Waist Training
What is Waist Training?
Waist training is defined as the process of reducing the waist by wearing a corset for an extended period of time while gradually tying it tighter. Waist reductions can vary from person to person and what is comfortable and effective for one person is not necessarily the case for another.
Waist training corsets are typically made with at least one layer of cotton coutil, have reinforced bone channels with tipped spiral steel bone channels, a reinforced waistline (usually with twill tape), and allow for the greatest range of movement (typically under bust). These corsets are designed to withstand the pressures and tensions of long term wear.
Waist Training and Tight Lacing, while related, are not actually the same thing. Tight lacing is the process of tying your corset as tight as the body will allow, but it is not always part of the waist training process. In order to wear a corset for extended periods of time, comfort is key. Tight lacing isn’t always the most comfortable process, although it does create a striking silhouette.
Dedicated waist trainers have been known to wear tight laced corsets from six to twenty four hours a day. If you only want a small waist reduction (say 2”-4”), you don’t need to do dedicated waist training. You will find that you’ll be able to adjust your corset smaller the longer you have it on as well. You may begin with a 2” gap between your laces, but after a while, you can tie it flush (with both sides of the lacing stays touching). This is the general concept for waist training; the longer you wear your corset, the tighter you can tie it. Keep it in mind though, waist training is a process and it should be done gradually. If you try to tie your laces too tight too fast, you will certainly feel it and it might not be pleasant. Improper fit or lacing too tight can result in all kinds of discomfort ranging from nausea, pain, numbness, and dizziness to chafing and blistering. Ew, right?
The good news is that all of these things are easily avoidable. Proper fit is a sure fire way to wear your corset comfortably. It will curve where you curve and will be perfectly proportionate to your size and shape. Gradual waist reduction is also essential to tight lacing. It can take weeks, months, or even years to achieve tight lacing depending on the reduction you’re aiming for. The key is to do it at a pace that your body can handle.
An effective method to wearing a corset for extended periods without discomfort is called Cycling or the Cycle Method. The bottom line of this method is to tighten your laces when your body feels comfortable to do so and loosen them when you feel discomfort. You’ll find that after wearing your corset for a while you will be able to cinch yourself in even further without feeling discomfort. You’ll notice the same thing earlier in the day and right after you poop (a-hem). Comparably, there will be times when you would feel more comfortable loosening your laces. You’ll notice that after you eat, or if you’re tired, when you drive, or even if you feel too much stress, your body will experience inflammation and your corset will feel too tight. If you don’t loosen during this time, you will become uncomfortable. Firstly, there's no point feeling uncomfortable while you waist train. That will just lead to frustration and you’re more likely to give up on the process which won’t accomplish anything.
The bottom line is to always listen to your body, stop if it’s painful, and be patient!
