Double Chin SOS: 5 Unconventional Exercises for a Chiseled Jawline

People work out for a wide range of reasons. Some want to get stronger or build massive muscles, while others are more interested in health and longevity. Some exercisers want to improve their sporting performance.

However, in my experience as a veteran personal trainer, the most common reason for hitting the gym or heading out for a run is to improve appearance. The bottom line is that most people care about how they look, and they want to look better (1)!

Consequently, many gymgoers follow programs designed to address specific aesthetic goals, such as toning their glutes, sculpting the perfect six-pack, or beefing up their arms.

Ironically, all the time you spend training your arms, glutes, abs, etc., may go largely unnoticed because most of the time these body parts are covered by clothes. So, unless you are in your underwear or swimwear, most of the people you meet won’t know that you’ve got a washboard midsection or eye-catching biceps vein.

The same can’t be said for your face, which is on show 24/7. Consequently, most people have at least a passing interest in the condition of their skin and use various products to keep it in tip-top condition.

While your skincare routine can help you maintain a healthy complexion, there are other things you can do to improve your facial appearance. After all, in the same way can shape and tone your upper, lower, and midsection muscles, you can also enhance your facial features with targeted exercises. In particular, I’m talking about your jawline.

In this article, I share five of the most effective exercises for a more chiseled jawline.

What is a Double Chin?

A double chin, properly called submental fat, happens when a layer of adipose tissue forms beneath your jawline. This fat creates one or more rolls, which gives the appearance of having more than one chin.

People get double chins when they gain weight, but they can also be the result of loose skin after weight loss. Lost skin elasticity can also cause double chins and, as such, they’re often associated with aging.

As a double chin is essentially stored body fat, the only way to get rid of it is to lose fat from all over your body. That’s because there is no such thing as spot reduction, which is the idea that exercises targeting specific muscles cause localized fat loss (1). This helps to explain why no amount of crunches and sit-ups melt fat from your stomach.

So, one of the first things you need to do if you want to lose your double chin is to start eating a little less and exercising a little more. This will create a kilocalorie deficit, which forces your body to start using fat for fuel. Gradually, your body fat levels will decrease, and so too will your double chin.

Unfortunately, there is no way to speed up facial fat loss – it’ll happen when it happens. Your double chin may be the first place you start to lose fat, or it might be the last. It all depends on your genetics.

That said, you can strengthen and develop the underlying muscles, which will give you a more pronounced jawline. This will give your face a more pleasing shape while making your double chin less noticeable.

Related: No Pain, No Gain, and Other Popular Fitness Myths Debunked

Continue to the next section and discover five proven exercises for a stronger, more defined jawline. But remember, these exercises will be much more effective when combined with a conventional and consistent workout program and a healthy, reduced-kilocalorie diet.  

5 Unconventional Exercises for a Chiseled Jawline

Contrary to popular opinion, chewing gum won’t give you a chiseled jawline (3). That’s because the resistance needed to close and open your mouth while chewing is very low. Chewing gum to strengthen your jaw muscles would be like curling your phone to build bigger biceps – ineffective and a waste of time.

In contrast, you need to expose the relevant muscles to a reasonable amount of overload. Here are five great exercises that will do exactly that. However, while these exercises may look easy, it’s important to avoid doing too much too soon, or you could end up with sore muscles and an aching jaw.

1. Chin Ball Squeeze

This exercise targets the muscles on the side and underside of your jaw. It’s simple yet effective and the only equipment you need is a small, compressible ball. While you could use a tennis ball, I find that they can be a bit hard and rough. In my experience, a smooth rubber stress ball makes this exercise much more comfortable.

Steps:

1. Seated or standing, place your ball beneath your chin. Take care not to press it into your throat, which would be painful and possibly dangerous.
2. Tuck your chin in and press down to squeeze the ball against your upper chest.
3. Hold for 3-5 seconds, relax, and repeat.
4. Continue for 10-15 repetitions.
5. Make this exercise more challenging by squeezing the ball harder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBEUtzAzicU?si=L9bfPO4iIfYY9DTH

2. Prone Head Lifts

Have you ever noticed how standing up straight makes your stomach look flatter? That’s because slouching makes your belly bow outward and better posture prevents this. The prone head lift has the same effect on your chin, and by lifting your head, your chin fat is less likely to form rolls. This is also an excellent exercise for better posture.

Steps:

1. Lie on your front and rest on your elbows – just like you are reading a book at the beach or about to do a plank.
2. From this position, lower your head and look down at the floor.
3. Next, leading with your chin, lift your head up, and look at the ceiling.
4. Hold for 3-5 seconds, relax, and repeat.
5. Continue for 10-15 repetitions.

3. Chin Tucks

The chin tuck targets your deep neck muscles. While this exercise involves exacerbating your double chin while you are doing it, that’s only temporary and it will help strengthen your jaw muscles for a more pronounced jawline. This exercise also helps release neck tension, which can be a problem if you spend a lot of time working at a computer.

Steps:

1. Place the back of your head against a wall or doorframe. This will provide feedback and help you perform the exercise correctly.
2. Pull your chin in and raise the crown of your head up toward the ceiling. Feel the wall/doorframe slide down the back of your head.
3. Hold for 3-5 seconds, relax, and repeat.
4. Continue for 10-15 repetitions.
5. You can also do this exercise while lying on the floor or without the wall/doorframe, i.e. while sitting at your desk.

4. Jaw Clench Exercise

Clenching your jaw involves a lot of muscles, not least the masseter muscles, which are located on the side/rear of your jawbone. Strengthening these muscles will widen your jaw and give you a more pronounced profile, just like legendary bodybuilder Tom Platz. While Platz was most famous for his massive legs, his jawline was also pretty remarkable!

Steps:

1. Roll up a clean washcloth, ensuring it’s thick enough to provide resistance while still fitting comfortably in your mouth.
2. Place the rolled-up washcloth between your teeth, making sure it rests evenly across your back teeth.
3. Bite down firmly, pressing your teeth into the washcloth.
4. Hold the clench for 5-10 seconds and then relax.
5. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions, breathing through your nose throughout your set.
6. Relax your jaw and remove the washcloth. Rest a moment and repeat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLwo0PQwpxs?si=xwu82PHR9scumlqY

5. Mewing

Mewing is a viral exercise trend invented by British orthodontist Dr. Mike Mew. While many of the alleged benefits of mewing are unproven, there is no denying that this exercise targets the jawline muscles, albeit in an indirect, subtle way. The great thing about this exercise is that you can do it anywhere and anytime, and no one will know you’re doing it.

Steps:

1. Close your mouth so your teeth are gently touching but not clenched.
2. Place your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, ensuring that the entire surface of your tongue is in contact with the roof.
3. Press your tongue upward with light pressure, focusing on making contact with the upper part of your mouth just behind your front teeth.
4. Pull your chin in slightly to lengthen your neck, maintaining a neutral head position while keeping your tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth.
5. Breathe through your nose while holding this position.
6. Continue for 3-5 minutes, then relax.

Related: Golden Ratio Face: Find Golden Face Ratio

Additional Guidelines for Getting Rid of Your Double Chin

While the exercises outlined above can help you lose your double chin and sculpt your jawline, they’ll be more effective if you combine them with a few holistic exercise and lifestyle changes.

While it’s beyond the scope of this article to do a deep dive into any of these strategies, here are a few basic guidelines for the types of things you should do to lose your double chin once and for all.

Eat More Natural Fruits and Vegetables

Natural, i.e., unprocessed, fruits and vegetables are low in kilocalories and filling, making them the perfect foundation for any weight loss diet. Build your meals around natural fruits and vegetables to shed pounds and boost your health while avoiding hunger.

Eat Less Refined Sugar and Processed Grains  

Where fruits and vegetables are filling and healthy, refined sugar and processed grains are not. For example, a serving of sugary breakfast cereal won’t keep you feeling full all morning. Instead, it’ll start a cycle of high and then low blood glucose, leading to mid-morning hunger pangs.

In contrast, a serving of old-fashioned oatmeal contains fewer kilocalories and yet is more satisfying and filling.

Stop Drinking Your Kilocalories

While soda, fruit juice, smoothies, and energy drinks are tasty and can be hydrating, most contain a lot of kilocalories, usually from sugar. However, they aren’t very filling, so they make it easy to consume too much energy and sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Avoid derailing your progress by sticking to kilocalorie-free beverages, such as water, diet soda, and unsweetened tea and coffee.

Don’t Follow a Strict Diet

Very strict diets can lead to weight loss, but they only work if you stick to them. Unfortunately, most strict diets are so unpleasant that you’ll want to quit after a few days, even if you are losing weight.

Avoid this problem by adopting a more moderate diet, and losing weight more gradually. Yes. It’ll take longer to reach your target weight, but your chances of success are much higher.

Discover the secret to successful weight loss in this in-depth guide to fixing your diet in six weeks.

Conclusion

Losing your double chin while strengthening your jawline will have a transformative effect on your face. People who haven’t seen you for a while will immediately notice the change, and you won’t need to show them your biceps or abs to reveal your transformation! Use the exercises and diet tips in this article to sculpt the movie star jawline of your dreams.

References:

1. Brudzynski, Laura & Ebben, William. (2009). Body Image as a Motivator and Barrier to Exercise Participation. International Journal of Exercise Science. 3. 10.70252/TQJZ8495.
2. Kostek MA, Pescatello LS, Seip RL, Angelopoulos TJ, Clarkson PM, Gordon PM, Moyna NM, Visich PS, Zoeller RF, Thompson PD, Hoffman EP, Price TB. Subcutaneous fat alterations resulting from an upper-body resistance training program. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Jul;39(7):1177-85. doi: 10.1249/mss.0b0138058a5cb. PMID: 17596787.
3. Takahashi M, Satoh Y. Effects of gum chewing training on oral function in normal adults: Part 1 investigation of perioral muscle pressure. J Dent Sci. 2019 Mar;14(1):38-46. doi: 10.1016/j.jds.2018.11.002. Epub 2018 Nov 26. PMID: 30988878; PMCID: PMC6445978.

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