In the human body, the main "deposits" of fat are concentrated in the subcutaneous tissue and in the abdominal cavity and its wall, that is, in the abdomen. In a normal state, in an adult, fat accumulates due to an increase in the size of existing fat cells (adipocytes). But with an excess of fat in the cell, the reproduction process begins, 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 fat), as well as in the lower and upper parts of the body. At the same time, the fat layer on the belly 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 to 10 cm). Will weight loss exercises help "shake" excess fat?
Effective belly slimming exercises
In principle, exercises for rapid weight loss of the belly - without a proper balanced nutrition system - will not give the desired effect. Because adipose tissue is not just a "deposit" 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 energy metabolism system.
But not everything is so desperate. Triglycerides are synthesized in adipose cells, which mainly consist of adipose tissue. When triglycerides are broken down, the body receives energy, and the more energy is spent, the more triglycerides are broken down. That is, exercises to lose weight in the abdomen are very intense physical activities in which there is an increase in fat consumption. The main thing is that the morning exercises to lose weight in the abdomen are not accompanied by breakfasts, lunches and dinners, which, in terms of caloric content, would exceed the energy expended in carrying them out. . .
Therefore, home exercises to lose belly weight, according to weight loss experts, should be done at least three times a week. Since the beginning of classes, each exercise is performed 8 to 10 times, and after a person is attracted to this business, all exercises to lose weight in the abdomen at home should be performed at least 20 to 25 times each.
A standard set of exercises to lose weight on the abdomen includes performing exercises in various positions - standing, sitting and lying down. The following exercises are performed while you are lying down:
- Lying on your back, legs and arms straight, arms extended along your body. Without bringing your shoulders forward, as you inhale, lift your back off the floor, lift your arms straight out along your legs, sit down and lean forward, trying to reach your toes with your hands. As you exhale, gently return to your original position.
- Lying on your back, your legs bent at the knees, while your feet are almost shoulder-width apart. Hands are placed behind the head, fingers "locked", elbows to the sides. Inhale - the head, shoulders and shoulder blades come off the floor (the chin should not be pressed against the chest), the abdominal muscles are tense. In this position, take 5-10 seconds. Exhale - lie down again.
- Lying on your back, legs and arms straight, arms extended along your body. Straight legs on inspiration are raised 30 degrees in relation to the ground plane, this position is maintained for five seconds, at the exit the initial position is assumed.
- The starting position is the same as the previous exercise. While inhaling, bend your knees and make a movement that simulates cycling (30 seconds three times, with 5 second intervals).
- Lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms stretched out at your sides. As you inhale, lift your pelvis off the floor (with emphasis on the scapular region of your back) so that your stomach is aligned with your knees. The position is maintained for 5-10 seconds and the starting position is slowly assumed at the exit.
- Lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms behind your head, elbows to your sides. Inhale - the elbow of the left hand is extended towards the right knee. Exhale - starting position. Inhale - the elbow of the right hand extends to the left knee. Exhale - starting position.
Standing abdominal slimming exercises
Simple but effective standing belly slimming exercises - squats and traditional curves.
- Stand up straight, feet together, hands on hips. 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 are tightened during extension. If you have difficulty, you can do this exercise by holding your hand, for example, on the back of a chair.
- Stand, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips or behind your head. Inhale - lean forward, exhale - straighten, inhale - fold back, exhale - straighten.
- Stand, feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms. Inhale (at the expense of 1-2-3) - flexing forward with your fingers touching your feet or the floor. On account 4 (exhalation) - take the starting position.
- Stand, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Tighten your abdominal muscles firmly and then (without holding your breath) relax your muscles. The exercise is repeated 10-15 times.
Slimming exercises for the sitting belly
When doing belly slimming exercises while sitting, make sure your back and shoulders remain straight. This increases the load on the abdominal muscles.
- Sit on the floor, with your legs straight and your arms slightly reclined in the support 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, with your legs straight and your arms extended forward. Alternately, lifting your buttocks and tightening your abdominal muscles, move back and forth (one meter). Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.
- Sit on the floor, with your legs straight and your arms slightly back in the support position. Keep your legs straight together, leaning back slightly, alternately lifting them off the floor. The exercise is repeated in three sets of 10 times.
Abdominal slimming exercises for men
All the above exercises to slim the abdomen can be done by men with the same success as women, but the number of repetitions must be increased (up to 20-25 times). But the exercises with increased load:
- Lie on the floor, with your legs stretched out and your arms extended along your body. As you inhale, lift your legs straight (don't lift your head and shoulders! ) And hold them in this position for 10 seconds. When exhaling - take the original position. As you exercise, the time you keep your legs up should gradually increase.
- Sit on the floor, with your legs straight and your arms slightly back in the support position. Keep your legs straight together; leaning back slightly, lift your legs off the floor, bend your knees and press your chest. Then, stretch your legs and lower them to the floor.
- The starting position is similar to the previous exercise, but the legs are raised, bent and pressed in the chest alternately - right and left separately.
Exercises to slim the abdomen for men involve the active use of a horizontal bar. The simplest of these is this: hold on with your arms straight, then, when inhaling, bend your knees and slowly stretch them, while lifting them parallel to the floor (or the ground). On exhalation - gently return to the starting position.
Bodyflex exercises for belly weight loss
A popular complex of breathing exercises to slim the abdomen - bodyflex, developed over 20 years ago by the American Greer Childers.
It is believed that bodyflex exercises for weight loss in the abdomen aim to "saturate 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, that is, static and strength muscle tension without moving the parts of the body involved in the exercise.
Breathing exercises to slim the abdomen using the bodyflex method
According to the body flexion technique, you first need to exhale all the air from your lungs - through your mouth, making your lips a "tube". Then, a rapid and intense breathing is done through the nose (the breathing must be noisy) - to fill the lungs to the maximum. After that, lifting your head, you need to exhale all the air with all your strength - but this time through your mouth wide open. But now you must hold your breath completely, tilt your head towards your chest and contract your stomach as much as possible (for 8 to 10 seconds). The last step is to relax your abdominal muscles and breathe normally. All body flexion exercises to slim the abdomen are performed only at the breath holding stage (and pulling the abdomen).
Starting position: kneel, bend and rest on the floor with palms outstretched. The back is straight, the head elevated. A breathing exercise is performed (as described above) and while holding your breath and retracting your abdomen, you need to bend your head and arch your back as much as possible. This posture is maintained for 8 to 10 seconds. This is followed by exhaling and relaxing the back and abdomen. The exercise is repeated three times at 15-20 second intervals.
Here is another exercise, for which you need to lie on your back, spread your legs slightly less than shoulder width and bend them at the knees (feet fully on the floor), arms extended along your body. Then do a breathing exercise (as described above) and contract your stomach. When holding your breath, you should: raise your hands and pull your head off the floor (throwing backwards), shoulders and back, raising them as high as possible; return to the supine position and, touching the back of the neck on the floor, repeat the movement. After the second lift, gently return to the original position and inhale, relaxing your stomach. This exercise is repeated three times at half-minute intervals.
Finally, a lower belly slimming exercise. Lie on your back on the floor, legs stretched together, arms bent at the elbows (palms down) placed under the buttocks. Upon completion of the breathing exercise - while holding the breath and the abdomen retracted - the straight legs are raised slightly off the floor (the toes are extended, the head and shoulders remain immobile) and ample quick scissors swings are performed. done by changing the position of the legs (above or below the others). The movements are made in eight to ten counts. The legs are lowered and breathing is done. Repetition - 3-4 times with pauses of 20 seconds.
Despite the fact that most breathing exercises, including breathing exercises to slim the abdomen, are beneficial, the bodyflex system is believed to be potentially unsafe, as holding your breath causes hypertension and heart rhythm disturbances.
There is another system of breathing exercises (again in combination with physical activity) to reduce fat deposits in the thighs and abdomen - oxytisize. It is true that you do not need to hold your breath here. In general, oxysize is a modified version of the American body flex, complemented with abdominal breathing. There is nothing new here, because diaphragmatic breathing (oriental, lower or abdominal breathing) has long been practiced by yoga, which has special pranayama techniques.
Yoga exercises to slim the belly
Abdominal breathing is used to increase the supply of oxygen to the bloodstream and to strengthen the muscles of the lower abdomen. Here is the svadhisthana chakra, which in Ayurveda is considered responsible for human immunity and general vitality.
The most accessible technique for performing yoga breathing exercises to slim the abdomen is as follows: you need to place one palm on your chest and the other on your stomach, take a deep breath through your nose, inflating your stomach so that your palmgo up (along with the abdominal wall). In that case, the palm of the hand resting on the chest must remain immobile. Exhalation is also done through the nose and should be longer and quieter than inhalation. When you exhale, the abdominal wall must be "pressed" against the spine, and as a result the palm of the hand on the stomach falls to its original position.
Now let's focus on the simplest yoga exercises for weight loss in the belly.
Bhujangasaga - Snake Stance
Lie on the floor on your stomach, with your legs straight, your knees and feet pressed together, your toes extended; arms bent at the elbows, lie down across the chest, palms forward. While inhaling - emphasizing with your palms, slowly and gradually raise your body to the height of your arms stretched out on 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 side 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, as you exhale, gently lower yourself to the starting position. Repeat the exercise three times.
Ardha Navasana - half-boat stance
Sit on the floor, knees bent, arms lowered over your chest. Around the back, press the lower back firmly against the floor, the shoulders and the rest of the back remain with the weight. Then stretch your legs and raise them 25-30 cm above the floor and extend your arms towards your feet. Legs, abdomen and lower back are tense, breathing is even. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds.
Dhanurasana - bow posture
An effective exercise to slim the lower abdomen, as well as to strengthen the spine (reminiscent of the "frog" exercise known since childhood).
Lie on the floor on your stomach, bend your legs at the knees, lift them up and hold your ankles with your hands. As you inhale, bend your back and lift both legs, pulling them with your hands towards your back. Hold your breath for 5 seconds while exhaling, release your arms and gently lower your legs to the floor. The number of repetitions of the asana is three to four times.
Halasana - Plow Position (simplified version)
Lie on your back - head to the wall (at a distance of about half a meter), legs straight, arms stretched out at your sides. When inhaling, raise your legs straight, bend your arms and place your hands on your hips, holding your body. On exhalation - throw your legs straight behind your head, touch your feet to the wall. Stay in the asana for 10 seconds and breathe deeply. As you exhale - relax slowly, when your back is firmly on the floor - gently lower your legs. This yoga exercise for weight loss is good not only for belly fat, but also for the thighs.
The body is a "load" that the person "constantly" carries with him. And it takes effort and perseverance to ease that burden. Only they will help to systematically perform exercises to lose weight in the abdomen and, in this way, get rid of those extra pounds.