How to quickly and correctly pump up your abs at home with the best exercises

Each person's body stores fat differently. For some girls, excess weight is distributed evenly and proportionally, for others it settles on the waist, hips, buttocks and arms. Getting a flat stomach, let alone visible abs, is no easy task. Let's look at effective exercises for the lower abs and the rules that should be followed to achieve the desired goal.

Let's start with a brief excursion into anatomy. When we talk about the lower abs, we primarily mean the oblique and rectus abdominis muscles, as well as the internal abdominal muscles. The division into upper and lower parts is very arbitrary, since this is a single complex of muscles. It all depends on what zone we load during the training process.

Abdominal muscles

Principles of home abdominal workouts

Here's what our expert Vladislav Berlizev says about home training:

Exercises for the press outside the gym are similar to those in the gym, with the exception of working in machines and exercises on a bench. Even crunches can be different: bent at the knees, with legs raised, oblique twists with body turns, with weights - the choice is huge!

For the sake of harmonious development of the abdominal muscles, pay more attention to exercises that work all its parts. To do this, it is necessary to specifically load the problem areas of the abdominal press.

Perform all exercises to muscle failure, especially in the last approaches. As your body adapts to the stress, you can add weights. All the exercises proposed below are structured in a gradual complication of the technique, so that all readers will find movements suitable for their level of training and fitness. Successful and high-quality training to you.

The best exercises to quickly pump up your abs at home

What are the best exercises to pump up your abs at home?
Classic basic exercises will be crunches (another name is crunches, from crunch - “crunch” or “creak”) in various variations and planks. But this article will, of course, talk not only about them. Perform classic crunches on an inclined bench or on a straight surface (for example, on a carpet) in a short amplitude, slightly lifting your body from the floor.

Twisting (crunches)

This is a really important point because usually strength exercises are performed through a full range of motion, such as biceps curls. Here the movements should be short for the simple reason that the abdominals are a short, small muscle and must be kept in tension constantly.

Let's also consider interesting twisting options for beginners at home.

Advanced crunches at home

With your hands behind your head or your legs raised, as well as oblique (lateral) twists and with simultaneous lifting of your arms and legs.

Crunches with arms above head

Hands behind your head. Lie on your back, bend your knees at an angle of 60 degrees. Your feet should be on the floor and your arms should be extended or crossed above your head. Raise yourself a few centimeters and freeze. Feel your abdominal muscles tighten, then lower yourself.

Crunches with arms above head

Crunches with legs raised

Legs raised. Lie down with your back pressed to the floor. Cross your ankles and lift your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Cross your arms over your chest. Slowly lift your torso and return to the starting position.

Crunches with legs raised

Oblique (lateral) crunches on the floor

Lie on your right side, press your legs together, bend your knees. Place your left hand behind your head and begin to lift it, tensing your oblique abdominal muscles. Continue until your left elbow reaches its highest point. Slowly lower yourself back down.

Oblique (lateral) crunches on the floor

Torso twisting (hands to toes)

Hands to socks. Lie down on the floor. Raise your legs perpendicular to the floor. Knees slightly bent, toes pointing towards you. Keeping your lower back pressed toward the floor, as you exhale, slowly lift your body and reach your hands toward your toes. As you inhale, lower your body back down.

Torso twisting (hands to toes)

For more prepared children with developed core muscles, sit-up movements that are close to crunches, those body lifts familiar to everyone from school, are also suitable.

Side plank

Lie on your side, then prop yourself up on your arm and lean on your elbow. At the same time, keep your body extended, forming a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. Watch your pelvis - it should not fall too low. To begin with, you can stand in the side plank for 20-30 seconds, then gradually increase the time. Perform 2-3 approaches on each side.

Side crunches

Lie on your back, leave one leg straight on the floor, bend the other at the knee. Stretch the elbow opposite your bent leg towards your knee, lifting your body. The other shoulder should remain pressed to the floor. Perform 10-15 repetitions on each side, 2-3 sets in total.

Oblique crunches

Lie on your side, top arm behind your head, elbow pointing up, bottom arm in front or along your body. To avoid the temptation to help yourself with your head (and because of this, your neck may bend too much, which will create a traumatic situation), it is better to keep your hands near your ears - this way your head and hands will work independently of each other. Lift your body up and reach your hands towards your legs, holding at the top point for 5-10 seconds. At the same time, try not to push off the floor with your second hand.

Perform 10-12 repetitions, 2-3 sets on each side, alternating. Watch your breathing: exhale as you push, inhale as you lower.

To develop the correct technique, it is very useful to perform a breathing exercise called “abdominal vacuum.” It allows you not only to develop the ability to include the necessary areas of the press into work, but also helps to strengthen the internal muscles (including the transverse muscle), form a beautiful relief and reduce the waist.

Plank

Start with a lighter version - on the elbows. Look at the floor so that your neck and spine do not bend. Consciously keep all your abdominal muscles tense, keep a straight line from the top of your head to your heels using your abdominal muscles, not your back, do not lift your pelvis too high - on the contrary, try to twist it inward.

The time to perform the plank exercise is 30-60 seconds, then a break of 30 seconds, a total of 2-3 approaches. When you can confidently withstand a minute, you can increase the time you perform the exercise, shorten or completely eliminate breaks.

Scissors

Lie on your back, place your hands under your buttocks. Raise your straight legs up and cross them so that one is alternately over the other. The speed of the exercise should not be too high - all movements should be measured and controlled. The exercise will be effective for the abs only if you feel it working. If the weight is redistributed incorrectly, then other muscles will be involved in the work. Watch your breathing - do not hold it and try to keep it measured and even.

10-12 repetitions with a 30-second break, 2-3 sets in total.

Turns

Sit on the floor, keep your legs straight and clasp your hands. Slowly move the lock to the left, and pull your right leg towards the body, hold for 5-10 seconds, feel the tension in the abdominal muscles. Return to the starting position. Repeat the same on the other side.

Perform 2-3 sets of 7-10 repetitions.

Straight crunches

Lie on your back, stretch your arms and legs up. Exhale and lift your body up, pulling your hands to your toes. Stay in this position for 10-30 seconds. Try to maintain even breathing. A break of 20-30 seconds and a new repetition - in total, at least three such repetitions must be done.

Reverse crunches

Lie on your back, arms along your body, palms under your buttocks. Raise your straight legs, and then your pelvis along with them, trying to lift your lower back off the floor. Make an effort as you exhale, then as you inhale, lower your straight legs to the starting position, but try not to touch the floor with them, leaving them hanging all the time. This allows you to maintain constant tension in your abdominal muscles.

Perform 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Rock climber

Stand in a plank position with straight arms and alternately pull your right and left knee towards your chest, while maintaining a straight line from the top of your head to your heels, making sure that your pelvis does not rise too high and does not sag down. A more complicated version of the “climber” is pulling the knee to the opposite shoulder. This way the oblique abdominal muscles are better worked. The pace of the exercise should be quite high. If you feel strong, you can supplement it with jumping movements. To work deeper muscles, perform it very slowly. Always monitor your breathing - it should be smooth, not intermittent, exhale as you force it, and inhale when returning to the starting position.

Do 3 sets of 10-16 reps.

Arm stretching

Get on all fours, inhale, and as you exhale, lift your right arm and left leg up until they are parallel to the floor. At the same time, try to pull in your stomach as much as possible, stretch your hand forward. Stay in the upper position for 10-20 seconds, change sides: left hand - right leg.

Perform 3-4 approaches on each side.

Important! After performing abdominal exercises, there should be no discomfort in the lumbar and cervical spine. If you feel pain, it means you did something wrong.

By doing these simple exercises for a week, you will be able to feel and see the first results. But don’t rejoice ahead of time, first secure the result. A more or less stable effect will appear no earlier than after a month of regular training, and you will be able to achieve the coveted abs in a few months and only if you follow the right diet.

Order a full menu for training at justfood. We will create an individual nutrition program for you depending on the intensity of your training, your body’s needs and your goals, be it losing weight, gaining muscle mass, or simply caring about proper nutrition.

Sitaps (torso raises) at home

Here are a few variations:

Exercise Sitap (Raising the torso from a lying position)

For this exercise, any surface will suit you (the floor, carpet or gymnastic mat will do) and strength of spirit. Lie down with your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head, clasping your fingers at the back of your head. As you exhale, raise your upper body about 45 degrees. As you inhale, lower yourself down.

Exercise Sitap (Raising the torso from a lying position)

Important . Do not make sudden movements to injure your lower back; work exclusively using your abdominal and core muscles, without jerking. This would be a grave mistake. This simple exercise will allow both girls and guys to effectively pump up their abs at home.

Lifting on an inclined bench (Sitap) with a load

Lie on an incline bench at the desired incline. Secure your feet to the bolsters. Grasp the barbell disc with your hands. As you exhale, lift your body perpendicular to the floor. As you inhale, lower yourself to the starting position.

Lifting on an inclined bench (Sitap) with a load

Raising the torso on an inclined bench (Sitap) with an expander

Secure a resistance band around an incline bench. Lie down and grasp the handles with your palms facing forward. Pull them up near your collarbones and turn your wrists with your palms facing your torso. As you exhale, lift your body perpendicular to the floor. Inhale and lower yourself to the starting position.

Raising the torso on an inclined bench (Sitap) with an expander

Add to these 2 basic movements additional movements to pump up your abs to the point of a six-pack, and the ideal waist with sculpted abs is closer than ever.

Exercises with additional equipment: fitball and roller

Two simple equipment will help you diversify your workouts: a gymnastics ball (fitball) and a roller. You will be surprised at the capabilities of these 2 simple shells at home.

Exercise with a gymnastic roller

Sit on your knees and place the roller in front of you. Place your entire weight on your hands and, moving the projectile, gradually stretch along the floor, but do not touch its surface. After a short pause, return to the starting position.

Exercise with a gymnastic roller

Crunches on a fitball

Lie down on a fitball and place your feet on the floor. Extend your arms along your body or cross them over your chest. Stretch out and lower your body. As you exhale, bend at the waist, keeping your lower back resting on the ball. As you exhale, return to the starting position.

Crunches on a fitball

Crunches with legs on a fitball

Lie down with your feet on a fitball, knees at a 90° angle. Hands behind your head, elbows pointing to the sides. Raise your shoulders off the floor, keeping your lower back pressed to the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles and hold for a few seconds.

Crunches with legs on a fitball

Pulling your legs to your chest on a fitball

Lie down in front of the exercise ball, hands in a push-up position, lower shins on the ball. As you exhale, pull your knees toward your chest, rolling the ball under your ankles. Tighten your abs and hold for a few seconds.

Pulling your legs to your chest on a fitball

Unusual abdominal exercises at home

To add variety to your workout routine, you can add the following easy and fun moves to your ab workout routine at home.

Exercise Bicycle

Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head, slightly raise your shoulders and knees. With both feet, begin to rotate imaginary pedals at the same time. As you exhale, bring your elbow to the opposite foot. Repeat in the opposite direction.

Exercise "Bicycle"

Exercise Frog

Lie on your back, straighten your legs. Bend your knees and place your outer thighs on the floor with your feet together. Cross your arms in front of you. As you exhale, twist your body ¼ of the way up. Inhale and come back.

Exercise "Frog"

Exercise - Jackknife - lying on your side

Lie on your right side and place your right hand in a way that is comfortable for you, and bend your left hand at the elbow and place it behind your head. At the same time, lift your left leg and reach towards it with your left elbow. Tighten your oblique abdominal muscles as you move. Hold for a second and return to the starting position.

Jackknife exercise while lying on your side

Exercise Climber

Does not require special equipment or skills. It can be successfully combined with planks and other abdominal exercises in this body position. Qualitatively trains the abdominal muscles. The exercise also involves the muscles of the legs and back.

With high repetitions, it burns calories in the core area.

Exercise "Climber"

Exercise Scissors

The scissors exercise is aimed at working out the abdominal part of the abdomen, in particular the lower abs. Abdominal zone – rectus abdominis muscle.

Exercise "Scissors"

When will the results be visible?

The first results of training on the abdominal muscles will be visible only after 3-4 weeks of daily exercise. A beautiful relief will not appear during this time - only the skin on the sides will tighten, and the muscles will acquire pleasant elasticity and become stronger. To obtain visible results, you will have to combine intensive training with a special nutrition system.

Drying will help you quickly build muscle mass, reduce body fat and make your abs more prominent. With such a diet, it is necessary to increase the amount of protein, reducing the consumption of fats and carbohydrates. As a percentage, the BZHU should be either 60/20/20 or 70/10/20. To do this, you will have to switch to low-fat dairy products, lean meat, and include fish, seafood and legumes in your diet.

During drying, it is necessary to work not only on the oblique abdominal muscles, but also pay attention to cardio training. They will help keep muscles toned, quickly reduce the amount of fat in the body, and improve the condition of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

With an integrated approach, in 3–4 months you will create beautiful sculpted abs, form a thin waist, and improve your overall physical fitness. After this, all that remains is to maintain the result by studying for 1.5–2 hours 3 times a week.

Abdominal exercises on the horizontal bar and parallel bars

Confident and more prepared athletes should add abdominal training on the horizontal bar. Often men buy equipment they need for home. The proposed exercises can also be performed on the sports field.

Raising bent or straight legs in a machine or on parallel bars

Take the correct position in the ab rack. As you exhale, raise your knees to your chest. As you inhale, slowly return to the starting position.

Raising bent legs in the simulator

Pull-up with knees pressed

As you exhale, pull yourself up while twisting your knees up to chest level. Pull yourself up until your nose reaches the bar. As you inhale, lower yourself slowly.

Pull-ups with knees pressed

Corner pull-ups

This exercise makes sense to add to the program for more experienced athletes. It is extremely complex. To simultaneously pump up your back and abdominal muscles, perform corner pull-ups on a horizontal bar, which are also often called L-pull-ups (English name L-Pull-up).

Corner pull-ups

Alternate knee raises

Grab the bar with a pronated grip. Arms and legs are extended. Take turns raising your knees as high as possible. Don't swing your legs or body.

Alternate hanging knee raises

Strict foot lifts to the bar

Leg trays are often used in CrossFit training. Performed in a strict format or kipping. Try to keep your legs straight. The swing should be minimal. Grip (upper, lower) as desired. Don't bend your arms.

Strict foot lifts to the bar

Building abs on the horizontal bar is relatively easy with minimal discipline and motivation. The Workout movement is extremely popular and you can find like-minded people and suitable training places on the website workout.su

Keeping the legs (corner) suspended

While sitting on the floor or other surface, you can perform another effective exercise similar to hanging leg raises. Keep your knees together and slightly bent. Pull your knees towards your body and do not lower them when you return to the starting position.

Legs must be constantly suspended. Remember that this exercise is also performed in a short amplitude. It effectively works the abdominal muscles at home. A variation of this exercise would be the Corner on the horizontal bar.

Corner sitting

What exercises are most effective for developing abs?

Home — Social networks — What exercises are most effective for developing the abs?

The notorious “six pack” has firmly entered the list of the most desired things for all fans of training with iron. But not many can boast of such an achievement. And if you ask 10 bodybuilders about the best abdominal exercises, you will get 10 different answers. To clear up the fog surrounding abdominal training, let's look at the science. So put away that abs roller that's not worth buying that's been collecting dust in the corner, and get ready to read what science has to say about the most effective ways to develop killer abs.

Anatomy

The abdominal region consists of four muscle groups. The transverse abdominal muscle (transversus abdoninus) lies inside, supporting your internal organs. The internal obliques run diagonally from your pelvis to your sternum, and the external obliques lie above them, helping you flex and rotate your torso.

On top of the transverse muscle lies the rectus abdominis 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. Although different exercises engage the abdominal muscles in different ways, there is no such thing as “top” and “bottom” abs. During the exercise, the entire rectus abdominis muscle is stimulated at once.

Science and the "six pack"

Although it is impossible to separate the abs, you can choose the right exercises, since the differences between them are quite significant. In a recent study conducted at the University of San Diego, California, 31 people were tested using an electromyograph. Electrodes were attached to the top and bottom of the rectus abdominis, as well as the top of the obliques and hip flexors. “As muscles contract, they send out electrical impulses that are read by electrodes and processed by a computer,” explains Dr. Peter Francis, director of the biomechanical laboratory and leader of the study. “This data shows us which exercise makes each region work harder.”

Volunteers performed 14 repetitions of 13 different exercises. The result was hundreds of crunches (182 to be exact). While all of the exercises required significant work from the rectus abdominis (good news for those aiming for a six-pack), three exercises outperformed the others in recruiting the abdominal muscles: hanging leg raises, bicycle crunches, and reverse crunches. “All of these exercises put the pelvis in an unstable position, forcing all the abdominal muscles to work for stabilization,” says Francis. - This happens in a hanging position, or when you lift your legs or pelvis from the floor. Add to this the twisting of the core and you will develop even more muscle activity, involving the obliques in the work of the abdominal muscles.”

results

For all exercises tested, Francis also found that positive contractions produced more muscle work than negative contractions. Many people are concerned about eliminating the hip flexors when working on the abs, but Francis says that this is anatomically impossible. “The hip flexors, obliques, and abs are synergistic; they work as a team, and you can't use one without also using the other,” he says.

Although they are technically separate muscle groups, the abdominal muscles work together to enable you to run, jump, and so on. Knowing this, try a new approach to abdominal training: Instead of thinking about which exercise hits which part of the abs, focus on developing the abdominal region as a whole for a stunning look.

Crunches and diet

Know this: You can do endless crunches, but without a proper diet, you will never see the fruits of your labor. Reducing the fat layer is the only way to show off the abs hidden underneath. Your diet should include more protein, complex carbohydrates and plenty of fruits and vegetables, but as little fat as possible. Supplement your diet with moderate cardio exercise three to five times a week, and your six-pack will gradually begin to appear. Cardio training should last 40-60 minutes. Throughout the session, try to stay in your target heart rate zone to optimize the use of fat as fuel.

Plan of attack

Time for crunches: Choose three or four of the suggested exercises and perform them in a circuit. Do 10-20 controlled reps of each without resting between sets. Repeat the entire circle two to three times. This type of training should be repeated no more than three times a week, meaning at least 48 hours should pass between sessions.

Little, but regularly: If you prefer to train your abs every day, choose one of the exercises described and perform it in three to four sets of 15-20 slow repetitions in one session. Next time, try another exercise. Work in strict form and remember to breathe.

You'll probably want to pick the top three exercises, but Dr. Francis argues against that. “Consistently alternating exercises and using different techniques will work best for your abs,” he says. “Beginners need to gradually master the first three exercises on the list, as they are very difficult even for experienced athletes.”

Regardless of the choice of exercise, go up for four counts, go down for two.

Six Pack Abs Program

Exercise No. 1. Hanging leg raises on the machine

This exercise turned out to be the best in terms of the degree of involvement of muscle fibers. Keeping your back straight, assume a hanging position on your elbows. Inhale and slowly, avoiding inertia, lift your straight legs up until they are parallel to the floor. Short pause. Slowly lower your legs. Repeat.

Alternative: Hanging Leg Raises

Take a hanging position on the bar, grip shoulder-width apart. Keeping your toes pointed, exhale and slowly lift your straight legs up, avoiding inertia, until they are parallel to the floor. Pause. Now slowly lower your legs to the starting position.

Alternative: hanging lateral leg raises on a machine

This exercise not only stimulates your six pack, it also sharpens your waistline. Take the same position in the machine as for the previous exercise, but bend your legs to an angle of 90 degrees, as if you were sitting on an “air chair”. As you exhale, simultaneously lift and move your knees to the side, contracting the oblique muscles on the opposite side of your body. Pause for one count. Now slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for the other side.

Alternative: Lateral knee raises while hanging from a bar

Take the same position as for the previous exercise, but bend your legs as if you were sitting on an “air chair”. As you exhale, simultaneously lift and move your knees to the side, contracting the oblique muscles on the opposite side of your body. Pause for one count. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for the other side.

Exercise No. 2. Bicycle crunches

This exercise targets the entire abdominal region, especially the obliques and hip flexors. Lie on the floor, hands at your temples, elbows turned, knees bent and raised. This is the starting position. Now lift and twist your upper body while moving your knee towards your head. Try to touch your right elbow to your left knee while straightening your right leg. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Exercise No. 3. Crunches with your feet up

Lie on the floor, hands at your temples, legs raised vertically up. Find a spot on the ceiling to concentrate on and, exhaling, slowly lift your head and shoulders using your abs. Do not pull on your head or neck with your hands.

Exercise No. 4. Reverse crunches on the floor

This exercise initiates the work of the lower rectus abdominis muscle and then uses the entire abdominal region to maintain pelvic stability at the top of the range of motion. Lie on your back, look at the ceiling, legs raised vertically, arms spread to the sides and resting on the floor. From this position, lift your pelvis and legs up, contracting your abdominal muscles and raising your tailbone by 7-10 cm. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Alternative: Reverse Bench Crunches

Lie on an abdominal bench with a slight incline. Use your hands to grasp the handles or pad behind your head. The back is straight, the legs are bent at the knees and raised up. This is the starting position. From here, slowly move your knees toward your head, lifting your pelvis first. When your knees reach eye level, slowly return to the starting position and continue moving further, straightening your legs. Pause and return to the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise No. 5. Crunches on a fitball

This exercise primarily targets the rectus abdominis muscle, providing the widest range of motion. Lie down on a fitball, fold your arms across your chest, and keep your feet firmly on the floor. In the starting position, your back should be arched, following the curve of the ball's surface. Exhale and slowly twist your torso. Pause at the top, then inhale and slowly return to the starting position. You can vary the difficulty of the exercise by changing the position of your legs. The wider they stand, the more stable your position and the easier the movement. The narrower it is, the more difficult it is for the oblique abdominal muscles to maintain balance.

Exercise No. 6. Crunches on a pulley with a rope handle

This exercise mainly stimulates the rectus abdominis muscle, but some of the work also falls on the oblique muscles. Attach a rope handle to a tall block and kneel in front of it about a meter from the machine. Grasp the handle with both hands, keeping them close to your ears. Elbows are bent and pointing towards the floor. This is the starting position. As you exhale, slowly twist your torso, bringing your elbows toward your knees while keeping your lower back and hips motionless. Pause at the point of maximum muscle contraction. Slowly return to the starting position.

Source:

How to work your oblique muscles at home

You can perform any oblique crunches while rotating your torso. For example, pick up a heavy object and perform side bends of the body, which also quickly and effectively works the abdominal muscles - both at home and in the gym.

Side bends with dumbbells

Russian crunches and their various variations, as well as side turns, will help you quickly pump up your oblique abdominal muscles at home.

How to properly build abs for a man?

As with pumping up other muscle groups, the abs need an integrated approach. This means that in addition to exercises with a structured load and execution technique, it is important to follow the principles of proper nutrition. The latter may be even more important than exercise: you can pump up your abs for as long and as much as you like, but if the treasured abs are covered with a layer of fat, then the meaning of training is lost. And as a result, you will get growing and strengthening abdominal muscles along with a growing belly.

Let's make a small list of principles of an integrated approach:

1. It is important to distribute the load evenly (increasingly).
2. Consider the frequency of training and its frequency. Remember that 2-3 times a week is enough to get sculpted abs; it is important not to overwork the muscles, resulting in the opposite effect.
3. For the entire training period, develop a special nutrition program that reduces the consumption of carbohydrates (especially fast ones).
4. To increase the fat-burning effect, add cardio to strength training, aimed at increasing the overall endurance of the body.

Russian crunches (twisting)

This series of exercises is suitable for the most active and persistent lovers of pumping their abs at home.

Classical technique

Lie with your back on the floor, bend your knees, and fix your feet. Raise your torso, creating a V-shaped angle between it and your hips, straighten your arms in front of you. Turn to the right side, then return to the starting position and repeat the same movement to the left.

Russian crunches

Russian crunches with weights

While sitting on the floor, hold the weight plate at stomach level. Cross your legs at the ankles and lift them, bend your knees, lean back. Turn the pancake to the left and touch it to the floor, return to the starting position.

Russian crunches with weights

Take any heavy object in your hands, raise your legs above the floor to a distance of 15-20 cm and touch the weight alternately to your right, then to your left. This exercise can challenge even an experienced athlete.

Russian crunches on a block while lying on a fitball

You can perform Russian crunches (twisting) on ​​a press lying fitball. Lie on the fitball with your side to the place where the rubber is fixed. Take one end with both hands and straighten them above your chest. Turn your body in the opposite direction. Arms straight. Return to the starting position.

The rubber is always stretched. Work to muscle failure and switch sides. Technique using an example of working in a block:

Russian crunches on a block while lying on a fitball

Twists with a barbell or weights

To pump up your abs at home, turns with a body bar from behind your back are suitable. This exercise works the obliques well and offers many variations: it can be performed bending over, sitting or standing.

Seated barbell turns

Sit with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the barbell on your hips. Raise the barbell above your head with your arms outstretched, then lower it to the base of your neck. Rotate your waist from side to side as much as possible.

Seated barbell turns

Body turns with a fitball in your hands

Stand up straight and hold the exercise ball with your arms outstretched in front of you. Turn your body to the right, keeping your eyes on the ball. Then, turn left.

Body turns with a fitball in your hands

Rotations of the body on a block or with rubber

Attach a standard handle at shoulder height and stand sideways. Pull the handle towards your chest and grasp it with both hands. The cable is taut. Straighten your arms in front of you. Tighten your abs and turn your torso in the opposite direction. Turn the body back around. Bend your arms with your palms facing your chest and immediately extend them back. This is one repetition.

Rotations of the body on the block

The most effective ways to pump up your oblique muscles in the gym

Each of us at least once in our lives dreamed of a flat stomach with six-pack abdominals. An elastic stomach is a guarantee of peace of mind when choosing clothes; it is a source of pride when traveling to the seaside or going to the pool.

Oblique abdominal muscles - what are they?

The oblique muscles are responsible for the formation of a toned tummy. Turning to human anatomy, let us remember that the oblique muscles are paired (left and right), there are two types: the largest oblique external muscle (it is visible during muscle movements) and the smaller internal one (starts from the chest and goes to the lower abdomen).

They also work differently. When the body is turned to the right, the left outer and right inner ones work, and, conversely, when the body is turned to the left, the right outer and left inner ones work. The external muscle seems to hide underneath the internal muscle perpendicular to it. In everyday life, a person practically does not use these muscle groups, and therefore it is quite difficult to work them out.

Principles of preparation for training on the oblique abdominal muscles

In many ways, preparation for pumping up the abdominal muscles coincides with the general principles of training in the gym:

1. You can't train on an empty stomach. The last meal should be taken 2-3 hours before the start of training. Otherwise, dizziness, darkening of the eyes and nausea are possible.
2. Before you start pumping up the oblique abdominal muscles, you need to warm up all the other muscles. Warm up with light exercises before starting, or you risk getting a sprain or pain in the spine
   .
3. When performing tasks correctly, you should feel tension in the muscles. Only in this case will they become toned and, as a result, pump up.
4. Under no circumstances should you eat for the first hour after training. If the feeling of hunger is so strong, then drink boiled water.
5. An effective workout ends with a feeling of fatigue. The oblique muscles are quite difficult to work on, so be patient and diligent.
6. Don't try too often. 2-3 workouts per week is the optimal amount.

Oblique exercises for beginners

There are many exercises for working the abdominals. They are performed with or without equipment, on simulators or on the floor, in the presence of special equipment or with improvised means as projectiles. Here are examples of the simplest and most effective.

1. Tilts:

• wide stance, hands behind the head, elbows apart, body straight, knees slightly bent. Alternately lean to the right and then to the left.
• middle stance, hands on the back of the head. Circular rotations from right to left, you need to start with a minimum amplitude, bringing it to a maximum and returning to a minimum at the end of the exercise.
• bend forward from a position sitting on the floor, legs together, toes pointing to the ceiling.

2. Side crunches:

• hang on the horizontal bar, pull your legs to your chest at an angle of 90 degrees and alternately turn them left and right.
• take a position lying on your back, place one hand under your head, straighten your legs. At the same time, raise your body and alternately your left/right knee until they touch each other.
• from a position lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, hands on the back of your head, elbows spread to the sides, neck straight and relaxed. Raise your torso, reaching your right elbow to your left knee, and vice versa. This exercise can be complicated if you perform it lying on your side: first on the right, then on the left.

3. Lumberjack exercise. The quality of execution and efficiency depend on speed; the higher the speed, the more correct and reliable it is. Feet shoulder-width apart, medicine ball on outstretched arms. We lower the ball from top to bottom along a diagonal path from right to left or left to right. Final position - the ball is lowered to hip level, legs in a semi-squat.

How many people have so many opinions on how best to train the oblique abdominal muscles, at home or with a trainer in the gym, it’s up to you to decide!
Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr

Workout with planks at home

Circular - 3 circles
Classic forearm plank

• 20, 25, 30 seconds
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

Side plank

• 20, 25, 30 seconds
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

Straight arm plank

• 20, 25, 30 seconds
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

Straight arm side plank

• 20, 25, 30 seconds
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

Side plank crunch on elbow

• 20, 25, 30 seconds
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

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Pump up your abs at home - beginners

Body lifts using the Janda method

• 3-4 sets until failure, repetition
• Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight

Oblique (lateral) crunches on the floor

• 3-4 sets until failure, repetition
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

Raising legs to arms from a lying position

• 3-4 sets until failure, repetition
• Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight

Reverse crunches lying on the floor

• 3-4 sets until failure, repetition
• Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight

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Bring each approach to muscle failure, the pause between approaches is 45-60 seconds.

Alternatively, you can do a more intense routine that focuses on the obliques and core stabilizers.

Circuit training for abs at home - basic

Circular - 2-4 circles
Reverse crunches (reverse crunches)

• 1 set of 10-15 reps
• Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight

Leg Raises from Classic Forearm Plank

• maximum number of repetitions with each leg
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

Exercise "Bicycle"

• 0.5 - 1 minute 1 approach
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

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After finishing your exercises, take time to stretch for better muscle recovery and stretch your abs.

Home workout for those who are prepared

In this training, perform exercises in a circular format without pauses, sequentially. And without long rest, perform 3-4 such circles.

Pump up your abs at home - Advanced

Circuit training - 3-4 circles
Exercise Sitap (Raising the torso from a lying position)

• 1 set of 25 reps
• Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight

Raising legs to arms from a lying position

• 1 set of 25 reps
• Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight

Exercise "Frog"

• 1 set of 25 reps
• Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight

Oblique (lateral) crunches on the floor

• 1 set of 25 reps
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

Reverse crunches lying on the floor

• 1 set of 25 reps
• Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight

Russian crunches

• 1 set of 25 reps
• Body Part: Press Equipment: No

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Try these ab workouts at home, and you will no longer feel like saying that you don't have time to go to the gym and exercise. Now the gym is at your home!

Recommended materials on the topic of abdominal training:

• How to quickly pump up perfect abs - if you decide to visit the gym, you will always have the right ideas to get started.
• How to pump your abs correctly - a basic understanding of the key aspects of training: Time, Frequency and Volume.
• The application “Abs in 30 days” - how to make training even more fun and interesting for men and girls.
• Abs Workout app - workouts and exercises for the abs and waist are simple and clear.

What recommendations do fitness trainers give?

Before you start working on your body, you need to remember a few simple tips that you can hear from every second personal trainer and professional athlete. The recommendations are quite simple:

1. Before training - 2-4 hours - you need to eat lightly. Many athletes advise giving preference to carbohydrates - muesli, fruits or vegetables. Such food will give you energy and strength and help make your workout as productive as possible. The portion should be small, as during exercise on a full stomach a feeling of discomfort may arise.
2. Warm-up is mandatory. Before pumping up your abs, you need to warm up your muscles. Jumping rope for 5–7 minutes, interval training on a treadmill, or walking at a fast pace on an orbit track are suitable warm-ups. Don't forget to do 10-20 bends to the sides and forward, rotations of the pelvis, twists of the body - such exercises will prevent straining the abdominal muscles and spinal injuries.
3. Too intense and frequent training is harmful. After a couple of months of daily serious training, fatigue begins to accumulate in the body. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the program taking into account individual characteristics - level of training, goals, health status. You can train every other day or 5-6 times a week. The main thing is not to exhaust yourself to the point of exhaustion.
4. During training, your muscles should ache and burn. If you don’t feel tension when working on your oblique abdominal muscles, then the exercise is being performed incorrectly.
5. After training, you should not eat for 1–1.5 hours. This rule is often ignored by novice athletes, who can be found in the locker room immediately after training with a chocolate bar in their mouth. With this approach, results can be expected for years.

If you feel hungry after a workout, drink mineral water or eat a sour apple.
The first few weeks of training, the oblique abdominal muscles will hurt constantly. The discomfort will go away when the body gets used to the stress. The main thing is not to give up sports and adjust your training program by introducing more complex exercises.

Sports supplements for the abs

Add proper nutrition and sports supplements to the suggested workouts and exercises and you will see the results soon. Amazing abs at home - it's real. Basic L-carnitine supplements and fat burners will help speed up the fat burning process. They are specially designed for fitness-active people of different fitness levels. Also useful:

The following supplements are recommended for the male half.

Nutrition and abs

There is no simple method to pump up your lower abs without adjusting your diet. Although sports and a variety of exercise routines are essential for weight loss, maintaining a healthy diet is key to losing excess fat.

• Control your portions. The easiest way is to use smaller dishes. Research shows that people fill their plates on average 70% full, no matter what size they are. In this way, we can deceive our brain, because for it the visual level of filling of the dishes is more important, and not the actual volume of food on it.
• Eat more foods containing fiber. Vegetables, beans, fruits, mushrooms help remove toxins, regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels and are responsible for the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Limit processed foods and things that contain sugar. We are talking about candies, chips, fast food, sausages, carbonated sweet drinks, etc.
• Eat foods rich in protein. Protein helps keep you feeling full and reduces the likelihood of overeating.

Proper nutrition plays an important role in the formation of abs

Ab workout supplements for men

Syntrax | Nectar?

• Self-dissolving serum of the third generation of instant absorption without fat and carbohydrates.
• Category: Whey Protein Isolate Category details

Mix one scoop of powder in 300 ml of cold water. Reception is recommended in the morning after waking up, within 30-40 minutes after training and before bedtime.

Serum of the third generation PROMINA - has today the maximum coefficient of biological value and the degree of absorption by the human body. Syntrax Nectar is a highly purified whey protein isolate with zero fat and carbohydrate content. An effective nutrient for building high-quality muscle mass.

SciTec Nutrition | Hot Blood 3.0?

• The product is distinguished by unprecedented effectiveness; you can be convinced after the first sting that this drug was created for people who love sports not only for the results, but also for the incredible sensations in the gym.
• Category: Pre-workout supplements

1 scoop per 250-300 ml of water and 30 minutes before training

Moreover, you can buy Hot Blood both for weight training and for cardio training, including high-intensity training. Considering the optimally thought-out composition, the drug is recommended without fear even for those types of training in which the pulse rises to serious levels.

FIT-Rx | Multi Man?

• Stimulates the synthesis of immune system cells, prevents stress, improves well-being and performance
• Category: Vitamin-mineral complex More about the category

1 tablet 1-3 times a day with meals. Duration of treatment is 3 months.

Multi Man is a balanced, highly effective vitamin and mineral complex that includes a full range of vitamins and minerals needed by the male body, plus enzymes that promote better absorption of nutrients. Multi Man is an all-natural formula containing chelated minerals. Most vitamins are not synthesized in the human body, so they must be regularly and in sufficient quantities supplied to the body through food or in the form of vitamin-mineral complexes and nutritional supplements. Without a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins in the body, health deteriorates, there is a loss of strength, performance decreases, and the flow of biological processes is disrupted. It is especially important to take vitamin-mineral complexes during an active lifestyle and sports, since the load increases and often the vitamins and minerals that enter the body with regular food are sorely lacking to maintain the immune system in a healthy state. — Activates the body’s antiviral defense — Normalizes biological processes in the body — Activates physical and mental activity — Reduces blood cholesterol levels — Accelerates energy and lipid metabolism in the body — Stimulates the central nervous system, cardiovascular and immune systems.

Geneticlab Nutrition | BCAA Pro?

• Geneticlab “BCAA Pro” is a modern sports supplement based on the essential amino acids BCAA, glutamine and a specially selected amino acid matrix, in an optimal ratio of 4:1:1.
• Category: BCAA More about the category

mix 1 scoop per 350-400 ml of water or other drink and take 30 minutes before and immediately after training

BCAA Pro will provide energy, improve metabolism, protect muscles from catabolism and help get rid of excess fat. Your workouts will become more intense and effective.

Optimum Nutrition | Daily Fit?

• Fat burner Daily Fit is a drug to speed up your metabolism.
• Category: Fat burners More about the category

Take 2 capsules 30-60 minutes before morning and afternoon meals

A new development from Optimum Nutrition provides a safe fat burning process with high results due to the presence of red and black pepper extracts. Research conducted by the company made it possible to determine the most accurate and working dosages of ingredients. This gentle fat burner contains no stimulants or questionable additives. Daily Fit contains thermogenic supplements containing green tea extract, red pepper extract, black pepper extract to speed up metabolism and carnitine for effective fat burning. Supports metabolism in the body, helps burn fat. Fat burner for weight loss Daily Fit is great for both men and women.

Sports nutrition recommendations are indicative only. Before purchasing, we recommend that you consult with a specialist in the store.

Fat burners to create perfect abs

Diet and training are key components of any fat burning program, as anyone who wants to quickly get perfect abs should know. If you have taken this matter seriously and want to burn absolutely all excess fat, then you need support in the form of special sports supplements - fat burners for weight loss and collagen.

These supplements are safe and contain ingredients that have undergone clinical trials.

The following supplements are recommended for women.

Is it possible to lose weight only in the abdominal area?

Spot weight loss is a type of targeted exercise designed to burn fat in specific areas of the body. Is this method effective? No, research shows that local weight loss is ineffective.

The fat burning process works on a different principle. Free fatty acids and glycerol, which the body uses as fuel, can come from anywhere in the body other than the area you are training.

In 2011, a 6-week study was conducted in which 24 people from 18 to 40 years old took part. They were randomly divided into two groups. The first performed 7 types of abdominal exercises (2 sets of 10 repetitions) 5 days a week, the second followed a low-calorie diet, but was not exposed to physical activity. The results showed that the first group had improved muscle endurance, but the amount of belly fat remained about the same as the second group.

The second clinical trial was conducted in 2015 and was of a similar nature. It was attended by 40 overweight women, who were similarly divided into 2 groups. The first followed a diet for 12 weeks, and the second combined a diet and exercise for the abs.

The results showed that weight decreased in both groups, but the difference between them in waist and hip circumference, the amount and percentage of subcutaneous fat, and body mass index was insignificant.

Thus, abdominal training leads to muscle strengthening, but it is difficult to notice visually while the total body weight remains above normal. To lose weight in the waist and abdomen for a long time, it is important to combine a balanced diet and physical activity, including fat-burning workouts and local abdominal exercises.

Abdominal training is effective when combined with fat-burning exercises

The best exercises for comprehensive fat loss include:

• Aerobic exercise. These include cardio, running, cycling, etc. They work large muscle groups and are proven to be effective in burning calories.
• High-intensity interval training (HIIT). Include short periods of intense activity and a recovery period in a 1:2 ratio. Consist primarily of anaerobic exercise.
• Exercises for the whole body. Research has shown that full-body exercises like burpees burn more calories and lead to greater fat loss than isolated exercises.
• A combination of aerobic and strength exercises. Combining resistance training and cardio exercises is more effective for weight loss than doing either type of exercise alone.

If you lack the motivation to train on your own or are afraid of getting injured or distributing the load incorrectly, pay attention to FitCurves training. Specialists will help you choose the optimal 30-minute set of exercises, monitor the correct completion of tasks and give recommendations regarding nutrition.