Exercises for sculpted abs. How to pump up sculpted abs: exercises to pump up your six-pack. Split system: how to pump up sculpted abs

Trainer-nutritionist, sports nutritionist, honored author of Evehealth

22-03-2017

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This article is based on scientific evidence, written and reviewed by experts. Our team of licensed nutritionists and estheticians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and present both sides of the argument.

Today, the trend is proper nutrition and athletic, toned bodies, so playing sports is gaining unprecedented popularity. One of the desires of any person who works hard to develop a toned body is beautiful, sculpted abs, which will require a lot of effort to achieve.

But you should not despair and tune in to a result that will not appear very soon. As practice shows, if you apply maximum effort and follow all recommendations regarding nutrition and physical activity, you will be able to form sculpted abs in a month.

First of all, it should be noted that the basis of a sculpted press is a combination of three components, represented by diets aimed at eliminating excess fat deposits, special training and genetic features of muscle structure.

The main obstacle to a flat stomach is the accumulation of fat in this area. Many may be surprised, but every person has six-pack abs, which are carefully hidden behind a layer of fat. In this regard, the first step towards obtaining the coveted sculpted belly becomes obvious - it is necessary to get rid of fat mass.

To achieve the intended results, it is recommended to involve diet and cardio training. Many newcomers to this field naively believe that only diet or intense physical activity will be enough, but this is a big misconception. In fact, fat deposits in the abdominal area are very difficult to burn, so without an integrated approach it will not be possible to eliminate the problem.

When determining the optimal type of cardio training, it is strongly recommended to pay attention to running. By devoting at least half an hour to this sport every two days, you will soon be able to enjoy pleasant results.

If running is simply not to your liking or serious contraindications to this sport prevent you from doing it, you can stop at using an exercise bike or doing cardio training at home.

Features of proper nutrition

Among the universal recommendations on how to get sculpted abs, proper nutrition plays an important role. Correcting your diet does not involve making major changes. You should avoid fast foods and sweets, in other words, minimize the intake of carbohydrates into your body.

It is recommended to fill the daily diet with slow carbohydrates, represented by buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, bran porridge, all kinds of nuts and vegetables. In this case, food consumption should be distributed in such a way that the predominant part of carbohydrates falls on dishes intended for breakfast and lunch.

To correctly compile a menu, it is recommended to be guided by the following proportions: only a third of the daily diet should be attributed to carbohydrates, but the rest should be filled with eggs, meat, milk, sea fish, cottage cheese and other protein products.

To summarize the above, it should be noted that the main recommendations regarding nutritional correction are aimed at reducing the amount of carbohydrates in the diet and increasing protein foods.

The second important component of getting sculpted abs is regularly performing special exercises aimed at training the abdominal muscles. At the same time, to obtain a sustainable result, it is recommended to perform physical exercises at least twice a week, repeating each of the selected sets at least 10 times.

So, the best exercises designed for the abs are presented:

  • By bicycle. The peculiarities of performing this popular exercise are known to everyone and involve clasping your hands behind your head and bending your knees while lying on your back. After taking the starting position, you need to alternately stretch your knees to your elbows so that the right knee touches the left elbow and vice versa.
  • Twisting. To take the starting position, you should lie on your back, and your legs should be bent at the knees and rest on the floor. You need to put your hands behind your head. The exercises themselves involve doing crunches while exhaling in such a way that the lower back is pressed to the floor as much as possible.
  • Plank. This exercise is one of the most favorite for many athletes who know how to pump up sculpted abs. At first glance, this exercise seems quite simple to many, but in practice it is not so easy to perform. As a rule, when performing the “plank”, not only the abdominal muscles are trained, but also the entire body. It is necessary to take the starting position, lowering yourself on your elbows and stretching your legs straight so that they rest their toes on the floor. You should stay in this position for as long as possible. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the body does not sag, because all the results will be negated.
  • Leg raises. If you need to form sculpted abdominal muscles, paying maximum attention to the rectus muscle, you should focus on this exercise, for which you will need a crossbar. Hanging on it, you need to raise your legs as high as possible and slowly. Beginners should start with knee raises. To increase the load, you can perform pelvic lifts, but only experienced athletes can do such exercises.

Conclusion!

Having set a goal, you don’t need to count on lightning-fast results. In this matter, it is recommended to rationally assess the characteristics of the body and preliminary preparation.

So, for people who are actively involved in sports, there is a real opportunity to pump up sculpted abs in a week, because in this case, to achieve the goal, it is enough to simply adjust your diet and pay more attention to the abdominal area during training.

In any case, all efforts will be rewarded with the desired appearance, so never give up on the path to the intended results.

Abdominal exercise video

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Everyone dreams of having beautiful abs, but long and very hard training is not enough for this. One of the very first and most important stages is getting rid of the excessive amount of accumulated subcutaneous fat. This is why there are various diets. By strictly following them, you will achieve the desired result much faster and admire your perfect abs.

You will need:

How to dry a press

So let's start with the first one. A balanced diet does not mean limiting the consumption of any foods, as this is always dangerous to health.

After all, even if you achieve results, when you finish following the diet, your subcutaneous fat will form back and everything will be in vain.

Proper nutrition will allow you to keep your body in ideal and excellent shape long after you finish training.

You need to eat separately. Try to develop a meal schedule for yourself (4-5 times a day), maybe more, but in small portions.

Cardio exercises

The second is cardio exercise. They are on the list before strength exercises, because in order to burn excess subcutaneous fat, there is nothing better than cardio exercise.

During cardio exercise (30-40 minutes) you burn 500-600 calories. Strength training does not give such results.

Therefore, to achieve results, experts advise performing cardio exercises before strength training.

How to do them? Initially, calculate your optimal heart rate to work with. Use Karvonen's formula. Then you can safely perform exercises on an exercise bike or treadmill for cardio exercise.

If you have the opportunity to devote a large amount of free time, then it is best to separate the cardio loads from the power ones. It is better to do cardio in the morning before breakfast or after a light breakfast.

How to make embossed cubes

The third stage is direct power loads. They are needed to visually enlarge your abs.

It is a common opinion that the abdominal muscles are divided into the upper abs and the lower abs; this is a completely erroneous opinion, because the abs are one whole muscle.

It can be simply divided into 3 zones:

  1. top;
  2. average;
  3. lower

Therefore, each of them has its own individual exercises.

Do not forget about the main function of these muscles - bringing the chest to the pelvis.

The first exercise is done for the upper part of the rectus abdominis muscle - this is twisting. It can be done in different ways, there are many options and methods. The main thing is to distribute two points from the beginning of the upper part and the place where the press is attached at the bottom. Try to do the exercises so that these two points come closer together.

One of the main mistakes is the number of repetitions.

Usually everyone thinks - the more, the better. But this is a misconception. In order to pump up beautiful abs, 20 repetitions are enough.

The following exercises are for the lower abdominal muscles. To do this, you need to raise your legs vertically to the body at an angle of 90 degrees. There are also a lot of options, choose the one that suits you best individually.

To train all zones at once, leg curls while hanging on a bar are best (you can). In this case, it is not necessary to maintain a right angle.

In addition to the rectus abdominis muscle, there are also oblique muscles. Two on each side - external and internal. To train these muscles, exercises such as side crunches are suitable. If you twist to the right, your left external oblique and right internal oblique muscles become tense. And accordingly vice versa.

To make your abs sculpted, just the right exercises and regular training are not enough. Proper muscle pumping requires an integrated approach. This can be compared to sports nutrition. The sun is out, shirts off, and now it's up to you to decide whether you become the center of attention or some other guy (or girl).

Especially for beginners who are just starting to pump up their abs, we have collected the most important tips. Read carefully, put the tips into practice and you will achieve success!

Everything about ripped abs: everyone should know this!

Rule 1: You shouldn't train your abs every day

The fact is that the abdominal muscles are used when performing many other exercises aimed at
to other muscle groups. In particular, when you train your legs and back, you indirectly use the abdominal muscles; during such training, the abs receive noticeable secondary loads. But don't forget that when you do exercises like squats or bench presses, you're not getting all the load from the ABS.

The second argument in favor of breaks in training is that the abdominal muscles should rest; after an intense workout, they will need time to recover. Do not forget that this particular muscle group has the highest threshold for fatigue. This means that the results of your training will be most noticeable if you give your muscles time to “come to their senses.”

Rule 2: A set of abdominal exercises will not reduce belly fat.

Experienced athletes know very well: no matter how intensely they train, even the most significant loads will not reduce the fat layer; it will still envelop the muscles. Of course, a certain amount of calories are burned during exercise, but this is not enough. Your muscles will really pump up, which means they will increase in volume. They will simply “lift” the fat layer, and it may seem to you that you have even gained weight in your stomach.

Rule 3: Pumped up abdominal muscles will not be visible under the fat layer

We have already noted that pumped muscles will only increase your volume, as they will be hidden under a layer of fat. In addition, unlike other muscle groups, abs will never be visible under the fat layer.

The fewer calories, the less body fat, don't forget about it! This means you will have to either reduce the number of calories you consume daily or burn them more actively.

Important! The structure and volume of the fat layer depend, among other things, on genetic factors. This is why some people get rid of it much easier than others, and it is in their heredity.

Rule 4: noticeable, defined muscles are not always healthy

Abdominal abs do not always mean that a person maintains a healthy weight that is optimal for his body. Especially when you consider how many people today suffer from obesity.

Many athletes with sculpted abs cannot boast of excellent health, since they have incorrectly composed their diet and illiterately selected their training regimen. In order to get sculpted abs and subsequently maintain the muscles in this state, it is important to find a balance, a “golden mean” between their attractive appearance and health.

Rule 5: Anyone can get 6 pack abs

Or at least 4. This result is available even for girls. But do not forget that genetics also plays an important role here. Perhaps your genetic predisposition will allow you to achieve noticeable results very quickly, but it may also work against you.

For some athletes, genetics helps them build up to 8-10 abs, while for others it barely allows them to achieve 4.

What should the diet be like?

Abdominal muscles are formed not only in the gym, but also in the kitchen. Of course, you can increase physical activity as much as you like, but it will not bring the expected results if you do not adjust your diet.

Don't worry about having to limit yourself noticeably. Most athletes slightly reduce the number of calories they consume each day to lose weight. Some people manage to stick to a diet that involves consuming enough calories to maintain their current shape. But this is a rare case, and here again genetic predisposition makes itself felt.

Simply reducing the amount of food you eat is the wrong approach. You need to carefully consider your diet and structure it in such a way that proteins predominate in it. In this case, preference should be given to foods with moderate calorie content. This kind of nutrition will relieve you of constant hunger, make you feel full and cheerful, and will have a beneficial effect on the condition of your muscles.

How to create a training schedule and what exercises to do?

Your task is to pump up all the abdominal muscles in a comprehensive manner:
1. Lower press. Exercises designed for the lower abs involve raising your legs. You can
do this lying down or fixing your torso on the horizontal bar.
2. Upper press. Such exercises involve pulling the upper body towards the legs fixed in one place. These can be standard lifts and crunches.
3. Side press. Don't forget about the obliques. They are used when performing exercises involving rotation of the torso.

A few tips for beginners:
Choose one exercise from each group
Do 4 sets of each exercise
Take breaks between sets of no more than 30-60 seconds

Such exercises will take you very little time and, together with a properly formulated diet, will help you achieve noticeable results.

More interesting things

Since you have come to this page, you have already asked yourself the question of how to pump up your abs to a six-pack and become the owner of a sculpted belly. In fact, everything is simple and if you have at least a little willpower, then you will be able to see your abs in a few months, maybe even earlier.

Before we show you a set of abdominal exercises, let's figure out why most of the population cannot see the treasured abs.

Too much fat! Fat won't help you get abs

The first and most important reason is subcutaneous fat, which so skillfully hides our flat stomach. Yes, exactly, every person has abs, whether he is fat or thin, the most important question is how much subcutaneous fat our abs hide.

So, in order to see those same seemingly inaccessible abs, you first need to get rid of excess fat. This is achieved in two ways, which are connected by unbreakable love: diet and cardio training.

We'll talk about diet a little later, but now we'll look at the importance of cardio training. Cardio training is a set of high-intensity exercises that you can perform to: burn fat, increase your endurance, and also strengthen your cardiovascular muscles.

The simplest and most effective exercise is running. Running is one of the main fighters against fat, so if you decide to pump up your six-pack abs, the first thing you should start doing is running in the morning, preferably on an empty stomach. Starting to run every morning for 30 minutes, 3 – 4 times a week is your first step towards a sculpted belly.

If you can't run in the morning, run at any other time of the day. The most important thing is to start. You can also ride a bike instead of running. But if you want to train outside, then this will help you.

To pump up your abs, you need to eat right

The next step that will help you see your abs is nutrition. It's very simple: first you need to stop eating most of your carbohydrates. Stop eating fast foods, stop eating sweets (at least for these 3-4 months).

Give preference to slow carbohydrates: buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, bran porridge, rice, all kinds of nuts, as well as vegetables. Try to eat most of your carbohydrates in the first half of the day. The percentage of carbohydrates in the general diet should be around 25 - 30%, the remaining 70 - 75% is filled with proteins: eggs, meat, milk (in small quantities), sea fish, cottage cheese, protein shakes.

Here's a sample meal plan for you:

TIME EATING
08:30 Omelette of 4 - 5 egg whites and one yolk (you can add cheese and bacon)
A couple of pieces of toast bread
Multi-vitamin complex
Fish fat
12:00
200 -250 g vegetable salad, without dressing
Multi-vitamin complex
Fish fat
15:00 100 – 150 g of any porridge (oatmeal, buckwheat, bran)

5 – 10 g. BCAA*
18:00 One serving of whey protein
150 – 200 g grilled or oven-cooked meat
150 -200 g vegetable salad, without dressing
Multi-vitamin complex
Fish fat
21:00 200 g cottage cheese + some fruit
5 – 10 g. BCAA*

This is just a sample nutrition plan that is advisable, but not required, to be followed. The most important rule you need to understand is to reduce your carbs and increase your protein intake.

The most effective abdominal exercises

Take a parallel bars position with your arms straight. The stand must be strong - the body should not sway during movement. Keep your back straight. Bend your legs slightly at the knees and raise them to a level parallel to the floor. Hold them at the top point for a couple of seconds, then smoothly lower them down.

Attach a resistance band or use a crossover at a level just above your head in a lunge. Take a deep lunge position - standing on the knee of one leg. The second is bent at the knee and rests the foot on the floor. Pull the expander over your shoulder so that its end is near the opposite hip.

Starting position – lying down. Next, put your hands forward and spread them as wide as possible, trying to find balance in this position. Your business should form something like a star shape. Tighten your abs so that your body does not sag down or protrude upward.

Load the bar with a light weight and lie on the floor holding the bar overhead. In the starting position, hold the bar as if you were doing a bench press. Straighten your legs and leave them lying on the floor. They should not move throughout the entire exercise. Raise your body so that at the end point of the exercise it is perpendicular to the floor. The barbell at its extreme point should be in a position above your head.

Starting position: lying on the floor, legs and arms straightened, pointing at the ceiling. Hold the medicine ball with your arms outstretched. The shoulder blades and head should be pressed to the floor. Next, lift your shoulder blades off the floor, trying to reach your toes with the medicine ball.

Starting position: lying on the floor, arms and legs extended and lifted off the floor. The back, pelvis and shoulder blades are pressed tightly to the floor. A fitball is held between the shins of the legs. Simultaneously lift the pelvis and shoulder blades so as to transfer the fitball from your legs to your hands. Then, return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise, passing the ball from your hands to your feet and vice versa.

Starting position: lie on the floor, bend your knees and place them on the floor. At the same time, the hands hold some kind of weight (pancake, barbell, disc, etc.) at chest level. Press your shoulder blades firmly to the floor. Raise your body so that your shoulder blade and lower back are off the floor. Pause at the extreme point for a second. Then, very slowly lower yourself down to the starting position.

Lie on the floor so that your back and shoulder blades are pressed firmly to the floor. Place your legs at a 90-degree angle and place your feet on the floor. In the initial position and throughout the entire approach, the arms are extended upward, towards the ceiling. Raise your body slightly so that your shoulder blades lift off the floor. Hold at the extreme point, then slowly lower to the starting position.

Stand in the “lying support” position, resting your hands on a medicine ball standing on the floor. In the initial position, the legs are extended and stand next to each other. Keep your back straight throughout the entire exercise. Pull one leg with your knee towards your chest. Then, return it to its original position, while simultaneously pulling up the second one. Perform the movement, simulating running in place.

Starting position: lying down, feet on a fitball. Pull the ball towards you with your feet so that your body is upright. Next, slowly roll the ball back and place your shins on it. The body should take a horizontal position, and the outstretched arms should be above the level of the head, but without violating the position of the emphasis on the floor. Using the strength of your abdominal muscles, return to the starting position, in which your arms are at shoulder level.

Sit on a bench and grab the edge with your hands to ensure a stable body position. Tilt your body slightly back. Stretch your legs so that they form a straight line with your body. Hold a medicine ball between your shins. With a simultaneous movement, lift your body forward, and at the same time pull your legs bent at the knees towards your chest.

Sit on your knees and hold the roller so that it is strictly below shoulder level. In the initial position, the emphasis is on the toes, knees, and roller. By tensing your abdominal muscles, roll the roller forward until you feel tension in your abdominal muscles. At the end point of the exercise, the arms should be completely straight. The number of support points does not change - the hips should not lie on the floor. Working exclusively with your core muscles, return to the starting position by rolling the roller back.

Place 5kg weight plates on a long barbell. Get on your knees and place your hands on the barbell. In the starting position, it should be below shoulder level. There are three supports: toes, knees and barbell. Roll the barbell forward until you feel tension in your abdominal muscles and until your hips begin to sag. Using your abdominal muscles, roll the barbell back and return to the starting position.

Place the crossover handle at approximately shoulder level. Stand sideways to the machine. In the starting position, the body stands straight, and the body is turned slightly towards the simulator. The handle is held with both hands. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. You must stand at such a distance from the machine that the cable is taut. Moving exclusively with your body, turn so that your body is completely facing in front of you. The legs remain motionless throughout the entire exercise.

Sit on the floor, tilt your body slightly back. Hold the medicine ball with your arms extended forward. Bend your legs at the knees and place them on the floor so that your heels only rest on the floor. Starting position – hands in front of you. Next, turn your body to the left side until your lateral abdominal muscles are stretched to the maximum. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Movement is carried out only by the body - the pelvis and legs are tightly pressed into the floor and do not move.

Rest your elbows and forearms on the exercise ball. Place your feet on the floor and press your toes into the floor. The body should be in a straight line - do not bend or arch at the lower back. Keep your abdominal muscles constantly tense. Moving your elbows, rotate the fitball first clockwise, then counterclockwise.

Important tips for creating beautiful sculpted abs, important recommendations from experts, and a training video are described. Read and find out how to get the abs of your dreams!

When developing physical perfection, almost everyone wants to have, if not the coveted abs, then a flat stomach without fat deposits for sure. Some focus on a high number of repetitions, while others, on the contrary, perform abdominal exercises with weights and a small number of repetitions.

But it is worth remembering that even a small amount of subcutaneous fat in the abdominal area can hide the fruits of hard work, so the issue of proper diet is at the forefront.

Below we will describe the most important tips for creating sculpted abs that will not be hidden under fat and will delight not only you, but also attract the admiring glances of strangers.

How to pump up your abs correctly

1) Pump up your abs at the beginning of your workout

If the abdominal muscles are your lagging and problem area, perform it at the beginning of your workout. Only when you come to the gym you are full of strength and energy and you can easily work out your abs powerfully and effectively, but at the end of the workout you will be very exhausted and will probably give up on it altogether or perform it at half strength.

Also try a new trick, train your abs between training other muscle groups, but not after and, since here the abs take an active part and can weaken the results of these basic exercises.

For example, do it during the break between - , , , and so on, that is, where the press is included in the work to a minimum.

2) Do basic exercises

Performing important exercises not only helps increase muscle volume, but also puts a strong load on the abdominal muscles. To create beautiful, powerful abs, you must include the golden three in your program - squats and deadlifts.
But this does not mean that when doing the basics, you do not need to do special abdominal exercises; be sure to do them together.

3) Load your abs to failure

Many, having completed the planned 20 repetitions, are satisfied that they have done everything to build sculpted abs, and this is where the big mistake lies. The abdominal muscles contain many slow muscle fibers, which, in order to be brought out of hibernation and trained well, must be trained to failure, when you cannot continue to do the exercise, in the last repetition, withstand static tension for 15 seconds to consolidate the effect.

4) Create a plan for your abdominal workout

You must have a clear exercise plan to work out all areas of the abdomen - upper-central, lower and side areas. Choose 5-6 favorites for yourself and do them clearly until complete failure, you will find a complete list of exercises -.

5) Feel the difference between the upper and lower sections

To effectively work out the abs, learn to feel the upper abdominal muscles - this is an excellent exercise - and the lower ones, the best exercise in my opinion is -.

6) Use weights with caution

Of course, using a plate, kettlebell, dumbbell or barbell, you can pump up your abdominal muscles much faster, turning your abdominal muscles and cobblestones, but your waist can
expand and lose its narrowness. Therefore, my advice to girls is to pump up their abs only with their own weight, and for guys to use moderate ones, as excess weight can negate the solution to the problem of how to get sculpted abs.

7) Strive for progress

It is important for muscle growth, everyone knows perfectly well that in order to increase the volume of your arms, you need to constantly increase the weights, the same situation with the abs, try not to limit yourself to 20 or 25 repetitions, each time do them more and more, this will improve your appearance each time the view of your belly.

8) Give your abs time to rest

With high-quality abdominal work, there is no need to work it every day or several times a day. The abdominal muscles are also susceptible and by giving them extra stress, you can prolong the period.
If you don’t cheat and do each repetition with a feeling of muscle, then the ideal option would be to train your abs every other day.

9) Hold your breath at the end of repetitions

12) Don't make mistakes

By performing the press with strict adherence to technique, you will quickly achieve the desired result:

Do not pump your abs with jerks; each movement is controlled with the feeling of the muscle being trained.

When twisting, do not pull your head with your hands; your fingers are crossed on your chest or lightly touch your head.

When lifting your legs while hanging or standing, do not try to swing and throw your legs up; lift solely by tensing your abdominal muscles.

Do not straighten your torso, but rather bend your spine, this way the load is removed from the lower back and almost all of it goes to the stomach.

Don’t mess around, don’t make the exercise easier in different ways, try to do the exercise in any way, it’s better to do fewer repetitions, but with high quality

13) Stick to a diet

Even if you work out your abs for days and spend the night in fitness centers, your abs will never shine in all their beauty if you eat everything. To do this you need to adhere high protein
diets
, with intake and reduction of use.
You can find out an approximate daily diet for abs with a list of products and portion sizes on our website Bomb Body -.

14) Actively burn calories

Continuing from the previous point, to get rid of excess subcutaneous fat, it is necessary to increase cardio loads, perform high-repetition training and lead an active lifestyle aimed at active calorie consumption. Do all this before the summer period, otherwise in the summer due to the heat it is much harder to burn calories than in the spring-winter period.
Actively use, engage in different types, without burning calories you will not get rid of excess fat deposits.

Kill the lazy person in yourself, learn to give yourself completely and see how the result will not keep you waiting!