Understanding abdominal fat in women
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/02079327400.html
The role of stress in excess abdominal fat in women.
Abdominal fat is not just about calories or weight, the female body stores fat differently to their male counterparts. And if we want to go into belly fat combat we need to understand the "causes of belly fat".
A woman of normal weight can have a proper diet, be physically active and still have abdominal fat. In this case, you should know that the problem certainly lies in the management of stress, because the latter has a great influence on the silhouette. Physical or psychological stress causes the release of cortisol in the body. Cortisol has a hyperglycemic action (= it increases blood sugar) and aims to provide the brain with sufficient energy to cope with stressors. Prolonged secretion of cortisol, as in cases of chronic stress, gradually causes exhaustion of the adrenal glands and many health problems,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7rvQWB2-wB0
You may think that eating less and exercising more will not make your abdominal fat worse. Think again: low calorie diets and intensive cardio workouts are the most important sources of stress 1 . Stress encompasses not only situations where you feel anxious or depressed, but also concern for physical appearance, relationship tensions, work problems, lack of sleep, extreme dieting and overtraining, among others How to melt abdominal fat in women?
How to melt abdominal fat in women?
Restore hormonal balance to reduce belly fat
To restore the balance between estrogen and testosterone levels, and also reduce the level of cortisol, it is important to rest and relax several times a week. You can treat yourself to a massage, a sauna, or just take a nap, take a hot bath, have a good time with your family, stroll, do some meditation ... The fact of doing 2 sessions of bodybuilding per week allows in addition to using testosterone for muscle building rather than for storing fat 1 .
Reduce stress to lose abdominal fat
As you can see, it is counterproductive to combine intensive workout and low calorie diet to lose belly fat. Moreover, it is advisable to avoid any type of extreme diet whatsoever (low in carbohydrates, fat ...). It is better to make the choice either to eat more by training more, or to eat less by training less, knowing that the last option often shows better results 1 . In addition, walking at a slow pace to relax one hour a day can significantly lower the level of cortisol and is one of the best exercises for women with recalcitrant abdominal fat.
And as a healthy lifestyle also means a good diet, it is better to try to reduce as much as possible both fatty and sugary foods, and to increase the share of foods rich in flavonoids because they reduce the overall activity of cortisol in the body. So put blueberries, currants, peaches, nectarines, and dark chocolate, among others, on the menu.
"Six pack" abdominal training
All about the well defined abs.
You really want to have abs in six pack or chocolate bar? Prepare for a muscular and demanding training! With the right strategy, you will attract all eyes to your abdomen.
Here, you will discover how it works:
What is a six pack?
For those who do not know, the six pack is an English term means well defined abdominals on the abdomen. We also talk about chocolate bar, for people with abs visible through their training. But before going on the "crunchy" path of the chocolate bar, it is helpful to dwell on the anatomy of the abdominal muscles.
The big right abdominal muscle
The abdominal muscles consist of different muscles and tendinous plates, such as layers that would be over-exposed. At the top are the oblique outer abdominal muscle ( Musculus obliquus externus abdominis ) and the right abdominal muscle ( M. rectus abdominis ). The latter is the muscle of the six pack. It extends from the ribs 5, 6, 7 to the xiphoidal appendix of the sternum and attaches to the pubic bone.
Horizontally, it is divided by 3 to 4 "intermediate tendons" As a general rule, if you have a low body fat mass, the Linea Alba stands out above the belly button as well as two of the intermediate tendons. This gives the impression of six individual muscles - the six pack.
However each human has a different genetics explaining that with the same fitness training, we do not always get a six pack: so, in some people, the chocolate bar consists of a pack of four muscles . Some famous and concrete examples are the former bodybuilding champions - Frank Zane and Ronnie Coleman - the latter also has an unusually large Linea Alba (called "rectus diastase")
In other people, the Linea Alba is also visible under the belly button: therefore, they can look forward to getting the corresponding form of a pack of eight or " Eightpack ". And in exceptionally rare cases, a distinct Linea Alba can provide a 4th intermediate tendon.
Consequence of this will be a 10 pack!
But to be quite clear, the specificity of the right abdominal muscle, the number and location of tendons and abdominals is genetically determined and can not be influenced by exercise or diet.
Still, we will continue to talk only about "six pack", simply because this term represents strong and visible abdominal muscles - regardless of whether it is a pack of four, eight or ten abs if we take a closer look.
Now let's see how you can get concrete abs.
What should I do to get a six pack?
You could say by saying: the six pack is obtained by a weight training and the chocolate bar, by cons, by the cardio training. Because to get a real chocolate bar two things must occur:
Right abdominal musculature with large abdominal muscles and with deep grooves formed by the tendons.
So little abdominal fat that this structure is clearly outlined under the skin by muscles and tendons.
But it's not so easy. If we want to answer exactly the question of how to get a six pack, we must first ask ourselves what is the starting position of the person who wants a six pack . Only after that can you tell what kind of training is needed and if it should also be lightened.
Before looking at the possible starting scenarios, here are two important preliminary remarks:
There is no magic formula for the 6 pack
To the question of which body fat mass index (IMG) the abdominal muscles are visible, it is not possible to answer universally. Indeed, individual genetics determines the distribution of fat cells in the body ...
The consequence is that in people with many fat cells in the abdominal region, the chocolate bar will be comparatively invisible.
IMG refers to the whole body and not just to the abdominal area.
Thus, we can not say exactly from which IMG a "6 pack" is visible . We can only give a margin, which applies for most people.
Men: 10-15% IMG
Women: 10-20% IMG
Moreover, even if it is often desired and readily promised - belly fat can not be eliminated in isolation . During a calorie deficit, the body burns more fat cells for energy production. He decides which cells he wants to choose for this purpose, which again means that it is genetic.
Healthy and slim, without chocolate bar
If we look at the tables with the average proportions of body fat, we notice that there are values considered as healthy or optimal, which are in some cases significantly higher than the values that we can count on a well marked six-pack. . So, for the 20-30 age group, we come across these numbers:
Men: 12-20% IMG
Women: 20-30% IMG
Of course, this does not mean that a weak IMG and a six pack are automatically bad for you. But these values are designed to sharpen your perception and encourage you to achieve a realistic goal. Especially when it comes to body image, perception is quickly distorted.
Thus, you can really admire six very well developed packs especially in fitness models and bodybuilders as well as professional athletes and actors. The corresponding IMGs are somewhere between 12 and 5 (!)%.
However, you should not take these categories of people entirely as a reference model because they have very different possibilities for you to get this silhouette:
Professional training (box)
Professional feeding program
Extreme diets before the tour / series / competition
Photo shoots that take care of giving an optimal effect
Digital post-processing of images
In addition, these people do not have the abs so well designed permanently . Indeed, it is very difficult to reduce as much as possible your IMG to the point of having abdominals as perfect. And it's even harder to keep them. And it's not necessarily healthy either. This becomes evident when one considers that an IMG of about 5% is vital in men (in women, it is about 12%).
An IMG of less than 8% in a man and in correspondence of less than 15% in a woman, who are concerned about having six-pack extremely well developed, already put the body in a state of deficiency or of need . If he remains in this state for a long time, it can have a negative effect on the whole organism. Problems such as lack of energy or loss of libido then occur.
It is very important to look after your diet so that the quest for the six pack does not become too extreme. Be attentive to the sensations of your body and be satisfied with a silhouette with which you are visually satisfied and who does not exhaust you physically or mentally.
How to get a six pack: women
Now that these preliminary remarks about body fat are made, we can come back to the question of how to get a six pack. In the spirit of what has just been discussed, the term " IMG too high" will refer only to the six visible pack and not to the general form .
IMG too high and no training
If you do not play sports in general and you have an IMG that does not allow the development of a six pack, two things are necessary to get abdominals: bodybuilding to develop the abdominal muscles and cardio training with a deficit caloric to reduce body fat . The problem being that metabolically and / or nutritionally, both are difficult to achieve at the same time. So, you must first lose weight and then build muscle - or vice versa. (Learn more about muscle growth and fat loss simultaneously with our dry weight record !).
IMG too high with training
The high value of an IMG is not related to the existing muscle mass. On the contrary, good eaters have a great advantage in gaining muscle mass if they do the right training (we do not say without reason: "You have to eat to become tall and strong!"). And in some sporting activities, especially in the weight classes, the extra pounds are not important (weight throw, weightlifting, football or Sumos fights). If you are generally strong and athletic , you can trust that you already have the muscles for the six pack; you only need to bring them to the surface. You will succeed with a good cardio workout - for example, HIIT training - and aprotein diet.
IMG correct but without training
If the IMG is correct and the fat is not stored disproportionately on the belly, but there is still no sign of six pack is that there is too little mass muscle available . It is likely that you do not train enough because the abdominal muscles are solicited in virtually all sports. It sounds disappointing at first, but it's actually the best starting point to successfully and quickly get a six pack : just set up for three to six months, an abdominal muscle workout (see below). For this purpose, you will get the beginner bonus and build enough muscle to get visible abs.. A typical muscle building diet prescribes a caloric surplus of 300 to 500 calories but you should do without it if you really want to keep your IMG as low as possible. Instead of consuming more, consume as many calories a day as you need (or at most 200 more). Pay attention to the proper distribution of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. (In our special article on muscle building, you'll learn more about the food program for building muscle ).
Your workouts to get a six pack
As explained above, the six pack is formed by a well trained right abdominal muscle . To achieve this, here are things you need to do:
Curvature of the torso
Raise the torso from the supine position on the back
Raise the pool
it is now a matter of knowing how to choose the exercises that solicit the right abdominal muscle and that's good. Basically, this is not a bad idea because these muscles are in all cases necessary for intensive training in order to form a chocolate bar as an abs.
However, it must be taken into consideration that the right abdominal muscle is primarily concerned with oblique abdominal muscles and torso movements . But a strong torso must not only be able to move but also be stable . Those are the deep muscles of the lower abdomen and dorsals that take care of ensuring this stability.
The problem here is that these deep abdominal muscles are particularly active during isometric training in which the muscles do not shrink and stretch but where, for a relatively long time, they exercise only maintenance (endurance as training goal). The growth of the right abdominal muscle, like the growth of each muscle, is further stimulated by hypertrophic dynamic training .
In other words, a certain conflict dominates here between the training in a visual objective, in particular with the maximum force, and the training in a goal of health in particular endurance. You mitigate it by combining isometric and dynamic abdominal exercises in other words by doing exercises that fix both isometric and dynamic stimuli.
Our next workout will include a mix of exercises consisting of everything you need to get six packs!
The best six pack exercises crunches
The crunch is the best complete exercise for all of the abdominal muscles since it drives the right abdominal muscle slightly stronger than the oblique abdominal muscles. Another positive point of the crunch: by varying the posture of the arm and the range of motion, the level of difficulty can be increased or decreased .
3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions, 60-180 seconds between sets
Instructions for the exercise of the crunch
Crunch: abdo exercise
Muscles solicities: right abdominal muscles, oblique abdominal muscles
Difficulty: easy to medium
Contraction shape: dynamic
Equipment needed: fitness mat or bath towel (optional)
The abdominal crunch (in French: "the abdominals") is the best exercise to work the whole musculature of the belly , strengthening slightly more right abdominal muscles than obliques. With the crunch you get effectively abdominals (or a "Sixpack") particularly developed. The great advantage of the crunch: by changing arm posture and range of motion, the level of difficulty can be decreased or increased.
Starting position
Basic position I
Lie on your back and bring your thighs closer to your chest until they are at least perpendicular to the floor. An articular angle with the hip less than 90 ° is recommended because it relieves the lower back. The legs can be crossed; the angle between the buttocks and the thighs does not matter.
Basic position II
Lie on your back and place your legs so that only your heels touch the floor. The angle between the thigh and the lower leg should be a little less than 90 °. Now, press your heels hard on the ground to raise your pelvis. The lower back then comes in contact with the ground and must remain so throughout the exercise.
Possible positions for arms and hands
Extend your arms along the body.
Cross your forearms, put your hands on your chest.
Turn your elbows outward and gently put your fingers on your temples.
Turn your elbows out, place your hands on your head or behind your head.
(For the basic position II) Stretch your arms, your palms touch and the tips of the fingers point towards the knees.
Correct execution
In order to move from the basic position to the starting position, straighten your head a little and increase the tension in the abdominal muscles. Now, direct your bust as far as possible towards the knees. The lower back does not move away from the ground and the head remains permanently in the extension of the spine . The chin does not approach the thorax during the execution of the movement (the distance between the chin and the chest should not be less than the shape of a fist). Hold the end position for 1-3 seconds then slowly return to the starting position. The head remains lifted throughout the exercise.
Variations of the exercise
Crunch with outstretched arms
This variant increases the level of difficulty of the crunch by the setting in situation of the arms of lever.
Execution : To do this type of crunch, all you have to do is stretch your arms over your head and hold them well while doing the normal movement. In this version, the crunch is one of the most effective exercises for the right abdominal muscles.
Lateral crunch
Unlike a priori, lateral crunches also strengthen the right abdominal muscle. However, this type of abdominal pressure requires more oblique abdominal muscles than rights.
Execution : Everything works almost as in the standard crunch, but with this variant, the upper body turns a little . Bring the right elbow first to the left knee and then the left elbow to the right knee. And you keep doing the exercise as well. In this variant of crunch, it is advisable to keep your fingers on the temples.
Inverted crunch
This execution of Crunch strengthens all the abdominal muscles, but in a moderate way. Nevertheless, the inverted crunch can be a sensible alternative to other exercises that can be painful for the neck. The head does not have to be straightened in this abdominal exercise.
Execution : To perform an inverted crunch, lie on your back. Place your arms along the body or crosswise behind the head or cross over the chest. The thighs form a 90 ° angle with the ground. Instead of lifting your torso like in a normal crunch, here you bring as much as possible your knees to your chest so that your pelvis is detached from the ground. The lower back, however, remains in contact with the ground throughout the exercise. Make sure to work without momentum and only by the power of your abdominal muscles.
Crunch with cable
This type of exercise is done using a cable - hence its name. This means, first of all: you will not be able to perform this abdominal exercise at home because a cable is not exactly the standard equipment of homes. You can of course attach a fitness rope to a pull bar. However, this must then have the right length and especially the maintenance.
Now, about the cable of this crunch: you need a cable pulley, which is also used for triceps exercises.
On the carabiner, you attach the handle with both ends of the rope and knobs. When the cable pull is adjustable, you choose one of the highest positions for the roll on which the cable runs. Then adjust the weight of the plates correctly.
Stand back against the cable and grasp the ends of the rope with thumbs up. Now, kneel with your feet directly on the cable, without the thighs touching the lower legs (there are also variants, where you look at the device). Your torso should be at an angle of about 45 ° C up, the lower back in its neutral position, so you should have a slight bend inward. You can guide the ends of the rope over your neck muscles so that your hands are in front of your collarbones. Or you keep your hands next to your head.
Now, it gets a little tougher: only with your abdominal muscles, solicit your torso without bending the hips . Your buttocks do not fall on your heels. You do not fall down either between the torso and the thighs. Following the right movement, your chin moves to your knees.
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/02079327400.html
The role of stress in excess abdominal fat in women.
Abdominal fat is not just about calories or weight, the female body stores fat differently to their male counterparts. And if we want to go into belly fat combat we need to understand the "causes of belly fat".
A woman of normal weight can have a proper diet, be physically active and still have abdominal fat. In this case, you should know that the problem certainly lies in the management of stress, because the latter has a great influence on the silhouette. Physical or psychological stress causes the release of cortisol in the body. Cortisol has a hyperglycemic action (= it increases blood sugar) and aims to provide the brain with sufficient energy to cope with stressors. Prolonged secretion of cortisol, as in cases of chronic stress, gradually causes exhaustion of the adrenal glands and many health problems,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7rvQWB2-wB0
You may think that eating less and exercising more will not make your abdominal fat worse. Think again: low calorie diets and intensive cardio workouts are the most important sources of stress 1 . Stress encompasses not only situations where you feel anxious or depressed, but also concern for physical appearance, relationship tensions, work problems, lack of sleep, extreme dieting and overtraining, among others How to melt abdominal fat in women?
How to melt abdominal fat in women?
Restore hormonal balance to reduce belly fat
To restore the balance between estrogen and testosterone levels, and also reduce the level of cortisol, it is important to rest and relax several times a week. You can treat yourself to a massage, a sauna, or just take a nap, take a hot bath, have a good time with your family, stroll, do some meditation ... The fact of doing 2 sessions of bodybuilding per week allows in addition to using testosterone for muscle building rather than for storing fat 1 .
Reduce stress to lose abdominal fat
As you can see, it is counterproductive to combine intensive workout and low calorie diet to lose belly fat. Moreover, it is advisable to avoid any type of extreme diet whatsoever (low in carbohydrates, fat ...). It is better to make the choice either to eat more by training more, or to eat less by training less, knowing that the last option often shows better results 1 . In addition, walking at a slow pace to relax one hour a day can significantly lower the level of cortisol and is one of the best exercises for women with recalcitrant abdominal fat.
And as a healthy lifestyle also means a good diet, it is better to try to reduce as much as possible both fatty and sugary foods, and to increase the share of foods rich in flavonoids because they reduce the overall activity of cortisol in the body. So put blueberries, currants, peaches, nectarines, and dark chocolate, among others, on the menu.
"Six pack" abdominal training
All about the well defined abs.
You really want to have abs in six pack or chocolate bar? Prepare for a muscular and demanding training! With the right strategy, you will attract all eyes to your abdomen.
Here, you will discover how it works:
What is a six pack?
For those who do not know, the six pack is an English term means well defined abdominals on the abdomen. We also talk about chocolate bar, for people with abs visible through their training. But before going on the "crunchy" path of the chocolate bar, it is helpful to dwell on the anatomy of the abdominal muscles.
The big right abdominal muscle
The abdominal muscles consist of different muscles and tendinous plates, such as layers that would be over-exposed. At the top are the oblique outer abdominal muscle ( Musculus obliquus externus abdominis ) and the right abdominal muscle ( M. rectus abdominis ). The latter is the muscle of the six pack. It extends from the ribs 5, 6, 7 to the xiphoidal appendix of the sternum and attaches to the pubic bone.
Horizontally, it is divided by 3 to 4 "intermediate tendons" As a general rule, if you have a low body fat mass, the Linea Alba stands out above the belly button as well as two of the intermediate tendons. This gives the impression of six individual muscles - the six pack.
However each human has a different genetics explaining that with the same fitness training, we do not always get a six pack: so, in some people, the chocolate bar consists of a pack of four muscles . Some famous and concrete examples are the former bodybuilding champions - Frank Zane and Ronnie Coleman - the latter also has an unusually large Linea Alba (called "rectus diastase")
In other people, the Linea Alba is also visible under the belly button: therefore, they can look forward to getting the corresponding form of a pack of eight or " Eightpack ". And in exceptionally rare cases, a distinct Linea Alba can provide a 4th intermediate tendon.
Consequence of this will be a 10 pack!
But to be quite clear, the specificity of the right abdominal muscle, the number and location of tendons and abdominals is genetically determined and can not be influenced by exercise or diet.
Still, we will continue to talk only about "six pack", simply because this term represents strong and visible abdominal muscles - regardless of whether it is a pack of four, eight or ten abs if we take a closer look.
Now let's see how you can get concrete abs.
What should I do to get a six pack?
You could say by saying: the six pack is obtained by a weight training and the chocolate bar, by cons, by the cardio training. Because to get a real chocolate bar two things must occur:
Right abdominal musculature with large abdominal muscles and with deep grooves formed by the tendons.
So little abdominal fat that this structure is clearly outlined under the skin by muscles and tendons.
But it's not so easy. If we want to answer exactly the question of how to get a six pack, we must first ask ourselves what is the starting position of the person who wants a six pack . Only after that can you tell what kind of training is needed and if it should also be lightened.
Before looking at the possible starting scenarios, here are two important preliminary remarks:
There is no magic formula for the 6 pack
To the question of which body fat mass index (IMG) the abdominal muscles are visible, it is not possible to answer universally. Indeed, individual genetics determines the distribution of fat cells in the body ...
The consequence is that in people with many fat cells in the abdominal region, the chocolate bar will be comparatively invisible.
IMG refers to the whole body and not just to the abdominal area.
Thus, we can not say exactly from which IMG a "6 pack" is visible . We can only give a margin, which applies for most people.
Men: 10-15% IMG
Women: 10-20% IMG
Moreover, even if it is often desired and readily promised - belly fat can not be eliminated in isolation . During a calorie deficit, the body burns more fat cells for energy production. He decides which cells he wants to choose for this purpose, which again means that it is genetic.
Healthy and slim, without chocolate bar
If we look at the tables with the average proportions of body fat, we notice that there are values considered as healthy or optimal, which are in some cases significantly higher than the values that we can count on a well marked six-pack. . So, for the 20-30 age group, we come across these numbers:
Men: 12-20% IMG
Women: 20-30% IMG
Of course, this does not mean that a weak IMG and a six pack are automatically bad for you. But these values are designed to sharpen your perception and encourage you to achieve a realistic goal. Especially when it comes to body image, perception is quickly distorted.
Thus, you can really admire six very well developed packs especially in fitness models and bodybuilders as well as professional athletes and actors. The corresponding IMGs are somewhere between 12 and 5 (!)%.
However, you should not take these categories of people entirely as a reference model because they have very different possibilities for you to get this silhouette:
Professional training (box)
Professional feeding program
Extreme diets before the tour / series / competition
Photo shoots that take care of giving an optimal effect
Digital post-processing of images
In addition, these people do not have the abs so well designed permanently . Indeed, it is very difficult to reduce as much as possible your IMG to the point of having abdominals as perfect. And it's even harder to keep them. And it's not necessarily healthy either. This becomes evident when one considers that an IMG of about 5% is vital in men (in women, it is about 12%).
An IMG of less than 8% in a man and in correspondence of less than 15% in a woman, who are concerned about having six-pack extremely well developed, already put the body in a state of deficiency or of need . If he remains in this state for a long time, it can have a negative effect on the whole organism. Problems such as lack of energy or loss of libido then occur.
It is very important to look after your diet so that the quest for the six pack does not become too extreme. Be attentive to the sensations of your body and be satisfied with a silhouette with which you are visually satisfied and who does not exhaust you physically or mentally.
How to get a six pack: women
Now that these preliminary remarks about body fat are made, we can come back to the question of how to get a six pack. In the spirit of what has just been discussed, the term " IMG too high" will refer only to the six visible pack and not to the general form .
IMG too high and no training
If you do not play sports in general and you have an IMG that does not allow the development of a six pack, two things are necessary to get abdominals: bodybuilding to develop the abdominal muscles and cardio training with a deficit caloric to reduce body fat . The problem being that metabolically and / or nutritionally, both are difficult to achieve at the same time. So, you must first lose weight and then build muscle - or vice versa. (Learn more about muscle growth and fat loss simultaneously with our dry weight record !).
IMG too high with training
The high value of an IMG is not related to the existing muscle mass. On the contrary, good eaters have a great advantage in gaining muscle mass if they do the right training (we do not say without reason: "You have to eat to become tall and strong!"). And in some sporting activities, especially in the weight classes, the extra pounds are not important (weight throw, weightlifting, football or Sumos fights). If you are generally strong and athletic , you can trust that you already have the muscles for the six pack; you only need to bring them to the surface. You will succeed with a good cardio workout - for example, HIIT training - and aprotein diet.
IMG correct but without training
If the IMG is correct and the fat is not stored disproportionately on the belly, but there is still no sign of six pack is that there is too little mass muscle available . It is likely that you do not train enough because the abdominal muscles are solicited in virtually all sports. It sounds disappointing at first, but it's actually the best starting point to successfully and quickly get a six pack : just set up for three to six months, an abdominal muscle workout (see below). For this purpose, you will get the beginner bonus and build enough muscle to get visible abs.. A typical muscle building diet prescribes a caloric surplus of 300 to 500 calories but you should do without it if you really want to keep your IMG as low as possible. Instead of consuming more, consume as many calories a day as you need (or at most 200 more). Pay attention to the proper distribution of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. (In our special article on muscle building, you'll learn more about the food program for building muscle ).
Your workouts to get a six pack
As explained above, the six pack is formed by a well trained right abdominal muscle . To achieve this, here are things you need to do:
Curvature of the torso
Raise the torso from the supine position on the back
Raise the pool
it is now a matter of knowing how to choose the exercises that solicit the right abdominal muscle and that's good. Basically, this is not a bad idea because these muscles are in all cases necessary for intensive training in order to form a chocolate bar as an abs.
However, it must be taken into consideration that the right abdominal muscle is primarily concerned with oblique abdominal muscles and torso movements . But a strong torso must not only be able to move but also be stable . Those are the deep muscles of the lower abdomen and dorsals that take care of ensuring this stability.
The problem here is that these deep abdominal muscles are particularly active during isometric training in which the muscles do not shrink and stretch but where, for a relatively long time, they exercise only maintenance (endurance as training goal). The growth of the right abdominal muscle, like the growth of each muscle, is further stimulated by hypertrophic dynamic training .
In other words, a certain conflict dominates here between the training in a visual objective, in particular with the maximum force, and the training in a goal of health in particular endurance. You mitigate it by combining isometric and dynamic abdominal exercises in other words by doing exercises that fix both isometric and dynamic stimuli.
Our next workout will include a mix of exercises consisting of everything you need to get six packs!
The best six pack exercises crunches
The crunch is the best complete exercise for all of the abdominal muscles since it drives the right abdominal muscle slightly stronger than the oblique abdominal muscles. Another positive point of the crunch: by varying the posture of the arm and the range of motion, the level of difficulty can be increased or decreased .
3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions, 60-180 seconds between sets
Instructions for the exercise of the crunch
Crunch: abdo exercise
Muscles solicities: right abdominal muscles, oblique abdominal muscles
Difficulty: easy to medium
Contraction shape: dynamic
Equipment needed: fitness mat or bath towel (optional)
The abdominal crunch (in French: "the abdominals") is the best exercise to work the whole musculature of the belly , strengthening slightly more right abdominal muscles than obliques. With the crunch you get effectively abdominals (or a "Sixpack") particularly developed. The great advantage of the crunch: by changing arm posture and range of motion, the level of difficulty can be decreased or increased.
Starting position
Basic position I
Lie on your back and bring your thighs closer to your chest until they are at least perpendicular to the floor. An articular angle with the hip less than 90 ° is recommended because it relieves the lower back. The legs can be crossed; the angle between the buttocks and the thighs does not matter.
Basic position II
Lie on your back and place your legs so that only your heels touch the floor. The angle between the thigh and the lower leg should be a little less than 90 °. Now, press your heels hard on the ground to raise your pelvis. The lower back then comes in contact with the ground and must remain so throughout the exercise.
Possible positions for arms and hands
Extend your arms along the body.
Cross your forearms, put your hands on your chest.
Turn your elbows outward and gently put your fingers on your temples.
Turn your elbows out, place your hands on your head or behind your head.
(For the basic position II) Stretch your arms, your palms touch and the tips of the fingers point towards the knees.
Correct execution
In order to move from the basic position to the starting position, straighten your head a little and increase the tension in the abdominal muscles. Now, direct your bust as far as possible towards the knees. The lower back does not move away from the ground and the head remains permanently in the extension of the spine . The chin does not approach the thorax during the execution of the movement (the distance between the chin and the chest should not be less than the shape of a fist). Hold the end position for 1-3 seconds then slowly return to the starting position. The head remains lifted throughout the exercise.
Variations of the exercise
Crunch with outstretched arms
This variant increases the level of difficulty of the crunch by the setting in situation of the arms of lever.
Execution : To do this type of crunch, all you have to do is stretch your arms over your head and hold them well while doing the normal movement. In this version, the crunch is one of the most effective exercises for the right abdominal muscles.
Lateral crunch
Unlike a priori, lateral crunches also strengthen the right abdominal muscle. However, this type of abdominal pressure requires more oblique abdominal muscles than rights.
Execution : Everything works almost as in the standard crunch, but with this variant, the upper body turns a little . Bring the right elbow first to the left knee and then the left elbow to the right knee. And you keep doing the exercise as well. In this variant of crunch, it is advisable to keep your fingers on the temples.
Inverted crunch
This execution of Crunch strengthens all the abdominal muscles, but in a moderate way. Nevertheless, the inverted crunch can be a sensible alternative to other exercises that can be painful for the neck. The head does not have to be straightened in this abdominal exercise.
Execution : To perform an inverted crunch, lie on your back. Place your arms along the body or crosswise behind the head or cross over the chest. The thighs form a 90 ° angle with the ground. Instead of lifting your torso like in a normal crunch, here you bring as much as possible your knees to your chest so that your pelvis is detached from the ground. The lower back, however, remains in contact with the ground throughout the exercise. Make sure to work without momentum and only by the power of your abdominal muscles.
Crunch with cable
This type of exercise is done using a cable - hence its name. This means, first of all: you will not be able to perform this abdominal exercise at home because a cable is not exactly the standard equipment of homes. You can of course attach a fitness rope to a pull bar. However, this must then have the right length and especially the maintenance.
Now, about the cable of this crunch: you need a cable pulley, which is also used for triceps exercises.
On the carabiner, you attach the handle with both ends of the rope and knobs. When the cable pull is adjustable, you choose one of the highest positions for the roll on which the cable runs. Then adjust the weight of the plates correctly.
Stand back against the cable and grasp the ends of the rope with thumbs up. Now, kneel with your feet directly on the cable, without the thighs touching the lower legs (there are also variants, where you look at the device). Your torso should be at an angle of about 45 ° C up, the lower back in its neutral position, so you should have a slight bend inward. You can guide the ends of the rope over your neck muscles so that your hands are in front of your collarbones. Or you keep your hands next to your head.
Now, it gets a little tougher: only with your abdominal muscles, solicit your torso without bending the hips . Your buttocks do not fall on your heels. You do not fall down either between the torso and the thighs. Following the right movement, your chin moves to your knees.
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