Article by Professor Seluyanov: local weight loss is possible. Local fat burning

Local weight loss or targeted fat reduction is a very controversial issue. Moreover, almost everyone who is in any way connected with fitness, bodybuilding or the sports field argues about it. Almost everyone considers it their duty to enter into a discussion about local fat burning, from fitness instructors who have only recently completed fitness courses to scientific luminaries, heads of laboratories and professors. However, it is not surprising that this topic causes such resonance. After all, if the possibility of local fat burning exists, then any splits aimed at losing weight, general cardio and power loads, doing the “basic” bodybuilding for those who want to lose weight.

Divided opinions

We are accustomed to paying attention to the opinions of authorities. That is, if a big uncle trainer in our gym tells us that local fat burning does not exist, then we tend to believe him, because he, in principle, is an authority for us. But the problem is that his authority rests solely on the fact that we have no other authorities. But even if you look through our domestic scientists, you can find a lot scientific works and research confirming that local fat burning exists. Moreover, some are even developing training systems that can provide local fat burning and which, by the way, are quite widely used in the West and for some reason are completely ignored by our athletes.

By the way, most fitness trainers and gym trainers are literally foaming at the mouth and ready to prove that local fat burning does not exist and all these exercises are “for losing weight in the legs”, “for toned buttocks”, etc. nothing more than a marketing ploy. Here, two questions immediately and quite naturally arise: is training for all muscle groups, which, by the way, beginners are recommended to do exclusively under the supervision of that same trainer, isn’t this a marketing ploy? And the second question: on what basis do you declare that local fat burning is impossible? Most often, the coach is not able to give a comprehensive answer to either the first or the second question. Moreover, there are very few published and widely known studies regarding topical fat loss. That is, we can conclude that the opinion of most coaches is formed by “seniors”: coaches, teachers and mentors from whom they once studied.

A huge layer of people who specialize in “home training” do not think at all about the issue of local fat burning and stubbornly do all these “exercises for slender legs" and "exercises from riding breeches." And, based on my own experience, I can say that some of them really achieve noticeable results if the training performed is at least close to the conditions in which local fat burning occurs.

Physiology of fat burning

Let's take a quick look at the mechanism of eliminating fat reserves. Fat in human body is stored in cells specially designed for this purpose - lipocytes. When released from the lipocyte, fat is broken down into fatty acids and glycerol. Next, fatty acids need to enter the mitochondria of the muscle cell, where the oxidation process occurs, releasing energy. Each lipocyte has receptors that respond to hormones that have lipolytic ability. These hormones are secreted by the endocrine glands. There are several types of lipolytic hormones, respectively, the same number of types of receptors that interact with one or another hormone. Hormones with which lipocyte receptors interact: adrenaline, adrenocorticotropic hormone, glucagon, norepinephrine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, vasopressin, α and β-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, growth hormone

So, a full-fledged fat burning process looks like this: as a result of the influence of external and/or internal factors, hormones with lipolytic ability are released into the blood. Moving along the bloodstream, they interact with lipocyte receptors, as a result of which fatty acids and glycerol are released from lipocytes into the bloodstream. In a special way, fatty acids are transported to the mitochondria, where the long-awaited fat burning occurs.

Local fat burning

The considered physiology of the fat burning process allows us to analyze the arguments of both sides: those who claim that local fat burning is impossible and their opponents. So, the most compelling arguments of the first:

1. Blood moves throughout the body, so it is impossible to “lose weight” in one place;
2. The activity of cellular receptors that respond to hormones with lipolytic ability is much less in areas of the body physiologically designed for storing fat reserves (buttocks, abdomen). Accordingly, these areas are the last to “lose weight,” so all massages, wraps, etc., designed to stimulate fat burning in these areas are completely useless.

Let's consider the opposite point of view. The first counterargument: despite the fact that blood moves evenly throughout the body, it is quite possible to increase its volume in a specific area of the body. There is even such a technique in bodybuilding, it’s called pumping. It consists of “pumping” a huge amount of blood into one specific muscle. Interestingly, bodybuilders use pumping everywhere, they are very familiar with the physiology of this process, but at the same time they claim that blood circulates evenly throughout the body, therefore local weight loss impossible.
In addition, the body's ability to increase the vascular network when necessary is well known. Simply put, if there is a lot of blood constantly in one place, new vessels are formed to normalize its circulation. This involuntary attempt by the body to prevent local fat burning requires an increase in load to maintain the concentration of hormones in the blood.

The second counterargument: if the receptors of certain cells are able to reduce sensitivity to hormones over time, then why is the reverse process not possible? It is quite possible that when the right approach receptors in areas of the body physiologically designed to store fat will increase their sensitivity to hormonal effects, or the number of receptors itself will increase.
So, we have substantiated the fact that it is possible to repeatedly increase the volume of blood in a specific area of the body. The only caveat is that this blood must be saturated with hormones that have lipolytic ability. And this can be achieved with the help of appropriate training or pharmacological drugs.

Scientific evidence

The issue of local fat burning was scrupulously considered by our compatriot Viktor Nikolaevich Seluyanov. This topic interested him, as he noticed that athletes involved in arm wrestling body fat on the hands disappear much faster than on any other area of the body. Well, off we go... As a result, a number of studies and analyzes were carried out, a patent “Method of changing the proportion of tissue composition of the entire human body and in its individual segments” was issued and a training system was developed. Interestingly, research conducted by V.N. Seluyanov, confirmed the possibility of not only targeted fat reduction, but also local hypertrophy. Simply put, in order to form a volumetric gluteal muscle, it is not necessary to work with all the muscles of the muscle group it belongs to. It is enough to work correctly with one specific muscle.
Next, the professor developed a training program aimed at changing body composition, and a nutrition program corresponding to this training. It is little known in Russia, but is widely used in the West. This program was later adapted for local fat burning or hypertrophy and is now quite actively used in the training of wrestlers. Unfortunately, almost none of the modern trainers in fitness clubs and gyms tell their clients about the possibility of local weight loss, forcing them to perform long training splits on all muscle groups over and over again.

From theory to practice

And finally, the most interesting thing is how to organize local fat burning. As you remember, two conditions must be met - a large volume of blood in the " problem area"and a high concentration of hormones with lipolytic ability. And, of course, ensure the utilization of fatty acids, that is, create an energy deficit. For this purpose, a diet is used, which, in general, corresponds to a standard diet for weight loss, combined with appropriate training.

The easiest way to ensure the synthesis of the hormone adrenaline is to do interval cardio (HIIT). After this, without interrupting to rest, we begin to fill the muscle located in the problem area with blood. In parallel, the blood will enter the adipose tissue, and accordingly, the lipocyte receptors will react to the presence of the hormone. Spruce muscle training mode - 30 seconds of intense work, then 30 seconds of rest. This is one approach. You need to perform three such approaches, after which you need to take a break for 1-5 minutes for active rest. Three approaches make up a set. It is optimal to perform 10 such sets, the minimum number is 5 sets. After which the training can be considered complete. According to this system, you should train twice a week, interspersing such training with regular cardio. The result will become noticeable after two weeks.
I would like to note that I personally tested the effectiveness of the training, so I can assure you that this is not just another marketing ploy like “buy the program from Seluyanov,” etc., but a truly working training system. The result is a significant improvement in the appearance of the butt (in two weeks!) and an almost broken bench leg press machine.

If you want to reduce the amount of fat in a specific area of your body, then you want to implement local fat burning. Some say it is possible, others say the opposite. Who is right?

Local fat burning has long been discussed in books, magazines, videos and much more. It seems logical to ordinary people that “whichever muscle group works, that’s the one that loses weight.”

However, back in 1971, a study was conducted on tennis players at the University of California. Each of the athletes had a “dominant” hand with which to serve, and accordingly it received heavy load for many years. One might expect that the layer subcutaneous fat there will be less on this arm than in other areas. However, when measurements were taken, it turned out that this was not the case at all. What's on the left, what's on right hand the layer of subcutaneous fat was the same.

But there are trainings for slender hips, but there is for flat stomach. Pick up any fitness magazine, you will definitely find workouts for six packs and the like. Does any of this even work? Can we really influence where fat will burn? Answer: You cannot directly influence the site of fat loss through exercise.

Studies have shown that blood flow or lysis increases in the trained muscle (which means fat cells are used for energy), but this does not occur in a large enough volume.

The impossibility of local fat burning has real physiological reasons. The fat found in fat cells exists in a form known as triglycerides. Muscle cells, in turn, cannot use triglycerides directly for energy (for the same reason that cars use gasoline as fuel rather than crude oil). Fats are broken down into glycerol and free fatty acids, which enter the bloodstream. As a result, the fat used to provide energy during exercise can come from any area of the body, not just the part receiving the load.

In reality, training a muscle group, firstly, burns calories, and secondly, it leads to the growth of this same muscle group, both of which contribute to fat loss, but do not lead directly to the process of fat burning in a specific place.

Many of the exercises that people associate with localized fat loss actually don't burn that many calories, and if your calorie burn is low, you won't be able to lose significant amounts of fat. Performing it for a long time, in this regard, will be more effective than strength training with iron.

Fat loss occurs throughout the body, provided you create a calorie deficit.

You can work out your abs with exercises, but you won’t see a six-pack without reducing the amount of fat throughout your body, and this, in turn, is facilitated by diet.

Local fat burning is possible!

Interview with a permanent scientific consultant, an outstanding scientist, Professor Viktor Nikolaevich Seluyanov, who developed in detail the method of local fat burning.

IRON WORLD: Hello, Viktor Nikolaevich! What facts can you provide that confirm the possibility of local fat burning?

Victor Seluyanov: Hello! In fact, there is a lot of evidence in practice physical culture and sports. We often have to test football players. So, the players of the Caucasian republics are very concerned about their appearance. And have relief press for them this is a very important goal. As a result, even the laziest player on the team performs strength exercises on the muscles abdominals. As a result, every single player has clearly defined abs. But players from other clubs don’t have this. But at the same time, the thickness of the skin-fat folds in other areas is practically no different from the thickness of the folds of Caucasians.

At the end of the 50s of the last century, the so-called athletic (better said, artistic) women's gymnastics appeared in the USSR, initially invented for people who had stopped playing sports. Even before aerobics came to the country. Doing this gymnastics and following the ballet diet (two apples and a glass of kefir a day) gave excellent results.

And regarding local weight loss, you can cite Mokhova’s data. A dissertation was defended at GCOLIFK (80s). The women tested were divided into groups depending on the type of physical activity. One group trained in skiing, another ran, a third did rhythmic gymnastics, a fourth did swimming, and the control group did something like general physical training. Six months after the classes, anthropometric testing was carried out on all participants in the experiment. It turned out that the one who ran lost fat mainly from his legs, and the one who swam lost fat from his arms, since the experiment involved women who were not involved in sports, who did not know how to properly use their legs in swimming and stayed on the water mainly due to the muscles of their arms. IN rhythmic gymnastics and skiing, the fat disappeared evenly. And then it became clear that depending on the types of exercises performed, the loss of fat from body segments would also depend.

Later appeared in the country the new kind physical exercises - shaping (from the English shaping - giving shape), and in shaping they dealt directly with the shape of the body. Participants first did circular exercises on all muscle groups, then on problem areas, i.e. on certain muscle groups, so that fat would go away there (and this is local weight loss). The first circle was done on all 12 muscle groups, and the second, third and fourth - on those groups where there was excess fat. And the result was positive. Trained the abdominal muscles - fat left the abdomen, trained quadriceps muscle hips - fat went away from the quadriceps. And when the fat more or less disappeared, exercises were done to develop muscle mass.

The scientific justification was primitive: they say that fat is lost because lipolysis is active during low-intensity training. The idea is correct, but when doing shaping, local strength exercises are performed at a high pace for 1-2 minutes. to exhaustion, to a heart rate of more than 160 beats/min., sometimes up to 200 beats/min. What kind of lipolysis can we talk about after this, but local weight loss occurs!

J.M.: How can this be explained from the point of view of classical physiology?

Victor Seluyanov: We have a sympathetic nervous system. And when we start exercising, it becomes more active. Under the influence of signals passing through the sympathetic nerves, excitation comes not only to the muscles, but also to the fat located above the muscle. These signals also come to the adrenal glands, to their medulla, and from there adrenaline and norepinephrine begin to be released. These hormones enter the general bloodstream and are absorbed from it by those tissues that are active. That is, if an athlete trains one muscle group, then adrenaline will flow there. Both into the muscle group and into the adipose tissue located above this muscle group.

J.M.: Should the load be stressful?

Victor Seluyanov: As a rule, these are so-called gymnastic strength exercises, which are done for 20-30 repetitions per set and cause severe acidification, a burning sensation, which leads to pain stress.

When performing aerobic exercise that involves many muscle groups, adrenaline and norepinephrine are distributed throughout the body and contribute to overall weight loss. But the most interesting thing about the mechanism of local weight loss is different. From the endings of the sympathetic nervous system a neurotransmitter is released. And if acetylcholine serves as a mediator in muscles, then in the sympathetic nervous system, which activates adipose tissue, norepinephrine is released as a mediator.

J.M.: What exercises are most effective for local fat burning?

Victor Seluyanov: The most effective exercises are those performed in static dynamics. We have already talked about this training regimen when we described a technique aimed at myofibril hyperplasia in the OM. They cause severe pain stress, while the weight of the burden is insignificant, which allows you to avoid straining the articular-ligamentous apparatus. The endocrine system is excited, activating the sympathetic nervous system, it sends signals to where the source of stress comes from. When a muscle is tense, blood flow there is difficult, but in adipose tissue the blood flow does not stop, and hormones flow there even during the exercise. The time to complete the exercise depends on the endurance of the individual, but should be within 20–40 seconds. You need to aim for a strong burning sensation for 4 to 8 seconds in each approach. This is enough to activate hormones. Another important point: when performing exercises in this mode, due to the activation of hormones, metabolism intensifies by 1.5 times, which persists for 12–24 hours.

J.M.: The process of fat breakdown itself occurs during work or after its completion?

Victor Seluyanov: If we are talking about norepinephrine and adrenaline, then lipolysis occurs directly during work and in the next five minutes after its completion. These hormones easily attach to the outer membrane and do not enter the cell. Their main role is to activate cell metabolism. Anabolic hormones, such as growth hormone, can already penetrate into the active cell. But growth hormone has a much more prolonged effect. It enters the fat cell and remains there for several days until it is utilized. And it expels fat into the general bloodstream all night. If you have not used up your glycogen and fat reserves, then it has nowhere to go, it can return to another segment of the body, and if energy consumption occurs during training, then this fat will be used to restore the energy potential of the muscles and for plastic processes. We lose weight and build muscle mainly at night, while we sleep. And not under the influence of adrenaline and norepinephrine, but under the influence of growth hormone and testosterone. But if we talk about women, they have little testosterone, and the main factor stimulating the release of fatty acids into the blood is growth hormone. Men and women secrete this hormone in equal amounts.

J.M.: On a number of forums dedicated to strength sports, in topics about local fat burning, a quote from the book “Health training using the ISOTON system” is often cited: “Unfortunately, the distribution of fat is under strong genetic control. Therefore, “locally” fat can only be removed surgically – liposuction.” And they ask, how can Professor Seluyanov talk about local fat burning if he himself writes the opposite in his book?

Victor Seluyanov: This book was written by me in collaboration with Evgeniy Myakinchenko, and he wrote the quoted section. At that time, he intensively studied aerobics, collaborated with Russian and foreign specialists, and wrote a book on aerobics. Perhaps he inadvertently inserted the text for aerobics into a book about the ISOTON system. I did not correct the text before printing because I could not accept that my students, who had experimentally shown the possibility of local weight loss, could write such an incorrect text. My opinion on local fat burning is clear. This is a scientifically established fact.

J.M.: What can you say about dietary recommendations during the period of getting rid of excess fat?

Victor Seluyanov: There is a training day when we do static-dynamic training. Low calorie intake is associated with hunger, and hunger is associated with brain function. In order to “turn off” the brain from a hunger strike, you need to constantly introduce small doses of carbohydrates before and during training sessions, and also immediately after them. Isotonic drinks can be used; they do not cause insulin release, but a slight increase in blood glucose concentration promotes normal brain activity. There are other foods that help normalize brain activity on a reduced calorie diet. For example, we recommend taking lean meat at night.

J.M.: To increase the concentration of amino acids in the blood during sleep?

Victor Seluyanov: Not only. In addition to the building material itself, lean meat contains a number of ingredients that can be absorbed in the brain instead of glucose. For example, ketones.

J.M.: What should we take after a fat loss workout?

Victor Seluyanov: After training, be sure to take a small portion of carbohydrates that does not lead to the release of insulin. For example, eat one candy and wash it down with an isotonic drink. The principle is very simple. Eating large amounts of carbohydrates or carbohydrates with a high glycemic index causes a significant increase in blood sugar levels. This leads to a reactive release of insulin, the hormone responsible for fat storage. If you regularly stimulate the release of insulin, the adipose tissue will get used to this condition. Receptors will begin to form that will bind to insulin, and the cell will begin to consume carbohydrates to convert them into fat. And if you stimulate receptors that bind to somatotropin and conduct it into the cell, then adipose tissue will be built according to a completely different principle. She will be ready to give off fat, but will poorly perceive insulin, because she will have few receptors that bind to it. Therefore, people who fast stimulate the development of receptors that bind to insulin, and under the influence of our isotonic exercises the opposite is true. Adipose tissue is rebuilt. If a person was starving or on a strict diet, then as soon as he switches to a normal diet, the amount of fat mass in him immediately begins to increase and returns to the original level, or even exceeds it. But this does not happen to people who practice according to our method. Our women who train using the ISOTON system go on vacation for two to three months in the summer, stopping training, and return to the gym in the fall, having quite decent shape, despite the lack of stress and the absence of any diet. Of course, when exercising according to this system, clients receive theoretical information about the correct methods of training and diet, therefore, during rest, as a rule, they behave in a civilized manner. Naturally, in order to train such adipose tissue in yourself, it is necessary to regularly cause the release of growth hormone. That is, regularly do local strength exercises until the burning sensation occurs to cause stress.

J.M.: Let's get specific practical recommendations. For example, the goal is to remove fat in the abdominal area as quickly as possible. How often should you exercise?

Victor Seluyanov: Well, first, of course, you need to reduce your carbohydrate intake, especially in the afternoon, to remodel your fat tissue and make it less sensitive to insulin. Secondly, you need to perform statodynamic exercises on the abdominal muscles daily and several times a day, doing from 30 to 90 seconds per approach, depending on your level of fitness.

J.M.: And from such frequent training will the endocrine system not be overloaded?

Victor Seluyanov: If work is performed on only one muscle, it will not. A man, without overloading the endocrine system, can perform up to 30 approaches per day. Naturally, not at once in a row.

J.M.: That is, if we usually do three sets in a series with 30-second rest intervals, then during the day we can perform up to 10 such series, evenly distributing them throughout the day?

Victor Seluyanov: Yes, but in this mode - 10 episodes a day - you can work for two weeks. Then, after all, the endocrine system will begin to overload. But in these two weeks the result will be visible! However, 10 episodes is, of course, too strict a regime when you really need to lose your belly in two weeks. We generally recommend doing a series of abdominal exercises 30 minutes after each meal.

J.M.: But with this mode of operation, quick adaptation to the load is possible, and performing the exercise will not cause painful sensations sufficient to cause stress. Maybe it makes sense, after the pain during the exercise has decreased, to perform another exercise in static dynamics, for example, a squat, before abdominal exercises? There will always be pain when performing this exercise.

Victor Seluyanov: Yes, this is a fairly competent approach. For hormone release it is always preferable basic exercises. This is observed, for example, when training arms. When working with your hands, hormones do not want to be released - the muscle group is not large enough. Therefore for better effect You need to do one approach on your legs first. Hormones will be released, and with subsequent approaches to the muscles being trained, we will force the hormones to be absorbed by these particular muscle groups. Moreover, one approach to the legs per day is quite enough. There is no need to do it before every episode.

J.M.: Can we always clearly monitor progress with anthropometric testing?

Victor Seluyanov: Basically yes. But there is one aspect not described in the literature. In addition to subcutaneous and visceral fat, there is also fat between the muscles. Like the fatty layers in bacon. Especially a lot of this fat accumulates in older people, and this fat needs to be removed. I personally had to face this problem. I went to Malta to train. I was 45 years old at the time and had not trained for a long time. I bought myself a bicycle and rode it two or three times every day, including in mountainous areas. dialed good shape, but when a month and a half later I did anthropometric testing, I was somewhat puzzled. Before training, the thigh circumference was 60 cm. After it became 56. And this despite the fact that strength and, accordingly, muscle mass grew, and the loss of subcutaneous fat could not lead to such a decrease in thigh circumference. And I realized that in this case there was a loss of intermuscular fat. Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine the amount of intermuscular fat using modern testing methods. Often former athletes, retained muscle volume and came into Gym, are surprised at the strong decline in results. There seems to be a little fat on the arm (leg). The girth is only 2-3 cm less than it was. Why did strength indicators drop so much? But because there are fewer muscles than it seems. Intermuscular fat preserves the external shape of the muscles, but it is impossible to see the real picture of how much muscle and how much fat. This point needs to be known and taken into account in training and testing. It is especially pronounced in women and the elderly.

“I’m losing weight by summer - I started pumping up my abs.” Surely you have heard, or even said, this phrase more than once. Coaches never tire of repeating that this simply does not happen, because it cannot happen. But, nevertheless, the number of people who are confident that they managed to achieve their goal is not decreasing.

Let's say right away: we are not going to doubt that someone succeeded. Because we are sure: the one who pumped up the abs probably measured only the waist size, and not all body parameters. And the load, even if it’s small, still speeds up metabolism, energy costs increase, a person, without paying attention to it, refuses buns and cookies (and it’s true: is it in vain that he pumps up his abs?), etc.

Local fat burning is the dream of those who want to lose a little weight around the waist

In short, he is losing weight, but not only, but everywhere. And a flatter tummy does not mean that all the fat has melted away from it - toned muscles work wonders! In short, we readily believe that our tummy has become flat. But the fact that the fat burned only on it, and in other places everything remained as it was - no. And that's why.

How do we lose weight?

Before moving on to the arguments as to why this is impossible, let's remember how weight loss occurs in the first place. So, what does the fat layer consist of? This is body tissue, the bulk of which is made up of fat cells - lipocytes.

The presence of fat in humans is normal. It protects the body from the cold and creates an “emergency reserve” in case of cold snap (which is why, by the way, we get fat by winter and lose weight by spring), famine or nuclear winter. The layer is the result of evolution, an archaic mechanism of protecting the body, so important that in the millennia that have passed since the construction of the first home and the manufacture of the first clothes, it has not yet died out.

This is why the body continues to store even now when there is no need for it. People move little, they are warm, there is plenty of food and it is available. But the body is a super-efficient system aimed at preserving and increasing the wealth it receives. Therefore, excess energy is not utilized, but is packaged into lipocytes and sent to warehouses, the locations of which are familiar to everyone - in the area of the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, upper arms, etc. - wait for nuclear winter.

To get rid of fat, you need to increase energy expenditure

And since, fortunately, it has not yet arrived, stocks from warehouses are not used, and their volumes are still growing. The only way to get rid of inventory is to finally spend it on something. There are two ways you can take.

The first is to cut down on energy supplies from the outside and force the body to serve itself only from reserves. This is the wrong way. As we remember, the body is aimed at preserving and increasing, so it will give away what it has accumulated with difficulty and learn to save on literally everything. So fast weight loss will stop just as quickly, and the very first piece of food will be transformed into reserves - and so on for a long time. The result is a yo-yo effect and a few more kilograms over the initial weight. Yes, just in case.
The second way is to increase energy consumption. That is, start moving more and perform the most energy-intensive operations. At first, of course, the body will be greedy, but if you eat normally, it will understand that it’s okay to fork out – no threat from the outside seems to be expected. An increase in energy expenditure combined with a reasonable reduction in calorie intake will ultimately lead to the fact that reserves from warehouses will be used to cover the resulting energy deficit, and you will begin to lose weight.

Then everything is simple. Fat in the cell breaks down into fatty acids and glycerol. Acids, along with the blood, are sent to muscle tissue, and there they are oxidized and converted into energy. Waste products are removed from the cell. This is what the process of losing weight looks like from a physiological point of view. Now let's see why you can't become thinner in just one place.

Local weight loss: two arguments against

Argument No. 1. The entire human body is covered with fat. Its division into zones is very arbitrary. Blood and lymphatic vessels, skin and the same subcutaneous fat are unified systems that operate over the entire area of the human body. It is impossible to lose weight only on the waist area - because it simply is not there, but all the fiber is there.

In addition, the key concept of losing weight is not “subcutaneous fat,” but “energy deficit.” It is unknown from which warehouse the body will order the barrel of fat to be rolled out. He has a supply distributed throughout the body. It is quite reasonable not to gut one warehouse, but to take a little from everywhere, so that in case of an unforeseen situation, there is something left in each of them for a rainy day.

Perhaps the first thing to go on a diet is not the “ears” on the hips, but the volume of the chest!

Argument No. 2. By the way, about warehouses. Not all of them are equally dear to the body. Among them there are no unimportant ones - there are important and very important ones. Let's take for example female body– it is more indicative in this regard. Typically, women are unhappy with deposits on the hips and abdomen. No matter what is done, you will still want to improve these areas, because bringing them to ideal condition is not so easy. And this is no coincidence. The body takes fat from these stores very reluctantly.

Deposits in the abdomen and thighs are a strategic reserve aimed at preserving the ability to reproduce, protecting the fetus and maintaining the vitality of a woman during the period of feeding a baby, when she will not be able to effectively obtain food. Forcing the body to give up reserves from this particular place is an attempt to beat evolution. And this is impossible. It’s easier to start increasing energy consumption and start removing stocks from all warehouses – including strategically important ones.

Argument for

However, there is an opinion that losing weight in only one place is possible. To do this, two conditions must be ensured: a high concentration of fat-destroying adrenaline in the blood and a large amount of blood flow to the area that is planned to be “dried.”

For example, you can start your workout with an interval cardio session, and then work with the right muscle: 30 seconds of intense activity plus 30 seconds of rest. This is one episode. There are three episodes in one set. You should perform at least 10 sets per day, possibly several times. In general, this method is similar to the pumping technique, which has been used for a long time and successfully.

Sports will help you adjust weight loss in one area or another.

This method has a significant drawback. To succeed, you must strictly adhere to all the details (and there are a lot of them). A person without special education is unlikely to be able to do this. And due to the fact that this approach is not very popular in our country, not all coaches know the specifics of its application.

However, there is another way to get rid of fat in a certain area of the body. It involves training all muscles with special emphasis on working the muscles in the problem area. Shock load on the abs, performed against the backdrop of working out the muscles of the whole body, will allow you to quickly get rid of belly fat. Of course, this is not entirely local fat burning. But if you are not lazy and provide your muscles with a good load, the result will not take long to arrive.

Amino acids (food rich in complete animal protein; 1.5 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight minimum; if 2 workouts per day, then 2-3-4 g per 1 kg of body weight; the body can absorb ~500-600 g of meat per day , if an athlete needs more protein, then nutritional supplements are needed; half-digested amino acids are needed = hydrolyzed protein, it is absorbed by 70%, not 30% as usual; branching amino acids can be taken pure, in addition to these, they stimulate protein synthesis).

High levels of hormones (testosterone and growth hormone; hormones appear only during times of stress).
A lot of free creatine (occurs when creatine phosphate is destroyed during muscle work, accumulates within about 15 seconds of cyclic work).
Optimal concentration of hydrogen ions H.
Hyperplasia of myofibrils of glycolytic muscle fibers:
(We pump fast muscles, GMW).
Muscle contraction intensity: 60-100% (usually 70% is used).
Exercise intensity: any (at least 10%, at least 100% = sprint running).
Duration: until failure + 2 times (with help; this is very important), and within 20-40 seconds (you get just 6-12 repetitions; during this time creatine phosphate is almost completely destroyed and a lot of free creatine appears).
4-9 Sets 5-10 minutes active rest between approaches (at this time you can work other muscle groups), 60 minutes of passive.
1 time a week (or tonic, 1 approach at least every day, but tonics are not needed).
It’s good to do a toning exercise for the legs so that hormones are released, and immediately developing for the arms (1 set of legs, 2-3-4 sets of arms, then you can do 1 set of legs again, and again arms. From exercises with arms, hormones are released 4 times less than from legs
Hyperplasia of myofibrils in oxidative muscle fibers:
(Pumping up slow muscles, OMV).
Muscle contraction intensity: low. For untrained arms, 10% is enough, for legs 60% of the maximum.
Exercise intensity: low.
The range of motion is partial, the muscle never relaxes (pumping).
Duration: 20-40 seconds, until pain/burning in the muscle + 2-3 times / 4-6 seconds; without holding your breath.
Rest interval: 5-10 minutes active, or 60 minutes passive.
1-3 approaches are toning, 4-9 approaches are for muscle development.
1 time per week for development. You can do tonics in 1 approach at least every day instead, although tonics are also not needed.
Purely static conditions increase pressure, but with slight movement the pressure does not increase.
Super series are useful: work for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times. As a result, the time of free creatine in the muscle is longer, and this results in a higher effect.
Examples of exercises: (all in partial amplitude without a relaxation phase).
Triceps: push-ups (with weights if too easy, or on your knees if too hard).
Biceps: Incline Pull-Ups (to make it easier).
Press: lying on your back, legs bent at the knees (to make it more difficult, you can have a partner press on your chest, or use weights, or stretch your arms up and back.
Back: hyperextension / boat / boat partner sits on the legs.
Legs: Squats or weighted squats.
Mitochondrial hyperplasia in glycolytic muscle fibers:
(Better stamina fast muscles, this is for athletes).
Intensity of muscle contraction: very high. 60-100%.
Exercise intensity: preferably high.
Duration: 3-40 seconds (until slight local fatigue; for running 3-5 seconds, for jumping 5-10 push-ups, bench press 10 times, for less intense work it can be longer).
Rest 45+ seconds, so that during this time the formed lactic acid is completely gone (roughly speaking, rest = work * 5).
20-40 approaches for development, 10 approaches for toning.
At least 2-3 times a week, you can train at least every day, at least several times a day.
In 1 week of training you get 50% of the maximum, in 5 weeks you reach the maximum; you lose as quickly as you gain.
During this training, free creatine will be present for a long time, since the exercise is done actively, hormones will be produced. Therefore, although it is not as effective as working with weights, this training will also build up myofibrils, roughly 50% more effective than training with weights.
Increasing the aerobic capacity of muscles without injury + treating acidified muscles:
Intensity: depending on muscle composition; To get to the glycolytic molecules in the legs you need a lot, in the arms you can do 30-50%.
10 light push-ups, then 10 light pull-ups.
10 repetitions, roughly speaking, without rest; the muscle rests while another exercise is done; Rest is roughly 60-120 seconds.
This can be done at the beginning of the workout after warming up, after an hour of technical work, and after another hour. The total is 300 per muscle per workout.
The same thing can be done on another day with your abs and back.
You can also include squats in the series, for example.
An alternative option, slow and not very: run for 2-30 minutes at the anaerobic threshold determined in the laboratory, up to 40 repetitions, train at least the whole day with breaks for food, at least 7 times a day. The working parts of glycolytic cells become overgrown with mitochondria and reach their maximum level within 4+ months.
Aerobic training: easy and calm, then accelerate with an effort of 50-60% of the maximum, wait for the first signs of local fatigue in the muscles (about 20-30 seconds. Again, easy and calm for 2-3+ minutes, repeat.
(Then hormones will be released; not enough, but for 10 repetitions the total is normal).
Endocrine system: per week should be no more than 2 hard training. Every few months you need to give 10 days of rest/reduced load.
10 super series for the abs per day = 30 OMW sets = hard training, enough hormones for 2 weeks if done every day.
10 approaches to MH = 1 approach to GMV/OMV (according to hormones.
Heart: pulse should not exceed roughly 190 beats per minute. If the pulse is higher, the heart does not have time to relax between beats and becomes acidic. This is very harmful, the consequences are at least interruptions in the functioning of the heart for life.
Strength work: done only at the end of a workout or at night. If you do aerobics, your hormones will be consumed. And when the hormones remain in muscle tissue, then at night they will work, synthesize muscle mass.
Nervous factor: after 2 months of work at maximum scales a person learns to show strength, there will be no further increase in strength.
Burn fat: hormones and nutrition, weaning fat off insulin. After sports, during sleep, if you haven’t eaten enough.
There is enough fat in the muscle for 40 minutes of WM work. Then sit and rest for about 30 minutes so that the fat from the adipose tissue enters the muscle, and you can work again. Only WMV, avoid GMV and acidification, fat will no longer be used.
Dates:
Glycogen accumulates within 2-3 days.
Mitochondria grow in 3-5 days.
Myofibrils grow by 80% in 7 days, by 95+% in 15 days.
The tendon ends take 30-50, up to 90 days to build.
Tendon microtraumas disappear in at least a month; At least that much time should be given to the tendons to rest.
Substances:
Creatine: 5 g per day (maximum 15 g per day); before training, after training and at night, three equal doses.
Amino acids: arginine, lysine, glutamine (maybe tryptophan) - stimulate the production of growth hormone. Take 5 grams of each at night.
Dihydroepinandrosterone: a breakdown product of growth hormone, also stimulates the production of growth hormone. Eat.
Alkali: sodium citrate (E 331), eat 5-10 g half an hour before sports, temporarily takes on hydrogen ions and minimizes acidification, increases endurance. Antioxidants: vitamins A, E, D, C, Q10. Dosages of 1600%, mitochondria become more resistant to acidification and do not die. Take at night or before training.

Quite by accident, I came across an interesting post from the blog twentysix.ru, which tells the story of one person who, from the age of 15, studied skiing, and then moved to the mountain cycling. However, what is of particular interest is not his preparation as a skier, but how the person trains now. In order not to retell his article, which, if you wish, you can read on your own, I will only tell you that he began to train using a special method developed by Professor Seluyanov. Further we will talk only about Seluyanov’s approach to training. I am writing about this only because Seluyanov’s method is fundamentally different from conventional cycling training and athletics. If you want to fully learn what this theory is, I recommend watching Seluyanov’s lecture on physical training and general human health. I understand well that it is unlikely that anyone will want to look at information that is unclear. There are thousands of similar lectures on physical training, and many talk about banal things, and even things about which they themselves understand nothing. I propose to briefly retell to you Seluyanov’s theory. I can’t do it any other way, I still don’t remember all the terms and I’ll tell you only the most important thing that interested me, surprised me and, if you like, dawned on me. For example, let's take cycling, it doesn't matter whether it's road or cross-country. Let's see how most cyclists prepare for the start of the season and directly for the competition. More often than not, any coach will tell you that before engaging in any targeted training, you need to build up your pre-season volume, that is, your mileage. A thousand, two or three kilometers, different for everyone, must be covered at a calm pace. Moreover, at least one low-intensity workout per week is always in training plan, almost any racer. Seluyanov, in his methodology, states that low-intensity training does not give any positive results. Train for at least 200 km. 3-4 times a week, but there will be no effect. By effect, of course, we mean the time it takes to complete the route. Whether it is 50..100 or more kilometers. Seluyanov’s theory Seluyanov approaches the process of building training through the structure of human organs, which I like. Our body has a gland called the pituitary gland, which produces hormones. Without hormones, muscles cannot develop, according to Seluyanov: hormones are the starting point in muscle growth and further progress. The pituitary gland is activated only under severe stress. Severe stress is caused by heavy physical exercise: bench press, squats, deadlift, sprint and others. Jogging and cycling at a calm pace, even over long distances, do not activate the pituitary gland, which means that the hormones that are needed for progress are not produced.

After any difficult physical exercise, after about a minute, and most often less, lactic acid is formed in the muscles involved, and the muscles become acidified. I think many cyclists are familiar with this feeling when, after a sharp acceleration, the quadriceps begins to “burn.” In reality, this means that hydrogen ions begin to “attack” muscle cells and the training should be stopped, because it will not be possible to achieve progress by continuing to make the maximum possible effort with acidified muscles, moreover, you can only harm yourself. It turns out that we must work to failure, and as soon as the muscles begin to acidify, stop intense training. Based on the above, best workout for a cyclist on a bicycle: riding uphill. Moreover, driving is not at a high cadence, but at the lowest possible, but not so high as to get excessive load on knees. Working in the saddle uphill is more effective than sprinting. Why? - I'll tell you below. Viktor Nikolaevich Seluyanov, also known for his article: The heart is not a machine. Again, I will try to briefly tell you what we're talking about, now in this work. The normal heart rate of a healthy person at rest is 60-90 beats per minute. When we perform intense and prolonged exercise, our heart rate increases because... a large number of muscles are involved, and each of them requires oxygen. This means that the heart must have time to deliver oxygen through the blood throughout the body, and it begins to contract faster. When the pulse rises above 170-180 beats/min, the heart does not have time to fully open, because it also takes time to fill it with blood. This negatively affects our health. I will say more, this can become a serious threat to our body. But there is a way out - the heart can be enlarged. A large heart does not need to contract 180-200 beats/min to provide oxygen to the muscles. Famous Tour de France riders can ride a bike at a heart rate of 120-150 and still win stages. It turns out that you also need to work on your heart. Therefore, sitting in the saddle, we have much less chance of driving our heart rate to a critical level. To enlarge the heart, you need, firstly: not to bring the pulse to very high, and secondly: to give the body the same physical, short-term stress. I guess I’ll end the article here. I hope I have inspired your desire to watch Seluyanov’s lecture in full, and most importantly, to think about it and maybe change something in your training.

Training plan according to Seluyanov. One and a half months of training according to Seluyanov

Very soon it will be 2 months since I decided to study according to the Seluyanov system. It would be more correct to even say that according to Seluyanov’s theory, he did not publish specific training systems. And you know, this is right, every trainee or his coach should study the theory and write a training plan on his own. For each sport, the plan will be slightly different, the key differences, of course, will be the target muscles and the nature of the sport (strength or strength-endurance). I am interested in cycling, so the focus was initially on strength endurance and leg muscles, especially the quadriceps femoris.

Over the past year and a half, the volume of my thigh (its circumference, to be correct) has not changed, just like my weight - it stood rooted to the spot. All the progress I had made on the bike over several years could have been developed in 2 months! For the last 8 weeks I have been working out in a new way and I immediately see results: + 1.5 kg of weight, + 1 cm in hip volume. What could not be done for years was accomplished in 2 months.

And this is far from the end, growth, of course, will slow down, but before Sotka there is still time for 2 strength cycles, in February and March, which means the leg will grow even more. Paradoxically, to achieve good results in cycling, you don’t have to ride a bike at all, but all year round squat with a barbell and eat right, and 2 months before the competition start running uphill for 20-30 meters or along the plain for 100 meters, doing jumping. It's simple. If you think that strength training is exhausting and difficult to do, then you are doing it wrong. One workout does not exceed 40 minutes per day (rest between approaches is taken into account). One muscle group is trained once a week. On one day we do squats with a barbell, on the other we work with the arms, on the third the shoulders, the fourth the back, the fifth the calf and adductor muscles (isolated), the sixth the deadlift and one day rest. It is not an axiom that you need to do exactly as I wrote, build your plan without breaking the rules: 1 muscle group is trained once a week.

Barbell/dumbbell weight 70% of maximum, work to failure, 5-9 approaches. You also need to add static-dynamic exercises (the same exercises, but with incomplete amplitude, the muscles are tense all the time), weight 20-30% of the maximum, do until it hurts and also once a week. It is advisable to separate dynamic and static-dynamic exercises and not do them in a row. For example, if we do classic squats with a barbell on Monday, it is better to do stanodynamic squats on Wednesday-Thursday, and not on Tuesday or Sunday. We work in a strength style for two weeks, rest for two, and during this time we can work on mitochondria.

Not counting static-dynamic exercises, it turns out that we do only 2 workouts per muscle per month. Naturally, you need to eat right, everyone needs protein, those who don’t have excess weight, you also need carbohydrates and fats in large quantities to prevent the breakdown of amino acids into glucose.

Statodynamic exercises according to Seluyanov. Features of static dynamics

For the first time, Seluyanov recommended static-dynamic exercises for the development of strength indicators and aerobic capabilities of the body. The principle of training is to work with light weights - about 30-40% of the one-time maximum. Statodynamic exercises are performed at half the amplitude for 30-40 seconds. Due to continuous tension, the muscles begin to practically burn. It is the burning sensation that confirms correct execution exercises. After the approach, you need a 30-second rest, and then a new approach. In total, it is recommended to perform 3-4 approaches. Let's see how this works using an example hand expander and compare with other exercise options:

Statodynamics is when the expander does not compress and decompress completely, that is, in a shortened amplitude.
Dynamics is when you do the same thing at maximum amplitude.
Static – when the expander is held in a compressed state.

Static exercises are also called isometrics. Isometrics differs from static dynamics in that it increases muscle volume and strengthens them, while static dynamic training is aimed primarily at strength indicators.

Bodybuilding training program for mass according to Seluyanov - what and how to do

The training program is divided into 4 days:

on Monday the athlete needs to perform developmental training on the back muscles (trapezius and deltoids). 4-9 approaches per exercise. Other muscle groups are trained with less intensity - 1-2 sets;
Tuesday – training for arm extensors and abdominal muscles. Training mode – developing – 4-9 sets;
Thursday - work on the extensor muscles of the legs and flexor muscles of the arms. 4-9 sets. The remaining muscle groups are trained with less intensity (1-2 sets);
Friday – work on the flexion joints of the legs. Perform 4-9 sets per exercise.

If you are not sure how to correctly perform all the above techniques, be sure to watch the video of Seluyanov’s training methods to avoid injury. Seluyanov's interval training - main principles The interval training method according to Seluyanov should be built in compliance with the following main principles:

There is no need to overload your body. It is necessary to correctly distribute the load depending on the training goals: increasing strength, endurance or speed. It is necessary to select the load on the body taking into account the age of the athlete. For example, it is necessary to engage in heart pumping (increase the volume of beats) from the age of 18. Until this age, it is necessary to develop physiological qualities;
The main goal of interval training is to achieve a certain balance between oxygen consumption by muscle tissue and heart muscle. It is thanks to achieving this balance that the athlete will be able to withstand fairly heavy loads;
First stage interval training- this is necessarily the creation of strong muscle fibers that will process lipid cells and lactic acid. This stage can be called fat-burning training. After preparing the muscles, the athlete needs to begin to increase the stroke volume of the heart. This can be done by giving the body long-term static loads at a pulse of 100-120 beats. Long-term loads are intended to increase the “elasticity” of the heart. This is achieved due to the fact that the heart begins to stretch due to the constant flow of blood in large volumes. It is possible to increase the volume of the heart by almost 2 times, since it is a “hanging” organ, unlike the musculoskeletal system. With this method of increasing heart volume, it is recommended to take anabolic steroid, amino acids and gainers. They must be consumed in small doses. Keep in mind that with regular use of steroids and a lack of protein in the body, muscle fiber degeneration may begin.
The peak of training, according to Seluyanov, is saturation of the muscles, including skeletal muscles mitochondria. This happens both through regular training and through dynamic pushes - speed training, races and other competitions. BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

Seluyanov - strength endurance training

Firstly, according to the law of physiology, in order to train glycolytic muscle fibers, they must be included in the work. This immediately implies requirements for work intensity; it should be around 80% of the maximum. With such a load, almost all motor units are activated.

Secondly, it is necessary that the work continues for a sufficient time in order to excite the very mechanisms that will then ensure mitochondrial hypertrophy. Light acidification, the appearance of free creatine, and an increase in the concentration of anabolic hormones in the blood and muscle fibers are necessary.

We recommend doing 10 repetitions per set, and if the athlete cannot complete 10 repetitions, then the weight is reduced, but the mental stress remains the same. The athlete must perform each movement more intensely. In this case, all muscle fibers are recruited, and the degree of accumulation of free creatine and hydrogen ions becomes optimal for stimulating transcription - reading information from DNA. During such an exercise, no more than 30% of ATP and creatine phosphates are consumed, therefore, during a two-minute recovery, the accumulation of hydrogen ions and lactate will not exceed a critical level that destroys mitochondria.

Increasing the number of approaches leads to a gradual accumulation of hormones in the blood and active muscle tissue, so 10 approaches provide the required concentration of hormones in muscle fibers. For those who can't wait, you can perform 20 approaches in one workout to one muscle group. A larger number of approaches can lead to the complete destruction of ATP and creatine phosphates in muscle fibers, which will delay the recovery process for several days. Therefore, the methodology can be briefly presented as follows: Squeeze:

load intensity – 60-80% of the one-time maximum
duration – 20-30 seconds. (10 reps)
rest interval – 60-120 s
number of approaches – 10-20 times
number of workouts per week – 3-7

Methods for developing strength endurance

1. Extensive interval method - used if you choose to develop endurance using aerobic processes, that is, with the participation of oxygen. The method involves performing several exercises with weights equal to your body weight or 30-40% of the maximum. Here it is worth using the circular training method. Each set should contain from 20 to 40 repetitions. Rest between exercises - up to 2 minutes, between circles - 5 minutes. The number of circles is 3-5.

2. Intensive interval method - used when choosing to develop endurance using anaerobic processes, that is, without exposure to oxygen. The method involves performing exercises with a weight of 50-60% of the maximum. The style of classes is circular. There is no fixed number of repetitions. They are carried out with maximum speed"to the point of failure." The approach time is usually about 30 seconds. Rest between exercises - 30 seconds, between circles - up to 3 minutes.

The selection of exercises depends on the specifics of the sport you are involved in. If it is necessary to increase overall strength endurance, basic exercises are selected for large groups muscles. When there is a need to increase local strength endurance- a set of isolated exercises is selected.

For the first method, no more than 6 exercises are determined with a circle time of about 5 minutes. For the second method, no more than 10 exercises are recommended.

Seluyanov training video

There are a lot of examples of local weight loss, the classic ones being the quick removal of fat deposits from the arms of those who engage in arm wrestling and the reduction of fat on the legs of cyclists. However, speaking about the arms of arm wrestlers and the legs of cyclists, it is important to understand that these people have been performing increased sports loads, not comparable to the load of ordinary people. And low body fat is often accompanied by increased local muscle volume. The idea that by working more than one muscle (or group of muscles) you can achieve noticeable results in losing weight in that part of the body has existed for decades, but how realistic is this?

In order for it to begin, it is necessary that hormones with lipolytic abilities (calorizer) be released into the blood. This occurs under the influence of both external and internal factors.

The process of burning fat in the body consists of three stages:

Fat breakdown (lipolysis);
Transport of fat cells to body tissues for subsequent “burning”;
Oxidation (so-called “burning”) of fat cells in body tissues - muscles and liver.

According to some experts, local fat burning is possible if there is an increased amount of blood in a given area of the body or a specific muscle. It is achieved under stressful loads that cause a strong feeling of burning and pain. For example, static-dynamic exercises performed 20-30 repetitions in one approach.

Interesting Scientific research have been conducted on this topic by many scientists around the world. Russian professor V. Seluyanov provided an evidence-based scientific basis for the statement that local fat burning is quite possible. Citing examples of not only professional bodybuilders, but also ordinary women engaged in shaping in the gym or pumping their abdominal muscles at home, he showed examples of so-called spot fat reduction.

Body fat is distributed under the skin, as well as under each muscle group. It is this “axillary” fat that is removed when blood flow to a certain muscle increases, thereby accelerating the process of lipolysis. This can be achieved either through exercises or special vacuum devices.

Other studies challenge this idea. For example, a 2007 study by Stallknecht B et. al., during which the subjects did extension of one leg in a simulator with an intensity of 85%, 55% and 25% of the maximum. Indeed, the subjects noted an increase in blood flow in the working leg during low-intensity (multiple repetition) work - 25% and 55%, which did not occur during high intensity in 85%.

The results of the study showed that in half an hour local muscle work managed to mobilize only 0.6-2.1 milligrams of fat from 100 g of adipose tissue.

That is, let’s assume that you have accumulated as much as 3 kg of fat on your stomach: 0.6-2.1 mg/100 g * 1000 g/kg * 3 kg = 18-63 milligrams of fat you will burn in 30 minutes of abdominal exercises. And one milligram is equal to one thousandth of a gram.

Losing weight locally is not easy. Therefore, we advise you to lose weight everywhere first, and only then work on problem areas. Physical training exercises carried out three times a week for 1.5 hours are not as effective for local weight loss as daily 15-20 minute sessions. After some time, as soon as the body gets used to the loads, they need to be increased so that the process does not stop.

An alternative to static-dynamic exercises for burning fat will be. During this time, you spend approximately 5 calories per minute, which in half an hour will allow you to burn 150 calories, which is about 15 g of fat. However, this fat will be mobilized from different areas of the body (calorizator). Choose what's best for you - 18-63 milligrams locally or 15 g from the whole body.

It is worth remembering that the processes of weight loss and muscle growth are most active during sleep, so do not neglect, as well as, consisting of complex carbohydrates or portions of lean meat, which will help restore strength.