How quickly can you pump up your abs?
As for the timing, on average, it takes at least a month of regular exercise . It is better to exercise every day, spending half an hour on exercises. Assurances that there are miracle programs that can help you achieve perfect abs at home in a week are simply a myth.
The task becomes more complicated if the girl is overweight. A layer of fat on the abdomen more than 1 cm thick will hide the cubes even during the most intense exercise. In this case, strength training is necessarily accompanied by weight loss exercises (running, walking ), healthy eating and drying the body .
How long does it take to pump up your abs to get six-packs?
The time it takes for abs to appear on the stomach is calculated individually for each person. Everyone has abs, even obese people, but they are visible only when the percentage of fat reserves in the body does not exceed the norm. To get sculpted abs at home, you need to exercise regularly and eat right, reducing carbohydrates in your diet.
For an overweight person, the process will be long - you need to lose weight so that the cubes become noticeable. For those whose weight is within normal limits, the speed at which results appear will depend on the intensity and systematicity of training. You won’t notice any noticeable changes in a week, but if you work out every day with full dedication, in a few months you’ll be able to boast of pumped-up abs.
- How to boost immunity at home for an adult
- Sinusitis drops are the best cure for a runny nose. Using nasal drops for sinusitis
- Symptoms of prostatitis and its treatment in men: remedies and methods
How to properly pump up abs for girls
Now let's talk about the basic rules of the exercises. Even if you plan to exercise exclusively at home, you will not need special sports equipment. It’s entirely possible to do it on your own. It is best to do the press while lying on the floor, as we need a rigid base. Be sure to use a special mat for yoga or fitness classes.
Start each session with a warm-up. It doesn’t matter in what form - muscle stretching , gymnastics, dancing. Well-warmed abdominal muscles are the key to more effectively performed basic exercises. You need to start exercising 2 hours after eating and no later than 2 hours before going to bed.
So, how many six packs can a person have?
Six pack abs have long been a coveted goal for many when it comes to belly fat. And not only because their presence guarantees super-strong abs. But those notorious “abs” are visual proof of this.
But if you look around, you will see that some people only have 4 pack abs. And some celebrities show off more: 8, 10 or even 12. What's the matter and how many abs can a person have? And can a mere mortal achieve such mythical figures?
Or is it only given to a select few who exercise intensely and ingest unimaginable quantities of the best sources of protein?
What are 8 pack abs?
Before you understand this issue, you must understand what six-pack abs are. And here is the time to talk about where they come from? And you definitely won’t be able to do without the anatomy of the abdominal muscles.
What you perceive as six separate muscles are actually just two strips of muscle connected together called the rectus abdominis. This muscle is the outer surface of the abdomen and runs vertically, extending from the pubic bone to the sternum and ribs. However, this is clearly visible from the figure below.
When this muscle contracts, the body bends. This is exactly what happens when performing physical exercises such as squats or crunches.
The rectus abdominis muscle is crossed by three fibrous bands called tendinous fascia or intersections. They are designed to support the body and help us with movements such as bending. Usually the first is located at the level of the navel, the second at the lower end of the sternum, and the third in the middle between them.
It is from the structure of this muscle that one can understand why one person has four abs and others have six or more. It is the rectus abdominis muscle that forms those same cubes or squares.
Why isn't everyone the same?
Contrary to popular belief, the different number of abs on your stomach does not depend on your physical strength, how much fat you have, or what specific abdominal exercises you practice. It's all about the genetic characteristics of your structure.
After you shape your abs and reduce the amount of fat on them, the body muscles and their relief become visually visible. At the same time, it is important to pump up muscles, and not to increase the amount of fat in the body. As I mentioned above, the rectus muscle is made up of two parallel muscle strips, but what makes them look like a 4, 6, 8 or 10 pack is the number of tendon intersections, which is the standard number of three for most people.
But some people have genetic characteristics when the number of these fasciae is greater: from one to five.
They are located perpendicular to the muscles and create that separation between the cubes that you see. Similar to a rubber band that ties your hair, it holds all the hair strands together and away from the roots.
So, if you were born with two tendon crossings on your stomach, then the maximum number of abs you can achieve is a four-pack abs. If you have three, then you are guaranteed six-pack abs. And if there are four, then you guessed it yourself, didn’t you?
Abdominal muscle anatomy
When it comes to the abs, it will be useful to know that the abdominal muscles are not limited to 6-8 packs and, moreover, there are no upper and lower abs. Cubes are only the visible part of the abdominal muscles, under which lie deeper layers. The abs, like the lumbar muscles, belong to the core muscles. This is a whole complex of muscles responsible for stabilizing the pelvis, hips and spine. Strong core muscles mean beautiful posture, a flat stomach and a healthy spine.
Anatomy of the core muscles:
- rectus abdominis muscle;
- oblique abdominal muscles;
- transverse abdominis muscle;
- adductor muscles;
- small and medium gluteal muscles;
- muscles of the back of the thigh;
- infraspinatus muscle;
- coracobrachialis muscle.
The complete muscle atlas presents the following picture.
Abdominal muscles:
Core muscles:
You still don't know how to pump up your abs for summer
Rule one
Reduce the number of abdominal workouts. In order to pump up beautiful abs, it is enough to choose one, but very effective exercise for each muscle. The most common mistake of all exercisers: we do a lot of exercises (which are not entirely effective) and, as a rule, we use only one abdominal muscle.
Rule two
Master the correct technique for the exercises you choose. When performing them, the muscle that is being worked should work.
Rule three
Add weight with each workout. It is irrational to pump up your abs relying only on your own body weight; you don’t have to work them out at all. It turns out that the press, like all other muscles, needs to be pumped with additional weight, and it must constantly increase. The mistake 99 percent of people (including me) who try to get abs is that everyone is trying to get a six-pack without using extra weight.
Well, it’s true guys, I didn’t even think about it before, when we do the bench press, in order to pump up the chest, we grab the bar, and don’t just lower our arms in the hope that the muscles will start to grow. And with each new workout we add more plates, add weight, and over time our muscles begin to become larger, relief appears. Rostik told me that it’s exactly the same with the press. The mistake of all beginners in the gym (and mine too): don’t add reps to your abs, add weight. At home, you can use weights from barbells and dumbbells, or use your imagination (bricks, sandbags, etc.).
Fourth rule
Reduce the number of approaches. Incredibly, it was this rule that helped me achieve the desired results. The cubes do not appear from the number of repetitions and approaches, they appear from a small number of correctly selected exercises. All you need to do is perform a couple of correct approaches that will make your muscles grow.
Fifth rule
Now I will completely dispel your idea of the press. According to my new trainer, the most common myth about the press is that it can and should be exercised often. This is the stupidest mistake that all beginners make. As you know, muscles grow not at the moment when you contract them, but at the moment of rest. And you don’t need to pump up your abs all day long, it won’t make them appear.
It will appear only when you start to rest after training. Abdominal muscles do not recover quickly and in order for them to grow they need to be given a lot of time to recover. Rostik recommends training your abs once a week. He says the more often you work your abs, the more often they contract in an unrepaired state. With every new workout, you destroy your abdominal muscles.
Abdominal exercises for girls at home
Next, we will talk about the most effective exercises for girls for each of these muscle groups. In most cases, the abs need to be pumped while lying down.
Exercises for the rectus abdominis muscle
In the superficial layer is the rectus abdominis muscle, which is responsible for the visibility of those same cubes, provided that you have a low percentage of fat. This is a single paired muscle that is located on the anterior abdominal wall. It is not divided into either upper or lower abs. This division is adopted only for simplicity of expression. The rectus abdominis muscle consists of 6-8 cubes, the number of which is determined genetically and cannot be influenced.
Classic twist - lying on the floor, legs bent at the knees, hands behind the head. Raise the upper part of the body 20-30 centimeters from the floor, and freeze in this position for 3 seconds. We do 2 sets of 15 movements. For greater load, you can use a ball. |
Backbends - lying on your stomach, legs extended, hands clasped behind your back. We lift the upper body, lifting it as high as possible from the floor, fixate ourselves, and take 5 slow exhalations. 2 sets of 10 movements. |
Lying leg raises are a strength exercise for pumping up the abs, performed while lying on your back with straight, outstretched legs. The legs slowly rise up, becoming perpendicular to the floor surface. 1 set of 10 movements. |
Accordion – the exercise is performed while sitting, legs straightened forward. Slowly lift them from the floor by 20-30 cm, fix them for a few seconds, then pull them towards the chest. 2 sets of 15 movements. |
Walking steps - lying down, legs extended, hands behind your head. Raise your legs 45 degrees from the floor and quickly make “stepping” movements. 1 set of 35 “steps” per leg. |
Raising the legs and pelvis from a supine position - lying on the floor, legs bent at the knees. Using the strength of the abdominal muscles, we lift the pelvis and straighten the legs above the head. 1 set of 25 movements. |
“Scissors” – lying on your side, legs extended and raised 30 cm from the floor. With straight legs we perform swinging, crossing movements. 2 sets of 30 movements. |
Research shows that there is no difference in exercises for the “upper” and “lower” abs. All of them involve the entire rectus abdominis muscle, only some exercises to some extent work more on the upper section, and some on the lower. |
Exercises for oblique abdominal muscles (external and internal)
Girls should not get carried away with exercises on the oblique abdominal muscles, much less perform them with weights. Frequently performing side and cross twists, bending from side to side using additional weight does not remove the sides at all, but makes the waist even wider. Therefore, if your goal is to remove your sides and strengthen your oblique muscles, minimize or completely eliminate lateral dynamic exercises and pay attention to the side plank (this exercise will be discussed below).
Cross twisting - the exercise is performed lying on your back and in a half-sitting position, legs suspended, knees bent so that the calves are parallel to the floor surface. We stretch one leg at a time and hold it in this position for several seconds. 2 sets of 15 movements. |
Tilts from side to side - in a standing position, rhythmically bend to the right and left. For additional load, you can use dumbbells. 3 sets of 30 bends in each direction. |
Lateral twist - lying on your back, legs bent at the knees and pulled up to the chest. Keeping the upper part of the body motionless, we throw the bent legs from side to side using the force of the press. 3 sets of 30 movements. |
The big misconception of many girls is that they think that exercises on the lateral (oblique) abdominal muscles will visually make the waist narrower compared to the hips. On the contrary, developed lateral muscles make the waist wider and the figure more straight |
.
Core exercises
There is only one exercise for the core muscles - the plank, in which all muscle groups are involved at once. It is not aimed at pumping up cubes, the main goal is to strengthen the muscle corset, which allows you to make your stomach more toned and your waist narrower.
Classic plank
|
If you don’t have enough strength to do the exercise, try a lighter version - with emphasis on bent knees. As you master it, you can move on to more complex variations of the plank.
Side plank
|
Plank with push-ups
|
Plank jump
|
Plank with arm extension
|
Transition bar
|
Boat: static exercise at the end of the workout
Exercise boat
And, if your goal is six-pack abs in a week, at the end of the workout it would be a good idea to load the stabilizer muscles “ statically .”
You need to lie on the floor on your back, stretch out your arms and legs. Raise your upper body and hold it in the air, then, without lowering your top, raise your extended legs. Hold the boat position for about five seconds. The load will increase if you perform a boat with a fitball.
In the fight for iron abs, your best assistant is CrossFit for weight loss. You can do it at home with a step platform and a fitball or go to a fitness club.
Be careful when performing abdominal exercises with dumbbells while standing (bending over). Perhaps your abs will really get stronger, but your waist will become wider.
We wish you beauty, willpower and success in achieving your goal!
Abdominal training program at home
As practice shows, working out your abs every day is not only useless, but also harmful. The abdominal muscles, like other muscles, need to recover, which will take at least 48 hours. Therefore, we will consider a training program for girls, designed for 2-3 sessions per week, alternating a set of exercises. Training for girls should include:
2-3 exercises for the rectus abdominis muscles; 1-2 core exercises; vacuum exercise.
First set of exercises:
Exercise | Approaches | Repetitions |
lying leg lift | 3 | 15-20 |
"harmonic" | 3 | 15-20 |
side twist | 3 | 15-20 |
exercise "Plank" | 3 | 30-60 sec |
Second set of exercises:
Exercise | Approaches | Repetitions |
"steps on weight" | 3 | 15-20 |
lifting the legs and pelvis from a lying position | 3 | 15-20 |
"scissors" | 3 | 15-20 |
exercise "Plank" | 3 | 30-60 sec |
Third set of exercises:
Exercise | Approaches | Repetitions |
deflections | 3 | 15-20 |
classic twist | 3 | 15-20 |
leg straightening | 3 | 15-20 |
exercise "Plank" | 3 | 30-60 sec |
To make it more convenient for you to practice, we have prepared a special table on how to pump up your abs at home in 30 days .
The table file can be downloaded completely free of charge from this link.
The right amount of exercise
Sometimes people, having decided to change their body and really pump up their abs, rush from one extreme to another. They spend hours on the treadmill or in the gym, sweating profusely.
This approach doesn't work.
First, the body will quickly adapt to long-term cardio training, which will become even longer over time. Here you can safely ask the question: in how many months can you pump up your abs, because you will have to wait a very long time for the result.
Excessively intense and/or long-term workouts increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
In small doses, cortisol promotes fat burning. But when its levels are too high for a long time, the exact opposite happens. The body begins not only to accumulate fat, but also to break down muscle.
Losing muscle mass can affect the body in a number of ways, weakening the body and increasing the risk of injury. Moreover, increased cortisol slows down metabolism.
Even while the muscles are burning calories.
And if you exercise correctly, your metabolism will occur faster, even after training and several days later.
Short, intense workouts that focus on strength put the body into a state called the afterburn effect (EROC). During and after exercise, muscles need oxygen to create fuel and to recover from exertion.
Interestingly, every liter of oxygen the body uses consumes 5 calories. This means that after a workout, muscles burn more calories than usual just because they are trying to recover.
This will only happen if the training plan is built correctly.
High intensity interval training has the greatest impact on EPOC.
You can do walking, running, aerobics, etc. It is better to train 3-4 times a week so that the muscles have time to rest and recover.
Hours of training in the gym will not bring the desired results for the abdominal muscles.
Exercise "Vacuum"
The exercises described above will not help you lose excess weight, make your stomach flat and reduce your waist circumference. With their help, you will give it relief (the cubes will become noticeable) and only on the condition that you do not have excess weight.
But there is one exercise in which the internal abdominal muscles, which are responsible for retracting the abdominal wall, are involved. This is a vacuum exercise . By doing it daily, you:
- reduce the percentage of internal fat;
- get rid of a distended abdomen;
- make your waist visually thinner;
- you will get a flat stomach without the risk of pumping up your abs.
Technique for performing the “Vacuum” exercise:
- stand up straight or take a lying position;
- slowly take a deep breath through your nose;
- With a powerful exhalation, get rid of the air, drawing in your stomach as much as possible;
- stay in this position for 10-15 seconds.
- exhale. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
If you are not trying to get six-pack, but just want to tighten your stomach and make it flatter, then this exercise is just for you.
In building a six-pack, 90% of success comes from diet. Therefore, if you are overweight, reconsider your diet. And remember, by pumping up your abs, you will not make your stomach thinner, but only give it definition. And then, provided that the percentage of body fat is minimal.
How long does it take to pump up your abs?
With intense training, the result can be seen within a month, of course, it all depends on the size of the fat layer.
Related links:
Adaptogens for athletes Vitamin A in capsules - learning to use correctly LJ Magazine Vitamins for fatigue, stress and drowsiness
Only with us: Enter promotional code bonus2020 in the coupon field when placing an order before March 31, 2020 and receive a 25% discount on everything!
Scientific approach
The dream of an ideal body without much effort haunts many. Our genetics also play some role in this matter. People with thicker abdominal muscles and a lower percentage of body fat may have more defined abs. But no matter the body structure, the “cubes” will appear “at the command of a pike.” Pumped up abs are always the result of long and hard work on yourself. To determine the most effective abdominal exercises, scientists at the University of San Diego conducted a study with the participation of 30 healthy men and women aged 20-45 years, in whom the load in the upper, lower and lateral abdominal muscles was measured during training using electromyography and special equipment. as well as the degree of involvement of the muscles of the front of the thighs to ensure that the exercises are performed correctly. As a result, the “Bicycle” exercise was recognized as the most effective, followed by hanging leg raises, various types of twists and a stand on the elbows, called the “plank”.
Here are the exercises
- Raising the body to a height of 30 0 – five times.
- Full body lift – eleven times.
- Turn the torso to the sides five times each.
- Leg raises to a height of up to 90 0 – seven times.
- And 45 0 – at least six times.
- Raising the body to a height of up to 30 0 - six times.
- Full body lift - twelve times.
- Turn the torso to the sides five times one way and six times the other.
- Leg raises to a height of up to 90 0 - eight times.
- And 45 0 – at least seven times.
- Raising the body to a height of up to 30 0 – seven times.
- Full body lift - thirteen times.
- Turn the torso to the sides six times each.
- Leg raises to a height of up to 90 0 - nine times.
- And 45 0 – at least eight times.
- Raising the body to a height of up to 30 0 – eight times.
- Full body lift – fourteen times.
- Turn the body in different directions - thirteen times. Six in one, then seven in the other.
- Leg raises to a height of up to 90 0 - ten times.
- And 45 0 – at least nine times.
- Raising the body to a height of up to 30 0 – nine times.
- Full body lift – fifteen times.
- Turn the body in different directions seven times each.
- Leg raises to a height of up to 90 0 – eleven times.
- And 45 0 – at least ten times.
- Raising the body to a height of up to 30 0 - ten times.
- Full body lift - sixteen times.
- Rotations of the body in different directions: eight in one direction, then seven in the other.
- Raise your legs to a height not exceeding ninety degrees – twelve times.
- And 45 0 – at least eleven times.
The seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth weeks should be performed at the same pace, constantly increasing each exercise by one execution. Moreover, perform at least three approaches per day for all 10 weeks.
Some useful tips
What you need to know about pumping up your abs:
- First, you need to remember that in the process of building muscle mass, fat does not go anywhere. You will have to go on a diet to get rid of fat - it will hide even the most beautiful muscles.
- Secondly, you cannot exercise in such a way that excess weight disappears only from a certain place on your body. Abdominal exercises burn calories, but not locally. Locally you strengthen muscles, this is not directly related to weight loss. When losing weight, it doesn’t matter what kind of exercises you do—press exercises, squats, or pull-ups. Fat either leaves proportionally from everywhere, or does not leave at all.