10 most effective exercises to lose weight on the abdomen and sides

"Rescue" at the waist is a familiar problem for many women. You too? Then try these proven exercises for slimming your abdomen and arms.

raising the body for abdominal weakening

How and why does fat accumulate in the body?

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. This is the extra energy that the body stores, " he explains.Victoria Kasilova,personal trainer and founder of personal fitness lab.You can draw 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 return this money. First you have to find the key to the safe, open it, take out these bars, go and 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 the sides and abdomen: where to start?

With an understanding of the fact that the human body can not lose weight locally, ie only in a specific area. "You gain extra pounds and lose weight according to your condition and genetics, " he says. Ekaterina Demidova, master trainer in group program management.

To get rid of the infamous "sides", and the stomach became flatter, you will need to lose weight in general - restructure your diet and exercise.

However, you must choose them wisely. "There is a myth that where we train a muscle, we burn fat, " says Victoria Kasilova. - This is not true. Because the fat burning process occurs throughout the body, and not locally. But we can work on the problem area. In what aspect? Build muscle there, develop strength or mobility. Specifically, we can not burn fat somewhere because it leaves in a way calculated by the characteristics of your body. Someone easily and quickly loses volume in the leg area, someone - in the abdomen, and someone first shrinks the chest, upper back and only then everything else. The body first of all gives up fat from those places where it considers its preservation less priority. And of the most important places for him (in women it is more often only the abdomen, sides and hips), he gives "reserves" much worse. "

Therefore, a balanced weight loss program will include strength training, cardio, and proper nutrition.

Lose belly fat: Major mistakes

The most common mistakes that coaches consider are the following:

Use of thermo-corsets or plastic wrap in exercise."There is a widespread myth that where we sweat, we lose weight, " says Victoria Kasilova. "But it's not like that. Fat does not leave with sweat. If everything were that simple, you could just go to the sauna to lose weight. In fact, as a result, only the fluid escapes. And sometimes good, e"By being hijacked by" diaphoretic "devices, you dehydrate the body and increase the load on the heart system. "

And also - you risk damaging the internal organs. "For example, a corset during exercise increases the pressure on the internal organs, impairs blood circulation and does not allow deep muscles to work, " warns Ekaterina Demidova.

Refusal from functional exercises.The idea of losing belly fat fast is so fascinating to some that they ignore any exercise, leaving only pressing difficulties in their fitness schedule. And in vain! "First, there is no pumped belly in an untrained and loose body, " says Victoria Kasilova. "If a person starts training, first he has a noticeable relief of the arms, legs, back and only then - the abdomen cubes. "

And all this can be achieved only if you have strength and functional training in your "sports menu", that is, again, you will need to work with all the muscles of the body.

Second, the abdominal exercises themselves are not as energetic as many basic movements like squats, deadlifts, and push-ups. "To create a higher calorie expenditure (a key condition for losing weight in the abdomen, sides and all over the body), you have to work with big muscles. This is similar to how a car engine works"A 'small car' consumes less gasoline, an SUV - a few times more. So the SUV is the leg muscles, and the 'escape' is the press muscles. "

Plus, overworking only the abdominal area risks damaging the back. "By not knowing how to work with your body and fanatically loading your abdomen, you are more likely to get a back injury, hernia or elongation than a beautiful abdomen. Because these movements have a compressive effect on the spine. ", adds Victoria.

Performing useless or inappropriate exercises.The first include side weights with weights. "It is not effective to fight the sides this way. This way you will not make even the thinnest waist. Strengthen some muscle groups, but you will not achieve the expected effect. Bend with dumbbells if it does not hurt you, if you do not havediscomfort in the lower back, if it helps you like a placebo. But there will not be many benefits from this exercise. Instead, it is better to do a diagonal twist while lying down, it is safer for the partlower back, "recalls Victoria Kasilova.

Experts also do not recommend performing very complex exercises, available only to highly trained people: athletes who perform, fitness models. "Let 's take, for example, hanging legs. It's believed that this is a press exercise, " says Victoria Kasilova. The main muscle that bends the joint is the rectus femoris, quadriceps. Therefore, if your leg muscles are poorly developed, they will be the first to get tired, the press just will not turn on. If this happens in a real hangover and not"In support, you have to have strong arms and back muscles to support your body. Plus, the body has to be thin enough for the arms to support its weight. "

Who should do abdominal and side exercises

Experts advise you to focus on press muscle training only in a few cases. "It is necessary that this area be pumped separately for beginners, for those who have no preparation at all - after rehabilitation, after childbirth. Here, a kind of light twist lying on the floor, a plank and similar exercises on stable supports will"It is necessary to combine the sternum and the pelvis in a single unit. The connection between these areas is smooth. To make it difficult and to be able to do the exercises. usual, to cope with household chores without back injuries and you need simple exercises for the abdominal muscles.

The same goes for performing athletes. "It's also worthwhile to get involved in press training exercises for those preparing for races - for example, fitness bikers, " adds Victoria Kasilova.

If you have trained for a long time and will not participate in fitness bikini competitions, it makes no sense to pump extra press. "When a person has time to practice, has developed coordination, abdominal exercises are excluded from the program as less priority. Because the abdomen in large exercises functions as a stabilizer, it supports your body when you do weight squats, pull-ups, push-ups. ornament, death raising, push.

The most effective exercises for weakening the abdomen and sides

There are many types of exercises for this area, but not all of them are able to give you the desired effect. Plus, not all movements are available for home training. "I would recommend doing exercises at home that are technically simple. It is advisable to do a program of a series of movements: the press is made up of many small fibers placed at different angles. By combining different exercises, you canuse them all, "adds Victoria Kasilova.

We asked the experts to compile a list of the most effective, lighter and simpler abdominal exercises. Here they are:

  • Plank."This is a versatile exercise in which the deep muscles, including the transverse and oblique abdomen, are actively engaged. You can perform different types of planks - classical, lateral or dynamic, the most important thing is t"Instead of minute boards, it will be more effective to do some short boards with a break of a few seconds, the so-called" fractional "boards, " says Ekaterina Demidova.
  • Incomplete chewing."When twisting, stand up only at the lower edge of the shoulder blade, in order to activate the rectus abdominis and oblique muscle, " Ekaterina comments.
  • "Square"."In this position, if done properly, you can work the core muscles in isolation, " Ekaterina Demidova recalls.

Directly "unintentional" exercises for this area will also help to effectively process the abdomen and sides. This is almost the whole base of the force - squats, deadlifts, etc. "It should be understood that abdominal exercises do not always work not only the abdominal muscles, we have the whole nucleus involved in them - the muscles that are in the middle of the body, connect the sternum and pelvis. " - concludes Victoria Kasilova.

We asked Victoria to show us a set 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 exercises in sequence.
  • Watch your breath: the main effort must be made in extraction.
  • Engage in this program 4-6 times a week.
  • Increase the load gradually. "Body adaptation (and consequently change in appearance) only happens when we create stress, overload, " says Victoria Kasilova. "Therefore, it is advisable to gradually complicate the lessons each week: use weights, increase the number of repetitions. "
  • Complete your workout with cardio workouts. If your schedule does not include regular strength training, be sure to add cardio to the main complex - 40-50 minutes of swimming, cycling and jogging two or three times a week will suffice. "Kadio will create the expenditure of those calories, with its help we can get rid of some fat, but press exercises will help to make the muscles stronger, " concludes Victoria Kasilova.

To complete the complex, you will need a rug and a fitball.

Straight twists

Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent. Press your lower back to the floor. Working the abdominal muscles as you exhale, lift your shoulder blades off the floor, stretch your arms forward, touch your knees with your palms. Do not strain your neck and shoulders. Sit quietly your back on the mattress. This will be a repeat. run15-20 of them.

Oblique twist

Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent. Press your lower back to the floor. Working with the abdominal muscles, while exhaling, lift the shoulder blades off the floor and turn the body to the right. Extend your arms in front of you. Do not strain your neck and shoulders. Return smoothly to the starting position. run15-20 repetitionsin every direction.

Reverse jump

Lie on your back with your arms outstretched along your body. Bend your knees slightly and lift your legs up. Press your lower back to the floor. Using the abdominal muscles as you exhale, lift your pelvis off the floor and bring your legs further behind your head. The abdomen should touch the thighs. Slightly lower yourself to the starting position. run15-20 repetitionsexercises.

Twist with a pelvic lift

Lie on your back, place your hands on a lock on the back of your head. Relax your neck and shoulders. Press your lower back to the floor. Pull the legs up, crossing the ankles. As you exhale, working the abdominal muscles, simultaneously raise the shoulder blades and the pelvis over the carpet. Return smoothly to the starting position. run15-20 repetitionsexercises.

Sidebar in dynamics

Lie on your right side, bend your right arm at the elbow and rest on the forearm. Extend the legs and rest on the floor with the side surfaces of the legs, place the left hand on the thigh. Do not bend at the bottom of the back. With one exhale, lift the pelvis off the floor, work the abdominal and back muscles. Fix at the upper point for 3-4 seconds, return to starting position. run20 repetitionsin every direction.

Rotate the legs from a supine position

Sit on a rug with straight legs. Lean back slightly. Bend your elbows, turn slightly back and lean on your forearms. Bend the legs at the hip joint and stretch them up. Press the sacrum to the floor. Working with the press muscles, core and thighs, smoothly move the toes and right legs to the left, turn to the center and lower them to the right. This will be a repeat. run10-20Like that.

Raising the body in football

Lie on the fitball with your left side, placing your body and pelvis on the ball. Extend 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, lean lightly on the ball in front of you. Working with the press and core muscles, while pulling, gently remove the upper body from the football. Do not bend or bend at the bottom of the back. With one inhalation, return to the starting position. This will be a repeat. Run by20-30 such in each direction. . .

Raising the pelvis to a fitball

Stand on a board with support in your right arms, placing your feet on the fitball. Do not add back or sloping arch. Bending the knees and working the abdominal muscles, push the pelvis up. Pull the hips towards the stomach, rotating the football closer to the arms. Return smoothly to the starting position. This will be a repeat. run20-30 such.

Lowering the legs with fitball

Lie on your back, stretch your legs forward, squeeze the football between your legs. Extend the arms along the body. Raise your legs with a football up perpendicular to the floor and, working the abdominal and core muscles as you pull out, lower them at an angle of 30-40 degrees. This will be a repeat. run20-30 such. . .

Dynamic board

Get an accent lying on your right arms. Do not raise the arch at the bottom of the back, relax the neck and shoulders. Activate the muscles of the front surface of the body - body muscles, thighs, arms. Next, alternately bend your elbows and sit on the forearm plank. Return to starting position. Do as many repetitions of the exercise as possibleOne minute. . .

When to expect results?

Many experts agree: rapid weight loss (for 10 days, for example) will damage your health and lead to the same rapid weight gain. Plus, there is a high risk that the returned pounds will "bring friends with you" - the body will store fat in the event of a new hunger strike or a grueling workout period.

It makes more sense to lose weight gradually. "Our efforts are always in direct proportion to our results. By adhering to the right diet and exercising 4-5 times a week, after a month you will definitely see the first results. But do not forget that the process of losing weightis very individual, it is always necessary 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 certainlyto achieve every goal, "comments Ekaterina Demidova.

So take note of our exercise scheme, do it regularly and you will be able to notice the first results of losing weight within a month.