise on a specific spot, but it can reduce cellulite overall in the body, in combination with healthy nutrition and lifestyle in general.

For faster results, the best choices are:

• Deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency

• Deep acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation

• And a real cellulite cream, i.e. a cream with multiple, high-purity, high-concentration actives, well researched for the their action against multiple aspects of cellulite

"Best leg exercises for cellulite". Seriously?

Fitness magazine, No 6 on Google for the above keyphrase at the time of updating this article (its position may be different now), suggests "Romanian Deadlifts". That’s great to break your back and get some nice herniated disks, just around the L4-L5 or L5-S1 joints. That will create plenty of new cellulite whilst you recover in bed from your injury.

If the Romanian dead lift is performed with 1-2kg dumbbells on each arm it is a sheer waste of time. If it is performed with proper, heavy weights to make a difference on your butt muscles, it is simply dangerous for most non-fit people. If you don't break your back, yes, you will (hopefully, not guaranteed) develop a more toned butt muscle.

But it will still do nothing for the cellulite on your bum.

Prevention magazine, No 1 on Google for the same keyphrase at the time of writing (again, its position may be different now), offers "Clockwork Lunges", ideal to damage your knees (especially the medial meniscus, medial collateral ligament and medial patellofemoral joint cartilage, specifically).

And it will make not a shred of difference to your cellulite.

These are two examples of either utter ignorance or wilful misleading of the public, for the sake of advertising clicks.

What the heck? Do people have no shame? How ignorant can you be and write for specialist magazines such as Fitness or Prevention? How can you offer such dangerous misinformation to the public?

Romanian deadlifts for people with cellulite? Many of whom are simply unfit and with very poor proprioception and neuromuscular coordination? Some of whom with already partially herniated lumbar intervertebral disks?

Clockwork lunges for people with cellulite, many of whom are in their 40s or older, with already partially worn out menisci and patellofemoral cartilage?

Are you serious? This is how you reduce people’s cellulite? By sending them to the orthopaedic surgeon as a side-effect of something (spot fat reduction) that provenly does not exist? It really beggars belief...

Guys (exercise “experts”, beauty “experts”, Instagram influencers, YouTubers, bloggers, vloggers), you can do so much better than that.

Romanian deadlifts…

Crazy...

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