Effective vacuum exercise for a flat stomach: video technique

What's so special about it?

Traditional ab workouts give you a six-pack and slightly tighten your stomach because the superficial muscles (rectus and obliques) are worked. The “Vacuum” for the abdomen will help you remove fat folds and get a slender waist, reviews of which we will look at below.

This means that the essence is to pump up the internal transverse muscles, which give that coveted curve of the waist. The deep multifidus muscles are also trained, thanks to which we achieve a flat stomach and graceful posture. First, let's talk about contraindications.

Review Reviews

Thousands of women and men have already tried abdominal retraction; reviews indicate its undoubted benefits. People note an improvement in overall body tone, as well as a tighter stomach and waist. The first results can be observed within a week.

Beginners note the complexity of this exercise and say that at first 15 seconds are out of the question, it’s hard to sustain at least a couple of seconds, but after 5-7 days of regular practice, a habit is formed. It is recommended to perform a vacuum for weight loss along with cardio exercises and proper nutrition. This combination helps to lose excess weight and strengthen muscle mass.

Fitness trainers believe that vacuum does not promote weight loss. But it will improve the functioning of organs due to their massage and saturation with oxygen, improve health and teach you to control the body.

Who should refrain from “Vacuum” for the stomach: reviews

Unfortunately, not everyone can do it. It is forbidden:

Pregnant women and women after cesarean section. You must wait until the discharge stops.
People with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
If there are any problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
During the menstrual cycle (especially if it occurs with pain), and a week before it, if the discharge is usually scanty.
When there are any neoplasms on the pelvic organs, for example, the uterus, or inflammatory processes.

After giving birth, you can start exercising 6–8 weeks later. If pain or any discomfort appears, you should stop training. It’s better to consult a therapist in advance.

One woman started exercising after giving birth, and the results were not long in coming. After a month of training, she was able to tone her muscles and lose three centimeters from her waist. An exercise that seems easy at first glance does not always work out right away. Let's talk about what beginners should focus on.

The benefits and harms of Vacuum for the abdomen

Vacuum pumping of the transverse abdominal muscle is a very popular modern technique. Fitness instructors are increasingly including it in their workouts. And for both women and men. This is easily explained - this is the only way to train the transverse muscle. The exercise has its positive and negative sides.

Advantages of a vacuum for the abdomen:

Effectively removes internal fat deposited inside the abdominal cavity.
Easily and painlessly returns lost shape after childbirth.
Trains the transverse muscle, which forms the girdle frame. It protects the lower back and relieves pain.
It gives an aesthetic result - toned and flat abs, correct proportions and a beautiful silhouette with a clearly defined waist. Helps get rid of sagging and cellulite in the abdominal area.

Contraindications for performing the exercise

Despite all its benefits, vacuum also has its contraindications. There are few of them, but still they should not be neglected. Such exercises for the abdomen are categorically not recommended for pregnant women, girls during the menstrual cycle, as well as people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system. It is not advisable to make a vacuum if you have stomach and intestinal diseases. In any case, it is better to first consult a doctor on this issue. People who have recently undergone surgery need to go through a full rehabilitation period (at least one or two months) and only after that start exercising.

Useful tips

They will help you learn how to do the exercise correctly:

Don't exhaust yourself. Take 40 seconds between sets.
You need to train on an empty stomach. If you have had breakfast, you should wait two and a half hours, and it is better not to gorge yourself on meat, but to fill yourself up with a light vegetable salad.
Don't be afraid of dizziness. You may also feel sleepy and yawn. This is because the body is not accustomed to this exercise, which fully saturates every cell of the body with oxygen, which was previously lacking. After regular training, these symptoms will disappear.
But if a tingling sensation appears, you should stop, because it arose due to improper execution.
And it’s better to start with ten seconds, gradually increasing the load.

You should not expect quick and colossal results; this may take up to six months. But the main thing is not to stop. There is an effect from the “Vacuum” exercise for the abdomen, reviews and photos confirm this.

A little about the advantages

Having talked about contraindications, let's briefly go over the advantages:

The saggy belly goes away.
The waist is noticeably transformed.
The fat that envelops the internal organs melts.
The deep abdominal muscles are strengthened.
Posture improves and back pain decreases.
Hernias are prevented and the abdominal organs are massaged.
The gastrointestinal tract begins to work better, the problem with constipation disappears.
Metabolism improves and toxins are eliminated.

This exercise has many advantages. Therefore, if there are no contraindications, you can immediately begin to implement it. Let's see the results of the "Vacuum" abdominal exercise in the "before and after" photo. The reviews speak for themselves.

Contraindications

The list of obvious contraindications includes:

peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum,
menstruation,
pregnancy and lactation,
the presence of stones in the cavity of the gallbladder.

Asthmatics and people with other respiratory problems should perform this exercise very carefully. Heart patients should also be as careful as possible in their exercises.

For maximum convenience, this “vacuum” exercise is recommended to be done on a special dense latex mat, which can make movements clearer and more effective for the figure.

This exercise differs from standard abdominal pumping in that it acts not only on the waist, but also on the entire upper muscular frame, including the spinal cord, which makes such exercises sharply reduce the level of intensity of back pain.

https://youtu.be/_ldqnW3GCDw

And three more important tips

These recommendations must be strictly followed:

It is necessary to breathe correctly. This is the main and most important stage in the exercise, on which the entire event and the final result will depend. Let's move on to the techniques:

The first thing we do is take a deep breath, mind you, through the nose. Then exhale (vigorously, strongly) through the mouth, just as deeply, until all the air is released from the respiratory tract.
There is a second way - the bodyflex technique. First, pursing your lips like a tube, slowly blow all the air out of yourself with your mouth. Then we noisily take a sharp breath in through the nose, and just as quickly exhale it again through the open mouth, the sound “groin” should be heard. And we pull the stomach towards the spine.

Relaxation. Also an important point. After exhaling, you cannot completely relax your abdominal muscles. The effectiveness of the exercise will depend on this.

In order for the transverse muscle to work constantly, it is not recommended to throw the stomach sharply down while inhaling; this should be done smoothly and not completely.

Load. You should start small and gradually increase it. Everything will depend on your abilities. You need to do a little more effort than you can. It is best to train early in the morning on an empty stomach, and in the evening, shortly before bed. It turns out twice a day.

These most important recommendations must be followed. Looking ahead a little, let’s talk about the results of the “Vacuum” exercise for the abdomen in reviews with “before and after”. They only report positive results. An unprecedented effect can be achieved in two months. The unfortunate centimeters are disappearing from the waist. It is possible to remove up to 4 centimeters in just 30 days. Moreover, your posture changes and your internal organs work better. Let's begin to consider the main issue - execution technique.

Technique for performing elements

There are several types of exercises: lying down (standard exercise for beginners), kneeling, standing and sitting (complicated version). This breathing exercise targets the transverse abdominal muscles and their isometric contraction.

If you follow the execution technique, your muscles should burn after training. To get the effect, the vacuum exercise must be performed 5 times a week.

To begin with, I advise you to read the description. Work your abdominal muscles. Feel how they will respond to the vacuum.

At the very beginning, you need to master the breathing technique. It is carried out in three stages:

We make a long exhalation of all the air from the lungs. We release air through the mouth. Relax your lips, do not fold them into a tube. The exhalation should be so long that at the end you really want to take a breath of air. You should feel your abs tense. Imagine as if you are twisting your stomach inward.
Inhale through your nose. He must be greedy and noisy. At this stage, pull in your stomach. Breathing should be held for 10-15 seconds. And strain and pull in your abdominal muscles. Here, focus on the lower part of the press. Keep it tense and pull it in.
Exhale through an open mouth. You should feel the air leaving your throat. Push out the air with the sound “H-ha!” - like a creaking sound. At this moment you do not relax your abs. On the contrary, tense up even more, draw in your stomach even more, as if it were sticking to your back.

Breathing combined with exercise is a powerful blow to those extra centimeters. So it turns out - we breathe and lose weight

I also recommend alternating the vacuum with breathing exercises for the abdomen. I like the workout from Marina Korpan. Give it a try.

How to do the “Vacuum for the abdomen” exercise correctly: from reviews

The main thing is breathing. We talked about it above, now let’s look at what poses you can perform in:

Lying down.
Sitting.
Standing.
On knees.

For beginners, it is better to use the first version of the “Vacuum” exercise for the abdomen, reviews assure us of this. Only after perfecting the breathing process while lying down can you safely begin a new position. Please note that this is not a complex, these are separately existing techniques. First you need to master the simplest one, and alternate with others.

Abdominal vacuum for men: Forming a V-shaped body like Schwarzenegger

Not only girls fell in love with “vacuum technology”. Men also liked it. For example, famous bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger used such exercises to create an expressive transition from the shoulders to the waist. Many people remember its V-shaped hull. But few people know that he formed the thinnest part of his torso with the help of a “stomach vacuum.”

Female and male vacuums are identical in technique. Only the load and level of difficulty differ. The best option for men is a vacuum for the abdomen in a standing position. But, if you can’t immediately master the most difficult technique, you can practice lying down, sitting, and then perform the exercises while standing.

You can learn how to make a male vacuum for the abdomen and how many approaches you need to do in one workout in this video.

Technique "Lying"

The actions are as follows:

You need to sit comfortably on the mat, bend your knees, and straighten your arms or extend them along your body, as convenient.
Slowly take a deep breath.
Then there is a quick exhalation, until complete emptying, and, being at this stage, we strongly draw in the stomach so that it feels as if the navel is stuck to the spine.
Hold your breath for 10–15 seconds. It may not work out at first, no big deal. Breathe a little, but do not relax your abdominal muscles.
After taking a small breath, take your time to relax, tense your muscles again and hold the pose for 10–15 seconds. If it becomes difficult, take a few small breaths. Exhale, relax.
Then we take a breath, normalize our breathing and exercise again, performing 5 approaches, 3 for beginners.

Thus, this version of the “Vacuum” exercise for the abdomen, according to reviews, gives a good start and results.

Benefits of vacuum exercises

Everything works very simply. You need to pull your stomach in and hold the muscles for 10-15 seconds. The most important thing is to breathe correctly. In bodyflex, essentially the same technique is used.

This technique is ideal for those who have a protruding, round tummy. This is a consequence of the fact that the abdominal muscles located inside (oblique and transverse) are poorly developed. It is with them that we need to work more intensively.

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At the same time, they work not only with the abdominal muscles:

improves the functioning of internal organs;
strengthens abdominal muscles;
helps with back pain;
strengthens the muscle corset;
helps improve sleep and overall well-being.

But you shouldn’t think that all the favorable changes will begin immediately after doing the exercise once. Only systematic repetitions and correct technique contribute to improved health. A month of training and changes in your figure will be visible to the naked eye.

For beginners, you need to perform this technique, starting with 5 approaches of 10-15 seconds. Gradually increase the training time to 10 minutes and breath holding to 20-30 seconds. If you can’t do 5 approaches, then start with three. The main thing is to move forward and work on your abs

The vacuum exercise is best done in the morning on an empty stomach. Ideally, it should be performed in the morning and evening.

When you achieve good results, don't stop. Continue with this technique to maintain your form. And once you get the hang of it, you can do the exercise anywhere – at work, standing on the bus, in the car, when you’re stuck in a traffic jam, or while you’re cooking dinner.

"Vacuum" for the stomach "Sitting"

It is complicated by the involvement of the spinal muscles. It should be performed on a hard surface, if it is a chair, do not lean against a support, put your hands on your knees, place your legs at right angles, your chin should look down without pressing to your chest. Having taken the starting position, we perform the same breathing technique:

release air;
tighten the stomach;
hold our breath;
rest and then repeat 5 times.

To avoid the temptation to lean back in your chair, it is better to use a stool, but a stable one. The “Vacuum” exercise for the abdomen, according to reviews, gives good results and quite quickly. The main thing is to follow the instructions.

Exercise in the “Standing” position

Can also be used by beginners. So, the technique:

Let's get straight. The body should be absolutely relaxed, the knees are soft, the shoulder blades are not tight, the buttocks are not tense.
We take several deep breaths and, as we exhale, draw in our stomach.
Having fixed the position, we freeze.
We push the stomach away from the spine and only then exhale.

As you can see, the breathing technique remains the same, only the posture changes. We already know that breathing is the most important phase in the exercise, the key one. Let's delve into this issue again.

If you have never heard of a vacuum, then you don’t have an Instagram page. The exercise “for a flat stomach” was demonstrated by, it seems, all more or less fit influencers. But there are nuances in performing seemingly simple movements. The editors of BeautyHack.ru asked various specialists all the questions that had arisen and recorded detailed video instructions: where to start and how to eventually achieve masterful use of nauli.

The main thing why bloggers love the belly vacuum is that it removes the protruding belly. But coach Anna Balobanova warns:

Anna Balobanova

Personal trainer at Elastic boutique studio

— Before removing a protruding belly, you need to figure out why it is protruding. This may occur due to prolapse of internal organs, uncoordinated muscle function, the presence of a layer of fatty tissue, and, ultimately, incorrect posture. Therefore, to say that a vacuum will help make your stomach flat is simply illiterate. But it can be one of the tools to achieve the goal. This exercise helps to better control the abdominal muscles and improves intestinal motility. And in combination with correctly and individually selected nutrition and training, with a healthy gastrointestinal tract - yes, there will be an effect. But with all the reservations.

At the same time, it is worth understanding that the vacuum of the abdomen does not pump the muscles: it is work through breathing. In simple terms, the task is to tighten the lower diaphragm; this is an internal job. The diaphragm contracts, the stomach retracts, but this does not burn the fat and does not strain the muscle. But you will learn to feel and control it, which will help in the exercises. One vacuum will definitely not remove the stomach.

EncoreFitness trainer Vadim Guryev adds: the effectiveness of the “vacuum” directly depends on how a person performs it.

Vadim Guryev

elite trainer Encore Fitness

The spine should be as close as possible to a neutral position - a round back or excessive arching will only harm the body by disrupting breathing mechanisms, squeezing blood vessels and disrupting the blood supply to the pelvic organs. When performed correctly, “vacuum” is a necessary and useful exercise that makes it possible to stabilize the lumbar region during strength exercises; it has a good effect on the pelvic floor muscles.

The benefits of abdominal vacuum and whether everyone needs to be able to do Nauli

Now let's figure out how to do a stomach vacuum correctly. Since the practice originally came out of yoga, we asked to talk about the original meaning and show the technique of performing the teacher of Jivamukti Yoga and the founder of the yoga studio “Material” Anna Lunegova. Nauli is a skill for advanced people. It’s better to start with two yogic techniques - Uddiyana Badha and Agnisara Kriya.

Anna Lunegova

Jivamukti yoga teacher and founder of the yoga studio “Material”

— Nauli is the most important of the practices of Hatha Yoga. It involves circular manipulation of the abdominal muscles, creating a dynamic massage of the internal organs (small and large intestines). This practice improves the functioning of the liver, pelvic organs, and improves blood circulation. It also makes breathing deep and smooth and, therefore, affects the functioning of the brain.

Nauli is an intense practice and requires levels of training. It’s better to start with two yogic techniques - Uddiyana Bandha and Agnisara Dhauti Kriya

Contraindications

Nauli, Uddiyana Badha and Agnisara Kriya have contraindications: the female cycle and several days before and after it, exacerbation of diseases associated with the digestive system, high blood pressure, umbilical hernia.

When to do it

It is better to perform these techniques in the morning on an empty stomach, after drinking a glass of warm water. If desired, they can be done during the day, but not on a full stomach (at least 2-3 hours should pass after eating).

Important!

If you feel discomfort while doing it, but there are no contraindications listed above, continue the practice. This may indicate stagnant processes in the digestive organs, which are eliminated thanks to the proposed techniques.

Now we will analyze each of the practices separately - from simple to complex.

https://youtu.be/iwIe4B5pjiw

Uddiyana Badha

Preparation for practice

Stand up straight, place your feet hip-width apart or slightly wider. Place the fingers of one hand between your collarbones.

Take a deep breath, hold your breath, lifting your chest up to form the supraclavicular fossa (then your stomach naturally pulls in and up). Remember the position of your stomach, it will be useful in this and future practices.

Release the delay.

Doing the practice

Stand up straight, place your feet hip-width apart or slightly wider.

Take a deep breath, bend down, place your palms just above your knees and exhale twice so that all the air comes out. While holding the hold after exhaling, straighten your elbows, keep your back straight, and point your chin towards your collarbones. Take a false breath, pulling your stomach in and up. This is Uddiyana Bandha.

Remain in the delay until the first urge to take a breath (gradually the time spent in the delay will increase).

Before you inhale, release your stomach, exhale, and as you inhale, straighten up.

Restore your breathing.

Important!

Do not overextend the hold after exhalation. After it, you should inhale easily, and then breathe evenly.

Agnisara Dhauti Kriya

Doing the practice

Repeat the previous technique you mastered. Remaining in a hold after exhaling, release your stomach down, and then pull it in and up again. Do this several times until you feel the urge to inhale. Then release your stomach, exhale and, as you inhale, rise up. Restore your breathing and repeat the practice a few more times.

Additional variation for hand position: place them closer to the hip joints.

Important!

Don't rush into the frequency of your belly movements. First you should set the amplitude, and then do it as many times as you can. Count how many times you release and retract your stomach. Letting go and pulling in the belly is one circle. Starting from five circles, try to bring them to a hundred. Progress will be noticeable with each practice - you will hold your breath longer and the number of circles will increase.

Nauli Kriya

Preparation for practice

Lie on your back, lift your head up, leaving your shoulders on the floor. Take a deep breath and exhale, then hold your breath. Pull your stomach in, but push your rectus abdominis muscles out (watch our video carefully).

Release your stomach and hold your breath, breathe naturally.

Performing the practice of Madhyama Nauli (middle tourniquet)

Stand up straight, place your feet hip-width apart or slightly wider.

Take a deep breath, bend down, place your palms just above your knees and exhale twice so that all the air comes out. Remaining in the hold after exhaling, straighten your elbows, keep your back straight, and point your chin towards your collarbones. Take a false breath, pulling your stomach in and up and pushing your rectus abdominis muscles out (as in preparation for practice).

Mastering the technique: move the tourniquet to the right side (Dakshina Nauli - release of the right rectus abdominis muscle), you can step your right foot forward and shift the weight to the right side. Then return the tourniquet to the center, returning the leg to its original position. Move the tourniquet to the left side (Vama Nauli), you can step forward with your left foot, shifting your weight to the left side.

Full version of Nauli Kriya (circular rotation of the tourniquet)

The technique begins with the development of the central cord, and then its displacement to the right, inward, left and outward - this is one circle. The nature of the movement is smooth, continuous. As with previous techniques, first set the range of motion and then the speed. Move the tourniquet first clockwise (be sure to count the number of circles), and then counterclockwise (there should be the same number of circles). Circles clockwise and counterclockwise can be done in one hold after exhalation or divided into different breath holds.

Release your stomach, exhale a little, and inhale as you rise up.

Restore your breathing and repeat the practice again.

Important!

Count the number of circles (waves) you do in one hold after exhaling. You can start with 5 or 10 circles. The main thing is to repeat the practice regularly and track your progress. There are no boundaries for perfection. Ideally, you should achieve 200 circles (or waves) on one breath hold (or 100 times in one direction and 100 times in the other).

Will you try it?

Video and editing: Anton Polyakov

Text: Natalya Pikus, Kristina Semina

We thank the yoga studio “Material” for their assistance in filming.

How to do a “Vacuum” for the stomach

As a rule, we take shallow breaths. So, before you begin the exercise, you need to master deep breathing. To do this, place one hand on the chest, the other on the stomach. We begin to breathe in such a way that only the “upper” palm moves. We take several breaths in a row. And then we act, on the contrary, we begin to breathe only with the stomach.

So, when performing a “vacuum”, all manipulations with air must be done with the stomach. And also, it is very important to learn to completely exhale all the air from your lungs, otherwise nothing will work. Then you will get a colossal effect. Let's return to the technique in different stances.

How often can you do it

This exercise is usually recommended to be done every day. It is difficult to retrain the transverse abdominal muscle, and it is unlikely to succeed, since by nature itself it is “sharpened” for constant repetitive movements. The only exception may be the first day of the menstrual cycle in women who experience cramps and severe pain. Pressure from the anterior abdominal wall can aggravate the sensations and even cause increased bleeding. In general, after 1-2 absences, detraining does not occur, and you will not lose everything that was “acquired through backbreaking labor.” If the cycle is painful, it is really better to skip the workout.

After the vacuum, you can do abdominal exercises while lying down - regular crunches, leg raises, oblique crunches. Or you can simply incorporate them into your regular workout and do the vacuum separately in the morning.

It is enough to perform 4-5 vacuum approaches, with a breath hold of 4-5 seconds, to complete the morning “mini-workout”.

Newbie mistakes and how to fix them

The biggest mistake of all beginners is a lack of understanding of abdominal work. You need to pull in the front abdominal wall strongly, as if you were trying to put on very tight trousers, and lie on the floor, buttoning them, and not as if you would slightly tighten your stomach. The purpose of the exercise is to literally “bring” the navel to the spine, this is what will help to avoid mistakes.

Many people do not breathe with sufficient intensity and do not exhale all the air from their lungs, which is why it is not possible to create a vacuum in the stomach, and the technique breaks down. First, learn to really exhale all the air, and then do the exercise.

In addition, you should not set yourself up for very quick results and try to achieve them at all costs. It is the desire to get rid of a big belly in 2 days that is the reason that we give up any physical education and training without ever beginning to benefit from them.

Contraindications to training

Vacuum is not recommended for pregnant women, for obvious reasons. A change in pressure inside the abdominal cavity can provoke an increase in the tone of the uterus and even termination of pregnancy. It should not be done during the recovery period after childbirth and caesarean section. It is usually recommended to ask your doctor's permission before you start exercising, because recovery processes after childbirth occur at different speeds.

Hypertensive patients should not do the exercise during an exacerbation of the disease; they should not experiment during the active phase of all chronic diseases and should not exercise even during a common cold with an elevated temperature.

“Vacuum” for the stomach “On all fours”

We get into the starting position and perform the following actions:

You should lean on your hands and knees, which should be exactly at right angles, respectively, under the shoulders and hips.
The spine is straight, does not bend, does not bulge.
The shoulder blades should be in a relaxed state, they should not be moved, the chest should be straightened.
We make a short entrance, exhale calmly and thoroughly, until the last drop of oxygen, draw in the stomach, and hold, do it in three approaches.

All manipulations must be slow. You may notice that the “Vacuum” exercise for the abdomen, according to reviews, the results with photos are shown, allows you to solve many problems.

After mastering all the variations, you can do it everywhere, that is, keep it pulled in whenever you move or sit. In the reviews, one woman shared her experience. Every day while driving, she constantly sucks in her stomach. If you train, it will be easy, because by then the muscles will already be stronger.

The main thing is consistency, which will be the key to your success. Don't rely on quick results. According to reviews, it can be achieved in a month. But you need to understand that this depends on many factors: body type, level of physical fitness and the lifestyle you lead. If you eat poorly, drink a lot of alcohol, and spend little time on rest, of course, do not expect a positive result.

Vacuum lying

The simplest variation of this exercise is a vacuum from a lying position, since when you are on your back, gravity acts on your stomach, which makes the exercise much easier.

To perform it, first of all, you need to lie on your back, bend your knees, place your feet on the floor, and keep your arms extended along your body. Exhale forcefully, trying to empty your lungs as much as possible. At the same time, pull in your stomach, tensing it. You can mentally imagine that you are trying to reach your spine with your navel. This will not be so difficult, since gravity also helps you with this. In the position with your stomach pulled in, you need to hold on for 15 seconds, but it’s difficult not to breathe all this time, so take small, light breaths. During the exercise, it is very important to concentrate and remember to keep your stomach tense.

It is best to do this exercise on an empty stomach, that is, the ideal time is in the morning. You should perform 3-4 approaches several times. It will be more effective if you repeat it during the day when your stomach is empty. If you feel that the exercise is easier for you, then increase the time.