Many visitors to our site are interested in how to pump up their abs to a six-pack, because this part of the body is very problematic for most people.
In this article we will try to give a convincing answer to this question, because it’s not only about training, but also about the right diet, as well as the organization of rest and, in general, your lifestyle...
The abdominal muscles can be roughly divided into three main parts: the upper, lower and oblique muscles. Each of them performs its own specific function in the human body. There are many exercises for all these three components, which we will consider further...
Let us immediately draw your attention to the fact that the number of approaches and repetitions must be regulated by the athletes themselves, taking into account the desired result. However, since our task is to turn the ordinary surface of the abdomen into beautiful cubes, like those from the covers of fitness magazines, then, unlike exercises for other muscle groups, you need to do more repetitions in each approach, and also adjust the level of your subcutaneous fat
Speaking about the time needed to achieve a visible result, it is worth mentioning right away that much in this matter depends on the degree of neglect of a particular person, as well as on his body type. Of course, an ectomorph can pump up the stomach faster, and it will initially appear sculpted due to the low level of fat of its representative, while at the same time it will be much more difficult for an endomorph to do this. Therefore, he needs a greater emphasis on following a proper diet, as well as high-intensity aerobic training, the number of which is an order of magnitude greater than that of an ectomorph. But don’t be upset, in any case, we will teach you how to pump up your belly to six-pack, it’s just a matter of time...
Do not believe online articles “about a steel press in a week” - this is unrealistic, but in one and a half to two months the first results may already be visible...
We train the top.
Let's start with exercises for the upper abs, namely sit-ups from an inclined bench. A very popular exercise, because it can also be performed at home, but to do this you need to lie on a flat surface with your knees bent.
Also for this area of the abdomen you should do crunches, which will also load the upper area well. You can adjust the angle of your legs; the higher it is, the more load you will feel.
There are different exercise machines for working out the abdominal muscles; crunches on a block or on a special bench are good for the upper one, where it can be trained by bending to the knees and adjustable weight for high-quality load.
Exercises such as “captain’s chair” and “double crunches” can be done not only in the gym, but also at home, which will be quite good if time is short.
We train the bottom.
For the lower abs, reverse crunches and leg raises while lying on the floor are most often used. By the way, with the help of a partner, lifting your legs can be made quite heavy. He will throw them down for you, or alternatively you can use a rubber shock absorber, attaching it to the floor and your feet. Another complication option is weighted cuffs with Velcro. By raising your legs, the tension on the muscles of the lower third will be much more effective.
With such additional weighting, the lower abs can also be well trained using almost playful exercises familiar to us from early childhood. For example, such as a bicycle and scissors. They also use drawing with their feet in the air, which also perfectly strengthens the lower abdomen.
Using a horizontal bar, you can do leg lifts while hanging on it, and for beginners you can bend them at the knees, and experienced ones can do such lifts with straight legs. Almost similar exercises can be done on a gymnastic ladder or a Swedish wall. Well, ideally, do leg lifts on the “abs, parallel bars” machine, resting your back on the soft cushion of the machine...
It is better to perform such combined (for the upper and lower sections) exercises as the fold and plank after you have dealt with each part of the abdomen separately.
The plank, by the way, is an excellent example of an isometric static exercise that you can perform almost anywhere...
We train the oblique muscles.
For the oblique muscles of the torso, or, as they are also called, the lateral press, it is best to do side bends, both with and without additional weight, depending on your level of fitness, as well as side raises from a bench. To do this at home, you will need an assistant, because you will have to somehow fix your legs...
If we talk about the horizontal bar, it will help you make not only your lower abs, but also your oblique muscles strong, if you lift your bent legs first to the left, then to the right. Lateral bar raises also work the right muscles, but are a little more difficult to perform.
Many people use barbells and dumbbells in their workouts, primarily in bending and turning left and right. But it should be taken into account that it is not advisable for the fair sex to do this, because their waist will become wider and more voluminous.
We talked about what exercises are best to use to work all areas of the abdomen, but the answer to the question: how to pump up six-pack abs involves more than just strength exercises alone. After all, 70% of the work is work at home, that is: lifestyle, nutrition and recovery. You should reduce the amount of simple carbohydrates, give up all fatty and sugary foods, switch to predominantly protein foods after lunch and maintain the required water balance. Accordingly, the relief of the press, like other muscles, depends on the level of subcutaneous fat and skin thickness. You won’t be able to do anything with the latter, but you will have to fight with fat.
The importance of aerobics and nutrition.
Nothing destroys subcutaneous fat better than regular and high-quality aerobic exercise. Therefore, be sure to dilute your workouts with running, swimming, cycling, jumping rope, cardio equipment and other intense activities that make us sweat and breathe faster... It is important to understand that this moment is the most important and paramount - even more important than doing all the above strength exercises for the abdominal muscles. Never forget this...
Also include in your diet foods that accelerate and improve fat burning, such as: pineapples or squeezed pineapple juice, green tea, ginger, and others...
You can also use sports nutrition drugs: fat burners, such as L-carnitine and clenbuterol, and the first one is best, since it converts your fat into energy. People who are quite seriously involved in fitness or bodybuilding can use steroid drugs that reduce fat levels, such as oxandrolone and Winstrol.
Based on the above, you definitely won’t go wrong, and you will now know by heart how to properly pump up your belly to a six-pack, which is what our editors sincerely wish for you!