How to pump up the internal oblique abdominal muscles. Workout for internal abdominal muscles

This is a question that interests not only women, but also men. There are probably no people who would not want to have a beautiful flat tummy, preferably for men with six-packs. And all this is not a dream, but a reality. This will require a little patience, willpower and Gym.

Fat is enemy number one

It's no secret to anyone that fat is the enemy. beautiful figure and health. Therefore, before you start intensively working on abs, you should get rid of the unnecessary layer. This layer hides the cubes and flat stomach that are given by nature. They are not noticeable because it all depends on how much fat is in the area.

To defeat this enemy you need to do two things:

It will help strengthen the heart muscle and increase the load, which will help get rid of excess weight and increase physical endurance.

The best cardio exercise to combat excess fat is running. Running is a great way to improve your well-being and lose weight. If you want to get a six-pack belly, start running in the morning on an empty stomach for half an hour, several days a week. If the morning is not the time when you can run, then choose a different time, this is not so important, the main thing is to get started.

Nutrition

To achieve your beautiful abs, you will have to say goodbye to poor nutrition. Don’t be scared right away; you won’t have to go hungry at all. You just need to reduce the amount of carbohydrates, give up sweets and avoid fast food cafes.

Preference is best given to carbohydrates that can be called slow, this could be buckwheat, rice, bran, nuts. It is advisable to plan the most basic meals for the first half of the day, and leave simpler and lighter meals for the entire next day. To improve metabolism, you should eat fractionally, that is, eat very often and little by little. Try to make up most of your diet from proteins.

Posture is very important

If your lifestyle can be called sedentary, then the following happens: since you are constantly sitting, you are very for a long time at a certain angle, which greatly spoils your posture. Why is bad posture so dangerous? To be honest, the danger is much greater than it seems. Firstly, this can provoke many diseases associated with the musculoskeletal system. Secondly, it pulls the buttocks back, and the chest goes up and deforms forward, leading to relaxation of the abdominal muscles. Because of this, all the load goes to the back muscles.

Poor posture means a stomach that everyone can see and a sore back. Of course, there is no need to talk about any flat tummy here.

Diaphragm

The diaphragm also plays a big role in supporting the abdominal muscles. This muscle, which is located between the chest and abdominal cavity, is a derivative of the abdominal muscle. The diaphragm has a great influence on the lower abs; only its correct operation will help to properly pump up this part of the body.

How to strengthen your core muscles

The main muscles of the external part of the body are the rectus muscles, as well as the back muscles and. In order for the muscles to start working and strengthen the corset of the body, it is worth turning Special attention on correct technique performing squats and presses. For the corset, it is best to do most of it in a standing position.

How to Strengthen Inner Abdominal Muscles

Very good exercise, which came to bodybuilding from yoga, is “”. It will help strengthen the internal and transverse muscles, which are located in abdominal cavity. , this is an exercise that helps and pumps it up in hard-to-reach places, that is, where it is very difficult to do with other exercises.

This training helps not only to properly pump up your stomach, but also to make your waist very visible. This is probably the most effective way.

How to do it:

Get on your knees with your palms on the floor
Empty your lungs and pull your stomach in
You need to hold it in tension for about twenty seconds.
Release any remaining air and draw in your stomach even more.
In suspense for another twenty minutes
Accept initial position
On initial stages The exercise is performed three to five times. It is best to do it as gymnastics in the morning

Very soon, if you do everything correctly and are not lazy, you will notice real, positive results. It is always worth remembering that during any exercise, the stomach should always be tense. Also, don’t think that if you start right away with heavy exercises and heavy loads, then the result will be instant.

Nothing like this. You should always start with easier exercises, increasing the load progressively and gradually, only then are you guaranteed results. It is impossible to see your tummy perfect in a week or even a month, although the results, if done correctly, should be noticeable during this period.

Strength exercises

When starting to work on your abs, it is very important to understand that technique is important, and not chasing weights and the number of repetitions. Exercise on the horizontal bar helps very well. You can do ten at a time, but it’s worth doing it in such a way that the work of the abs is felt in full force; it’s also good to use the hanging leg raise exercise.

If you want to get cubes, then the rule of a small number of repetitions works better here, but with additional scales. If you are working on the lateral muscles, then the repetitions should be maximum, and the weights should be the body.

What exercises help the most?

Studies conducted on various trainings have shown that the upper and lower abs, as well as lateral and other important muscle You can really pump up your abdomen with the following exercises:

Hanging Leg Raises
Bike

It is these trainings that will help make your stomach sculpted; it is very important that one of these exercises can be done at home without any problems.

At home

Making abs at home is a good option, which is suitable for both girls and men. But many people are concerned about the question of how long it will take and whether it is possible to achieve full results.

When asked how much you can get good press, experts answer: if you practice daily, then half an hour is enough. This time is enough for the muscle to be massaged and for it to start working.

There is also a very effective way to get a flat tummy in eight minutes. You can do your abs all day long by just quietly tensing your stomach, or sucking it in throughout the day. You can also put stress on the muscles: pulling in and sharply releasing, then pulling in again.

You can pump up your abs at home very simply.

Of course, as mentioned above, a “bicycle” will help you with this. You just need to lie on the floor, raise your legs and bend them at the knees, make movements imitating riding a bicycle. To improve the result, you can lift your body off the floor during movements.
Classic ab exercise at home. Starting position lying down. Legs are bent at the knees and stand on the floor or raised. Lift your upper body off the floor and return to the starting position again.
Take a lying position. Legs straight. Raise the top and bottom part body, legs bend at the knees when moving.
Lie down on the floor. Legs straight. Lift them off the floor by bending your knees. Top part the body does not leave the floor.

You will learn how to perform all the exercises correctly and a lot of other useful information in the next video below.

Why you can’t do it without working on the internal abdominal muscles relief press? Technique for performing the most effective exercises For internal muscles belly.
Abdominal muscle anatomy

The rectus abdominis muscle originates from the pubic bone and runs the entire length of the abdomen. The external oblique muscle of the abdomen is located on the front and side surfaces of the abdomen and part of the chest, being the widest of the muscles of the abdominal region.

The internal oblique muscle of the abdomen is located under the external oblique muscle, making up the second muscular layer of the abs. The transverse abdominis muscle lies beneath the internal oblique abdominal muscle and reduces the volume of the abdominal cavity by tightening the ribs.

How to pump up your abdominal muscles?

What most people call “abs” is the rectus abdominis muscle - it is this muscle that creates visual volume and is divided into “cubes” that everyone is trying to pump up. Most abdominal exercises work the rectus muscle.

The external oblique muscle of the abdomen is involved in various variations of lateral twisting and lateral bending. It is important to note that over-working this muscle makes the figure disproportionate by increasing the waist.
Internal abdominal muscles

Most rectus abdominis and six-pack exercises involve various variations of crunches—but it's important to remember that neither the internal oblique nor the transverse muscle The abdomen is practically not included in the work during these exercises.

Weak internal abdominal muscles are less able to hold the internal organs, which leads to the effect of a “falling out” belly, when it takes on a rounded shape, and a person has to try hard to pull the belly in and make the abs flat.
How to get a toned stomach

If your goal is not only abs, but also a toned and sculpted stomach, you need additional work on the internal abdominal muscles. In many ways, it is these muscles that create the muscular frame, tightening the body and making the figure more athletic.

Unlike exercises for the external abdominal muscles, exercises for the internal abdominal muscles are static. First you need to learn to feel these muscles, and then learn to keep them tense for as long as possible.
Exercise “Vacuum in the stomach”

Starting position: lying on your back, arms along your body, legs bent at the knees and standing on the floor. Exhale the air from your lungs and draw in your stomach as much as possible. Stay in this position for as long as possible, then inhale and repeat the exercise again.

Try not to just suck in your stomach as you exhale, try to breathe in “small sips” while keeping your stomach pulled in. Gradually increase the time of muscle tension, and also try variations of the exercise while standing or sitting.

Exercise "Plank"

Starting position: lying with your stomach down, lean on your knees, toes and elbows parallel to each other. Tightening your abs, core, and buttocks, lift your knees off the ground, keeping your body in a straight line. Hold this position.

Alternate as variations of the exercise (using side plank or plank with arm extension), and the mechanics of the load: from just maximum repetition time to interval load (10 sec. exercise and 2 sec. break), trying to do more repetitions.

most popular myth: in fact, crunches or any other abdominal exercises are not able to burn fat in this area. Local fat burning is physically impossible.

Do crunches burn belly fat?

Studies of human physiology show that despite the fact that a working muscle actually uses the fat tissue located next to it as energy, thirty minutes of abdominal crunches burns only 0.05 grams. subcutaneous fat.

The mechanism of the effect of exercise on getting rid of fat is somewhat different - during aerobic exercise, the body learns to use internal energy reserves, gradually increasing the number of capillaries in adipose tissue, which leads to its burning.
Three different types of fat

Obviously, the number of capillaries cannot be increased indefinitely, and this strategy only works up to a certain point and for a certain type of fat. That is why it is easy for many to lose the first weight, but it is difficult to get that same sculpted belly.

In fact, fat in the body of an adult is not the same, and refers to one of three fundamentally different types: fat of internal organs; subcutaneous fat; gender-specific fat. And each of them requires its own combat strategy.

Internal fat

As the name suggests, internal (visceral) fat is deposited primarily inside the abdominal cavity, pushing the belly forward. The fatter a person is, the more fat he has. It is internal fat that gives the figure of overweight people the shape of an apple.

All those who claim that they have lost a lot of weight from running, got rid of it first of all. internal fat. If you are able to pull in your stomach, then you have quite a bit of fat, and running will not help you

What is internal fat?

Most often, the reason for the formation of visceral (internal) fat is trivial - sedentary lifestyle life and excessive caloric intake. Internal fat itself is primarily deposited inside the abdominal cavity, pushing the stomach forward.

People who have a lot of visceral fat are more likely to suffer from obesity, with all the attendant negative health consequences: testosterone levels in men decrease, and the risk of developing heart disease and many other diseases increases.
How to get rid of internal fat?

The loss of internal fat significantly transforms a person - those around him immediately note that he began to play sports because he has become dramatically thinner. A feeling of lightness appears, and the person seems to have become much healthier.

Luckily, losing weight to the 15% body fat level isn't that difficult—anything above that number is definitely overweight, and by nature the body wants to get rid of it as quickly as possible. He just needs a little help.

Physiology of fat loss

Formed in absence physical activity internal fat reserves are distinguished by a small number of capillaries. Essentially, this is dead weight that the body does not try to use for energy metabolism, and the task of training is to retrain it.

Under the influence of aerobic exercise medium intensity Blood flow in adipose tissue gradually increases, the body begins to use fat as a source of energy, which leads to the smooth burning of this fat. Moreover, the process accelerates over time.

Getting rid of a bulging belly and the fat surrounding your internal organs isn't all that difficult—it just takes basic diet control and low-intensity cardio a few times a week. The main thing is to take your time and tune in to gradual results.

Subcutaneous fat

This material will be relevant to those who have a body fat level of 15-18% (the thickness of the fat fold on the stomach is approximately 1-3 centimeters, the stomach itself does not protrude, but is still noticeable under a T-shirt), and who wants to lose weight to 10-11 %.

About 40-60% of all body fat is subcutaneous fat - that soft fat that can be touched through the skin. Aerobic exercise affects subcutaneous fat to a lesser extent, and in addition to it, a calorie-reducing diet is also necessary.

On average, you can get rid of 400-700 grams. this amount of fat per week, which is equivalent to a deficit of 500-900 kcal per day. The body is not able to burn this fat faster, and if you reduce calories further, you will lose muscle first, not fat.

Fat in the lower abdomen and thighs

The third type of fat is gender-specific fat, which is found in men's lower abdomen and back. The fight against such fat is relevant for those who have less than 10% subcutaneous fat, since it is obvious that you cannot lose weight on your stomach while remaining fat.

Unfortunately, it is this fat that is the most problematic, since the body uses it last, having first gotten rid of internal and subcutaneous fat. The strategy to combat such fat includes truly comprehensive solutions

Lose weight once for life?

It is also worth noting that, contrary to popular belief, the number of fat cells is not genetically determined, and the body is quite capable of creating new fat reserves (2). Unfortunately, after this the fat cells practically do not die off and remain forever.

Essentially, adipose tissue is like a sponge—you can lose weight and “dry out” the fat cells, but you will always have to maintain a diet and exercise, since these same fat cells will quickly return to their previous volume if you overeat.

How to burn fat and build muscle?

Let us remind you once again that it is impossible to burn fat and increase muscle in one workout. The typical advice to combine high-repetition strength training with twenty minutes of cardio at the end is absolutely the wrong technique.

No matter how beautiful and even logical the idea that the body burns subcutaneous fat and immediately directs the resulting energy to construction muscle tissue, in reality this process is impossible for a number of physiological reasons.

The influence of hormones on fat burning

The hormone insulin, which is produced in the presence of sugar in the blood and is critical for building muscle, virtually blocks the release of fat from fat cells, which effectively makes it impossible to burn this fat for energy.

Considering that carbohydrates and proteins increase insulin levels, fat burning is inhibited when taken. It is also obvious that if there is dietary fat in the body, the body does not need to burn its fat. It turns out that fat is burned only with periodic fasting.
Why won't running work?

Internal fat, which is abundant in obese people, responds poorly to insulin, but responds well to the fat-burning hormone adrenaline, which is produced during cardio training. This is why overweight people lose weight when running, even without following a diet.

If you have little internal fat, then the role of running is somewhat different - in fact, you need a negative calorie diet, as well as periodic “cleansing” of the blood from insulin and excess energy in the form of glucose, which is what cardio training (and running in particular) will help you with ).
What is better - running or diet?

It is also important that during cardio exercise, a person loses weight rather than from the calories burned - he loses weight from hormonal “bursts” caused by running or fast walking. In fact, it's easier to cut 400 calories from your diet than to run 5 kilometers. You can combine a less restrictive diet with fat-burning cardio. and give up cardio, but follow a more strict diet, limiting carbohydrates to 40-60 grams. per day. Cardio only helps you, but at this stage Diet is still more important.

Why is it not fat that is burned, but muscle?

Since the role of insulin is to protect muscle (and fat) from breakdown, when insulin levels are low, the body burns not only fat, but also muscle. It is believed that the loss of three kilograms of fat entails the loss of a kilogram of muscle, and this is practically impossible to change.

To lose as little muscle as possible, it is important to maintain an increased protein intake and in no case reduce the calorie intake by more than 10-20%. Purpose (and technique) strength training should also be different - mass maintenance.

Fast weight loss techniques

The leaner you are, the more your body will prevent further fat burning. At the same time, “typical” weight loss techniques (starvation and mono-diets, sharp reduction in calories, excessive cardio) will burn more muscles than fat.

If you want to get a flat stomach, you will have to count calories and also use cyclical diets. Only this will make you burn the most difficult fat - fat in the lower abdomen, since exercise will not help. But more on that next week.

Most efficient technique to burn subcutaneous fat - cardio several times a week on an empty stomach, reducing daily calories by 10-20%, limiting carbohydrates to 50-60 grams. per day and increased protein intake to protect muscles.

How to burn belly fat

A training strategy for quickly burning fat on the stomach and other problem areas. Why is it more effective to exercise on an empty stomach early in the morning?

How is fat burned?

The fat burning cycle consists of three stages: the mobilization of free fatty acids (FFA) from fatty tissue, the transport of FFA by the bloodstream to the site of oxidation (burning), and the burning of FFA itself, carried out in the muscles, liver or heart.

Let us remember that the process of burning fat and the process of muscle growth are two absolute processes that the body cannot combine.

Fat mobilization

The mobilization of FFA depends on the hormones insulin, adrenaline and cortisol, and even with average insulin levels, the mobilization of fats stops. To burn fat, it is best to exercise on an empty stomach or 3-4 hours after eating.

With such training, the level of the stress hormone cortisol will increase, which accelerates muscle burning, and this is why it is important not to aggravate the situation by constantly being on strict diets

Why is it difficult to lose weight?

Transportation of FFA depends on blood flow, because this is how fat is carried to the site of combustion. This is where the key difference between those losing weight lies: blood flow in “problem” areas (lower abdomen and back in men) is usually worse.

The thinner a person is, the more difficult it is for him to lose weight further - the body tries to maintain reserve energy reserves in the form of fat in case of unforeseen situations. The body considers 15% body fat in men to be “normal” and changes metabolism at a lower percentage.

How to get six-pack belly fat?

The minimum level of fat for abs to be visible varies from person to person, and for some it is 9%, while for others the abs are visible at 15%. But in any case, for flat stomach You need your own weight loss strategy, and a banal diet and a lot of activity will not help.

Fat in problem areas has inverse sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which is produced during cardio exercise and burns “regular” fat. This is why belly fat gets cold when you exercise.

Fat in problem areas

New research has shown that, first, the body stores different types of fat (saturated or unsaturated fatty acids) in different places (2); and secondly, the susceptibility of these different types of fat to hormones and training also varies.

It turned out that male fat in the lower back and abdomen is very similar in structure to female fat on the hips, and it is significantly different from any other subcutaneous fat stored by the body. Actually, this is the reason for the “problem areas”.

Hormonal difference

Internal fat reacts poorly to insulin, but responds to adrenaline, which allows you to “melt” it with cardio exercises, regardless of diet; burning of regular subcutaneous fat is blocked in the presence of insulin, so not only cardio is necessary, but also diet (2).

“Complex” subcutaneous fat responds strongly to insulin, but weakly responds to adrenaline - even if you lower your insulin levels with a low-carb diet and increase your adrenaline levels with cardio, this fat will not be burned like regular subcutaneous fat.
The effect of adrenaline on fat burning

In normal subcutaneous fat, adrenaline improves blood circulation, accelerating the burning of this fat. But in the case of “complex” fat, adrenaline, on the contrary, reduces blood circulation - this is why many feel that the stomach becomes cold during cardio

The oblique muscles of the abdomen are located on the sides of the abs. The question of how to pump them correctly is of most interest to female representatives. Overdeveloped oblique muscles can make a manly figure, because height side press will inevitably lead to an expansion of the waist. But strong oblique muscles create a strong muscle corset that supports the spine and helps avoid injury when performing exercises with heavy weights.

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Anatomy of oblique muscles

The abs are made up of many muscles. Most athletes pay attention only to working on the straight line, which is responsible for the presence of cubes. The oblique muscles often do not receive the proper load. They are located on the sides of the abdomen and help create a defined silhouette.

The lateral muscles are divided into:

external (external) obliques are the largest and most noticeable;
internal obliques are smaller and located deeper, under the external ones.

The main purpose of the oblique muscles is to rotate the body to the right and left. In addition, they perform the following functions:

support the spine, creating a strong muscle corset, which protects against injury;
allow you to make the silhouette on the sides more toned.

Therefore, strengthening the oblique muscles is an important task for any athlete who cares about his figure and athletic performance. After all, without a strong lateral press it will not be possible to seriously increase weight in basic exercises.

Class Rules

There are several important nuances when performing oblique muscle exercises. If you do not follow them, training can only harm your appearance and health.

Firstly, it is worth understanding that developing side abs will not help make your tummy flat and get rid of your sides. Fat burning occurs only in a calorie deficit. To create it, you need to follow a diet and exercise (strength or cardio training). During abdominal exercises, not enough calories are consumed. Therefore, if there are body fat, the oblique muscles will simply be invisible.

Secondly, you need to take into account that the growth of the lateral press leads to an expansion of the waist. After all, this is where the oblique muscles are located. This is not so scary for men who want to have a sculpted stomach. But women should rock their obliques very carefully.

It’s quite easy for girls to “kill” their waist and lose their feminine lines, especially if they use weights when performing exercises. This mistake is often made by women, because they believe that weighting them will allow them to achieve their goal faster and remove their sides.

You must also follow these rules:

eat 1.5-2 hours before training, so that you do not exercise on an empty or full stomach;
after gymnastics, eating should follow 1-1.5 hours later.

If significant growth of oblique muscles is required, you can drink protein or gainer immediately after training.

How to quickly pump up your calves at home and in the gym - effective exercises

Effective exercises

To pump up your lateral abs, you will need to regularly perform a special set of exercises.

It can be done on a separate day 1-2 times a week, or you can do a couple of oblique exercises at the end of a workout for other muscle groups.

Side crunches

The simplest exercise for beginners that can be performed at home is lateral crunches lying on your back.

Technique:

1. Lie down on the mat. Stretch your arms along the body. Bend your legs at the knees.
2. Slightly lift your upper back off the floor without lifting your shoulder blades.
3. Try to reach the right foot with the fingertips of your right hand. Then - with your left hand to your left foot.

You should try to do 15-20 repetitions in 3 sets.

The neck should not strain during the execution. IN otherwise the load will shift from the target muscles to the cervical spine.

Another option for performing the exercise is in a lying position, when you need to reach with your right elbow to your left knee, and then with your left elbow to your right knee.

Side crunches can also be done while lying on your side.

Technique:

1. Lie on your right side and slightly bend your knees. Place your left arm, bent at the elbow, behind your head.
2. Then try to reach your thigh with your elbow.
3. Hold for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.
4. After completing the specified number of repetitions, roll over onto your left side.

If you have a fitball at home or in the gym, you can use it to work your oblique muscles. In this case you will need:

1. Lie on it sideways so that your waist is on the fitball.
2. You need to hold onto the ball with one hand and place the other behind your head.
3. Feet should rest firmly on the floor.
4. From this position, you need to begin performing lateral twists, trying to reach your legs with your elbow.

When performing an exercise on a fitball, you have to maintain balance. Therefore, stabilizer muscles are additionally included in the work.

Standing side bends

An effective exercise for developing the lateral abdominal muscles is bending to the sides. Most often it is done from a standing position with dumbbells.

Technique:

1. Stand up straight. Feet should be shoulder-width apart. Take dumbbells in your hands.
2. Bend first to the right side, and then to the left.
3. The dumbbells should slide close to your thighs.

You don't need a lot of weight for this exercise. This is especially true for girls. After all, using weights when bending over will inevitably lead to an expansion of the waist.

You can also perform the exercise on a bench. A hyperextension machine is best. You will need to stand sideways in it and fix your legs between the bolsters. Putting one hand behind your head, you need to start leaning to the sides.

This option will provide a greater range of motion, and therefore more effective development muscles.

Raising the torso and legs on the side

A more complicated variation of lateral twists - performing the exercise with straight legs. Required:

1. Lie on your right side and place your right hand behind your head. Legs should be straight
2. As you exhale, you should try to connect your elbow to your legs, while lifting them.
3. Having stopped at the top point for 1-2 seconds, you need to return to the starting position.

This exercise is more difficult and is not suitable for beginners. Before you start doing it, you should master lateral twists without lifting your legs.

Body rotations

An exercise such as torso rotation is aimed at developing the oblique muscles. It can be performed in a sitting position with a small bar.

Correct technique:

1. Sit on a bench, cabinet or chair and place your feet firmly on the floor.
2. Place the barbell on your shoulders.
3. Turn the body as far as possible to the right. The pelvis should remain motionless.
4. Then turn to the left as far as possible.

The movements should be smooth so that you can feel the work of the target muscles.

You can also perform the exercise while standing. In this case, when turning to the right, you can slightly twist left leg. Then the amplitude of movement will be greatest.

Bike

Many people know the exercise called cycling. In the standard version, it consists of alternately raising the knees and loading the rectus abdominis muscle. But if you change the movement a little, you can shift the emphasis to the side press.

Technique:

1. Lie on your back and raise your legs straight above the floor.
2. Then lift your upper back off the surface so that your shoulder blades remain on the floor.
3. As you exhale, bend right leg in the knee and try to reach it with your left elbow.
4. After this, straighten your right leg and bend your left, trying to reach it with your right elbow.

This exercise should be performed continuously for 20–40 seconds at a fairly fast pace.

Side plank

To work out the side press, you can transform an exercise such as a plank. You will need to perform it standing on one leg and leaning on one hand.

Correct technique:

1. Take the starting position, leaning on your right arm and right leg.
2. Your left hand can be placed on your belt.
3. The body should be straight. You should not allow your hips to “sag” down.

Beginners can stand in this plank for only 20–30 seconds. Gradually the time needs to be increased.

Hanging lateral leg raises

If you have a horizontal bar installed at home or in the gym, you can pump up your oblique muscles with its help. To do this, you will need to do hanging leg raises to the sides.

Technique:

1. Hang on the bar, grasping it tightly.
2. Raise your legs, bent at the knees, first to the right and then to the left. They should be at chest level.
3. In this case, the body must be slightly twisted in the right direction.

This exercise has an increased level of difficulty. It's usually easier for guys to do. Girls often do not have enough grip strength to support their own body weight.

Pendulum

The pendulum is another good exercise for working the oblique muscles. To complete it you need:

1. Lie on your back. Raise your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your shins are parallel to it.
2. Turn them to the right, twisting the pelvis. There is no need to touch the floor. The main thing is to feel the maximum stretch of the lateral press.
3. After pausing for a while, return your legs to the starting position with a powerful movement.
4. Then turn them to the left.

You can make this exercise more difficult by rotating your straight legs.

Woodcutter

An exercise with the unusual name “Lumberjack” can be done in the gym. It is also aimed at working the oblique muscles. To perform it you will need a simulator with an upper block.

Step by step technique:

1. Stand with your right side to the block top link and grab the handle with both hands.
2. Pull it towards your left leg.
3. Then return the handle to your right shoulder and perform required amount repetitions.
4. Then stand up to upper block left side.

The movements should be powerful and chopping, like when a woodcutter is working.

You need to perform 3-4 of the exercises presented 1-2 times a week. The next workout should be planned no earlier than the muscles stop hurting.

And a little about secrets...

The story of one of our readers Alina R.:

I was especially depressed about my weight. I gained a lot, after pregnancy I weighed as much as 3 sumo wrestlers together, namely 92 kg with a height of 165. I thought the belly would go away after giving birth, but no, on the contrary, I began to gain weight. How to cope with hormonal changes and obesity? But nothing disfigures or makes a person look younger than his figure. At the age of 20, I first learned that fat girls they call it “WOMAN” and that “they don’t make these sizes.” Then at the age of 29, divorce from my husband and depression...

But what can you do to lose weight? Laser liposuction surgery? I found out - no less than 5 thousand dollars. Hardware procedures - LPG massage, cavitation, RF lifting, myostimulation? A little more affordable - the course costs from 80 thousand rubles with a nutritionist consultant. You can, of course, try to run on a treadmill until you go crazy.

And when will you find time for all this? And it's still very expensive. Especially now. That's why I chose a different method for myself...

The oblique abdominal muscles play a key role in the normal movement of the human torso, but, unfortunately, not all of us have them fully developed. In order to competently start working on a particular muscle group, it is very important to know its structure and the next step is to start selecting the appropriate exercises to form a complete workout.

Anatomy of the oblique abdominal muscles of men and girls

In men and women, the anatomical structure of muscle tissue is no different. But due to individual characteristics and level sports uniform appearance People's press varies.

The oblique muscles of the abdomen are located on both sides of the body, are responsible for its rotation and are stabilizing muscles, since they stabilize the spine. It is thanks to the oblique abdominal muscles that the spine can fully perform its functions, and all our organs remain in the correct position.

It is very important to strengthen the oblique abdominal muscles in order to maintain good posture. Any movement of our torso originates in these muscles, and then a signal is sent to the rest of the necessary muscle groups. If you do not pay due attention to the development of the oblique abdominal muscles, over time you can observe such a negative consequence as asymmetry in the waist area. To avoid this, let's figure out what the oblique abdominal muscles are made of and what they are responsible for.

The oblique muscles of the abdomen consist of the external oblique and internal oblique muscles.

Internal oblique muscle

This broad flat muscle, located under the external flat muscle, originates from the outer parts of the inguinal ligament and ilium. Consists of several bundles of fibers. The upper fascicles are attached to the cartilage located next to the lower ribs. They are located from bottom to top. The lower beams have both upper and lower directions.

With unilateral contraction, the internal oblique muscle, together with the external muscle of the opposite side, turns the body in the same direction and lowers the ribs. If the contraction of the internal oblique muscle is bilateral, then it pulls the chest down and flexes the spine (with a fixed position chest the pelvis rises - also due to contraction of the internal oblique muscle).

External oblique muscle

The external muscle is located above the internal muscle and provides twisting and flexion of the body. When contracting the right extrinsic muscle the torso twists to the right, and when the left contraction occurs, it twists to the left. As for the internal muscles in this process, the opposite side is included in the work - turning to the left helps to ensure the right internal oblique muscle and vice versa.

Also, the external oblique muscle helps tilt the torso forward, and it is thanks to this muscle that we can lift and carry heavy objects.

The external and internal obliques are the only muscles that are tense when a person stands - they support the body in vertical position and help maintain balance.

The external muscle has eight large teeth, the first five - the upper ones - are located in the serratus anterior muscle, and the remaining three are adjacent to those teeth that belong to the widest dorsal muscle.

The best exercises for the obliques

For maximum development of the abdominal muscles, do not forget about exercises for working the oblique abdominal muscles, since they form the cherished thin waist, directly affect the overall health of a person and perform the function of a corset.

Since the oblique abdominal muscles are located quite deep and in Everyday life are loaded minimally, let's consider a set of exercises that focus our attention specifically on working out the oblique abdominal muscles.

You can pump up the oblique abdominal muscles while standing, lying down and sitting, which allows you to combine various exercises and pump up as many muscles as possible.

Standing side bends without additional weight

The best exercise for girls, because the absence of weights will not allow you to pump up the muscles, and therefore will protect you from unwanted thickening of the waist.

Starting position - legs apart slightly wider than shoulders, head and back straight, hands behind the head.
As you inhale, bend to the right, stop tilting your torso when you feel tension in your left side. When bending to the right side, the muscles contract on the right and lengthen on the left.
On the exhale
We tilt to the left again until we feel tension in the opposite side.
We return to the starting position.
Repeat the required number of times until the approach is completed.

It is advisable to perform 3 sets of 8–12 times in each direction.

Video: bending to the opposite leg without additional weight

By doing this exercise It is important to focus on stretching the obliques and bending down as low as possible, as this will provide a stronger stretch and subsequent contraction of the muscles. It is also very important to keep your abs static throughout the exercise - this will help the spine take a stable position.

Take a dumbbell or any other extra weight at least 1.5 kg in the right hand.
Feet shoulder-width apart, head straight, free hand behind the head or on the belt. Hold the additional weight with a neutral grip with your hand at your hip.
We remove the deflection in the lower back by slightly moving the pelvis forward. This will be the starting position.
As you exhale, slowly bend to the right until you feel tension on the left side.
We return to the starting position.
We perform the required number of repetitions in one direction, after which we change the position of the hands.
We do the appropriate number of repetitions on the left side.

When performing bends along the body with a dumbbell, it is very important to focus your attention on stretching the oblique abdominal muscles

It is advisable to do 3 sets of 8 repetitions in each direction.

There is no need to take dumbbells in both hands at the same time, since the second weight will make it easier to return to the starting position and the exercise will lose some of its effectiveness.

Video: sliding slopes along the body with a dumbbell

Video: How to pump the oblique abdominal muscles by sliding bends along the body with a dumbbell

Bends to the opposite leg

The well-known “Mill” exercise is also considered useful for developing the oblique abdominal muscles.

Starting position - straight back, legs in a wide stance, straight arms spread to the sides.
We bend over and try to reach our left leg with our right hand.
We return to the starting position.
We do the same with the left hand, but we reach for the right leg.
We take the starting position again.
Repeat the required number of bends for each leg.

It is advisable to do 8-12 repetitions in each direction in each of the 3 approaches.

While bending, you cannot help yourself with your hips; it is very important to work with your lower back and abdominal muscles. Otherwise, the exercise will lose its effectiveness.

Video: performing bends to the opposite leg

For next exercise we will need some kind of support. It could be a wall, the back of a chair, or something else.

Starting position - stand with your right side to the support, hold on to it with your right hand, put your left hand on your belt, put your feet together.
We perform a side swing with our left leg, lifting it up as much as possible.
We take the starting position.
We do the required number of repetitions on the left side, after which we turn with our left side to our support and do the same thing on the right side.

For each swing we exhale, when returning to the starting position - inhale.

During such leg swings, in addition to the oblique abdominal muscles, the hips and gluteal muscles are also involved in the work.

Video: performing lateral leg swings

The side plank is a more advanced version of the classic plank. Consider the option of a side forearm plank.

We lie down with our right side on the floor or mat and straighten up.
Place your elbow under your shoulder and place your palm on the surface. The shoulder and elbow should be perpendicular to the floor. Left hand can be on the belt, behind the head or extended upward. We direct our gaze straight ahead.
We stretch our legs, feet on top of each other, or the upper one stands in front of the lower one.
We rise on the elbow, maintaining balance at both points - at the elbow and the side of the foot.
We do not allow the pelvis to fall down, we try to keep the body in one straight line all the time.
After the time has elapsed, lower the body to the floor.

For the first time, you can stand in the side plank for at least 15–20 seconds, but, if you wish, try to increase the time with each workout.

Video: side plank options

Side crunches, provided there is a small amount of subcutaneous fat, are very effective in achieving beautiful curved lines on the sides of the abs.

Starting position - lie down on the mat, bend your knees, put your hands behind your head.
We move our knees to the right so that the right knee rests on the floor. The right hand can be placed on the left side to feel the muscle contractions during the twisting process, or it can be left behind the head along with the left hand.
As you exhale, tense your abdominal muscles and twist your body, lifting your shoulders up.
Inhaling, we return to the starting position.
We do the required number of times to complete the approach.
We change the position of the knees - now the left knee should lie on the surface, and the right knee should be on top.
We repeat the same thing with the same number of repetitions.

We do 10-15 repetitions for each side for 3 sets.

Video: technique of performing side crunches for abdominal training

Body rotations sitting or standing with a barbell or gymnastic stick

It is worth noting that when using a small weight in this exercise, the muscles are not fully involved in the work, and performing turns with a large weight can be traumatic. Therefore, we recommend performing body rotations as warm-up exercise and with low weight. There is no fundamental difference in whether we perform body turns while sitting or standing.

Starting position - back straight, take additional weight (barbell or gymnastic stick), we put it behind our back to fix our back, we grab the edges with our hands, our gaze is directed forward.
We perform body turns with maximum amplitude. Do not turn your head along with your body - this can lead to dizziness. We never stop keeping our back straight.
After the required number of repetitions, we stop, return to the starting position, and put the weight back.

It is advisable to perform turns intensively for 2–3 minutes (about 100 turns in each direction). While twisting, we exhale, and when returning to the center, inhale.

Video: overview of performing body turns with a gymnastic stick

Recommendations for performing exercises for the oblique muscles of the abdomen

You should not build your workout with the expectation of developing exclusively the oblique abdominal muscles, since they are involved in many movements and exercises.
When including the proposed exercises in your training complex, it is advisable to perform 3-4 exercises, and then - at the next workout - replace them with others. This will allow the muscles to always be in good shape and will not allow them to get used to monotonous loads.
You should not train your oblique muscles every day, as they need time to recover. It is advisable to give them this opportunity once every two to three days.
It is very important to do a short warm-up before starting a workout to warm up your muscles. After training, you need to do some stretching, which will ensure correct formation silhouette and free you from pain after physical activity.
It is recommended to refrain from eating an hour and a half before training, as well as an hour after it.

Exercises for the oblique abdominal muscles play an important role in the formation nice abs and strengthening the overall health of a person, since these muscles are a significant part of the muscular corset and affect the health of the spine and the normal functioning of internal organs.

Important components of an excellent athletic figure for girls are a flat tummy, for men - sculpted abs. The oblique abdominal muscles are responsible for their formation. The more developed they are, the thinner the women's waist, and the more pronounced the V-shaped torso of men. In addition to the aesthetic function, the development of this muscle group plays a huge role in holding the internal organs in the desired position.

Anatomy of the obliques

This muscle group divided into 2 types of muscles: internal, external. The internal one passes under the external oblique muscle, so it is not noticeable.

The main functions of the oblique abdominal muscles are:

rotations of the body, spine
trunk flexion
keeping the torso upright

The lateral abdominal muscles are involved in the formation of the muscle corset, which is very important for correct posture.

Oblique Abdominal Muscle Training Program

It is important to consider the following: most people have a layer of fat in the abdominal area. It is difficult to get rid of it with exercise alone. Therefore, we should not forget about proper nutrition. On the menu protein food should prevail over carbohydrates. It’s better to reduce the amount of carbohydrates to zero.

In the first months of training, it is unlikely that you will be able to perform the required number of repetitions. Experienced athletes recommend doing your best, but not overloading your muscles so as not to injure them. Add one repetition to each workout. If in the last lesson you performed 10 repetitions, then next time - 11. In addition gradual increase loads, ensure that each exercise is performed correctly. Don't forget about warming up. It will prepare the muscles for stress.

How to pump up your oblique abdominal muscles using the “dumbbell bend over” exercise

Starting position: back straight, legs set slightly wider than shoulders, hands behind the head. We begin to tilt the body to the right and left sides alternately. Make sure your body doesn't lean forward or backward. As soon as the abdominal muscles no longer receive the proper load (a “burning” feeling), complicate the task by adding a dumbbell.

Technique: straight back, legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, place one hand behind your head, and take a dumbbell in the other. Tilts are made in the direction in which hand the projectile is located. We do the same with the other hand.

How to train your obliques using lateral raises

We lie on our sides in a special exercise machine, fix our legs under the bolsters, and clasp our hands behind our heads. We begin to lift the torso up, tensing the lateral abdominal muscles. We repeat a similar procedure turning to the other side.

On a note! If you do not have a special simulator, then the exercise can be done on horizontal bench, and secure your legs with straps or invite a partner to hold them.

Pumping the oblique abdominal muscles using a horizontal bar

Hanging on the horizontal bar, you need to bend your legs until an angle of 90 degrees is formed with the body. The task is to touch the crossbar with your knees. We do not place our knees in front of us, but direct them alternately to the sides (for example, first to the left, then to the right).

Advice. You can complicate the exercise as follows: lift your legs straight to the sides, trying to touch the bar with your fingertips.

How to pump up your oblique abdominal muscles using barbell bends

We take the bar in our hands and place it on our shoulders, placing our feet slightly wider than our shoulders. Choose the weight of the neck depending on the level physical fitness. Untrained people can start with a 10 kg bar, experienced people with 20 kg. We begin to tilt the body to the sides, holding the ends of the projectile with both hands. It is important to ensure that the body does not lean forward or backward.

How to train your obliques using a pulley machine

The exercise is also called “lumberjack”. We stand sideways to the machine, grab the handle with both hands and perform movements that imitate working with an axe. Pull the handle from the right shoulder diagonally to the left leg. We carry out similar movements on the other side.

How to pump up your oblique abdominal muscles at home

In most cases, home training means the absence of sports equipment and exercise equipment.

Therefore, especially for you, we have selected a number of effective exercises for the oblique abdominal muscles:

lateral twists - performed while lying on the floor. We lie on our right side, put our hands behind our heads (the head should not touch the floor). When lifting the body, we exhale, when returning to the original position, inhale. Having reached the top point, it is important to hold for 3-4 seconds and only then lower your body back. We do the same on the other side
“woodcutter” - the exercise is similar to the one proposed above, only instead of a simulator we use a sandbag. 1.5-2 kg is enough for a woman, 5-6 kg for a man. We place our feet shoulder-width apart, keep our body straight, hold the bag at arm's length above the right shoulder, and the other hand on the belt. Straining the lateral press, we try to smoothly lower the load diagonally, aiming for the left thigh. We return to the original position. We do the same thing on the other side
body tilts - place your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, arms pointing straight up. We bend our torso forward, twisting our abs a little and try to touch the toes of our left foot with our right hand. Then we start pumping the other side

Advice: do not forget that only high-quality training will bring positive results. It’s best to go to the gym for the first time, where a trainer will show and teach you how to correctly perform this or that exercise, and also select an individual set of workouts.

How to pump up your oblique abdominal muscles in a short time

It is difficult to quickly pump up the oblique abdominal muscles, because muscle growth does not happen in one or two days. Behind a short time and with intense loads you can only injure the muscles. If you want to strengthen the oblique abdominal muscles and make your abs even more powerful and attractive, then we recommend that you take your time in this matter, but do everything gradually and wisely, without unnecessarily loading the muscles.

Popular and effective exercises today for training the lateral press are:

lifting the body with rotation - the exercise can be performed anywhere (simulator, floor, bench). The technique for performing it is described above. 3 sets of 9 reps
lateral twists - to maintain balance, while performing lateral twists, you need to hold on to the knee with your lower hand. Lifting should only be done using the oblique abdominal muscles. 3 sets, 10 reps
turns on the horizontal bar - you need to hang on the crossbar and begin to describe a “rainbow” with your feet. You can't touch the floor. We perform 3 sets of 7-8 repetitions

If you perform only one of the exercises presented, you will not achieve a positive result. To achieve the goal, it is important to perform all 3 exercises for the oblique abdominal muscles, periodically alternating them with each other.

Pumping the oblique abdominal muscles with professionals

Pumping up the oblique abdominal muscles - the best exercises from Yuri Spasokukotsky

We perform bends with one dumbbell to work the oblique abdominal muscles. When the dumbbell is in the right hand, it trains left side body, and vice versa. It is not advisable to take heavy weight, otherwise you will pump up massive oblique abdominal muscles, and accordingly your waist will become noticeably wider. While bending the torso, we try to keep the pelvis motionless.

Tip: You should train with only one dumbbell. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the exercise specifically for the oblique abdominal muscles disappears.

Secrets of perfect abs from Denis Gusev - a selection of the best exercises

Hanging lateral leg raises - in the starting position, grab the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart. Holding your breath, we lift your legs while simultaneously turning them to one side. We smoothly return to the original position. We carry out the required number of repetitions, first in one direction and then in the other. Throughout the entire exercise, the body should not swing, otherwise the lateral press will not receive a quality load.
twisting with body lifting on a bench with a negative slope - we sit on incline bench with a slope of 15-30 degrees, we place our legs behind the rollers. When lifting your body, do not use inertial force. The pace of the workout is smooth. When returning to the starting position, do not touch your back to the bench
lifting your legs from a lying position on a bench - lie down on the bench, grab the support with your hands. Legs should be raised to an angle of 90 degrees in hip joint. When returning to the starting position, do not touch the floor with your feet

During training, make sure that the muscle group being pumped is always in tension
avoid long rest periods between repetitions
visit the gym at least 1-2 times a week
increase the load gradually
alternate the presented exercises with each other
be sure to rest your muscles
start your workout with a warm-up part ( treadmill, exercise bike, simple bends and turns of the body).