I am frequently asked what kind of corset or restrictive garment is best for waist training. Preferable above all, is an hourglass underbust custom corset.

You need a garment that follows the natural curves of your body and moves internal organs around in the least precipitous or unnatural fashion.
You need to avoid any style that presses inward on your ribs or pelvic bone, creates a sway back, or dramatically thrusts up or down the stomach, diaphragm, intestines, or liver.

You also need the most comfortable vertical length for serious waist training, that is, one that comes to just under the bosom and goes low enough to cover the tummy. Likely, you will need one that, on the side, ends high on the hips, permitting easier waist reduction, rather than a corset that goes down low over the hips and encases more of the body. This latter style is known as a "longline" or Edwardian style corset. The former style, preferred for waist training, is known as an "underbust" hourglass Victorian style.

Overbust styles are certainly not an option. Christine Y., one of my students, wanted to get started training immediately after her first corset-an overbust Victorian-was delivered. Halfway through the first month, when she reached long hours of required wear at the first level of waist reduction, the going got rough. She tried her best to "get going" and made it to the next smaller waist-reduction level. However, by the end of the second month, she began to experience some numbness on her hipbone. She was getting tired of the corset's stiff feeling on her body as she had an active day job involving long hours and many stooping and lifting movements. She eventually had to give up wearing the corset and wait for her underbust style to arrive in order to continue.

I observed Christine struggle during training and listened to her express feelings of discouragement from not reaching her goals as readily as she and I had anticipated. Of course, I applauded her decision to stop wearing the corset once she noticed the numbness. After this student's experience, I decided to require future students to own a well-fitting underbust hourglass Victorian style in which to train. I want them to have the best possible chance of successfully reaching reasonable goals, and frankly, I hate to fail in my coaching efforts as much as students dislike not succeeding.

It's not possible to effectively waist train with a plastic-boned or elastic garment. You'll need to train up to 24 continuous hours a day at a four- to eight-inch waist reduction. Elastic and plastic boning won't hold up under that kind of pressure. Nor will such boning create any serious waist reduction. In addition, fabric in an un-boned or plastic-boned nipper will tend to bunch up at the waistline, "which will pinch your flesh and become uncomfortable. Corset bones are like umbrella ribs. They are meant to stretch the fabric, to keep it flat and smooth and avoid wrinkles at the waist," says O.Y. Dalziel, a corset enthusiast from London with over 53 years of corseting experience and a ten-inch waist reduction when corseted!

"Waist nippers" or short cinchers, about nine inches high or less, are usually too short, causing the tummy fat to squish out from the bottom edge. In addition, "Your spare upper body flesh is squeezed out like toothpaste coming out of a tube," according to O.Y., creating unsightly and unhealthy effects that might become permanent!

Can you train with a Training Belt? Yes and no. If you tend to have a tummy, constant training with a belt may well pooch out that tummy even more!
You need a good corset low enough over your pooch to control it and press it inwards!

If you have no such problem, or if you alternate a belt with a corset, then a belt might be suitable. I love training in my belt in the morning, changing in the afternoon to my training corset. Or, if I just can't tolerate a full corset for some reason and my body rebels, I wear my belt. The belt does not restrict the ribs or lungs and it is in general, easier to eat and move about in a belt. Men can usually effectively train with a belt (they don't have the tummy pooch problem, usually---but not always!).

If you opt for the belt for budget reasons and you do have a tummy, also wear a girdle to give you more support. You can read about our great Training Belts here.