Odżywki i suplementy
Abdominal muscle training must be closely linked to a balanced diet, because otherwise excess fat will not allow to reveal a true muscle sculpture. Also wrong is the belief that training your abdominal muscles can replace warm-up. Warm-up before to training of the abdominal muscles should be preceded by aerobic exercises (increasing muscle warmth), followed by exercises involving the lower back (including crunches and oblique crunches, hip rotation) and rectus abdominis muscle (most active during the workout).
In proper abdominal muscles training, too frequent training sessions should be avoided and the regeneration periods should be maintained, allowing to rest properly. Obeying that will allow for complete regeneration of abdominal muscles and keeping them in good condition (without the risk of over-training or under-training). Regenerative periods for abdominal muscles are:
- after low intensity training - 2 days
- after medium intensity training - 3 days
- after high intensity training - 4 days
Basic rules for abdominal muscle training:
- You should not train your abdominal muscles before exercises that involve the lower back (ie. squats, deadlifts, barbell cleans, barbell cleans and jerks).
- In rectus abdominis muscle training, exercises for the development of lower areas should be done primarily, because they are weaker than the upper part of these muscles.
- The proper technique of exercises should be followed, (for example, decreasing the range of movement will result in shortening the muscle). In the case of tendency to shorten movements during exercise, after each training session, stretching the abdominal muscles s should be done (stretching exercises for this muscle group in the chapter "stretching".
- Avoid extensive (sweeping) movements causing declining of muscle tension in the most difficult part of the exercise.
- Slow rate makes it possible to "feel" in the work of the muscles and controlling them during exercise.
Exercise 1: Lie back on the mat or on the bench. Knees bent, hands above your head. Raise your upper body upper part of the body towards ceiling, first head, shoulders, then lower part of your beck. In the last part of the movement turn your torso (photo 2), for a better and more effective involvement of the oblique muscles (this exercise version is more difficult, lower parts of the back is strained and it may lead to injuries). Inhale before the movement, exhale when rising a torso.
Tips: Effectiveness of this exercise is guaranteed only with full range of the movement. Shortening of the movement (not lowering down your head or shoulders to the starting position) may cause the gradual shortening of the muscles. A slow, smooth movement (without spurts) Lowering slower or at the same rate as rising.
Exercise 1: Like in exercise 1, the starting position is lying with the head down on the decline bench. In the last part of the movement turn your torso (photo 4), for a better and more effective involvement of the oblique muscles (this exercise version is more difficult, lower parts of the back is strained and it may lead to injuries).
Tips: Effectiveness of this exercise is guaranteed only with full range of the movement. Shortening of the movement (not lowering down your head or shoulders to the starting position) may cause the gradual shortening of the muscles. A slow, smooth movement (without spurts) Lowering slower or at the same rate as rising.
Exercise 1: Lie on the bench (horizontal or decline) with your head on the top of the bench (photo 5), arms behind the head, hands holding the top of the bench or the bar, torso rested on the bench. Move your legs towards the torso with a slight bend on the knee. In the last part of the movement turn your torso (photo 4), for a better and more effective involvement of the oblique muscles (this exercise version is more difficult, lower parts of the back is strained and it may lead to injuries). Inhale before the movement, exhale when rising legs.
Tips: Slow rate of movements allows for better “feeling” the muscles work and better control of the muscles during exercising. Avoid rapid and sweeping movements, which decline the muscle tension.
Exercise 1: Grip the bar with the grip or reverse grip (for safety, training gym straps can be used). Raise your legs towards the torso. Additionally the twist of the body (or the hips, during raising) can be added in the last phase of the movement which more involves oblique muscles. At more advanced training level, weighs on legs can be used. Using too heavy weight on legs can cause painful injuries. Easier variation of the exercise is with wall mounted gym ladder (better support for the back).
Tips: A slow, smooth movement (without unnecessary spurts). The difficulty level depends on the bending of knees (smaller knee bend – higher difficulty of the exercise), which causes bigger work of iliopsoas muscles (relieving abdominal muscles) and bigger tension of lower dorsum muscles.
Exercise 1: In this moment you are already above the floor. Raise the legs towards the chest, bending knees at the same time. The technique gives the similar effect to exercise 4, the difference is that the muscles are worked under the different angle. The movement should be full, extensive. Reducing the movements can gradually lead to the muscle atrophy. Reducing full range of the movement can cause shortening of muscles. Moderate rate of movements, without spurts. The smaller knee bend – the higher difficulty of the exercise, which causes bigger work of iliopsoas muscles (relieving work of abdominal muscles) and bigger tension of lower dorsum muscles.
Tips: A slow, smooth movement, without unnecessary spurts reducing the muscle tension and “cheated” exercising. The difficulty level depends on the bending of knees (smaller knee bend – higher difficulty of the exercise), which causes bigger work of iliopsoas muscles (relieving abdominal muscles) and bigger tension of lower dorsum muscles.
Exercise 1: Lie back on the bench (mat) with straight legs, arms above the head (hands secured in the stable position, which ensures correctness of the exercise, for example, on the bench), lift your knees to the chest. Variation of this exercise: use the additional weight (cable attached to the leg).
Tips: Additional weight can be used only with advanced level of training, which allows to multiple repeating of the exercise. It is advised to choose the weight by the strength. Using too heavy weight can cause painful injuries.
Exercise 1: Sit straight on the bench, back rested on the high cable pulley machine, with the rope with knots (instead of the handle), grasp the rope with your both hands from behind your head, so the rope is over your neck and hands over the shoulders. Make the crunch bringing your head down, with your lower back resting on the pulley machine. Lower part of the dorsum keep straight during the exercise. Steady and slowly go back to the start position, controlling the movement. Similar exercise can be done on the machine (photo 10).
Tips: Excessive weights in this exercise overload lower part of the spine and can lead to injuries. Hands do not change the position during the exercise. Full control over the muscle work.
Exercise 1: sitting position (on the machine) – grip the handles of the machine, back straight during the exercise, legs (feet firmly on the floor), knees bent, facing forward
Exercise 2: Standing position – legs spread, wider than a shoulder width; place a barbell on your shoulders, hands widely apart form each other on the barbell
Tips: It is recommended to use a moderate weight. Too heavy weight may lead to overgrowth of muscles and painful injuries. Sweeping motion should be avoided, as it causes decline of muscle tension and the most difficult stage of the exercise is done with the cheated movement.
Exercise 1: Similar as in exercise 7, we take the rope whit h the knots, which replace the handle of the pulley (alternatively, the exercise can be done with the handle of the pulley held above the head, in this position the grip is changes (less convenient). Knee in front of the high pulley, hips slightly moved to the back, grasp the ends for the rope, so the rope is above the head and flex your waist towards the tights overcoming the resistance of the pulley and at the same time tightening the abdominal muscles. The arms remain motionless, the hands near the head (or above the head). Movement back at controlled at moderate pace. Excessive weights are an obstacle to make the exercise properly and they overload the lower part of the back.
Tips: Sweeping motion should be avoided, as it causes decline of muscle tension and the most difficult stage of the exercise is done with the cheated movement. Only abdominal muscles work.
Exercise 1: Stand with your legs spread at shoulder width (or a bit wider) with the back straight, in one hand hold the dumbbell, the other hand put on the head. We make a bend in the direction of the hand on the head, tensing the oblique muscles. Inhale at the beginning of the movement, exhale at the moment of maximum bend. To increase the tension of the oblique muscles, when returning to the starting position, slightly tilt the torso back (photo 13). Avoid sweeping movements - as it causes decline of muscle tension and the most difficult stage of the exercise is done with the cheated movement. Alternatively, dumbbells can be replaced with the low pulley (Photo 14).
Tips: Use of excessive may lead to overgrowth of muscles and disproportions of silhouette, also can lead to injuries of lower part of dorsum. A slow, smooth movement, without unnecessary spurts reducing the muscle tension and “cheated” workout.
Tips: Before beginning the exercise, make sure that the surface of the bench (or clothing) is not slipping over the surface of the bench. Reduced friction resistance and sliding on the bench during the exercise makes it difficult to exercise and can cause painful injuries. To avoid overloading the lower of the back, keep the body parallel to the floor (do not lower yourself too low) and take care of slow, smooth movement with weight control.
Exercise 1: The back and hips are rested on the bench / mat, ground, hands clasped at the nape or chest. Raise the shoulders and head, taking the back off the bench / mat, twisting the torso at the same time to the sides. Inhale at the beginning of the movement, exhale at the moment of maximum incline.
Tips: Do the exercise at an even, steady pace to avoid reducing of the muscle tension and so called “cheated” workout.
Customer service
Consultations
Complaints
