How to Get V Taper Abs: 6 Workouts + Tips and Diet

If you prioritize aesthetic workouts, the V taper is the body shape that many men strive to achieve through weight training, diet, cardio exercises and other workout techniques.

Looks-wise, it’s considered one of the most attractive body shapes for men.

Want to get a V taper? That’s why we are here. From exercise to diet, this article will help you achieve your ideal body.

What is a V Taper in Fitness and Bodybuilding?

Generally, V tapers have wide, broad shoulders that taper down into a narrow waist. That means pronounced trapezius and deltoid muscles (“traps” and “delts”) along the shoulders and upper back, and strong lats (latissimus dorsi) that lead to a narrower waistline.

Typically, this would also include the coveted V line in men (also known as the Apollo’s belt, Adonis’ belt or iliac furrow).

As an illustration, think about the body of a Greek God or popular movie stars like James Bond’s Daniel Craig.

On the front of the torso, you’ll also need developed rectus abdominis (6-pack) and oblique (side waist) muscles.

Typically, along with a V taper, most men prefer to have a frame with narrower hips, however, some people also prefer the look of a round butt based on personal preference.

Additionally, women often like a similar aesthetic of strong shoulders with a small waist. However, they usually place more emphasis on creating developed glutes for a heart-shaped ass or shelf butt.

Now that we know how popular V taper body is, let's learn some exercises to reach this body shape.

6 Workout Routines to Get a V Taper Body

Exercises and workout plans that help achieve a V-shaped torso, with wide shoulders and a narrow waist, consist of a mix of upper body exercises, cardio and abdominal strengthening moves.

Here are a few exercises you can try to grow your shoulders and chest:

1. Face Pulls

A face pull shoulder cable workout is a great way to target the shoulder muscles and upper back with cables. To perform face pulls:

• Set-up: Start by attaching a rope or handle to a cable machine at face height. Step back to stand a few feet away from your machine.
• Grip and position: Grab your rope or handle with an overhand grip. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart. Maintain a slight bend in your knees.
• Pull: Pull the rope or handle towards your face by bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together, flaring your elbows out.
• Return: Slowly reverse your movement. Extend your arms and slowly let the weight pull you back to the starting position. Work against the resistance to control the weight.
• Reps: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

2. Single-Arm Cable Lateral Raise

• Set-Up: Find a cable pulley machine and attach a D-handle or any small triangular handle. Load a weight you can comfortably lift with one arm.
• Body Position: Stand one foot from your cable pulley machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your left hip should face the side of the cable machine. Hold onto the side of the pulley machine for support or bring your hand to your hip. Cross your right arm over your body to grasp your pulley handle. This is your starting position.
• Lift: Slowly bring your arm out to your side, resisting your weight to engage the side deltoid as you lift your handle up. Your extended arm should be perpendicular to your body.
• Reverse: Resist your weight on the way back as you bring your arm back to your side.
• Reps: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps per side.

3. Incline Bench Press

• Set-Up: Adjust a weight bench to anywhere between 10 and 30 degrees on an incline.
• Grip and Body Position: Grab a barbell and lift it up from its rack and hold it straight over top of your body.
• Press: Inhale and slowly bring your barbell down so it hovers about an inch away from your chest. Keep the bar lined up with your upper chest. Make sure your arms are at a 45-degree angle, tucking against the sides of your body.
• Reverse: Hold for a moment, then exhale sharply to drive your bar back up to the starting position. Straighten your arms fully, but avoid locking out your arms. Come down slowly and with control.
• Reps: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

The incline bench press is one of the best compound chest exercises you can try at gym.

So now we’ve got a few exercises you can do to grow your shoulders and chest. The next step in achieving the low taper V shape involves focusing on your abdominal muscles.

The rectus adominus (6-pack) and obliques (sides of your waist) will help you create a narrow look through your midsection.

4. Russian Twists

Do Russian twists make your waist smaller? Not necessarily, only cutting fat can do that. Despite this, a Russian twist can make your waist STRONGER. Specifically, the sides of your waist, aka the obliques.

Strong and toned obliques that are not covered by a lot of fat can create that look of a tiny waist.

• Set-Up: Grab a large dumbbell, kettlebell, weight plate, or medicine ball and clutch it to your chest.
• Body Position: Sitting up, plant your feet on the floor with your knees bent.
• Twist: Twist at the waist to drop your equipment piece of choice from side to side. You should feel the work across the sides of your abs.
• Reps: Continue alternating sides for 30 seconds, then rest.

5. Hanging Leg Raises

• Set-Up: Find a pull-up bar. Make sure it’s a good height for your whole body to hang without your feet touching the ground.
• Body Position: Hang from the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Keep your body straight and your core engaged.
• Action: With your legs straight, lift them up towards your chest. Focus on using your lower abs to draw your legs in towards your body. Try to get your legs to a 90-degree angle with your torso or higher, if possible.
• Reverse: Slowly lower your legs back down. Try to control your movement so you don’t swing your legs. Remember, you want to use muscle, not momentum.
• Reps: 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.

Pro-Tip: If fully straightening your legs is too difficult, start with a bent-knee leg raise.

6. Cable Woodchoppers

• Set-Up: Attach a D-handle to the high pulley of a cable machine. Adjust your weight stack to a medium but challenging weight.
• Body Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab your handle with both hands. Line your body up sideways to the machine. Extend your arms towards your cable tower.
• Action: Pull the D-handle diagonally across your body, moving high to low, down towards your opposite hip. As you do this, twist your torso and squeeze your oblique muscles. You should feel the muscles of your waist working.
• Reverse: Slowly bring your handle back to your starting position. Once you are done with your reps, switch to the other side.
• Reps: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps per side.

V Taper Sample Workout Plan

Workout 1: Back and Shoulders

• Pull-Ups: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Overhead Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Workout 2: Chest and Abdominals

• Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Flat Bench Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
• Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Workout 3: All Upper Body

• Deadlifts: 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Cable Crunches: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

You can use this as a three-day workout plan or mix and match exercises on this list to begin to work towards your V taper.

Note: You don’t always need a personal trainer to get a V taper body. Using the Flex app, you can easily learn all these exercises and train yourself to reach your desired body.

Tips and Techniques: How to Get a V Taper

Although men with a V taper are certainly strong and muscular, one of the main components of building this physique is being extra-lean.

Low body fat and a “shredded” look that lets your abs and small waist show through are key here.

To reduce your body fat and get a V taper, here are a few strategies you can try.

Cut Calories

To slim down, the first step is to take in less calories than you burn. A calorie deficit will help you to reduce your overall body fat, making any muscle that you have built show through more easily.

Aim to reduce your daily calorie intake by about 500 calories per day if you are looking to slim down to let your V taper show.

Don’t Neglect the Upper Chest

When you think about targeted chest exercises to help you achieve a V taper physique, make sure you understand what parts of the chest you’re working.

Many people struggle with building up either the upper or lower portion of their chest. This varies individually. Although a slow-growing low chest is more common, don’t feel alone if you struggle to grow your upper chest too.

Thinking about the V shape, bulked upper pecs are going to create the look of volume at the top of the taper that you’re looking for.

To increase muscle mass in your upper chest, think about the best incline bench angle to target your pecs (angled up around 30 degrees) instead of flat bench presses when you work out.

Changing your bench press angle to an incline will help hit your upper pecs, while a decline bench will hit the lower chest.

Diet and Nutrition

How to eat for a V taper is just as important as what you’re doing in your workouts. In general, there are a few tried-and-true nutritional guidelines you can follow:

Plenty of Protein

An important part of muscle building is getting enough protein.

Most research indicates that consuming approximately one gram (1g) of protein per pound of body weight will help you build or maintain muscle.

Calorie Deficit

Make sure to reduce your caloric intake if you are looking to cut some body fat so your muscle gains can show through.

Big Picture

A V taper refers to a body shape (typically for men) with broad shoulders tapering down to a slim waist. To work towards this shape means developing strong trapezius and deltoid muscles along your shoulders, neck, and upper back.

You’ll also need powerful lats that lead to a narrow waist along with developed rectus abdominis and oblique muscles.

All in all, you can use a variety of exercises to work towards this goal. These may include:

• Pull-ups
• Lat pulldowns
• Russian twists
• Bench presses

And more.

On top of your workout plan, you’ll need a solid diet and good lifestyle choices that support muscle growth. Therefore, aim to eat a protein-rich meal or snack no more than 2 hours after a workout.