The "lifeline" at the waist is a familiar problem to many women. You also? Then try these proven tummy and flank slimming exercises.
How and why does body fat accumulate?
By 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 excess calories in the diet. It is the extra energy that the body reserves, - explainsVictoria Kasilova,personal trainer and founder of the personal fitness lab.You can make the following analogy: Imagine you took money, bought gold bars and put them in a safe, locked them with a key. Now imagine that you have decided to get this money back. First you have to find the key to the safe, open it, take out those bars, go and exchange them for money. It is the same with lipolysis: to start the fat burning process, many factors must be activated: a certain hormonal background, a calorie deficit. You have to create such a need for energy that the body itself wants to spend these reserves. "
Removing sides and belly: where to start?
With an understanding that the human body cannot lose weight locally, that is, only in a specific area. "You gain extra pounds and lose weight depending on your constitution and your genetics", explainsEkaterina Demidova, master trainer in group program management.
To get rid of the notorious "sides" and the stomach to become flatter, you will need to reduce weight in general - restructure the diet and exercise.
However, you need to choose them wisely. "There is a myth that when we train muscle we burn fat, " says Victoria Kasilova. - This is not true. Because the fat burning process occurs throughout the body, not topically. But we can work on the problem area. In what respect? Build muscle there, develop strength or mobility. Concretely, we cannot burn fat in certain places, because it leaves in the way calculated by the characteristics of your body. Someone easily and quickly loses volume in the legs, someone - in the abdomen, and someone first decreases the chest, upper back, and then everything else. The body first gives up fat where it considers it a lower priority. And the most important places for him (in women it is most often only the stomach, flanks and hips), he gives up "reserves" much worse. "
Therefore, a balanced weight loss program will include strength training, cardio exercise, and good nutrition.
Losing belly fat: the major mistakes
The most common mistakes coaches consider are:
Use of thermo-corsets or plastic wrap in training."There is a common myth that where we sweat we lose weight, " says Victoria Kasilova. "But it doesn't. Fat doesn't go away with sweat. If everything were that simple, you could just go lose weight in the sauna. In fact, as a result of that, only the liquid comes off. escapes. And sometimes good, necessary. By allowing yourself to be carried away by "diaphoretic" devices, you dehydrate the body and increase the load on the cardiac system.
And also - you risk harming internal organs. "For example, a corset during training increases pressure on internal organs, impairs blood circulation and does not allow deep muscles to work, " warns Ekaterina Demidova.
Refusal of functional exercise.The idea of losing belly fat fast is so captivating to some that they ignore any exercise, leaving only crunches to the press in their fitness routine. And in vain! "First, there are no bloated abs on a loose, untrained body, " says Victoria Kasilova. "If a person starts training, they first have noticeable relief from their arms, legs, back, and then only abdominal cubes. "
And all of this can only be achieved if you have strength and functional training in your "sports menu", that is, again, you will have to work with all the muscles in the body.
Second, the abdominal exercises themselves are not as energy intensive as many basic movements like squats, deadlifts, and push-ups. "To create a higher calorie expenditure (a key requirement for losing weight on the abdomen, sides and the whole body), you have to work with big muscles. It is similar to the operation of a car engine: a "small car" consumes a little gasoline, an SUV - several times more. So the SUV is the muscles of the legs, and the "runabout" is the muscles of the press. "
In addition, overworking only on the abdomen area may hurt your back. "Not knowing how to work your body and fanatically loading your abs, you're more likely to have a lower back injury, hernia, or protrusion than a nice belly. Because these movements have a compressive effect on the spine, "adds Victoria.
Doing unnecessary or inappropriate exercises.The former include side elbows with weights. "It is not effective to fight the camps in this way. This way, you are also not going to slim your waistline. Strengthen some muscle groups, but you will not get the desired effect. Bend with dumbbells if it doesn't hurt, if there is no discomfort in the lower back, if it helps you like a placebo. But there won't be much benefit from this exercise. Instead, it's better to do a diagonal twist while lying down, it's safer for the lower back, "recalls Victoria Kasilova.
Experts also do not recommend performing exercises that are too complex, accessible only to highly trained people: high-performance athletes, fitness models. "Take, for example, dangling legs. It is believed that this is an exercise for the press, - says Victoria Kasilova. - But actually, if you start to take it apart from a biomechanical point of view, the key action in it is hip flexion. The main muscle that flexes the joint is the rectus femoris, the quadriceps. Therefore, if the muscles in your legs are poorly developed, they will be the first to tire, the press will simply not turn on. If this is happening in a real kick and not in support, you need to have strong arm and back muscles to support your body. In addition, the body should be thin enough for the arms to support its weight. "
Who should do abdominal and lateral exercises
Experts advise to focus on exercising the muscles of the press only in certain cases. "It is necessary to pump this area separately for beginners, for those who have no preparation at all - after rehabilitation, after childbirth. Here, an easy type of twist lying on the floor, a plank and similar exercises on stable supports will be useful, - says Victoria Kasilova. - This is necessary in order to combine the breastbone and pelvis into one unit. The coupling between these zones is gentle. To be rigorous and be able to do the usual exercises, to cope with household chores without hurting your back, and you need simple exercises for the abdominal muscles. "
The same goes for successful athletes. "It's also worth including in press training exercises for those preparing for competitions - for example, fitness bikinis, " adds Victoria Kasilova.
If you've been training for a long time and you're not going to participate in fitness bikini contests, it just doesn't make sense to pump up the press on top of that. "When a person has already practiced for a certain time, developed coordination, abdominal exercises are excluded from the program because they have lower priority. Because the abs in large exercises work as a stabilizer, they support your body when you do squats, pull-ups, bench presses, deadlifts, push-ups.
The most effective exercises to slim the stomach and sides
There are many types of exercises for this area, but not all of them will give you the effect you want. Also, not all movements are available for home training. "I would recommend doing exercises at home that are simple in terms of technique. It is advisable to make a program of varied movements: the press is made up of many small fibers located at different angles. By combining different exercises, you can use them all, "adds Victoria Kasilova.
We asked the experts to make a list of the most effective, easy and simple abdominal exercises. Here they are:
- Plank."This is a versatile exercise in which the deep muscles, including the transverse abdominals and the obliques, are actively engaged. You can perform different types of planks - classic, lateral or dynamic, the most important thing is to perform them skillfully and correctly. Instead of tiny planks, it will be more effective to make several short planks with a break of a few seconds, the so-called "split" plank, "explains Ekaterina Demidova.
- Incomplete crunches."When doing a twist, go up only to the lower edge of the shoulder blades, so as to activate the rectus abdominis and obliques, " Ekaterina comments.
- "Square"."In this position, if done correctly, you can work the core muscles in isolation, " Ekaterina Demidova recalls.
Exercises directly "not intended" for this area will also help to effectively work the abdomen and sides. That's almost the entire strength base - squats, deadlifts, etc. "It should be understood that abdominal exercises do not always work not only the abdominal muscles, we have the whole core involved - the muscles that are in the middle of the body, connecting the breastbone and the pelvis. ", - concludes Victoria Kasilova.
We asked Victoria to show us a series of exercises that took all of these factors into account.
How to build a lesson
- Start your workout with a few simple joint exercises or a 10-minute cardio workout. This will help prepare your muscles and joints for stress.
- Perform all the exercises in order.
- Watch your breathing: the main effort should be made on the exhale.
- Participate in this program 4 to 6 times a week.
- Increase the load gradually. "The adaptation of the body (and therefore the change in appearance) only happens when we create stress, an overload", explains Victoria Kasilova. "Therefore, it is advisable to gradually complicate classes each week: use weights, increase the number of repetitions. "
- Supplement your workout with cardio workouts. If your schedule doesn't include regular strength training, be sure to add cardio to the main complex - 40 to 50 minutes of swimming, biking, and running two or three times a week will do. "Cardio will create the expenditure of these same calories, with its help we can get rid of some of the fat, but the exercises for the press will help to make the muscles stronger", summarizes Victoria Kasilova.
To complete the complex you will need a mat and a fitball.
Straight twists
Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent. Press your lower back against the floor. Working with the abdominal muscles, as you exhale, lift your shoulder blades off the floor, stretch your arms forward, touch your knees with your palms. Don't strain your neck and shoulders. Gently lower your back onto the mat. It will be a rehearsal. Run15 to 20 of them.
Oblique twists
Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent. Press your lower back against the floor. Working with the abdominal muscles, as you exhale, lift your shoulder blades off the floor and turn your body to the right. Stretch your arms out in front of you. Don't strain your neck and shoulders. Smoothly return to the starting position. Run15-20 repetitionsin each direction.
Reverse crunches
Lie on your back with your arms stretched out at your sides. Bend your knees slightly and lift your legs. Press your lower back against the floor. Using your abdominal muscles, as you exhale, lift your pelvis off the floor and bring your legs further behind your head. The belly should touch the thighs. Gently lower yourself to the starting position. Run15-20 repetitionsexercises.
Torsion with a pelvic lift
Lie on your back, place your hands in a lock at the back of your head. Relax your neck and shoulders. Press your lower back against the floor. Pull your legs up, crossing your ankles. As you exhale, working your abdominal muscles, simultaneously lift your shoulder blades and pelvis off the mat. Smoothly return to the starting position. Run15-20 repetitionsexercises.
Dynamic sidebar
Lie on your right side, bend your right arm at the elbow, and rest on your forearm. Stretch your legs and rest on the floor with the side surfaces of the feet, place your left hand on the thigh. Do not bend your lower back. With an exhale, lift the pelvis off the floor, work the abdominal and back muscles. Fix at the high point for 3-4 seconds, return to the starting position. Run20 repetitionsin each direction.
Leg rotation from a lying position
Sit on a mat with your legs straight. Lean back slightly. Bend your elbows, bring them back a little, and lean on your forearms. Bend your legs at the hip joint and stretch them out. Press the sacrum to the ground. Working with the press, core and thigh muscles, gently move the toes and right legs to the left, come back to the center, and lower them to the right. It will be a rehearsal. Run10-20Phone.
Bodylifts on fitball
Lie on the fitball with your left side, placing your body and pelvis on the ball. Stretch your legs and rest on the floor with the side surfaces of your feet. Bend your left hand and place your palm on the back of your head. With your right hand, lightly press the ball in front of you. Working with the press and core muscles, as you exhale, gently tear the upper part of the body from the fitball. Don't slouch or bend your lower back. With an inhale, return to the starting position. It will be a rehearsal. Executed by20-30 of them in each direction. . .
Lift the pelvis on a fitball
Stand on a board with support on outstretched arms, placing your feet on the fitball. Do not add back arc or slouch. Bend your knees and work your abdominal muscles, push your pelvis upwards. Pull your hips towards your stomach, rolling the fitball closer to your arms. Smoothly return to the starting position. It will be a rehearsal. Run20-30 of them.
Lower legs with fitball
Lie on your back, stretch your legs forward, squeeze the fitball between your shins. Stretch your arms out alongside the body. Raise your legs with a fitball perpendicular to the floor and, working your abs and core muscles, as you exhale, lower them to a 30-40 degree angle. It will be a rehearsal. Run20-30 such. . .
Dynamic board
Emphasize the outstretched arms. Do not increase the arch of the foot in the lower back, relax your neck and shoulders. Activate the muscles on the front surface of the body - body muscles, thighs, arms. Then alternately bend your elbows and lower yourself into the forearm plank. Return to the starting position. Do as many repetitions of the exercise as possible inOne minute. . .
When to expect results?
Many experts agree that losing weight quickly (in 10 days, for example) will be detrimental to your health and lead to the same rapid weight gain. In addition, there is a great risk that the returned pounds will "bring friends with them" - the body will store fat in the event of another hunger strike or exhausting period of training.
It makes more sense to lose weight gradually. "Our efforts are always directly proportional to our results. By sticking to good nutrition and exercising 4-5 times a week, after a month you will definitely see the first results. But remember that the process of losing weight is very individual, you always have to take into account the characteristics of each and, say, the "initial data". The most important thing is to focus on what you want to achieve, and not on the difficulties, and then you will surely achieve any goal, "comments Ekaterina Demidova.
So, take note of our exercise program, do it regularly and you will be able to see the first results of weight loss in a month.