Rules for performing abdominal exercises. The benefits of pumped up abs. A set of effective exercises for the press without sports equipment and in the gym

What is a press?

It’s worth immediately touching on the myth of the lower, middle, upper press.
The rectus abdominis muscle is uniform and uniform along its entire length. And the cubes are nothing more than tendons that keep the internal organs from falling out. Their number and depth depend on genetics. There are athletes who have 8 or 10 cubes, and there are those whom nature has awarded only four. However, well-defined obliques and a flat navel will accentuate the waist of any athlete and give their figure an aesthetic appearance. The press is the center for issuing commands to the entire body. Any movement begins with the brain sending a command to the center of nerve signals (solar plexus). It is located in close proximity to the abdominal muscles, and the power of the impulse, which transmits the core of nerve signals to the muscle, depends on its condition and training. In other words, a weak center gives weak commands.

Posture is equally important. You need to keep your back straight in any position so that the body gets used to it and automatically puts the muscles in that position. Poor posture leads to a bulging abdomen or “sitting fold,” which persists even with a low percentage of fat. Moreover, in a standing position, the skin is more stretched and the cubes are seen better

Anatomy and function[edit | edit code]

Read the main article:
Abdominal muscles

The abdominal region consists of four muscle groups.

• The transverse abdominal muscle
  (transversus abdominis) lies inside, supporting your internal organs.
• The internal oblique muscles
  run diagonally from the pelvis to the sternum, and
• The external obliques
  sit on top of the internal obliques, helping you flex and rotate your torso.
• The rectus abdominis muscle
  lies on top of the transverse muscle, which is what we call the abs. Starting at the pelvic bone, it is attached to the sternum. The rectus abdominis muscle keeps your back straight and allows you to lean forward. Connective fibers, crossing it across, create those same six packs that serve as irrefutable proof of leanness and good physical shape.

Some authors divide the abs into upper and lower, arguing that various exercises act primarily on one of the parts. This is incorrect, since the rectus abdominis muscle tenses along its entire length during any movement, the difference lies only in the degree of tension.

Many people believe that exercising a specific area burns fat there, but in fact it burns fat throughout the body. Read more:

Local fat burning

How to pump up your abs correctly?

It is important to remember that the abs are a muscle like any other.
Its size is small, and the average recovery period is 3-4 days. It is involved even when we don't think about it. In a sitting and standing position, it is involved in maintaining the spine and regulating the straight position of the body. In addition, the longitudinal tendon prevents internal organs from falling out of the abdominal cavity. Considering that she receives load in everyday life every day, and when working out in the gym - in 85% of exercises, the number of repetitions in the range of 10-12 without weights will be ineffective. In this case, increase to 20 repetitions per set. If you can do more, take additional weight. The core muscles consist of white oxidative fibers, which genetically grow poorly and the body does its best to maintain their original mass in order to save energy.

This happens because as a muscle increases in size, it begins to consume more energy with each contraction, and, as has long been known, strength and muscle mass are not directly proportional. Therefore, it is necessary to create special unusual conditions under which the load will be non-standard and noticeable.

How long does it take to pump up your abs?

To answer this question, you need to decide what it means to “pump up your abs.”
If we are talking about a clearly defined 6-pack, with split fibers and veins, then it will take years and decades. And if the goal is simply to get a flat, sculpted stomach without excess fat, then if you follow a diet, it will take about 4 months to build a solid shape and powerful core muscles. A lot depends on genetics and the tendency to be overweight. If an athlete naturally has a flat stomach, then the six-pack will appear within a couple of months, but if he is prone to obesity, he cannot do without a diet.

Often, the cause of poor abdominal definition is hypothyroidism, the main symptom of which is fluid retention in the lower abdomen. If you cannot lose weight for a long time, pay attention to thyroid tests, perhaps the problem lies there.

Home workout program

You should not focus on one rectus abdominis muscle, because if the rest of the core muscles do not receive the necessary load, then due to muscle imbalance, the potential for growth decreases. Considering that there are no other exercises in the program besides the abs, increase the frequency of abdominal training to 3 times a week. Select 3-5 exercises from the table and start training.

Effective pumping of the press in the gym

1. Exercise with twisting elements on an inclined plane.

• It is necessary to place the body tilted head down. The legs below the knee at an angle of 90 degrees act as a fixator. The arms are bent at the elbows and thrown behind the head.
• The shoulder body twists the floor at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the bench. The lower back remains motionless. Try to stay in this position for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.

Twisting

1. An exercise with elements of reverse crunches on an inclined plane.

• You need to lie on the bench with your head up. The arms are thrown back behind the head and the palms are fixed behind the bench. With their help the main load will be carried out.
• The legs are stretched along the bench. To increase the load in the future, they can be bent at the knees.
• The essence of the exercise is to lift the legs together with the pelvis upward. Pause in this position and lower to the starting position.

Reverse

1. Hanging lower limb raise exercise.

Pumping is done using a horizontal bar or crossbar. First you need to hang on the horizontal bar with your hands shoulder-width apart.

• At the initial stage, you need to simultaneously bend your two legs at the knees and try to pull them towards your chest.
• In the future, this exercise can be performed with extended legs, raising them to an angle of 90 degrees.
• The most effective way is to lift your legs to an angle of 180 degrees while twisting your pelvis.
• In each of the options it is necessary to smoothly return to the starting position.

Useful
In addition to all the abdominal muscles, this exercise uses the muscles of the back, arms and legs.

1. Exercise with raising the lower limbs and resting on the elbows.

• For the starting position, you need to stand with your elbows on the armrests of the machine and clasp the holders with your hands.
• Two legs simultaneously lift off the floor and bend at the knees. When returning your legs to the starting position, it is important not to touch the floor with your feet.
• At the initial stage, it is enough to perform 7-10 times.

1. Press exercise on a roller.

• Muscle pumping is carried out using a gymnastic roller. For the starting position, you need to get on all fours on a non-slip surface. Instead of the floor, your hands rest on the wheel, clasping its holders with your palms. The wheel is located under the shoulder housing.
• We begin to roll the roller forward, straightening the body to a horizontal position. As soon as the chest approaches the floor as much as possible, but at the same time touches it, we return to the starting position.
• For the first time, it is enough to perform 8-10 repetitions. In the future we will take several approaches.
• When performing this exercise, the rectus abdominis muscles are pumped, and the muscles of the arms, back and shoulder torso are also involved.

With roller

1. Exercise with leg raises on a bench.

• For the starting position, you need to sit across the edge of the bench. Next, we throw our arms behind our backs and take a reclining position with support on our elbows. Legs are bent at the knees and stand on the floor.
• We lift our bent legs off the floor and at the same time raise our body, resting on our hands. The knees touch the chest, pause for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.
• 10 lifts are required.
• The main load falls on the rectus abdominis and hip muscles.

Raise your feet

1. Exercise with flexion of the body on a block simulator.

Starting position: kneeling with the body vertical. You need to grab the rope handle on the block frame with your hands. The arms are tightly bent at the elbows, the hands are thrown back behind the head. The abdominal muscles are tense.

We begin to twist the upper body as we approach the floor. We gradually return to the starting position. The hips remain in a motionless position.

On block

We perform 10 bends. The exercise involves both the rectus abdominis and the oblique abdominal muscles.

Effective exercises at home:

Below are collected exercises that involve training with your own weight, without additional equipment:

Raising legs from a lying position

A basic exercise that requires support with your hands. Lie down on the floor with your hands firmly gripping the sofa or closet. As you inhale, raise your outstretched legs until they are perpendicular to the floor, then lower them at the same speed. Do not kick your feet off the floor - this is the most common mistake that can lead to injury to the foot and tailbone.

Bike

Familiar from school, it’s an endurance exercise. Lie on your back, raise your legs to a 45-degree angle to the floor and perform movements as if pedaling a bicycle. Keep your body straight and do not deviate from the straight axis to the sides.

Scissors

Position: lying on your back. Raise your legs at 45 degrees and alternately throw one over the other.

V-shaped crunches

The exercise is not for beginners. The movement requires good coordination, well-coordinated work of the lower back and abdominal muscles. Lie on your back, spread your arms to the sides, wider than your shoulders, then lift your body and legs at the same time so that they follow the same path to the center. Pause a little at the top point, then lower down.

Intense push-ups

In such an exercise, seemingly far from the press, as “push-ups”, it performs important work, namely, it maintains the straight position of the body, allowing it to drop quite low. Try to get up slowly and come down a little faster to reduce your abdominal rest time.

Exercise "Burpee"

A complex exercise that develops not only the abs, but also all the muscles of the legs, chest, and triceps. To perform it, get into the starting position (standing), then take a lying position in one quick movement, do one high-quality push-up, stand up, and jump out of a full squat. Repeat the cycle. It is important to control every movement and ensure smooth contact of the body with the floor to avoid shock loading. We also have a separate article about the burpee exercise.

Rock climber

A simple and accessible movement for everyone. Take a lying position, alternately pull your left and right legs towards your hands with one quick jump.

Jumping

An excellent exercise for developing all core muscles as a whole. You can perform both jumping up and standing jumping onto obstacles. In the second case, you will definitely need the help of an insurer.

Standing Dumbbell Row

An exercise for the back that pumps up the vestibular apparatus and oblique muscles well. Stand up straight, take the apparatus in your hands, moving your pelvis back, lower yourself so that the dumbbells slide along your thigh and drop below your knee. Then smoothly pull them with your hands to your belt, moving your elbows behind your back.

Vacuum

An old-school exercise has brought victory to many famous athletes, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Tom Platz, and Lee Priest. All of these athletes boast incredibly narrow waists and V-shaped silhouettes. You need to exhale all the air from your lungs, and then draw in your stomach as much as possible and hold it for as long as the air supply allows.

Plank

An incredibly difficult exercise if done correctly. Stand in a lying position, leaning on your elbows. They should be strictly under the shoulder and stand as long as the straight position of the abdomen is maintained. To complicate the exercise, you can stand on straight arms or perform a side plank.

Frog

A simple movement that even a beginner can handle. Lie on your back, bring your feet together, place your left palm on your right shoulder and your right palm on your left. Raise your body to the maximum position, hold for a few seconds, then lower down.

Crunches with turns

You need to lie on your back, place your hands behind your head. Alternately connect the left elbow and right knee and the right elbow with the left knee.

Straight crunches

Basic and elementary movement. You just need to bend your knees, place your feet under the edge of the sofa and lift your body, trying to reach your chest with your knees.

Penknife

Quite an unusual movement that requires good stretching. You need to lie on your back and try to reach the toes of your outstretched leg with your outstretched arms. From the outside it looks like the body folds up like a pocket knife.

Rotations of the lower extremities

Lie on the floor, raise your straight legs at an angle of 90 to the floor, then lower them to your left and to your right, making a kind of pendulum.

Exercises on the horizontal bar

This set of exercises involves lifting the legs (straight or oblique) while hanging on the horizontal bar. When exercising on it, the abs are fully used, because additional efforts are spent on maintaining a straight body position and dampening the swing.

Bends with a load

The exercise targets the oblique abdominal muscles. You need to take the weight in one hand, hide the other behind your back, put your feet next to each other and lean to the sides so that the hand with the weight slides along your thigh. When the hand passes the mark of the knee joint, you need to straighten as much as possible in the opposite direction.

Sets of exercises for the abdominal muscles

We bring to your attention the best abdominal exercises.

Exercises for the upper abs

The easiest way is to strengthen the muscles of the upper abs. For this, all kinds of so-called twists are used. Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Feet firmly on the floor. Bend your arms at the elbows and place them behind your head, clasping your hands together. Press your lower back firmly into the floor. Now begin slow twisting, trying to reach your chin to your knee. Be sure to watch your lower back! If it is not pressed to the floor, you will put stress not on your abs, but on your spine. And we don’t need this at all.

“Double twisting” is considered even more effective - when the legs and torso are lifted at the same time. This exercise works in combination and has a beneficial effect not only on the lower, but also on the upper abs.

Twisting is a fairly simple exercise that even a beginner can do. However, it is not enough to perform it 10–20 times. You will have to work hard and do 2–3 approaches of 25 times. The pace of the exercise is selected individually. But the main thing is to do it correctly. Beginners can do slow crunches. This will not reduce the effectiveness at all.

Exercises for the lower abs

For the lower abs, exercises based on lifting your legs straight or bent at the knees are suitable. For example, “reverse twisting” has proven itself well in the fight against fat deposits in the lower abdomen. Lie on the floor, bend your knees. Place your arms loosely along your body, or place your palms under your buttocks. The choice is yours. As you exhale, slowly lift your bent legs up, while tensing your abdominal muscles. Make sure your lower back is pressed as tightly as possible to the floor. The pelvis should rise as high as possible. Also slowly return to the starting position. For best effectiveness, perform the exercise at least 12-15 repetitions in 3 sets.

Straight leg raises from a lying position are also used to strengthen the lower abdominals. This is a fairly simple exercise. Raise your legs so that they form a right angle with your body. First, 10 times with the left and right legs, then 10 times with both legs at once. As in previous exercises, don't forget about your lower back! It should be pressed tightly to the floor. Raise your pelvis slightly.

Exercises for obliques

Thanks to well-trained oblique muscles, you will have a beautiful, thin waist. To keep them in good shape, an exercise such as “diagonal twisting” is recommended. Starting position - lying on the floor with your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head and press your lower back to the floor. Start lifting, trying to reach your right elbow to your left knee and vice versa. Do 20 times in three sets. After the first time you will get a pleasant tension in the abdominal muscles.

Gym training program

Remember that in exercises with iron, the abs are used in all exercises as a stabilizer, so the load should not be excessive. Perform the training program 2-3 times a week with at least 48 hours between workouts.

Gym

A very large niche in modern business today is occupied by various fitness centers, where anyone can adjust their figure.

This is a convenient option for city residents who do not have the opportunity to organize a sports ground on the street.

In addition, there is no need to purchase various simulators and their maintenance.

The most important advantage of a gym is its equipment.

For those who are not willing to spend extra minutes doing exhausting and painful sets, you can increase the intensity of each movement.

Thanks to this, the abdominal training program in the gym can be easily modified.

How to pump up abs for a man

Men, first of all, need to focus on the size of the rectus muscle - perform exercises with weights in the range of 8-15 repetitions. Do not neglect the safety belt in basic movements, but also do not wear it where it is not needed, because... he will simply “steal” the load from the press.

Exercises:

• Crunches on a 4x10 block;
• Hanging leg raises (with weights) 3x10;
• Crunches with 4x8 top block;
• Burpee 4x20;
• Pull-ups “Corner” 4x10.

How to pump up abs for a woman

As for girls, the emphasis should be on maintaining the current muscle mass of the abdominal muscles and reducing body fat. Any abdominal exercise will increase your waist. Representatives of the fair sex can perform the movement in the range of 15-30 repetitions, without weights.

Exercises:

• Lying crunches 3x20;
• Plank 4 x 50 seconds;
• Bend-overs with a weight of 3x20 on each side;
• Climber 3x25.
• Frog 4x15.

Recommendations

To become the owner of beautiful abs and a sculpted torso, listen to our recommendations. Remember that muscle strengthening is achievable for beginners only if you train regularly and do it with pleasure.

To create an “iron” press, use these tips:

1. Switch to a diet that will dry out your body. This will minimize belly fat. This layer varies from person to person, for some it is 7%, for others it is 15% and has a beautiful torso. The program for losing weight and creating a beautiful figure depends on this. To eliminate belly fat, some people need a week of cutting diet.

2. Straighten your posture. Due to a sedentary lifestyle, people experience changes in posture, which causes their abdominal muscles to weaken. As a result, you may notice stretched abs, pain in the cervical region, lower back and spine. Once you have corrected your posture, begin doing abdominal exercises to tighten and strengthen your muscles.

3. Strengthen your core. Beginners assume that the abs are one rectus muscle on the abdomen. But in addition to it, there are oblique muscles, for pumping which turns, bends with weights are suitable.

4. Pump up your abdominal muscles correctly. In order to develop the rectus muscles, hypertrophy training should be performed. It is enough to do 10-12 repetitions.

It is important to develop the connection between the brain and the abdominal muscles. In order to become the owner of an iron torso, you should learn to control all the muscles, distributing the load during exercise on them. If you learn to keep your abs tense during training, this will significantly increase the effectiveness of your exercises.

Proper nutrition

Diet plays 90% of success when pumping up your abs. Sweets, flour, starch are the worst enemies of the relief. It takes enormous willpower to bring the core muscles to the desired condition without losing muscle mass from other groups. Eat enough protein (1.3 grams per kilogram of weight), 1 gram of fat, and 10 to 90 grams of slow carbohydrates. This diet plan will have an enhanced effect on fat burning processes. All that remains is to train hard and wait for the result.