Rectangle

The rectangle body shape carries relatively equal measurements at the shoulders, waist, and hips. For a Pixie-weight rectangle, this often means a straighter, less defined silhouette with limited visible waist indentation. The goal of ab training for this shape is to develop the obliques and rectus abdominis enough to create the visual impression of a narrower waist and more structured midsection. Avoid heavy lateral work — side bends with significant load — as adding width to an already rectangular frame is the opposite of the visual goal. Focus on the frontal plane: exercises that develop the rectus abdominis and deep transverse abdominis. Expect to see oblique lines appearing by week eight to ten with consistent progressive training. Full definition typically develops over 12 to 16 weeks of consistent surplus and resistance training.

Hourglass

The hourglass has naturally defined shoulder-to-hip proportions with a narrower waist. For this shape at Pixie weight, the midsection already has structural indentation — the goal is muscular development within that shape without adding bulk to the sides that would compromise the natural waist. Train the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis heavily. Use oblique work that emphasizes stability and anti-rotation rather than loaded lateral movement. The visual outcome for this shape is the most dramatic — definition appears quickly because the natural structure is already in your favor. Expect initial definition changes within six to eight weeks.

Pear

The pear shape carries more mass in the lower body — hips, thighs, glutes — with a narrower upper body. For the Pixie pear, the midsection is typically the narrowest part of the frame. Ab training here serves two purposes: building definition in an area that is already structurally narrow, and creating the upper body development that balances the natural hip dominance of this shape. Oblique work is especially important for the pear archetype because building the lateral line of the torso adds visual width to the upper waist, creating better proportion. Expect defined upper abs by week six to eight, with lower ab development taking longer — 12 to 16 weeks — due to the natural fat distribution tendency in this region.

Phase 4 — The Exact Protocol

Every exercise below is prescribed with the assumption that you have never trained with focused resistance before. A rep — short for repetition — is one complete execution of a movement. A set is a group of reps performed consecutively before resting. Progressive overload means systematically increasing the challenge over time — adding weight, reps, or reducing rest — so the body continues to adapt rather than plateau.

Exercise 1: Dead Bug

Lie flat on your back on the floor. Press your lower back firmly into the floor — there should be no gap between your spine and the surface. Raise both arms straight toward the ceiling. Bend both knees to 90 degrees with your shins parallel to the floor, feet lifted. This is your starting position. Slowly extend your right arm back toward the floor behind your head while simultaneously extending your left leg toward the floor in front of you. Both limbs should descend at the same rate and stop a few inches from the floor without touching it. Return to start. Repeat on the opposite side — left arm back, right leg forward. That is one complete rep.

This exercise trains the transverse abdominis and the anti-extension function of the core — the ability to resist your spine from arching under load. This is foundational training before any loaded movement is introduced.

Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 reps per side. Rest 60 seconds between sets. Once you can complete 3 sets of 12 reps per side with no break in lower back contact with the floor, progress to adding a light ankle weight — start at 2 pounds — on the extending leg.

Exercise 2: Ab Wheel Rollout (Kneeling)

Kneel on the floor with an ab wheel — a small wheel with handles — placed directly in front of you. Grip the handles with both hands. Your knees, hips, and shoulders should be in a straight line. Slowly roll the wheel forward, extending your arms and allowing your hips to hinge forward with control. Your lower back must not collapse — the goal is a straight line from your knees through your hips to your shoulders as you extend. Roll out as far as you can without arching, then use your core to pull the wheel back to the start position.

This exercise develops the rectus abdominis through an eccentric — lengthening — contraction combined with significant transverse abdominis demand for spinal stabilization. It is one of the most effective core-building exercises available and produces more muscular activation than any crunch variation.

Sets and reps: 3 sets of 6 reps. Rest 90 seconds between sets. Progress by extending the roll-out distance by 2 to 3 inches every two weeks. Full extension — body nearly parallel to the floor — is a long-term goal, not a starting point.

Exercise 3: Hanging Knee Raise

Hang from a pull-up bar with both hands shoulder-width apart. Your arms should be straight, body hanging freely. From this position, brace your core — tighten your entire midsection as if you are about to absorb a punch — and raise both knees together toward your chest. Your hips should flex past 90 degrees. Lower your legs slowly — the lowering phase is where most of the muscle-building work happens. Do not swing. Do not use momentum. Control every inch of the movement.

This develops the lower rectus abdominis and hip flexors — the iliopsoas — under load. At Pixie weight, a pull-up bar is accessible in the sense that grip strength, not body weight, is your limiting factor. If grip is an issue, use wrist straps.

Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 reps. Rest 60 seconds between sets. Progress to a straight-leg raise — legs extended rather than knees bent — when you can complete 3 sets of 15 knee raises with full control.

Exercise 4: Cable Crunch

Attach a rope handle to the high pulley of a cable machine. Kneel facing the machine, about two feet away from it. Grip the rope with both hands and hold the ends on either side of your head at ear level. Your hips should be stacked directly above your knees — do not sit back. From this position, flex your spine by bringing your elbows toward your knees. The movement comes entirely from your abdomen contracting. Hold the bottom position for one count, then return to upright. The weight stack should never crash between reps.

This is the primary loaded resistance exercise for the rectus abdominis. It applies direct progressive overload — you can add weight incrementally — which makes it the superior choice over crunches for building muscle rather than just maintaining it.

Sets and reps: 3 sets of 12 reps. Start with a weight where the last 3 reps feel genuinely difficult — typically 20 to 30 pounds for someone new to the movement. Add 5 pounds every two weeks as long as form is maintained. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

Exercise 5: Pallof Press

Attach a single-grip handle to a cable machine set at chest height. Stand sideways to the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the handle with both hands at the center of your chest. Your body should be approximately two to three feet away from the machine. Press the handle straight out in front of you until your arms are fully extended. Hold for two seconds. Return the handle to your chest. The entire time, your core is working to resist the rotational pull of the cable — your torso should not rotate toward the machine at any point.

This trains the obliques in their anti-rotation function — resisting twist rather than producing it. Anti-rotation training develops the obliques without adding side-to-side width, making it ideal for rectangle and hourglass shapes.

Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 reps per side. Start at 15 pounds. Add 5 pounds every two weeks. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

Training Schedule

Ab training is integrated into your Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday full-body sessions at XPL. Abs are trained at the end of each session — never first, because core fatigue compromises your ability to stabilize during compound movements like squats and deadlifts. Two of the five exercises above are performed each session, rotating through the full set over two weeks.

Phase 5 — Timeline, Signs, and When to Switch

Week 1: Expect significant muscle soreness in areas you did not know existed — particularly the deep lower abs and the sides of your midsection. This is normal. It reflects the fact that these muscles have been underloaded. Soreness is not an indicator that training is working — it is an indicator of novelty. Do not chase soreness. Chase progressive numbers.

Week 4: You should see an increase in core stiffness — not flexibility, but the structural rigidity of a trained midsection. When you flex, the definition should be more distinct than week one. The scale will not show much change. That is correct. You are building, not cutting.

Week 12: Visible upper abdominal definition should be present. The oblique lines from the lower ribs toward the hip should be more defined. Lower abdominal development takes longer — expect full lower definition to emerge between weeks 16 and 24 depending on your body shape and consistency with the caloric surplus.

Signs it is working: increasing weights on cable crunches without form breakdown. Ability to roll out further on the ab wheel. Core does not fatigue during compound lifts.

Signs it is not working: no strength progression after six weeks. Midsection appearance unchanged after 12 weeks despite consistent training. This almost always traces back to nutrition — specifically, not eating enough. Visit the XPL High Protein Protocol for Pixie to audit your nutrition before concluding the training is the problem.

When to switch: if you have been training with this protocol for 16 consecutive weeks, are eating in a surplus, and are not seeing continued progression, it is time to reassess your archetype. You may have moved into the Petite range and need programming adjusted for that weight class. Take the XPL Archetype Quiz to confirm where you are and get your updated protocol.

I train clients in person in Houston, Texas and work with people across the US, Canada, and the UK online through XPL. Take the XPL Archetype Quiz to get your exact protocol, or visit xperformancelab.com/plans-pricing to work with me directly.

The standards behind the standards. — Xavier Savage, XPL Xesthetic Performance Labs, Houston, TX