The most problematic area of the human body in terms of obtaining the ideal relief is the stomach. The question of how to pump up the press is one of the most popular and frequently asked questions on the Internet. Beginners and experienced athletes with many years of experience, boys and girls – millions of people on our planet dream of getting the coveted “cubes”.
However, achieving this goal is one of the most difficult tasks in sports such as bodybuilding. With a regular repetition of the same exercises, you pump up the voluminous arms, back, shoulders, legs, and pectoral muscles, but the press requires a special approach.
How to pump up the press. How to pump up the press at home
A bit of anatomy
Strong and strong abdominal muscles are not only a reason for pride when going to the beach. This small muscle group has a rather serious and responsible function: maintaining the position and protecting internal organs. Also, the developed press helps with large weights, allowing you to additionally fix the spinal column, protecting it from injury.
Anatomically, the press can be divided into two main groups:
- rectus abdominis muscle – stretches from the pubic bone to the bottom of the sternum (“girdled” by the tendons, it has the form of “cubes”), is responsible for tilting the body forward and lifting the legs;
- oblique muscles (in turn, divided into internal and external) – located on the sides of the rectus muscle, are responsible for flexion and rotation of the body.
Since the rectus muscle has a considerable length, the accented exercises cannot fully load it all at once, entirely. Therefore, the press is conditionally divided into upper and lower parts.
Topical exercises
Almost all exercises in one way or another create a static load on the muscles of the press. However, this is not enough to fully work out them, and therefore it is necessary to single out the training of this muscle group separately, along with the rest.
Muscle load
If we classify existing exercises according to the type and mechanics of movement, we can distinguish two main options:
Leg lift with a fixed body. In this case, the emphasis of the load is shifted to the lower section of the rectus muscles. These include the following exercises:
- lifting of straight/bent legs in a hang on a horizontal bar/bars / special emphasis;
- lifting straight/bent legs while lying down;
- work in the simulator (in some rooms there are special devices, often outwardly similar to an exercise bike).
Lifting the body with fixed legs. Accordingly, this method affects the upper muscle area. The variations are as follows:
- twisting;
- twisting in the simulator;
- twisting sitting/standing in front of a vertical block simulator (allows you to vary the load).
Oblique load
List of the main exercises that purposefully load the oblique muscles of the abdomen:
- Lateral inclinations.
- Oblique twisting.
- The rotation of the hoop.
- Turns standing / sitting with a bar on shoulders.
The Importance of Cardio
Many people who want to learn how to pump up the press at home regularly perform the exercises from the list above, but at the same time, such training often does not bring results.
The reason is the presence of subcutaneous fat. The muscles of the press and without extra load have a bump, and if you do not see the “cubes” – then they are hidden under the fat layer. Accordingly, you need not build muscle, but to get rid of excesses – which are completely different things.
For this, not regular and frequent repetition of exercises for the press (they, of course, should also be performed) is much more suitable, but intense cardio loads. It can be running, cycling (exercise bike), classes in the orbit, swimming, martial arts classes – anything. The main condition is to stimulate the body to begin the active process of getting rid of accumulated excess. Only in this case, you can achieve the perfect press.
Important nuances and tips
The number of repetitions. The question of how many repetitions you need to perform to work out the muscles of the press is rather controversial. The best option that usually converges in such disputes is 10-20 repetitions in 1 approach.
The frequency and time of training. The muscles of the press need frequent and regular training. Many athletes work through them every training session, after completing the main program – in principle, this is the best option.
Cardio load. If you have a lot of excess weight, then the main focus should not be twisting and other exercises on the press, and cardio. Lose unnecessary kilograms – and get the desired relief will be much easier.
A common myth is local fat burning. If you are not comfortable with a stomach that has begun to grow, you should not purposefully and daily perform abdominal exercises, this will not solve the problem at all. Much more urgent and effective – cardio, especially in combination with the use of sports supplements.
