Waist Training: Fact vs. Fiction
Over the years, we have have heard just about every waist training myth you can think of, some closer to watching an episode of The Twilight Zone than scrolling through #bodygoals on Instagram. We share some of the most common myths.
Spreading the word about how awesome corsets are honestly is more important to us than just selling corsets, so we won’t promise you something that isn’t true just to make a sale. It’s our passion to share honest, realistic information about corsets and waist training. We hope that this list helps you to sort through the corset facts and the corset fiction.
Myth #1: “Waist training or wearing a corset is uncomfortable.”
Fiction! Wearing a corset should feel like a tight hug. One of the most important things about corseting and waist training is listening to your body!
Fact: Wearing a corset can cause you to sit up straighter, sometimes working out muscles that you weren’t regularly using before—especially in your back or abdomen—and you’ll feel soreness there. But corseting should never, ever be painful. If your corset is causing you pain, listen to your body and loosen your corset or take it off entirely.
Myth #2: “Waist training weakens your core muscles.”
Fiction! Your core muscles will not weaken just by virtue of you being laced into a corset.
Fact: Anyone who doesn’t strengthen their muscles will have a weak core, whether or not they wear a corset. Corsets are great back support, but it’s important not to rely on your corset alone to support you. We encourage you to strengthen your core muscles with a doctor-approved exercise program to balance your waist training progress with stability and strength from within. Learn more in our Corset Q&A video.
Myth #3: “Waist training is only for young women.”
Fiction! Our customers are proof that the fact is that anyone from age 18 up can wear a corset, man or woman!
Fact: All of our corsets are unisex, and waist training can suit just about any person. (We don’t recommend anyone under the age of 18 wearing one as it is a form of body modification.)
Myth #4: “Waist training is unsafe and will cause me permanent harm.”
Fiction! Like many things, there are safe and unsafe ways to waist train. There are plenty of critics out there who talk about how dangerous wearing corsets or cinchers can be.
Fact: When used carefully and sensibly, they are no more dangerous or ridiculous than the stiletto heel—a fashionable tool for accentuating a classically feminine figure. Here at OC, we always recommend using what we like to call “safe and sane” waist training practices. Your waist trainer should never cause you pain! When cinched properly, it should feel like it’s giving you a tight hug.
Anyone who has ever been pregnant knows that bodies are capable of great change and that bones (namely our floating ribs) are far more flexible than people realize. And if you’ve ever worn braces you know that slow and steady progress can transform a smile with a few metal wires. When it comes to long-term harmful effects, we have yet to hear negative customer feedback about or read a study that found long-term consequences when safe and sane waist training is practiced.
In our experience, the common criticisms of waist training, including bruised ribs, acid reflux, shallow breathing, and back pain are most often the result of taking waist training to the extreme, tightening too far too early, or wearing a garment that is sized incorrectly.
Related: See how to correctly size a corset and pros and cons of waist training.
We have a sizing team available throughout the week to help with finding the ideal corset fit for you, and are always willing to answer questions even after you’ve received your corset!
Myth #5: “Waist training is only used to make women bend to what society wants them to look like.”
Fiction! While it is true that when corsets first fully came into fashion (most notably, during the Victorian era) they were used to impart a specific vision of what the “perfect woman” looked like, it just isn’t the case anymore. Yes, corsets can give you a smaller waist, and yes, this can boost your self confidence or make you feel sexy and beautiful!
Fact: Waist training and corseting is an extremely personal experience and means something different to everyone. We know people that call their corsets a suit of armor, a bulletproof vest, a security blanket and their Superhero outfit. Don’t pigeonhole corsets, they are much more than just a sexy accessory!
Our unique position as a seller of corsets for so many years means that we’ve spent a great amount of time speaking with our customers about their journeys, and that we have the joy of being able to hear how they help people for a variety of reasons.
One of our customers, Teresa Panez, uses a corset as part of her rehab program after a car accident; another, Hannah, wears hers for pain relief from scoliosis. Beyond this, corsets can just be a wonderful source of posture and back support, or in some cases, help with anxiety, because of the pressure from the corset mimicking deep pressure therapy.
Myth #6: “You can only waist train with custom-made corsets.”
Fiction! The thing that makes a waist trainer a real waist trainer is the type of boning that is used—it has to have steel bones, not plastic.
Fact: Our corsets all use flat and spiral steel bones, which makes them ideal for waist training! You can absolutely get custom corsets, but you also don’t have to in order to get your desired effects.
Why Are There So Many Waist Training Myths Out There?
Honestly, it isn’t surprising that most waist training misconceptions are due to media sensationalism surrounding safety and results. Stop and read the headlines at the grocery store checkout line and you’ll see the familiar promises: Results in 1 Week With Just 1 Simple Change! and Mother Loses 25 lbs in 1 Month Without Dieting! Or Extreme Beauty: Corset Training, the Painful Side of Beauty. (Okay, that last headline isn’t real—that we could find!—but it’s similar to many videos, articles and blogs that we have seen over the years!)
So, What Does a Corset Actually Do?
This is a common question that we receive on our social media channels, as well as in our customer service chat and phone calls. Waist training in a steel boned corset will NOT modify your hips in any way. Your hip bones are going to stay put.
While your hips won’t move, that’s not the case with your two bottom ribs. Those ribs are floating already, and if you are wearing a corset that covers your lower ribs, through patience and diligence in your waist training, those two ribs can be pulled in along with your waist to give you an hourglass shape.
Photo Credit: Savannah J. waist trains in the Hourglass Curve Standard CS-426
Keep in mind that for the most part, the body modification you’re making with your waist training is semi-permanent and you'll need to continue with some maintenance corseting or those ribs will float right back to where they started!
Anyone who has had braces knows that those amazing results you achieved are only going to last as long as you wear your retainer to maintain your smile. Similarly, we encourage you to do your maintenance training after you’ve achieved your desired results. You will likely be able to wear your corset less often than you did when you were actively training your waistline, although many people find that they love wearing their corset too much to give it up.
Ready to Get Started Waist Training?
We hope that we’ve busted some myths for you about corseting and waist training. If you’re ready to find the best corset for your figure, we are here to help!
Send your measurements to our friendly sizing team of experts for a personalized recommendation or do-it-yourself with the help of our Corset Sizing Guides and our list of the Best Waist Trainers for Beginners.