What is common in the training of men and women is the desire to get beautiful and sculpted abs. The cubes demonstrate the athlete’s perseverance, as well as great willpower. And regardless of the time of year, it has become fashionable to be the owner of well-developed abs. Fortunately, this is possible even at home and without special equipment. It is for these purposes that a program for the press and sets of exercises for every taste will be presented below.
Is it possible to pump up abs in two weeks?
Let's start with the realities that every beginner faces. And so everyone understands that an untrained person has weak muscles, which means that in order to get six-packs, the muscles must first become toned and adapt to the load, and this can take a whole month. And only after a month you can perform more complex exercises that will help build those same abs. Exercises with weights will affect the thickness of the muscle; it is the heavy load that will help build muscle mass; even crunching 100 times will not pump up your abs.
Why do muscles need a lot of time and weight? Like other muscles of the body, the abdominal muscles will develop due to microdamages that are caused by forceful exercise. Such microdamages can be restored, and new cells are formed at the site of the rupture, thus the muscle fiber thickens and the volume of the muscle increases. But this will be impossible if there is a deficiency of nutrients - proteins and carbohydrates, as well as in the absence of proper rest, during which the muscles must have time to recover and fill.
The optimal number of workouts per week is 3, that is, the rest between workouts will be at least one day. This time will be enough for both progress and recovery. It becomes clear that in 6 workouts the abs will not be pumped up, because this process is long and complex.
Recommendations and tips for pumping up the press
- To effectively develop the abs, a suitable training system is selected depending on your goals. If your goal is to develop abs and muscle thickness, then the training should take place in a strength mode, that is, with weights for 10-12 repetitions . And if the training is aimed at losing belly fat , then the number of repetitions starts from 15 and above .
- Approaches to the press are also selected individually. For beginners, 1-2 approaches or cycles are enough in the first couples. More prepared people can perform 3-4 approaches.
- You should not train your abdominal muscles every day . And the point is not only in overwork, but also in the fact that the result of muscle overtraining will not be visible soon. Both when losing weight and when gaining weight, muscles need to be given time to rest.
- If we talk about additional burden, their use is justified for both men and women. In this case, an important condition is physical preparation. Beginners should not perform exercises with additional weights. But there is also one nuance in women’s training: you should not perform isolating exercises on the oblique abdominal muscles with weights, since they contribute to the thickening of this group, which means the waist becomes visually wider.
- The abs can be trained with other muscles of the body both at the end and at the beginning of the workout. But before performing the complex, it is necessary to stretch the muscles and ligaments well.
- Remember that the abdominal muscles can also be injured, so train them no more than 15 minutes a day.
Is it possible to pump up your abs every day for 14 days?
“Why not practice every day to speed up the process?” - you ask. As already mentioned, muscles need recovery; by overloading the fibers every day, you only lead them to an inflammatory process , which will turn into chronic fatigue. Neither in two weeks, nor in two months, such a regime will give results, since the founders of progress are loads plus rest.
“What if you train without equipment, so as not to injure your muscles?” Even when training without weights, untrained muscles, out of habit, will also suffer from inflammation, because no one is immune from sore throat.
Even if your muscles are capable of performing a high number of repetitions, this does not mean that your abs will be pumped up. In this way, you will only train muscle endurance, and this will in no way be connected with the growth of the same cubes. As we have already figured out, muscle building is facilitated by weights (weighted discs, dumbbells, cuffs, block exercise machines) and a small number of repetitions: 8-12.
A greater number of repetitions requires more energy expenditure, so the body will draw a calorie deficit from its own reserves; this regime is no longer suitable for muscle growth.
The other side of the coin is that a high-repetition regime will help reduce the layer of subcutaneous tissue, and if there was no relief on the stomach before, then fat burning will help make the stomach more athletic, but provided that the muscles have been trained before. But in any case, daily training will not affect the appearance of cubes.
How to pump up your abs to six-pack size?
Let’s immediately decide that it doesn’t matter where you train, at home or in the gym. It makes no difference where you practice. The main thing is what you do and how in order to pump up your abs. If you are looking for a secret abs exercise or supplement, then immediately leave this matter in the past. With the wrong approach, no training, even the most effective exercise, will produce results. But supplements will only be effective for a while, but we want to look good all year round.
Ways to get cubes: nutrition and training
You already understand that the process of getting beautiful abs is not easy or quick. But still, two main criteria can speed up, and even slow down, this process - proper nutrition and exercise.
No super exercises will help if you overeat, that is, the total number of calories exceeds the norm, and even more so, energy consumption during the day. In this case, fats will be deposited on the stomach, hiding all the results of “pumping up” the abs. Therefore, it is important to monitor food as well. For more pronounced relief, lean proteins should predominate in the diet.
But this is not enough to build muscles; it is important to consume complex (slow) carbohydrates to maintain energy. If there is not enough energy from food, the body will take it from protein, that is, muscles. And it turns out to be a vicious circle - no mass, no result.
Nutrient requirements:
- Proteins – 2 grams per 1 kg of weight.
- Carbohydrates – 3 grams per 1 kg of weight.
- Fats – 1-2 grams per 1 kg of weight.
What should you do to pump up your abs?
The secret to pumping up six-pack abs is not in exercises, exercise machines or miracle pills, but in proper nutrition, which will help remove excess belly fat.
The main secret to getting ripped abs, which many people and even trainers ignore, is proper nutrition.
The main rule to remember:
Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.
You can do the best ab training program all the time, but if your diet doesn't allow you to burn excess fat, then your six-pack won't show up on your belly. That is, they are already there, perhaps not as prominent as they can become after training, but they are there and hidden under a layer of fat that we have to remove.
Read in more detail how to remove belly fat to understand what needs to be done. There you will also find nutritional recommendations.
Your success in getting a six-pack is actually 90% dependent on your diet.
You can work your abs hard and they will be very strong, but almost invisible under the layer of belly fat. Instead of looking for the next miracle program or supplement, focus on the principles of proper nutrition. Well, you can’t do without the right training system either, so read our tips and put them into practice.
What results can be achieved in two weeks?
To summarize, I repeat that it is impossible to pump up your abs in two weeks from scratch. Most likely, it will not be the result you expect. This is too short a time frame for any muscle, and the amount of training is too small to make a significant difference in muscle shape.
Be patient, in 2-3 months you can see the abs of your dreams. But after two weeks you will notice that your stomach has become flatter, the muscles have tightened, and you can feel the relief under the skin. And provided that the nutrition is balanced and there is little subcutaneous fat in the body, you will be able to see this relief, but the muscles will not have a fundamental difference from the original version.
And also read: How to pump up your abs → 7 exercises for abs on a chair → How long does it take to pump up your abs? 8 of the most difficult abdominal exercises →
One training day
To demonstrate a rough plan, we will tell you about the first day of the proposed training. It includes the cobra stretch, child's pose, stretching while lying down with a turn to the left and right, rotation of bent legs, double twisting, swinging legs while lying on your back - some of what is proposed is difficult even to simply perceive by ear. There's really nothing complicated about any of them. Everything can be done at home on a regular mat.
Express training at home. Five effective exercises from a fitness trainer
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After the first week of training, Anton’s abs became much more prominent. We can say that in such a short time the most dramatic changes took place, and then the blogger simply improved them. By the third week of the challenge, Balashov began to weigh 78 kg. The guy admitted that regular exercise became a habit for him only on the 22nd day, when the main work was essentially done.
To quickly see progress, Anton established a sleep schedule and adhered to a special nutrition plan. He gave up flour products, sweets and sugar, fatty foods, alcohol and fast food. And the list of products that the blogger advises adding to the menu includes eggs, meat, cottage cheese, milk, fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs, as well as dried fruits. Balashov is sure that without an established diet he would not have achieved a good result. In addition, the guy drank about two liters of water every day, and one glass in the morning on an empty stomach.
How long does it take for abdominal muscles to recover?
So, when wondering whether it is possible to pump up the abs every day, you need to understand how much time it takes for the muscles to absorb the resulting load. It is a common belief that due to their small size, the abdominal muscle group needs less recovery time than the back or leg muscles. However, most experts call such beliefs a myth, since the biochemical composition of the abs is no different from other muscles. In addition, the abdominal muscles are involved in many exercises on other parts of the body, so the load on them is increased.
Photo: istockphoto.com
On average, it takes 48 hours for muscles to recover after physical activity. But in each specific case, these indicators vary, since they depend on the intensity and duration of the workout.
How to do strength training at home? Rules to help keep your muscles toned
Effective exercises for pumping up the abs for a man
The abdominal pumping program for men involves performing exercises that are based on the natural functions of the abdominal muscles. So, to pump the rectus abdominis muscle, exercises are performed that involve lifting the body from a lying position:
Classic option . Lie on your back, bend your knees (you can fix them at first). Place your hands behind your head so that your fingertips only slightly touch the ears and do not pull your head forward. As you exhale, rise up, and as you inhale, lower. The number of repetitions can be determined individually, but it is important that when performing the last times you are already at the limit of your capabilities.
The classic method has different variations . For example, you can put your feet on some piece of furniture so that they are at right angles to the pelvis. Raise your body towards your feet, lifting only your shoulder blades from the floor and freezing in the air, forming an obtuse angle with the floor surface.
Raising the torso in a lying position across the bench. Also, simultaneously lift your legs so that they move towards your torso. The exercise helps pump up both the rectus and transverse muscles.
You can also perform exercises by hanging head down on a horizontal bar and lifting your torso towards your lower limbs.
for working the oblique muscles :
- Lifting the torso up with the shoulder to the knee, which is opposite - horizontal twisting.
- Turn the body to the side in a standing position.
- Pulling the pelvis up in a hanging position on the horizontal bar.
- Rotations of the pelvis and legs to the sides, during which you need to hold the horizontal bar with your hands and pull your pelvis up. We are talking about twisting the pelvis on the horizontal bar
A simple and effective exercise to keep your abdominal muscles toned is the horizontal plank . You need to take a stance as for a push-up, tense your back and abs and stay in a position in which your body forms a straight line. The plank can be alternated with push-ups .
In the same position, you can take turns pulling your knees to your chest in a straight or oblique line (towards the opposite knee). This exercise can be used as a warm-up .
If you are working the abs separately, perform several approaches (3-5), and each should be completed at the limit of your capabilities. As a rule, the complex includes 5-6 exercises . It is important to change the complex every month, otherwise the muscles may adapt to the proposed load, and it will cease to be effective.
Abdominal pumping: 3-week program
1 WEEK (200 times a day) – 10 approaches: 1 day – 10, 20, 25, 10, 25, 20, 20, 25; 10, 10 times; Day 2 – 10, 30, 25, 30, 15, 25, 20, 20, 15, 10 times; Day 3 – 15, 25, 35, 30, 10, 20, 15, 20, 10, 20 times; Day 4 – rest. Day 5 – 20, 10, 30, 25, 20, 10, 30, 30, 15, 10 times; Day 6 - 30, 25, 10, 20, 15, 35, 20, 25, 10, 10 times; Day 7 – rest.
WEEK 2 (350 times a day) – 12 approaches. 1 day – 20, 30, 25, 35, 25, 40, 30, 35, 30, 30, 25, 25 times; Day 2 – 25, 40, 30, 35, 20, 30, 35, 15, 30, 40, 20, 30 times; Day 3 – rest. Day 4 – 30, 25, 40, 35, 15, 35, 25, 40, 25, 35, 15, 30 times; Day 5 – 25, 40, 30, 35, 20, 45, 15, 35, 20, 15, 40, 30 times; Day 6 – 35, 20, 25, 40, 30, 25, 30, 45, 20, 35, 20, 25 times; Day 7 – rest.
WEEK 3 (500 times a day) – 15 approaches. 1 day – 20, 35, 25, 40, 45, 35, 30, 25, 40, 35, 20, 45, 35, 35, 35 times; Day 2 – 25, 40, 35, 30, 45, 30, 25, 35, 45, 20, 50, 20, 30, 35, 35 times; Day 3 – 30, 20, 30, 50, 25, 40, 35, 20, 45, 15, 25, 35, 40, 50, 40 times; Day 4 – rest. Day 5 – 25, 30, 50, 40, 25, 35, 45, 20, 50, 15, 30, 35, 20, 50, 30 times; Day 6 – rest. Day 7 – 30, 20, 50, 35, 40, 30, 25, 45, 30, 35, 25, 50, 25, 30, 30 times.
Between each approach, a break of no more than 3 - 5 minutes. If you can do less, do it. If it’s too difficult for you, take a longer break, or better yet, divide the program into 2 parts. For example, 5 approaches in the morning, and the remaining 5 in the evening. The result is worth the effort!
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Features of the abdominal muscles
To start doing abdominal exercises, you need to take a position: lie on the floor face up, bend your knees, your feet should lie completely on the floor. You can secure your feet, but this should be done if it does not bother you with pain in the lower back. The exercise should begin by raising the shoulders towards the waist, placing the hands near the ears. At the same time, try to look at your knees so as not to strain your neck. Don't put your hands behind your head - this will force you to put extra force on your neck. You can, as an option, lightly support your head with your hands, just to give your neck muscles a little rest. Bend slowly at the waist and lift your body to an angle of no more than 35 degrees. At this time, exhale. It is important to concentrate while performing the exercise on working the abdominal muscles , and also make sure that the chin is away from the chest. The lower back should not be lifted off the floor, so this exercise will affect the work of the abdominal muscles. Once you have bent your body to 35 degrees, hold this position for a while and lower yourself back down. Exhale at this time.
