In the human body, the main "fat accumulations" are concentrated in the subcutaneous tissue and in the abdominal cavity and its wall, ie in the abdomen. Normally, fat accumulates in an adult by increasing the size of existing fat cells (adipocytes). But with an excess amount of fat in the cell begins the process of their reproduction, which leads to a multiple increase in the number of fat cells. They begin to accumulate, including between the organs of the abdominal cavity (visceral adipose tissue), as well as in the lower and upper body. At the same time, the fat layer on the abdomen of overweight people can reach a thickness of 10, 15 or even 20 cm (for comparison: in walruses and seals, the thickness of the subcutaneous fat is 5-10 cm). Will weight loss exercises help to "shake" excess fat?
Effective Abdominal Weight Loss Exercises
In general, exercises for rapid weight loss - without a system of proper balanced nutrition - will not give the desired effect. Because adipose tissue is not just a "storehouse" of extra pounds. It actively maintains its presence in the body with a specially produced peptide hormone leptin, which performs the function of "control and audit" in the system of energy metabolism.
But not everything is so hopeless. Triglycerides are synthesized in fat cells, which are mainly composed of adipose tissue. When triglycerides are broken down, the body receives energy, and the more energy is expended, the more triglycerides are broken down. That is, weight loss exercises in the abdomen are very intense physical activity, in which there is an increase in fat consumption. The main thing is that the morning exercises for weight loss are not accompanied by breakfasts, lunches and dinners, which in their caloric content would exceed the energy expended for their implementation. . .
So, home exercises for weight loss, according to weight loss experts, should be done at least three times a week. From the beginning of the classes, each exercise is performed 8-10 times, and once a person is involved in this business, all abdominal weight loss exercises at home should be performed at least 20-25 times each.
The standard set of exercises for weight loss in the abdomen includes performing exercises in different positions - upright, sitting and lying down. The following exercises are performed lying down:
- Lying on his back, legs and arms straight, arms outstretched. Without bringing your shoulders forward as you inhale, lift your back off the floor, raise your straight arms to your feet, sit, and lean forward, trying to reach your toes with your hands. As you exhale, return smoothly to your original position.
- Lying on your back, your legs are bent at the knees, while your feet are almost shoulder-width apart. The hands are curled behind the head, the fingers are "locked", the elbows are on the side. Inhale - the head, shoulders and shoulders are separated from the floor (the chin should not be pressed against the chest), the abdominal muscles are tense. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Exhale - lie down again.
- Lying on his back, legs and arms straight, arms outstretched. When inhaling, the straight legs are raised 30 degrees to the floor plane, this position is held for five seconds, the initial position is taken at the exit.
- The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise. As you inhale, bend your knees and perform a movement that mimics cycling (30 seconds three times, with breaks of 5 seconds).
- Lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, straight arms outstretched. As you inhale, lift your pelvis off the floor (focusing on the shoulder blade area) so that your stomach is in line with your knees. The position is maintained for 5-10 seconds and the initial position is slowly taken at the exit.
- Lying on his back, legs bent at the knees, hands behind his head, elbows to the sides. Inhale - the elbow of the left hand is extended to the right knee. Exhale - starting position. Inhale - the elbow of the right hand extends to the left knee. Exhale - starting position.
Standing exercises for weight loss belly
Simple but effective exercises for losing weight on an upright abdomen - traditional squats and inclines.
- Stand up straight, legs together, arms at your waist. Keeping your back and shoulders as straight as possible, squat without lifting your heels off the floor. The lower the squat, the more the abdominal muscles tense during the extension. If you have difficulty, you can do this exercise while holding your hand, for example on the back of a chair.
- Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms at waist or behind your head. Inhale - lean forward, exhale - straighten, inhale - lean back, exhale - straighten.
- Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms. Inhale (at the expense of 1-2-3) - spring forward bend by touching the toes or floor. On account 4 (exhalation) - take the starting position.
- Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms at waist. Tighten the abdominal muscles, then (without holding your breath) relax the muscles. The exercise is repeated 10-15 times.
Exercises for weight loss in a sitting position
When doing weight loss exercises while sitting, you need to make sure that your back and shoulders remain straight. This increases the load on the abdominal muscles.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, arms slightly relaxed back in a supporting position. Keep your legs straight together, lift them off the floor and "draw" circles in the air with both feet - three times to the left and the same amount to the right. Repeat the exercise 3-4 times with short breaks.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, arms straight forward. Alternately lifting the buttocks and tensing the abdominal muscles, move back and forth (one meter). Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, arms slightly relaxed back in a supporting position. Keep your legs straight together, leaning back slightly, and successively lift them off the floor. The exercise is repeated in three series of 10 times.
Abdominal Weight Loss Exercises for Men
All of the above abdominal weight loss exercises can be done by men with the same success as women, but the number of repetitions should be increased (up to 20-25 times). But the exercises with increased load:
- Lie on the floor, legs straight, arms straight. As you inhale, lift your straight legs up (do not lift your head and shoulders! ) And hold them in this position for 10 seconds. When exhaling - take the initial position. While training, the retention time of the raised legs should be gradually increased.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, arms slightly relaxed back in a supporting position. Keep your legs straight together; leaning back slightly, lift your legs off the floor, bend at the knees and press to your chest. Then straighten your legs and lower them to the floor.
- The starting position is similar to the previous exercise, but the legs are lifted, contracted and pressed to the chest sequentially - right and left separately.
Abdominal weight loss exercises for men include the active use of a horizontal bar. The simplest of these is this: hang on your upright arms, then, while inhaling, bend your knees and slowly straighten them, while lifting them parallel to the floor (or ground). When exhaling - smoothly return to starting position.
Bodyflex exercises for weight loss belly
A popular set of breathing exercises for weight loss - bodyflex, developed more than 20 years ago by the American Greer Childers.
It is believed that bodyflex exercises for weight loss are aimed at "saturating the body with oxygen", which is achieved by temporarily holding your breath. At the same time, breathing exercises are combined with isotonic and isometric exercises, ie static and forceful muscle tension, without moving the parts of the body that participate in the exercise.
Breathing exercises for weight loss belly by the method of bodyflex
According to the bodyflex technique, you must first exhale all the air from the lungs - through your mouth, making your lips a "tube". Then take a quick, intense breath through the nose (the breath should be noisy) - to fill the lungs to capacity. Then, raising your head, you must exhale all the air with all your might - but this time through a wide open mouth. But now you need to hold your breath completely, tilt your head to your chest and pull your stomach as far as possible (for 8-10 seconds). The last step is to relax your abdominal muscles and take in normal air. All bodyflex exercises for slimming the abdomen are performed exactly at the stage of holding the breath (and drawing in the abdomen).
Starting position: kneel, bend over and rest on the floor with palms straight. The back is straight, the head is raised. Perform a breathing exercise (as described above) and while holding your breath and drawing in the abdomen, you should tilt your head and bend your back as much as possible. This pose lasts for 8-10 seconds. This is followed by exhaling and relaxing the back and abdomen. The exercise is repeated three times at intervals of 15-20 seconds.
Here is another exercise for which you should lie on your back, stretch your legs a little less than shoulder width and bend them at the knees (legs completely on the floor), arms outstretched. Then perform a breathing exercise (as described above) and withdraw the stomach. When holding your breath, you should: raise your arms up and pull your head off the floor (throwing it back), shoulders and back, raising them as high as possible; return to a supine position and, touching the nape of the neck to the floor, repeat the movement. After the second lift, gently return to your original position and inhale, relaxing the stomach. This exercise is repeated three times at intervals of half a minute.
Finally an exercise to lose weight in the lower abdomen. Lie on your back on the floor, legs straight together, arms bent at the elbows (palms down) are placed under the seat. After completing the breathing exercise - holding your breath and tucking your abdomen - the straight legs are slightly raised above the floor (toes are extended, the head and shoulders remain motionless) and quick wide swings "scissors" are made, changing the position of the legs (above orunder the other). The movements are performed with eight to ten pieces. The legs are lowered and you take a breath. Repetition - 3-4 times with pauses of 20 seconds.
Despite the fact that most breathing exercises, including breathing exercises to lose weight, are useful, the bodyflex system is considered potentially dangerous, as breath holding leads to high blood pressure and heart rhythm disorders.
There is another system of breathing exercises (again in combination with physical activity) to reduce fat accumulation on the thighs and abdomen - oxidation. It is true that you do not need to hold your breath here. In general, oxide is a modified version of the American flex, supplemented by abdominal breathing. There is nothing new here, because diaphragmatic breathing (eastern, lower or abdominal breathing) has long been practiced by yoga, which has special techniques of pranayama.
Yoga exercises for weight loss belly
Abdominal breathing is used both to increase the supply of oxygen in the bloodstream and to strengthen the muscles in the lower abdomen. Here is the swadhisthana chakra, which in Ayurveda is considered responsible for human immunity and general vitality.
The most affordable technique for performing yoga breathing exercises to lose weight on the abdomen looks like this: you need to put one palm on your chest and the other on your abdomen, take a deep breath through your nose, inflating your stomach so that your palmrises (along with the abdominal wall). In this case, the palm resting on the chest should remain still. Exhalation is also done through the nose and should be longer and quieter than inhalation. When you exhale, the abdominal wall must be "pressed" to the spine, as a result of which the palm of the stomach falls into its original position.
Now let's focus on the simplest yoga exercises for weight loss.
Bhujangasaga - Cobra pose
Lie on the floor on your stomach, legs straight, knees and feet pressed together, toes extended; arms bent at the elbows, lie on your chest, palms forward. As you inhale - emphasize with your palms, slowly and gradually raise the body to the height of the arms outstretched in the support. In this case, the back is bent, the sternum is pulled forward and up, the shoulders are pulled back and down, the elbows are pressed against the lateral surfaces of the chest and the head is tilted back. Fix the posture for half a minute (holding your breath for 5 seconds), then bend your arms at the elbows and while exhaling, gently lower to the starting position. Repeat the exercise three times.
Ardha Navasana - half-boat pose
Sit on the floor, knees bent, hands down on your chest. Round the back, press the lower lumbar region firmly to the floor, the shoulders and the rest of the back remain in weight. Then straighten your legs and raise them 25-30 cm above the floor. Stretch your arms out to your feet. The legs, abdomen and lower back are tense, breathing is even. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds.
Dhanurasana - bow pose
An effective exercise for losing weight in the lower abdomen, as well as for strengthening the spine (reminiscent of the exercise "frog", known from childhood).
Lie on the floor on your stomach, bend your legs at the knees, lift them and grasp your ankles with your hands. When inhaling, bend your back and lift both legs, pulling them with your hands towards your back. Hold your breath for 5 seconds as you exhale, release your arms and gently lower your feet to the floor. The number of repetitions of the asana is three to four times.
Halasana - Oral Pose (Simplified Version)
Lie on your back - head to the wall (at a distance of about half a meter), legs straight, arms straight on the body. When inhaling, lift your legs straight up, fold your arms, and place your hands on your hips while holding your body. On the exhale - throw straight legs behind your head, touch your feet to the wall. Stay in the asana for 10 seconds, breathe deeply. When exhaling - bend slowly when your back is firmly on the floor - lower your legs slightly. This yoga exercise for weight loss is useful not only for belly fat, but also for the thighs.
The body is a "burden" that a person constantly "carries" with him. And it takes effort and perseverance to ease that burden. Only they will help to systematically perform weight loss exercises in the abdomen and thus get rid of those extra pounds.