If you are not used to training your abdominal muscles properly, now is the time to start! With a solid abdominal belt, you can better control and secure your position during polyarticular exercises, prevent injuries and, above all, limit the storage of abdominal fat (Delavier, 2010).
There are only a few good machines for training the abdominal muscles properly. Therefore, this blog offers you exercises that can be done without equipment. Seek the help of a trainer to help you master them. You can divide the exercises into different workouts to train your abs, between 2 to 4 times a week. Do long sets of 20-25 well-executed repetitions before loading them.
The basic exercises
When performing the exercise, always remember that the abdominal muscles (correct name: “right abdomen”) are used to curl the spine. There are 2 types of exercises:
- For the upper abdominal muscles, for example in the famous “crunch”: make sure to keep your shoulders tight, lift only the middle/upper side of your back off the floor and bend your head forward.
- For the lower abdominal muscles, for example in the “reverse crunch”: The pelvis must lift well off the floor to embrace the “lower” part of the spine and the buttocks must not touch the floor completely.
Note: Contrary to what we sometimes hear, the simple crunch is not enough to effectively strengthen the lower abdominal muscles (Delavier, 2010).
Also work on the oblique abdominal muscles
The oblique abdominal muscles are used for chest movements and there are two types of exercises that will help you limit the appearance of love handles:
- For the outer parts, for example, with “lateral rotations”, i.e. a left-right lateral movement.
- For the inner parts, for example with the “Side Bust Raisers”.
To avoid: Tilting the standing exercise with two dumbbells to the left or right: It’s dangerous for your spine (Delavier, 2010).
Don’t forget the lower back
In order not to slow down your progress, it is also important to train the antagonistic muscles, i.e. to strengthen your lower back with the following exercise:
- “Chest lift” on the lumbar bench. This exercise will also train your hamstrings, glutes and back. It should therefore be included in a leg session, for example.
Tip: For more efficiency, when adding a weight, hold it with your arms outstretched instead of pressing it against your chest (Delavier, 2010).
Additional exercise types
To strengthen your abdominal belt and work the transverse: Sheathing, abdominal vacuum or simply the habit of standing up straight while standing or sitting at your desk with your chest pumped up.
On the other hand, fake arched back exercises are dangerous and ineffective (Delavier, 2009). The burning sensation you will feel is due to the isometric contraction of your abdominal muscles, which is not the best way to hypertrophy or de-fatigue them (Delavier, 2010).
Note: Poor execution can easily recruit other muscles, such as the psoas and iliac, which are more involved in flexing the thigh on the pelvis.
How to make your abdominal muscles visible
Unfortunately, to make the abdominal muscles visible, it is not always enough to strengthen them to make them bigger. You may need to change the type of training, increase the volume with cardio training exercises and, above all, control your diet.
Sources:
– Guide to bodybuilding movements by Frédéric Delavier, 5th edition, 2009
– The Delavier Bodybuilding Method (Volume 2) by Frédéric Delavier and Michael Gundill, 2010
– Assessment and treatment of muscle imbalances by Phil Page, 2010
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Author
Name: Marcello Ronchietto
Website: Let’s go Fitness
At Let’s Go Fitness, we are convinced that sport should be accessible to everyone. That everyone should find the perfect place to train. Regardless of whether you are athletic or not, enduring or not, professional or not, muscular or not. That sport should above all be a challenge for yourself. And you are still well supported, listened to, advised, encouraged and motivated to the maximum. Regardless of your personal goals. We are convinced that a fitness center should be more than just a fitness center. It should be a welcoming place, with a good atmosphere, with a community of members and coaches with the same mentality. At Let’s Go Fitness, we believe in the athletic potential of every individual. And our job is to make sure that everyone gets THE energy they need.
