How and why do fat deposits accumulate?
Understanding the mechanism of this process, it will be easier for you to build a weight loss program and reduce the volume of problem areas. “Fat accumulates due to an excess of calories in the diet. This is excess energy that the body stores, explains Victoria Kasilova, personal trainer and founder of the Capsula . - You can draw the following analogy: imagine that you took money, bought gold bars and put them in a safe, locked it. Now imagine that you decide to get this money back. You need to first find the key to the safe, open it, take out these bars, go exchange them for money. It’s the same with lipolysis: to start the fat burning process, you need to activate many factors: a certain hormonal background, a calorie deficit. It is necessary to create such a need for energy that the body itself wants to spend these reserves.”
Remove sides and belly: where to start?
From understanding the fact that the human body cannot lose weight locally, that is, only in a specific area. “You gain extra pounds and lose weight according to your constitution and genetics,” says Ekaterina Demidova, master trainer of group programs at the federal network of fitness clubs X-Fit.
In order for your notorious “sides” to go away and your stomach to become flatter, you will have to reduce weight in general - change your diet and do physical exercise.
However, you need to choose them wisely. “There is a myth that where we train a muscle, we burn fat,” says Victoria Kasilova. - This is wrong. Because the process of fat burning occurs throughout the body, and not locally. But we can work on the problem area. At what plan? Form muscles there, develop strength or mobility. But we cannot specifically burn fat in one place, because it is lost in the way that is calculated by the characteristics of your body. Some people easily and quickly lose volume in the legs, some in the abdominal area, and for others, their chest, upper back and only then everything else gets smaller. The body first releases fat from those places where it considers its storage a lower priority. And from the places that are most important for him (in women this is most often the stomach, sides and thighs) he gives away “reserves” much worse.”
Therefore, a balanced weight loss program will include strength exercises, cardio exercise, and proper nutrition.
Boat pose (naukasana)
Gladkov/Depositphotos
A wonderful pose to remove fat from the waist. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on appetite and strengthens leg muscles.
- Lie on your back, stretch your legs, place your hands next to your body, palms up.
- Inhale and slowly lift your legs, try to keep them straight and do not bend your knees.
- Point your toes and try to raise your legs as high as possible.
- Stretch your arms and try to reach your toes; keep your body at a 45 degree angle.
- Breathe evenly and hold the position for 15 seconds.
- Exhale deeply.
- Repeat the exercise five times with breaks of 15 seconds.
Getting rid of belly fat: main mistakes
Coaches consider the following to be the most common mistakes:
1 . Use of thermo-corsets or plastic film during training. “There is a widespread myth that where we sweat, that’s where we lose weight,” comments Victoria Kasilova. - But that's not true. Fat does not go away with sweat. If everything were that simple, you could just go to the sauna to lose weight. In fact, as a result of this, only liquid is lost. And sometimes good, necessary. By getting carried away with “sweatshops,” you dehydrate the body and increase the load on the cardiac system.”
And you also risk harming your internal organs. “For example, a corset during training increases pressure on internal organs, impairs blood circulation and prevents deep muscles from working,” warns Ekaterina Demidova.
2. Refusal of functional exercises. The idea of quickly losing belly fat is so captivating for some that they ignore any exercise, leaving only abdominal crunches in their fitness schedule. And in vain! “Firstly, there is no pumped abs on an untrained, loose body,” says Victoria Kasilova. “If a person starts training, first he will develop a noticeable shape in his arms, legs, back, and only then - six-pack abs.”
And all this can be achieved only if you have strength and functional training in your “sports menu”, that is, again you will have to work with all the muscles of the body.
Secondly, abdominal exercises themselves are not as energy-intensive as many basic movements like squats, deadlifts, and push-ups. “To create more caloric expenditure (key to losing weight in the belly, sides and entire body), you need to work large muscles. This is similar to how a car engine works: a small car uses a little gasoline, an SUV uses many times more. So, an SUV is the muscles of the legs, and a small car is the muscles of the abs.”
Plus, by overworking only the abdominal area, you risk harming your back. “If you don’t know how to work your body and fanatically load your abs, you are more likely to get a lower back injury, hernia or protrusion than a beautiful belly. Because these movements have a compression effect on the spine,” adds Victoria.
3. Performing useless or inappropriate exercises. The first includes bending to the side with weights. “It’s not effective to fight the sides this way. This way you won’t make your waist thinner either. Strengthen some muscle groups, but you will not achieve the expected effect. Bend over with dumbbells if it doesn’t hurt you, if there’s no discomfort in your lower back, if it helps you as a placebo. But there will be no particular benefit from such an exercise. Instead, it is better to do a diagonal twist while lying down, it is safer for the lower back,” recalls Victoria Kasilova.
Experts also do not recommend performing overly complex exercises that are only accessible to very trained people: performing athletes, fitness models. “Let’s take, for example, hanging leg pull-ups. It is believed that this is an abdominal exercise, says Victoria Kasilova. “But in fact, if you start to disassemble it from a biomechanical point of view, the key action in it is flexion of the hip joint. The main muscle that flexes the joint is the rectus femoris, the quadriceps. Therefore, if the muscles of your legs are poorly developed, they will be the first to get tired, the abs simply will not turn on. If this happens in a real hang rather than a push-up position, you must have strong arms and back muscles to support your body. Plus, the body must be slender enough for the arms to support its weight.”
Warm up before upper body workout
Exercises for the upper body should be performed after a good warm-up. Thanks to it, you will bring your muscles into combat readiness, warm them up, which will reduce the risk of injury. Warm-up exercises are performed for about 30 seconds without rest between exercises, but warm-up exercises are usually more convenient to perform on a count. The total duration of the warm-up is 6-7 minutes.
The warm-up includes the following exercises:
- Walking in place: 15 leg raises on each side
- Arm rotations with shin overlapping: 10 leg raises on each side
- Raises with lower legs: 10 leg raises on each side
- Abduction of arms to the sides: 10 abductions of arms in each direction
- Side bends: 5 bends in each direction
- Elbow rotations: 5 clockwise and 5 counterclockwise rotations
- Tilts to the floor: 5 body tilts on each side
- Standing backbend: 10 reps
- Knee rotation: 10 clockwise and 10 counterclockwise rotations
- Foot rotation: 5 clockwise and 5 counterclockwise rotations on each leg
- Calf raises with wrist rotation: 10 raises on each leg
- Jumps with arms and legs raised: 30 jumps
Warm-up is performed continuously, one exercise replaces another without rest. After warming up, you can rest for 30-45 seconds before starting your main upper body workout. To do this, walk in place at a slow pace, restoring your breathing, but under no circumstances sit down or lie down.
1. Walking in place
Stand up straight and start marching in place. Help yourself with your hands, as if you were really walking. Try to pull your knees towards the bottom of your chest to better work your lower abs. Don't bounce as you perform steps one at a time at a moderate pace.
How much to do: 15 leg raises on each side.
2. Rotation of the arms with overlap of the shins
Rotate your straightened arms forward, lifting the shins of your right and left legs in turn. Warm up your shoulder and knee joints thoroughly to begin serious exercise. The pace is average. Arm rotations are an essential part of the warm-up before upper body training.
How much to do: 10 leg raises on each side.
3. Arm raise with shin overlap
Without changing your position, start doing straight arm extensions to the sides. Try to feel the stretch in the pectoral muscles, as well as the anterior shoulder muscles. At the front point, cross your arms to further stretch the rear deltoid.
How much to do: 10 leg raises on each side.
4. Abduction of arms to the sides
Stand up straight with your hands on your waist. Then begin to pull your arms to the sides, turning your body. Try to stretch further to better warm up your lateral abdominal muscles. Also, this exercise for warming up before training to lose belly fat helps to further prepare your back for stress.
How much to do: 10 arm abductions in each direction.
5. Bend to the side
Fix your palms on your belt. Look ahead and tilt your body to the side without turning. At the same time, raise your hand and stretch it in the direction of the inclination. This exercise thoroughly kneads the entire lateral surface of the body.
How much to do: 5 bends in each direction.
6. Rotation of the elbow joint
Raise your arms to the side so that your shoulder is parallel to the floor. Rotate your forearms inward, warming up your elbow joint. Take your time when doing it. This is an important element for upper body training because it places a lot of stress on the arm joints.
How much to perform: 5 clockwise and 5 counterclockwise rotations.
7. Bend to the floor
This is a high-intensity and effective exercise for warming up the upper body. Place your feet wider than your shoulders, spread your arms to the sides and begin to bend over, turning your body, touching the floor with your palm. The back does not slouch and the legs do not bend.
How much to do: 5 body tilts on each side.
8. Back bend in a half squat
Take a shoulder-width stance, take a half-squat position, rest your palms on your knees. Alternately bend your lower back up and down, stretching your back muscles. An exercise for losing belly fat engages the abdominal muscles, thoroughly warming them up.
How much to do: 10 repetitions.
9. Knee Rotations
Bring your legs together and place your palms on your knees. Keep tension in your back and open your shoulders. Rotate your knees clockwise to stretch the joint and prepare it for stress. After this, perform rotations in the opposite direction.
How much to perform: 10 rotations clockwise and 10 rotations counterclockwise
10. Foot Rotations
Place your hands on your waist and lift your leg slightly in front of you. Start rotating the toe clockwise and then counterclockwise. Pay enough attention to the exercise, since the ankle is vulnerable and can be easily injured during the stretching process.
How much to perform: 5 clockwise rotations and 5 counterclockwise rotations on each leg.
11. Wrist rotation with leg abduction
Extend your arms in front of you and rotate your wrists, first clenching your palms into a fist. At the same time, lift your right and left legs to the side in turn. When the free leg is abducted, the supporting leg stands on its toe. Maintain an average pace.
How much to do: 10 lifts on each leg.
12. Jumping with arms and legs raised
And we finish the warm-up with a cardio exercise to raise the heart rate and generally warm up the body. Stand up straight and begin to spread your legs out to the sides as you jump. At the same time, raise your arms above your head, bringing your palms together. Such jumps are good for warming up the muscles of the legs and arms.
How many to perform: 30 jumps.
Who should do abdominal and side exercises?
Experts advise concentrating on working the abdominal muscles only in certain cases. “Beginners, those who have no training at all, need to pump up this zone separately - after rehabilitation, after childbirth. Here, light crunches lying on the floor, planks and similar exercises on stable supports will be useful, says Victoria Kasilova. — This is necessary in order to combine the sternum and pelvis into a single block. The coupling between these zones is soft. To make it tough and be able to perform regular exercises, cope with household chores without back injuries, you need simple exercises for the abdominal muscles.”
The same goes for performing athletes. “It’s also worth including abdominal exercises in your training for those who are preparing for competitions, for example, fitness bikini athletes,” adds Victoria Kasilova.
If you have been training for a long time and do not intend to participate in fitness bikini competitions, it makes no sense to pump up your abs additionally. “When a person has already trained for some time and developed coordination, abdominal exercises are excluded from the program as a lower priority. Because the abs in large exercises act as a stabilizer, they support your body when you do weighted squats, pull-ups, presses, rows, push-ups.”
Cobra pose (bhujangasana)
This pose not only helps to reduce belly fat, but also strengthens the abdominal muscles. The exercise overall strengthens your upper torso and makes your back stronger and more flexible.
Wisky/Depositphotos
The pose is not recommended for patients with ulcers, hernias, back injuries, or pregnant women.
- Lie on your stomach, stretch your legs and rest on your palms (they should be located directly under your shoulders).
- Your chin and toes should touch the floor.
- Inhaling slowly, raise your body on your arms. Arch your back as far as you can.
- Depending on how you feel, hold this position for 15–30 seconds.
- Exhaling slowly, return to the starting position.
- Repeat the exercise five times with short breaks of 15 seconds.
The most effective exercises for losing weight on the abdomen and sides
There are quite a few types of exercises for this area, but not all of them can give you the desired effect. Plus, not all movements are available for training at home. “I would recommend doing simple exercises at home from a technical point of view. It is advisable to create a program of various movements: the abs consists of many small fibers located at different angles. By combining different exercises, you can use them all,” adds Victoria Kasilova.
We asked experts to compile a list of the most effective, easy and simple abdominal exercises. Here they are:
* Plank. “This is a versatile exercise that actively works the deep muscles, including the transverse abdominis and obliques. You can perform different types of planks - classic, side or dynamic, the most important thing is to perform them technically and correctly. Instead of minute planks, it will be more effective to perform several short ones with a break of a couple of seconds, the so-called “fractional” plank,” says Ekaterina Demidova.
* Incomplete crunches. “When performing a crunch, lift only to the bottom edge of the shoulder blades, this way you activate the rectus abdominis and oblique muscles,” comments Ekaterina.
* "Square". “In this position, if performed correctly, you can work your core muscles in isolation,” reminds Ekaterina Demidova.
Exercises directly “not intended” for this area will also help to effectively work out the abdominal and side areas. This is almost the entire strength base - squats, deadlifts, etc. “It is worth understanding that abdominal exercises do not always work not only the abdominal muscles, we use the entire core in them - the muscles that are located in the middle of the body, connecting the sternum and pelvis.” , - Victoria Kasilova sums up.
We asked Victoria to show us a set of exercises, compiled taking into account all these factors.
Upper body workout
The upper body workout consists of several rounds. Familiarize yourself with the technique of performing the exercises in detail so that you can do the movements correctly, achieving maximum effect.
Once again about doing an upper body workout:
- The main workout consists of 5 rounds.
- Each round includes 3 exercises.
- Exercises are performed according to the scheme 45 seconds of work / 15 seconds of rest.
- Exercises in a round are repeated in two circles.
- The round lasts 6 minutes.
- After each round, 1 minute rest.
- After the fifth round, you will have a Tabata round for 4 minutes.
You can work out on a timer or number of repetitions, as you wish. However, the final Tabata round will have to be performed on a timer in any case.
First round
1. Plank diagonally
Why: Great exercise for obliques, getting rid of sides and a toned stomach. During the static plank position, you also engage the muscles of the entire body. Plus, this low-impact exercise gets your heart rate up and burns calories.
How to do it: Stand in a hand plank position with your body in a straight line. Don't lift your pelvis up, tighten your buttocks and core. Begin to pull the knee of your right leg first to the right elbow from the outside, then to the left elbow diagonally. Feel the work of the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles. We work the entire approach with one leg, and in the second circle we perform it on the other side.
How to make it easier: Reduce the speed of the exercise to reduce the load.
How much to do: 20 reps on one side in the first round, 20 reps on the other side in the second round.
2. Butterfly in a prone position
Why: This exercise for losing belly fat develops static abdominal strength, and also strengthens the back, lower back, and loads the shoulder muscles. Also great for fat loss, involving the whole body in work.
How to do it: Lie on the mat with your stomach down and straighten your arms and legs along your body. Raise your limbs off the floor in a superman position. Begin to move your arms back, like the flapping of a butterfly's wing. Take your time, trying to feel the tension in your shoulders. Maintain Superman pose throughout the exercise to give your back and abs a good workout.
How to make it easier: Lower your feet to the floor, only your upper body lifts off the floor.
How much to do: 20 repetitions.
3. "Folding knife"
Why: This is one of the most effective exercises for losing belly fat and burning fat among those performed on the back. It loads each abdominal muscle, developing their strength and definition. An indispensable element for people who want to achieve a flat stomach.
How to do it: Lie on your back and extend your arms and legs along your body. As you exhale, lift your limbs so that they form a right angle with the floor at the peak point. As you inhale, slowly lower them. Don't throw your arms and legs, as the main goal is to maintain tension in the abdominal muscles.
How to simplify: Place your hands under your buttocks and lift only your legs up, keeping your body on the floor.
How much to do: 20 repetitions.
Repeat the round twice, then rest for 1 minute and move on to the second round.
Second round
1. Wide and narrow push-ups from the knees
Why: Knee push-ups with changing the width of the arms are a working method of pumping up the pectoral muscles. The element develops overall arm strength, strengthening the biceps, triceps and forearm muscles. A great way to improve push-ups for those who have difficulty with the classic variation of the exercise.
How to do it: Get on all fours and confidently place your palms on the floor. Hands are positioned wider than shoulders. Do a push-up and forcefully return to the starting phase. Then place your arms in a narrow position (to load the middle fascicle of the chest and triceps muscles). Push up again, return to the starting position and repeat the approach with your arms wide.
How to make it easier: Perform 3 wide push-ups - 1 narrow push-up, since it's the narrow push-ups that make this upper body exercise difficult.
How much to do: 20 push-ups.
2. Twisting arms to legs
Why: The next exercise for losing belly fat is an advanced version of standard crunches. It helps to work out the relief of the press and develop the overall endurance of the body.
How to do it: Lie on the floor and lift your straightened legs up so that they form a 90-degree angle with your torso. Stretch your hands towards your calves, lifting your body solely through the work of your abdominal muscles. Take your time, feeling a powerful tension in the abdominal area.
How to make it easier: Bend your knees at right angles, this will make it easier for you to do this exercise for losing belly fat.
How much to do: 20 repetitions.
3. Half-sitting abduction of arms
Why: This element of upper body training actively loads the rectus abdominal muscles, becoming an excellent completion of the second stage of the lesson. In addition, the exercise involves the muscles of the arms, and the static tension of the press actively burns fat deposits in the waist area. This simple exercise will help you take a little break from the heavy workload of previous exercises.
How to do it: Sit on a gymnastic mat with your legs slightly bent and locked. Pull your body back to keep your abs in constant tension. Bring your arms together in front of you and rotate your body so that your palms alternately touch the floor. Thanks to small rotations and maintaining statics, you will feel the work of the press.
How to simplify: The exercise is not difficult, but to make it even easier, you can avoid leaning your body back too much.
How much to do: 20 repetitions on each side.
Repeat the round twice, then rest for 1 minute and move on to the third round.
Third round
1. Running in a plank with shin overlapping
Why: Running in a plank with shin overlapping not only works the muscles of the legs, but also increases the static strength of the muscles of the upper extremities. The higher the intensity, the more the anterior delta and triceps of the arms are loaded. The upper limbs are responsible for maintaining body balance while running.
How to do it: Take a lying position, bringing your pelvis up. Place your feet on your toes and begin to push off with your feet one at a time, sweeping your shin back. Imagine yourself running to better understand the technique. Take your time, focusing on every movement of your leg.
How to simplify: Alternately pull your heels towards your buttocks at a calm pace.
How much to do: 30 repetitions on each leg.
2. Swimmer
Why: The “swimmer” exercise for losing belly fat also includes the back muscles and rear deltoids. With its help, the back surface of the thigh and buttocks are no less effectively worked out. Due to the constant static load, several muscle groups are involved in the work at once.
How to do it: Lie on your stomach and straighten your arms and legs along your body. Lift them off the floor, pull your toes and toes. Begin to lift opposite limbs up and down, quickly changing sides. Hands and feet do not touch the floor.
How to simplify: First raise your right arm and left leg up, while your left arm and right leg lie on the floor, then change sides.
How much to do: 25 repetitions on each side.
3. Bicycle
Why: This is one of the most effective abdominal exercises, helping to pump up the oblique muscles and rectus abdominis. The final element of the third round that will make your abs burn.
How to do it: Lie on your back and place your hands behind your head. Elbows are straightened in different directions. Legs are straightened and raised from the floor. Begin to pull your right knee towards your chest and at the same time reach towards it with your left elbow, performing a crunch in the abdominal area. Take your time, making clear touches of the knee and elbow at peak amplitude. Perform the exercise alternately on both sides
How to make it easier: Raise your legs higher to make this beneficial abdominal exercise easier (the lower your legs, the more difficult the exercise).
How much to do: 20 repetitions on each side.
Repeat the round twice, then rest for 1 minute and move on to the fourth round.
Fourth round
1. Knee-elbow plank on all fours
Why: Pulling the knee to the elbow in a plank on all fours is aimed at working out the entire muscle corset. Additionally, the buttocks and quadriceps are included in the work. The higher the execution speed, the more active the fat burning process.
How to do it: Get into a plank position on all fours with your knees off the floor. Rest confidently on your palms, then bring your left knee to your left elbow, then your right knee to your right elbow. Try to avoid twisting your torso by maintaining an even and stable position.
How to make it easier: Raise your pelvis a little higher for easier execution.
How much to do: 20 repetitions on each leg.
2. Reverse crunches with pelvic lift
Why: Reverse crunches are considered one of the best exercises for the lower abs. In addition, this modification is also suitable for training quadriceps and buttocks. Representatives of the fair sex will especially appreciate this exercise for losing belly fat.
How to do it: Lie down on a mat, place your arms next to your body and rest them firmly on your palms. Begin to slowly raise your knees towards your chest, and at the peak point, lift your pelvis to place more stress on your abs. At the same time, stretch your legs so that they form a right angle with the floor (similar to the “birch tree” exercise).
How to make it easier: Do not straighten your legs, perform a reverse twist with your knees bent, slightly lifting your lower back off the floor.
How much to do: 20 repetitions.
3. Knee-elbow side plank
Why: The side plank knee-elbow raise is a challenging exercise that is suitable for people in good physical shape. It is aimed at separately working the lateral abdominal muscles, but also during this exercise the shoulders, rectus abdominis, quadriceps and buttocks are pumped.
How to do it: Assume a side plank position with your body resting on your elbow and your legs on the side of your foot. Raise your free knee toward your chest while touching it with your free elbow. The body does not swing, being in a strictly fixed position.
How to Simplify: For a simplified modification, stay in a static side plank position.
How much to do: 20 reps on one side in the first round, 20 reps on the other side in the second round.
Repeat the round twice, then rest for 1 minute and move on to the fifth round.
Fifth round
1. Spreader with support on the forearm
Why: This difficult exercise with an emphasis on the lower abs, on the one hand, will effectively pump up the abdominal muscles, and on the other, will not cause discomfort to your neck and lower back. The leg muscles are additionally involved in the work.
How to do it: Sit on a mat with your forearms supported. The legs are stretched out in front of you, perfectly straight, the knees are pulled up. Start lifting your legs up one at a time. The lower leg is close to the floor, but does not touch it. Tighten your core muscles, feel how your lower abs work.
How to make it easier: Bend your knees slightly, this will make it easier for you to perform the exercise.
How much to do: 20 repetitions on each leg.
2. Punches in plank position
Why: Front kicks in a plank position are a non-standard exercise for losing belly fat. This is a variation of the classic plank, which helps to additionally activate the work of the arms and back, as well as speed up the heart rate and fat burning.
How to do it: Assume a plank position on your elbows. Legs, back and neck form a straight line. For better fixation, tighten your abs, back and buttocks. Raise your head and look forward. Now perform alternating strikes with your left and right hands, returning your limbs to the starting position after each repetition.
How to simplify: Kneel down to simplify the difficult plank position on your elbows.
How much to do: 20 repetitions on each arm.
3. “Superman” with pulsating hands
Why: This upper body exercise actively targets the latissimus dorsi, rear delts and triceps. Exercise increases the static strength of the abdominal muscles, improves posture and strengthens the lower back muscles.
How to do it: Lie on your stomach, lift your upper body off the floor, and then raise your arms, palms up. Keeping the upper body static, the arms perform pulsation for the required number of repetitions. You should feel a strong tension in the back muscles of your shoulders.
How to simplify: Perform hand pulsation while lying on the floor, without lifting the upper part from the floor.
How much to do: 60 pulsations.
Repeat the round twice, then rest for 1 minute and move on to the Tabata round.
Tabata round
Tabata combines aerobic and anaerobic exercise, including the domino effect. The peculiarity of Tabata is that it burns calories even after finishing the workout. Therefore, a Tabata round is used to complete the training process. The essence of the work: exercises alternate for 8 cycles. We work for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. The entire exercise cycle takes 4 minutes. If you find it difficult to maintain cardio loads, perform a simplified version of the exercises.
In this round we do not indicate the number of repetitions, since the point of the Tabata round is training on a timer. If you are completely uncomfortable turning on the timer, then just count to 20 in your head.
1. Horizontal running
Why: This is one of the best cardio exercises for losing belly fat and the entire body. It quickly accelerates the pulse, puts virtually no strain on the joints, and engages the lower abs, shoulder muscles, biceps and triceps.
How to do it: Start in a prone position and lift your knees toward your chest as if you were climbing a vertical surface. Perform the exercise at speed, but at the same time pay attention to the technique, making a clear lifting and lowering of the leg onto the foot. The exercise is high-intensity, so it’s great for a fat-burning workout to lose belly fat.
How to make it easier: Pull your knee towards your stomach at a calm pace, alternating legs.
2. Jumping in the plank with legs raised
Why: And one more exercise in the plank, which will add intense exercise and help you lose weight in the abdomen and legs, as well as strengthen the muscles of the upper body. Plank jumps actively burn subcutaneous fat and develop endurance.
How to do it: Assume a standard plank position with your arms extended. Feet stand on toes. Perform jumps with your lower limbs shoulder-width apart. Afterwards, return to the starting position. Do the exercise dynamically.
How to make it easier: Move your legs alternately to the side instead of jumping.
Tabata timer:
- Link to tabata timer without music
- Link to tabata timer without music
- Link to tabata timer with music
- Link to tabata timer with music
How to build a lesson
* Start your workout with simple joint exercises or a 10-minute cardio warm-up. This will help prepare the muscles and joints for stress.
* Perform all exercises consistently.
* Watch your breathing: the main effort should be made while exhaling.
* Do this program 4-6 times a week.
* Gradually increase the load. “Adaptation of the body (and therefore a change in appearance) occurs only when we create stress, overload,” says Victoria Kasilova. “Therefore, it is advisable to gradually complicate the exercises every week: use weights, increase the number of repetitions.”
* Supplement your workouts with cardio. If your schedule does not include regular strength training, be sure to add cardio exercises to our complex - 40-50 minutes of swimming, cycling, running two to three times a week will be enough. “Cardio will create the consumption of those same calories, with its help we can get rid of some of the fat, but abdominal exercises will help make the muscles stronger,” sums up Victoria Kasilova.
To complete the complex you will need a mat and a fitball.
Exercises in the air: what mistakes to watch out for
Many people do not perceive training on the street as something serious and treat such activities with disdain. However, the requirements for them are the same as for classes in the gym.
“The most common mistakes are: violation of exercise technique, incorrect rest interval between them and excessive load,” says Maria Sidorova. — You need to enter the training regime smoothly; don’t try to “squeeze” the maximum out of your body if you’ve been struggling all year. It will be useful to at least occasionally work out with a trainer - he will help you master the correct technique for performing exercises and distribute the load.”
You should also not forget about warming up before class and stretching after it - simple gymnastics and stretching will protect you from injuries and muscle discomfort.
Use these recommendations if you want to exercise effectively and safely.
When can I expect results?
Many experts agree: losing weight quickly (in 10 days, for example) will harm your health and lead to equally rapid weight gain. Plus, there is a high risk that the returning kilograms will “bring friends with them” - the body will store fat in case of a new hunger strike or a period of grueling training.
It makes more sense to lose weight gradually. “Our efforts are always directly proportional to our results. By following proper nutrition and training 4-5 times a week, after a month you will definitely see the first results. But do not forget that the process of losing weight is very individual; it is always necessary to take into account the characteristics of each person and, let’s say, “initial data”. The most important thing is to focus on what you want to achieve, and not on difficulties, and then you will definitely achieve any goal,” comments Ekaterina Demidova.
So take note of our exercise regimen, practice it regularly and you will be able to notice the first results of losing weight within a month.
