the best exercises for the abs: how to pump up those treasured six packs
05/30/2016 Training
Add these exercises to your workouts and become the owner of abs of steel.
Six or eight-pack abs are the cherished dream of many men, but not everyone knows how to achieve this cherished ideal. You can achieve abs of steel not only with endless crunches; there are many other equally effective exercises; By the way, too many twists can negatively affect the lower back. It's time to expand your arsenal of dream abs exercises.
Abdominal Anatomy
- But the path to a sculpted stomach requires persistence and patience, and a flat stomach in a week is unattainable.
- However, intense abdominal training will show the first results in about two weeks.
- With this awareness, it is much easier to find motivation and understand that results will come sooner or later, provided that the person is systematic and shows willpower.
However, it should be remembered that if a person is overweight, then in order to see cubes on the body, he will first need to get rid of extra pounds.
Knowing the anatomy of the abdominal muscles is essential to understanding how the muscles of the torso work. They act as a body stabilizer and help maintain correct posture. Therefore, good abdominal exercises will include movements in all directions.
You will be able to build the abs of your dreams when all muscles are used in a balanced way during training.
Among the abdominal muscles are the following:
- The rectus abdominis muscle stretches from the sternum to the pubic bone. It is a large, flat and strong muscle that is the target of many crunches. She is responsible for the famous six packs. When organizing an abdominal training program, it is worth distinguishing between the lower and upper parts of the rectus abdominis muscle;
- Oblique muscles – as the name suggests, they are located on the sides of the torso. They are responsible for the rotational force generated by whole-body activity. It is worth noting that the oblique abdominal muscles are divided into visible ones - external (located above the pelvis) and internal, which stabilize the body during movement;
- Transverse muscle - called the muscle corset. Located deep, it is responsible for stabilizing the entire body. Its correct extension is responsible for both reducing pain in the lumbar region and smoothing the abdomen.
Preliminary preparation
There is an opinion that you need to approach a difficult set or apparatus as rested as possible. But in professional sports, obviously, the situation is completely different. Here, every athlete tries to warm up as effectively as possible before getting down to business. Likewise, the most difficult abdominal exercises require preliminary preparation. For example, you can do a warm-up:
- stretching “Cobra pose” – 30 seconds;
- “Child’s Pose” – 40 seconds;
- side plank on each side – 15 seconds;
- push-ups with twisting - 5 times on each leg;
- bridge – 30 seconds;
- "Superman" - 30 seconds.
It is not necessary to do absolutely all the exercises, but it is extremely important to do at least some. If the athlete feels that the muscles in the abdominal area have begun to heat up, this means that they can begin the main exercises.
How to train your abs correctly
Some experts believe that training the abs at home and in the gym, like a number of other muscle groups, should consist of multi-joint exercises. Numerous analyzes of muscle activity have shown that it is movements, that is, deadlifts and squats, that significantly activate the body.
Although many people focus on performing isolated abdominal exercises - most often crunches - which will not bring the desired results if performed alone.
Therefore, a plan based on making as many bends and tensions as possible has no chance of success. But this is only one point of view on this issue.
Plank
The most common plank is almost always the ideal option for a quick but at the same time intense workout. You need to take a lying position, then bend your arms at the elbows, stretching your clenched wrists forward. You can rest your head on your fists. You need to stand in this position for at least 40 seconds, then take a short break. The best option is a set of 3 times 40 seconds. It should be combined with crunches, Roman chairs, or exercises with dumbbells.
Among the accompanying things, you will need a sports uniform and reliable shoes, if they slip, there is a risk of falling and painfully hitting your head. Among the most difficult abdominal exercises for girls, the regular plank is almost always the best choice.
Rules for training the press
What principles should you follow when working with the press?
- Don't train your abs every day;
- Don't base your workout on just one exercise;
- Develop deep muscles;
- Abdominal workouts such as dumbbells and barbells are a great way to add weight to your activity;
It is important to remember that the abdomen is the same muscular part as the rest. It needs a varied load and rest.
The importance of combining different sets
The abdominal muscles are divided into segments and various exercises are designed to distribute the load between them. Therefore, it is important to constantly combine exercises, change them, or even take breaks. With constant intense loads, the tissue will accumulate fatigue, which will lead to a failure in the regime and loss of several days for recovery. In addition, you need to take short breaks between approaches so that the cells are filled with oxygen. Coupled with proper nutrition and fat-burning cardio, the result will not be long in coming. If you devote a few minutes a day to training, then even the most effective and complex abdominal exercises will not benefit a person, but will turn out to be a waste of time.
Bend torso while lying down with arms raised
To perform the exercises, you need to lie on a flat surface with your arms extended above your head.
- Afterwards, you need to squeeze your abdominal muscles and raise your straightened legs above the ground so that they reach an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the ground.
- In this position, you need to bend over - raise your head, shoulders, trying to reach your knees with your hands, and then return to the starting position.
- To increase the level of difficulty, you can wear weights on your ankles.
This kind of abdominal training is possible at home.
How many repetitions should I do?
As mentioned above, to draw cubes you will need not only to pump up your cubes, but also to reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat. The number of repetitions in the approach depends on the purpose of the training.
If the work is aimed at increasing the volume of muscle tissue, then do the exercises 12-15 times. It is necessary to tire out the muscles, so you cannot rest for several minutes between sets, a pause of 30 to 60 seconds is enough, the less the better. The exercises are performed vigorously; by the end of the approach, the muscles should be tired. If after the last repetition you feel like you can do a few more, then the exercise has become too easy.
To make it more difficult, you can use weights, for example, placing a barbell plate on your chest or putting weighted cuffs on your ankles.
If the training is aimed at reducing body fat, then each approach should contain 25-30 repetitions. Such sets are performed without weights or with a small apparatus. At the end, a burning sensation should be felt in the muscles, this is a sign that they have received sufficient load.
Hanging Leg Raise
In this exercise, to train the abdominal muscles, you need to hang freely on straightened arms and slowly raise your legs bent at the knees, trying to touch them to your chest. Afterwards you need to return to the starting position. This exercise effectively loads the lower abdomen.
Backward rolls
The body position is taken while sitting on the floor. The back is kept straight. The stomach is slightly retracted. The legs are straightened and slightly apart to the sides. With your hands held in front of you, you grab any available crossbar. Alternatively, you can use a tightly rolled towel. The body is tilted back without touching the floor with your back. In a tense position, the body lingers for several seconds. A deep breath is taken and the bar is pulled up to the chest with your hands. As you exhale, a push is made in the opposite direction, after which the body returns to its original position. The exercise is repeated about 10 times for 3-4 approaches.
Crunches with legs raised
A variation on the classic crunch allows you to maximally tense your abdominal muscles. This is also a very good exercise for beginners who cannot yet do many repetitions of traditional crunches.
Correct execution of the exercise requires lying on your back with your arms crossed behind your neck.
In a simpler version, your arms can be extended in front of you.
- You need to raise your legs with your knees bent.
- Your thighs should point upward and your calves should form a right angle with them, with your feet together.
- Then you need to tense your abdominal muscles and raise your head, shoulder blades and shoulders towards your bent knees.
- The neck should be relaxed.
- The emphasis is only on lifting the upper body with the abdominal muscles.
- For a better understanding, you can watch a video of abdominal training.
Scissors
In the supine position, the legs are extended along the body. Elbows rest on the floor behind your back and slightly lift your body. The right leg rushes vertically upward. It is followed by a second limb. Then the legs are lowered to the floor. There is a change in the order of lifting the limbs. About 4-5 approaches of 10-15 movements are performed.
Back exercises are also important
However, when intensively training the abdominal muscles, you need to remember that they play a practical role in the body - they are not just decoration aimed at improving the aesthetic appeal of the body.
- The abdominal muscles, together with the back muscles, are responsible for the motor activity of the torso, and neglecting the latter will not bring any benefit.
- To demonstrate a beautiful flat stomach without disturbing the proportions of the tissues and allowing the body to maintain posture and balance, you need to remember the interacting muscles of the back.
- This will give much better results and will also help maintain body health and symmetry.
A few words about nutrition
The most common mistake people make when trying to get perfect abs is ignoring nutrition. They do not attach much importance to it, and in vain. You can do as many crunches as you want, but if your body fat percentage is too high, the results won't be noticeable.
When it comes to reducing your body fat percentage, the key point is what you eat and how much. The fundamental factor for success in this matter is to rid the diet of fast carbohydrates, refined sugar, large amounts of saturated fat, and close attention to daily calorie counting.
In a word, the less fat you have in your body, the more visible your abs will be.
Another factor that has a serious impact on the appearance of a six-pack in the abdominal area is protein. Just as the growth of all the muscles in your body requires protein, which helps them recover and grow faster, this very cocktail can contribute to the appearance of the coveted six-pack.
Drinking a protein shake during the day can curb your voracious appetite and desire to indulge in fatty foods. At the same time, he will gradually form a healthy habit of eating the right foods with a high protein content and a moderate amount of carbohydrates, while avoiding the main enemy - sugar.
