Beautiful and sculpted abs are the dream of any man who plays sports. To get athletic cubes, you will have to try a lot, but in principle it is possible. Moreover, it is not necessary to visit gyms - we can achieve good results at home, with good motivation and a little free time. The correct scheme for pumping up the press for men is also very important, which we will talk about.
Features of the abdominal muscles in men
Before you understand how to pump up a man’s abs in a month, you need to delve a little deeper into anatomy, namely, study the structure of the abdominal wall muscles, which together are our abs. For a beautiful torso, it is important to work out four abdominal muscles, which are the main ones:
Rectus muscle. It starts near the pubic bone and ends at the level of the xiphoid process and 5-7 ribs. It is responsible for flexing the spinal column, while bringing the pelvic bones closer to the sternum.
External oblique muscle. It starts from the surface of ribs 5-12 and ends near the level of the pubic symphysis and iliac bones. It performs several tasks. So, with a vertical position and emphasis on the lower limbs, she turns the chest and tilts it. And when suspended and supported by the lower limbs, this muscle is responsible for lifting the pelvis upward and performing drag and leg turns in different directions.
Internal oblique muscle. It originates from the crests of the iliac bones and ends at the cartilaginous portion of the lower ribs. Its functions are the same as those of the external oblique muscle; it strengthens and complements its work.
Transverse abdominis muscle. It begins at the inner part of the ribs 6-12 and the iliac crests, and ends near the linea alba. It contracts, compressing the internal organs, and ensures the release of air outward, that is, it helps us exhale voluntarily
Anatomical knowledge about the abdominal muscles is necessary for everyone who wants to achieve results. They will help you make the right training plan and choose the appropriate exercises.
What is important to know and be sure to follow?
To achieve “relief”, you need to pump specific muscle groups. This applies to both the arms and legs and the abdominal area. There is one important nuance that must be remembered by those who have decided to take care of themselves. The secret lies in the characteristics of the muscles, which tend to “pump up” only after a certain amount of load. But these loads should not be intense from the very beginning; what is important is gradualness, increasing exercises progressively. Otherwise, muscle fibers are damaged, which can result in severe pain, inflammation and even injury.
How long and often should you exercise?
An important question is how often to pump up the abs for men, and opinions on this can vary greatly, and even among experts there is active debate. Some believe that to pump up your abs you need to do exercises every day so that the muscles are toned all the time.
Other athletes, when asked whether a man can work out his abs every day, answer in the negative, believing that daily exercise negatively affects the muscles and depletes them, making it much more difficult to achieve the desired results.
In practice, it turns out that the best option for men is to alternate between active abdominal exercises and “refreshing” exercises. So, one day you can seriously pump up your abdominal muscles, and the next day you can perform general exercises to tone muscles or pump up other muscle groups. (Information on exercises for men is here.)
The abdominal muscles, in fact, work during any exercise, but they work a little less when the shoulder girdle is loaded. Therefore, it is better to combine days of actively pumping up the abs with pumping up the arms, and on another day, for example, devote time to the legs. If your initial goal is to gain definition in the abdominal muscles, then, for example, a scheme for pumping up the abs for men might look like this: Day 1 – we work with the abs;
Day 2 – working on the shoulder girdle;
Day 3 – pumping the back and lower limbs.
And so in a circle. Thanks to such training, you can keep yourself in better physical shape.
Regardless of how many muscle groups we work, the optimal training duration is 1-1.5 hours . If it is greater, the body will become very tired, the muscles may lose energy, cannot withstand the load and become exhausted, so it can be problematic to build up the relief. Long-term training is more suitable for men who want to lose weight, but even here you need to approach this issue carefully so that it is fat and not muscle mass that is burned. You can drink protein shakes while working.
If the workout lasts less than an hour, the body will not warm up to the required level. Of course, now there are special interval training that allows muscles to tone faster, but it is still recommended to exercise longer and more measuredly so that you can better feel the functioning of the muscles.
A little about motivation
To prevent classes from becoming boring and causing boredom and aversion to all types of training, they should be varied as much as possible.
Different exercises will not only bring welcome variety to an athlete’s life, but will also help work on different abdominal groups.
Good music will lift your spirits and make your workout more fun.
Sociable people will prefer to exercise in a group and chat between sets or while doing the plank exercise.
When talking while resting, it is recommended to set a timer, because you may not notice the start time of the exercise, and the workout will not go according to plan.
By the way, “plank” is much easier to do with constant conversations. This distracts from thoughts of fatigue, and the results can pleasantly surprise the athlete.
The best motivation is the desire to develop and become better, so until a person realizes the need to work on himself, no one will help him.
Sport is life, and you need to devote at least a little time to it every day.
Features of the exercises
Even the most effective abdominal training scheme for men will be ineffective if the exercises are performed incorrectly. Therefore, it is worth studying some features and rules of working with the abdominal muscles:
Watch your breathing. The transverse abdominis muscle is responsible for deep inhalation, so you need to pay attention to your breathing technique. Inhale and exhale deeply, while tensing the diaphragm and abdominal wall. Effort is always made while exhaling, and relaxation is always done while inhaling.
As you perform the exercises, you should feel which muscles are working. The first training sessions are always not very conscious, and this is normal, since the muscles are still weak, and the bones of the skeleton and joints are largely responsible for movements. However, over time the muscles become stronger and you can feel them working. If you don't feel your muscles working, it means you're not trying too hard, or the load isn't selected correctly.
When performing abdominal exercises, you must give your best. When performing exercises, tense your body. The last sets are usually done at maximum effort, when you can barely do them.
In order for your workouts to be intense and effective enough, you must give your body energy. 1-1.5 hours before training you need to eat something energy-rich: nuts, banana. In half an hour or an hour you can drink green tea, which remarkably speeds up your metabolism. If you also want to lose weight, you can take medications containing el-carnitine. They also have a beneficial effect on metabolism, improve endurance and performance.
Gym training program for girls
Girls are recommended to adhere to the scheme indicated at the beginning of the article - combine the main workout with a light abdominal workout. It turns out that there will be three light abdominal workouts per week. Whether to place them at the beginning or at the end of the lesson is up to you, focusing on how you feel.
Workout #1 | ||
Bench crunches | 3x12-15 | |
Raising knees to elbows while hanging | 3x10 | |
Workout #2 | ||
Crunches in the simulator | 3x12-15 | |
Side plank | 20-40 seconds for each side | |
Workout #3 | ||
Running while lying down | 30-60 seconds |
|
Elbow plank | 30-60 seconds |
|
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Other recipes
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.
Main functions of the application
Taking a look at this application, our regular readers will probably recognize the handwriting of the development team from Leap Fitness Group. Their apps feature a simple interface and detailed compilation of the workouts you need, such as Personal Trainer Workout at Home - No Equipment.
The 30 Day Press app follows the same simple operating principles. On the start screen you are offered 3 workouts of different difficulty levels:
- Remove belly fat
- Stone press
- Cubes
Each abdominal workout program varies in difficulty. And it is obvious that if you are a beginner, you need to perform the exercises in strict sequence. First, we remove excess fat, then we achieve hardness and, finally, we form the coveted cubes.
For more experienced athletes, there are also no restrictions here, and you can immediately begin the most difficult workouts.
Abdominal training takes place at home. You don't need any additional equipment or training equipment. The only tool you work with is your own body.
At its core, ab training is a challenge for you. To complete this, we recommend setting up daily notifications so you don't miss classes. In turn, the application will teach you a clear rhythm: 3 days of training, a day of rest.
The last aspect is very important. If you subject yourself to daily stress without a break, your body may simply not cope with the tasks that you set for it. Stress will begin to accumulate in your body, which will negatively affect your health, both physical and mental.
Let's take an example of the first day's exercises and look at how to perform simple abdominal exercises.
Body rotation
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Raise your arms in front of you with your elbows bent. Rotate your upper body left and right.
Climber
Take a lying position. Pull your right knee to your chest, jump up and switch legs in the air - left forward, right back.
Claps with fold
Sitting on the floor, bend your knees, lift your legs and tilt your back back. Take turns raising your legs and clapping behind your knees.
Superman and the swimmer
Lying on your stomach, extend your arms straight above your head. Lift the opposite arm and leg one at a time.
Gluteal bridge
Lie on your back. Bend your knees, feet on the floor, arms palms down along your body. Raise your pelvis as high as possible by making a bridge.
Plank
Maintain a supine position on your elbows and toes. Try to maintain this position with a straight back.
This program includes fairly basic abdominal exercises for beginners. Find more different exercises for yourself on the website in the Abdominal Exercises section.
To get six-pack abs and create definition, read the article How to quickly pump up abs: the fundamental principles of creating six-pack abs.
How to pump up your abs in a month: program for men
The table for men on how to pump up the abs in 30 days is an approximate scheme for pumping up the abdominal muscles, which can be considered universal. It will look like this:
Day | Number of repetitions |
1 | 20 times |
2 | 25 times |
3 | 25 times |
4 | relax |
5 | 25 times |
6 | 30 times |
7 | 35 times |
8 | relax |
9 | 35 times |
10 | 40 times |
11 | 35 times |
12 | relax |
13 | 30 times |
14 | 35 times |
15 | 40 times |
16 | relax |
17 | 45 times |
18 | 50 times |
19 | 55 times |
20 | relax |
21 | 50 times |
22 | 55 times |
23 | 55 times |
24 | relax |
25 | 50 times |
26 | 55 times |
27 | 60 times |
28 | relax |
29 | 55 times |
30 | 60 times |
This scheme on how to pump up abs at home for a man will help tighten muscles and gain beautiful relief. But please note that results will depend on a number of factors. As mentioned, it's about proper exercise technique and how hard you push yourself. In addition, keep in mind that even titanic efforts will not bring results if you have fat on your stomach and you are not trying to deal with it. In this case, you need to adjust your diet: exclude simple carbohydrates from it, significantly limit fats and consume a sufficient amount of proteins - they are the ones who help our muscles build the way we want. Well, a table of abdominal swings for men will help you find your way, which you can print out and practice in accordance with it.
Important tips for pumping up abdominal muscles at home
In order for the training to be as effective as possible, and for a flat, beautiful stomach to appear as quickly as possible, the exercises must be performed correctly. So, each movement should begin while inhaling, and moving to the main position should be done while exhaling.
The minimum number of repetitions for a beginner is 10 times, for a man with average physical shape - 20. As soon as the muscles become toned, you can add weights to your workouts or move on to more complex exercise options.
The first classes, designed for beginners, should be short - the maximum duration of the main workout should not exceed 10 minutes. During this time, you should thoroughly work out the technique of performing the movements, so that when they become stronger, you will no longer be distracted by little things like breathing, correct position, etc.
This adaptation period ranges from three to seven days - it all depends on the strength of the athlete’s muscle corset.
There is no need to start right away with a long and difficult complex: the feeling of fatigue and strength the next day will discourage you from exercising further for a long time. Since most of the exercises are performed on the floor, you should take care of the presence of a mat - this is the kind of sports accessory that will help you train with greater comfort.
The average abdominal training scheme for boys and girls is designed for 30 days. There are special tables that describe the most effective exercises for all muscle groups, which should be performed every day, gradually increasing the load. Training schemes are different: some include daily training, others imply one day of rest once a week.
They are designed for different levels of physical fitness, and therefore even those whose experience in sports is zero will be able to choose the optimal training schedule. The main thing is to perform the exercises in full, observe the number of exercises and approaches.
Time and number of classes per day
It is better to choose morning hours for training (as was written earlier). The main thing is to maintain a period of 14 hours between the last (evening) meal and the first morning workout. This will help you get rid of excess fat faster.
Also, the priority of exercise in the morning is that at this time it is easier to allocate 20-30 minutes for exercise without compromising the main tasks. It's easier to get used to this schedule. However, it is not suitable for everyone. Some people find it important to get an extra half hour of sleep in order to feel good. It is better for this category of people to choose the evening for training. But in this case, you need to follow one rule - slightly increase the number of repetitions for each pair of exercises.