In the human body, the main fat "deposits" are concentrated in the subcutaneous tissue and in the abdominal cavity and its wall, that is, in the abdomen. In a normal state, fat accumulates in an adult by increasing the size of the existing fat cells (adipocytes). But with an excess amount of fat in the cell, the process of their reproduction starts, which leads to a manifold 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 layer of fat 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 subcutaneous fat is 5-10 cm). Will belly-slimming exercises help "shake up" excess fat?
Effective Belly Slimming Exercises
In principle, exercises for fast belly weight loss - without a system of proper balanced nutrition - will not give the desired effect. Because adipose tissue is not just a "warehouse" 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 adipose cells, of which adipose tissue mainly consists. When triglycerides are broken down, the body receives energy, and the more energy is expended, the more triglycerides are broken down. That is, exercises for losing weight in the abdomen are the very intensified physical activity, in which there is an increase in fat consumption. The main thing is that morning exercises for slimming the abdomen are not accompanied by breakfasts, lunches and dinners, which in their caloric content would exceed the energy spent on their implementation . . .
So, home exercises for belly weight loss, according to weight loss experts, should be done at least three times a week. From the beginning of classes, each exercise is performed 8-10 times, and after a person is drawn into this business, all exercises for losing weight on the abdomen at home must be performed at least 20-25 times each.
A standard set of exercises for losing weight in the abdomen includes doing exercises in various positions - standing, sitting and lying. The following exercises are performed while lying down:
- Lying on your back, legs and arms straight, arms extended along the body. Without bringing your shoulders forward, while inhaling, raise your back from the floor, raise your straight arms along your legs, sit down and lean forward, trying to reach your toes with your hands. On exhalation, smoothly return to its original position.
- Lying on your back, the legs are bent at the knees, while the feet are almost shoulder-width apart. Hands are wound 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 tense. In this position, linger for 5-10 seconds. Exhale - again take a lying position.
- Lying on your back, legs and arms straight, arms extended along the body. Straight legs on inhalation are raised by 30 degrees in relation to the plane of the floor, 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. While inhaling, bend your knees and perform a movement that simulates cycling (30 seconds three times, with breaks of 5 seconds).
- Lying on your back, legs are bent at the knees, straight arms are extended along the body. While inhaling, raise the pelvis from the floor (with emphasis on the scapular region of the back) so that the stomach is in line with the knees. The position is maintained for 5-10 seconds and the initial position is slowly taken at the exit.
- Lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms behind the head, elbows to the 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 yet effective standing belly slimming exercises - traditional squats and bends.
- Stand straight, feet together, hands on the 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 are strained 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 straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the waist or behind the head. Inhale - bend forward, exhale - straighten, inhale - bend back, exhale - straighten.
- Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms up. Inhale (at the expense of 1-2-3) - a springy forward bend with the fingers touching the feet or the floor. On account 4 (exhalation) - take the starting position.
- Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the waist. Tighten the abdominal muscles firmly, then (without holding your breath) relax the muscles. The exercise is repeated 10-15 times.
Seated Belly Slimming Exercises
When doing belly slimming exercises while sitting, you need to ensure that your back and shoulders remain straight. This increases the load on the abdominal muscles.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, arms laid back slightly in the support position. Keep straight legs 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 pauses.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, arms straight outstretched forward. Alternately lifting the buttocks and straining the abdominal muscles, move forward and backward (one meter). Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, arms laid back slightly in the support position. Keep straight legs together, leaning back slightly, alternately lift them off the floor. The exercise is repeated in three sets of 10 times.
Abdominal Slimming Exercises for Men
All of the above exercises for slimming the abdomen 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 out along the body. While inhaling, raise your straight legs up (do not raise your head and shoulders! ) And hold them in this position for 10 seconds. On exhalation - take the original position. As you exercise, the time you hold the raised legs should be gradually increased.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, arms laid back slightly in the support position. Keep straight legs together; leaning back slightly, raise 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 raised, bent and pressed to the chest alternately - right and left separately.
Exercises for slimming the abdomen for men involve the active use of a horizontal bar. The simplest of them is this: hang on straightened arms, then, while inhaling, bend your knees and slowly straighten them, while lifting them parallel to the floor (or the ground). On exhalation - smoothly return to the starting position.
Bodyflex exercises for belly weight loss
A popular complex of breathing exercises for slimming the abdomen - bodyflex, developed over 20 years ago by the American Greer Childers.
It is believed that bodyflex exercises for weight loss of the abdomen are aimed at "saturating the body with oxygen", which is achieved by temporary holding of breath. At the same time, breathing exercises are combined with isotonic and isometric exercises, that is, static and power muscle tension without moving the body parts that participate in the exercise.
Breathing exercises for slimming the abdomen using the bodyflex method
According to the bodyflex technique, you first need to exhale all the air from your lungs - through your mouth, making your lips a "tube". Then a quick, intense breath is taken through the nose (the breath should be noisy) - to fill the lungs to capacity. After that, raising your head, you need to exhale all the air with all your strength - but this time through a wide open mouth. But now you should completely hold your breath, tilt your head to your chest and draw in your stomach as much as possible (for 8-10 seconds). The last step is to relax your abdominal muscles and take a normal breath. All bodyflex exercises for slimming the abdomen are performed just at the stage of holding the breath (and drawing in the abdomen).
Starting position: kneel down, bend over and rest on the floor with palms of straightened arms. The back is straight, the head is raised. A breathing exercise is performed (as described above) and while holding your breath and drawing in your abdomen, you need to tilt your head and arch your back as much as possible. This pose is held for 8-10 seconds. This is followed by exhalation and relaxation of the back and abdomen. The exercise is repeated three times at intervals of 15-20 seconds.
Here is another exercise, for which you need to lie on your back, spread your legs slightly less than shoulder width apart and bend them at the knees (feet completely on the floor), arms extended along the body. Next, perform a breathing exercise (as described above) and draw in the stomach. When holding your breath, you should: raise your hands up and tear your head off the floor (throwing it back), shoulders and back, lifting them as high as possible; return to the supine position and, touching the back of the head to the floor, repeat the movement. After the second lift, smoothly return to its original position and inhale, relaxing the stomach. This exercise is repeated three times at half-minute intervals.
Finally, a lower abdominal slimming exercise. Lie on your back on the floor, straight legs together, arms bent at the elbows (palms down) are placed under the buttocks. After the completed breathing exercise - while holding the breath and retracted abdomen - the straight legs are slightly raised above the floor (the toes of the feet are extended, the head and shoulders remain motionless) and quick wide swings "scissors" are made, changing the position of the legs (above or below the other). Movements are done in eight to ten counts. The legs are lowered and a breath is taken. Repetition - 3-4 times with pauses of 20 seconds.
Despite the fact that most breathing exercises, including breathing exercises for slimming the abdomen, are beneficial, it is believed that the bodyflex system is potentially unsafe, since holding the breath leads to high blood pressure and heart rhythm disruptions.
There is another system of breathing exercises (again in combination with physical activity) to reduce fatty deposits on the thighs and abdomen - oxysize. True, you don't need to hold your breath here. In general, oxysize is a modified version of the American body flex, supplemented with belly breathing. There is nothing new here, because diaphragmatic breathing (eastern, lower or belly breathing) has long been practiced by yoga, which has special pranayama techniques.
Belly Slimming Yoga Exercises
Abdominal breathing is used both to increase the supply of oxygen to the blood and to strengthen the muscles in the lower abdomen. Here is the svadhisthana chakra, which in Ayurveda is considered responsible for human immunity and overall vitality.
The most accessible technique for performing yoga breathing exercises for slimming the abdomen looks like this: you need to put one palm on your chest and the other on your stomach, take a deep breath through your nose, inflating your stomach so that your palm rises (along with the abdominal wall). In this case, the palm resting on the chest must remain motionless. The exhalation is also done through the nose, and it should be longer and quieter than the inhalation. When you exhale, the abdominal wall should be "pressed" against the spine, as a result of which the palm on the stomach drops to its original position.
Now let's dwell on the simplest yoga exercises for belly weight loss.
Bhujangasaga - Cobra Pose
Lie on the floor on your stomach, legs straight, knees and feet pressed to each other, toes extended; arms bent at the elbows, lie along the chest, palms forward. While inhaling - making an emphasis with your palms, slowly and gradually raise the body to the height of the arms extended in the support. In this case, the back bends, 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 pose for half a minute (with a breath holding for 5 seconds), and then bend your arms at the elbows and, as you exhale, gently lower to the starting position. Repeat the exercise three times.
Ardha Navasana - Half Boat Pose
Sit on the floor, knees bent, arms down along the chest. Round the back, press the lower lumbar region tightly to the floor, the shoulders and the rest of the back remain in weight. Then straighten your legs and raise them above the floor by 25-30 cm. 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 pose
An effective exercise for losing weight in the lower abdomen, as well as for strengthening the spine (reminiscent of the "frog" exercise familiar from childhood).
Lie on the floor on your stomach, bend your legs at the knees, lift them and grab the ankles with your hands. On inhalation, bend your back and raise both legs, pulling them with your hands to your back. Hold your breath for 5 seconds, while exhaling, release your hands and gently lower your legs to the floor. The number of repetitions of the asana is three to four times.
Halasana - Plow Pose (simplified version)
Lie on your back - head against the wall (at a distance of about half a meter), legs straight, straight arms extended along the body. On inhalation, raise straight legs up, bend your arms and put your hands on your hips, holding your body. On exhalation - throw straight legs behind your head, touch your feet to the wall. Stay in the asana for 10 seconds, breathe deeply. On exhalation - slowly unbend, when your back lies firmly on the floor - gently lower your legs. This belly slimming yoga exercise is good for not only belly fat but also thighs.
The body is a "load" that a person constantly "carries" with him. And it takes effort and perseverance to lighten this burden. Only they will help to systematically perform exercises for losing weight in the abdomen and in this way to part with those extra pounds.