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

"Lifebuoy" at the waist is a familiar issue for many women. You too? Then try the following proven belly and lower body slimming exercises.

lifting muscle to lose belly fat

How and why does body fat accumulate?

Understanding the mechanism of this process will make it easier for you to develop a weight loss program and reduce problem area volume. "Fat accumulates due to an excess of calories in the diet. This is the extra energy that the body stores, - explainsVictoria Kasilova,Personal trainer and personal fitness lab founder.You can draw the following analogy: imagine that you take money, buy gold bars and put them in a safe, locking them with a key. Now imagine that you have decided to get this money back. First you need to find the key to the safe, open it, take out these bars, exchange for money. The same goes for 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 a demand for energy that the body itself wants to spend these reserves of".

Erase the sides and belly: where to start?

With an understanding of the fact that the human body cannot lose weight locally, i. e. only in a specific area. "You gain weight and lose weight according to your fitness and genetics, "Ekaterina Demidova, master coach of group program orientation.

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

However, you need to choose them wisely. Victoria Kasilova says: "There is a myth that when we train muscle, we burn fat. - This is not true. Because fat burning takes place throughout the body, andnot local. But we can solve the problem. In what respect? Build muscle there, develop strength or mobility. Specifically, we can't burn fat in some areas. where, because it exits according to the characteristics of your body. Someone easily and quickly loses volume in the leg area, someone - in the abdomen, and someone first. reduce chest, upper back, and only then everything else. The body first removes fat from places where it considers its storage less priority. And from places that matter most to you. me (in women it's usually just the belly, the sides, and the sides), he gives away much worse "reserves".

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

Losing belly fat: Big mistakes

The most common mistakes coaches consider are as follows:

Use a thermal cardigan or plastic wrap during training.Victoria Kasilova says: "There's a common myth that where we sweat, we lose weight. "But that's not the case. Fat does not go away with sweat. If things are that simple, you can go to the sauna to lose weight. In fact, as a result of this, only the liquid is released. And sometimes well, necessary. When carried away by "diaphoretic" devices, you dehydrate the body and increase the load on the cardiac system. "

And in addition - you run the risk of harming internal organs. Ekaterina Demidova warns: "For example, a corset when exercising will increase pressure on internal organs, impair blood circulation and not allow deep muscles to work. "

Refuse functional exercise.The idea of losing belly fat quickly is so appealing to some that they skip any exercise, leaving only crunches to the press in their exercise schedule. And to no avail! "First, there's no tight abs on a loose body with no training, " says Victoria Kasilova. "If a person starts working out, he will first notice significant relief in his arms, legs, and legs, " says Victoria Kasilova. , back and only then - the abdominal muscles".

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

Second, the abdominal exercises themselves don't take as much effort as many basic moves like squats, deadlifts, push-ups. "To generate higher calorie consumption (a key condition for weight loss in the abdomen, sides, and entire body), you need to work the big muscles. This is similar to how the big muscles work. car engine: "small car" consumes a little gasoline, an SUV - many times more. So the SUV is the muscle of the legs, and the "running track" is the muscle of the press. "

Plus, working too hard on your abs runs the risk of injuring your back. "Without knowing how to work your body and overloading your abs wildly, you'll be more prone to lower back injuries, hernias, or protrusions than a nice abs. Because these moves have a compressive impactup the spine, " adds Victoria.

Performing exercises that are useless or inappropriate.The former includes side bends with dumbbells. "It won't work against the sides this way. This way you won't make your waistline thin either. Strengthen some muscle groups but you won't get the desired effect. wait, crouch with weights if it doesn't hurt, if it doesn't hurt your lower back, if it helps you it's like a placebo, but there's not much benefit from this exerciseAbove all, you should do a cross twist when lying down, it will be safer for the lower back ", Victoria Kasilova recounts.

Experts also do not recommend performing too complex exercises, only for highly trained people: performing athletes, fitness models. "Let's take, for example, hanging a leg. It is believed that this is a drill for the press, " - Victoria Kasilova said. - But in fact, if you start to disassemble it from the point of view of biomechanics, thenIts key movement is hip flexion. The main muscles for flexing the joint are rectus femoris, quadriceps. So if your leg muscles are underdeveloped, they'll be the first to get tired, simple compression. If this happens in a truly hanging state with no support, you need strong arms and back muscles to support your body. In addition, the body must be slim enough to support the wings. hands can support its weight. "

Who should do abs and side exercises?

Experts advise to focus only on training the muscles of the press in some cases. "It is necessary to pump this area separately for beginners, for those who have no preparation at all - after rehabilitation, after childbirth. Here, a type of twist that is easy to lie on the floor, a plank and similar exercises on a stabilizer stand will be very helpful, - says Victoria Kasilova. - This is necessary to combine the sternum and pelvis into a single unit. This area is soft. To be flexible and able to perform common exercises, cope with household chores without injury to your back, you need simple exercises for the abs. "

The same goes for performing athletes. Victoria Kasilova adds: "It is also worth including in training exercises for the press for those who are preparing for competitions - bikinists gymnasts, for example.

If you have been training for a long time and do not participate in bodybuilding bikini competitions, it does not make sense to pump more into the press. "Once a person has been training for a while, coordination develops, ab exercises are dropped from the program because they are less of a priority. Because the abs in big exercises work like a set of exercises. stable, it supports your body as you perform squats, pull-ups, bench presses, deadlifts, push-ups. "

The most effective exercises to reduce belly and side fat

There are many types of exercises for this area, but not all will give you the desired effect. In addition, not all movements can be practiced at home. "I recommend doing simple exercises at home in terms of technique. Multi-motion programming is recommended: a press of many small fibers located at different angles. By combining different exercises, you can use all of them, " adds Victoria Kasilova.

We asked the experts to compile a list of the most effective, easy, and simple ab exercises. Here they are:

  • Plank."This is a versatile exercise where the deep muscles, including the transverse and oblique muscles, are actively worked. You can do many different types of planks - classic, horizontal or dynamic, which is important. The most important thing is to do them skillfully and accurately. Instead of a minute plan, it is more effective to do a few short games with a break of a few seconds, the so-called "segmented" plank, " says Ekaterina Demidova.
  • Not quite crunches."When you do the twist, only lift up to the lower edge of the shoulder blades, so you activate the rectus abdominis and obliques, " Ekaterina observes.
  • "Square".Ekaterina Demidova recalls: "In this pose, if done correctly, you can work the core muscles separately.

Direct exercises "not intended" for this area will also help slim the abdomen and hips effectively. This is pretty much the entire power base - squats, deadlifts, etc. v. "It's important to understand that abdominal exercises don't always work the abs, we have the whole core involved with them - the muscles in the midsection. the body, connecting the sternum and pelvis. ", - VictoriaKasilova concluded.

We asked Victoria to show us a set of exercises that take all of these factors into account.

How to build lessons

  • Start your workout with some simple joint exercises or 10-minute cardio. This will help prepare your muscles and joints to resist stress.
  • Perform all exercises in sequence.
  • Watch your breath: the main effort should be made on the exhale.
  • Join this program 4-6 times a week.
  • Increase the load gradually. Victoria Kasilova says: "The adaptation of the body (and therefore the change in appearance) occurs only when we create stress, overload. "So the lessons should be gradually complicated. week: use weights, increase the number of repetitions. "
  • Supplement your workout with cardiovascular exercises. If your schedule doesn't include regular strength training, make sure to add cardio to the main combo - swimming, 40-50 minute cycling, and running two or three times a week should suffice. Victoria Kasilova summarizes: "Cardio will burn a lot of those calories, with its help we can get rid of some fat, but the exercises for the press will help to make the muscles strong. stronger.

To complete the complex you will need a mat and a ball.

Straight twist

Lie on your back, knees slightly bent. Press your lower back into the floor. Working with abs, on an exhale, lift your shoulder blades off the floor, straighten your arms forward, touching your knees with your palms. Don't strain your neck and shoulders. Gently lower your back to the mat. This will be a repeat. Execution15-20 of them.

Oblique twist

Lie on your back, knees slightly bent. Press your lower back into the floor. Working your abs, as you exhale, lift your shoulder blades off the floor and twist your body to the right. Stretch your arms out in front of you. Don't strain your neck and shoulders. Return to the starting position smoothly. Execution15-20 repetitionsin each direction.

Reverse crunches

Lie on your back, arms stretched along the body. Bend your knees slightly and lift your legs up. Press your lower back into the floor. Using your abs as you exhale, lift your pelvis off the floor and bring your legs behind your head. The abdomen should touch the thighs. Gently lower yourself to the starting position. Execution15-20 repetitionsHomeworks.

Twisting when lifting the pelvis

Lie on your back, place your hands in a padlock at the back of your head. Relax your neck and shoulders. Press your lower back into the floor. Pull your legs up, crossing your ankles. As you exhale, work your abs, while simultaneously lifting your shoulder blades and pelvis up onto the mat. Return to the starting position smoothly. Execution15-20 repetitionsHomeworks.

Dynamic inner bar

Lie on your right side, bend your right arm at the elbow and rest it on your forearm. Extend your legs and rest on the floor with the sides of your feet, placing your left hand on your thigh. Do not bend in the lower back. As you exhale, lift your pelvis off the floor, working your abs and back muscles. Fix at the top point for 3-4 seconds, return to the starting position. Execution20 repetitionsin each direction.

Rotate legs from prone position

Sit on the mat with your legs straight. Lean back slightly. Bend elbows, pull back slightly, and lean on forearms. Bend your leg at the hip joint and straighten it up. Press the sacrum into the floor. Working the muscles of the presses, core and thighs, rhythmically move the straight toes and legs to the left, back to the center, and lower them to the right. This will be a repeat. Execution10-20as if.

Lift body on fitball

Lie on your left side on the ball, 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 behind your head. With your right hand, lean lightly on the ball in front of you. As you exhale, working the muscles of the presses and core, gently tear the upper body off the ball. Do not slouch or arch your lower back. With one inhalation, return to the starting position. This will be a repeat. Run by20-30 of these in each direction. . .

Lift the pelvis on a ball

Stand in a plank position with straight arms supported, placing your feet on the ball that fits. Do not add back arches or sag. Bend your knees and work your abs, pushing up your pelvis. Pull your hips toward your stomach, rolling the ball closer to your arms. Return to the starting position smoothly. This will be a repeat. Execution20-30 of these.

Lower your legs with a rolling ball

Lie on your back, straighten your legs forward, squeezing the ball between your shins. Stretch your arms along your body. Raise your legs with a sphere perpendicular to the floor, while working your abs and core muscles, as you exhale, lower them to a 30-40 degree angle. This will be a repeat. Execution20-30 like that. . .

Animated plank

Focus on lying flat on your arms. Without increasing the arch in the lower back, relax the neck and shoulders. Activate the muscles of the anterior surface of the body - muscles of the body, thighs, arms. Then alternately bend your elbows and lower into the forearm plank. Return to original position. Do as many repetitions of the exercise as you can inOne minute. . .

When are the expected results?

Many experts agree that: rapid weight loss (in 10 days, for example) is harmful to your health and leads to equally rapid weight gain. Plus, there's a greater risk that the bounced kilos will "get you pregnant" - the body will store fat in the event of a new hunger strike or a grueling workout.

Gradual weight loss makes more sense. "Our efforts are always proportional to our results. Follow a proper diet and exercise 4-5 times a week, after a month you will definitely see the first results. But do not forget that the process of losing weight is very individual, it is always necessary to take into account the characteristics of each person and, let's say, "initial data. " The most important thing is to focus on what youwant to achieve, not difficulties, then you will surely achieve any goal ", commented Ekaterina Demidova.

So take note of our exercise program, do it regularly and you will probably notice the first weight loss results in a month.