Vacuum abdominal retraction technique. Full vacuum: super yoga exercise for a flat stomach

Finally, I got to this topic - abdominal vacuum, how to do it correctly. Back in the winter, I heard that this is an effective exercise for the stomach or against the stomach, which is the correct way to say it... I’m neither for nor against, I just want to get my body in order a little, otherwise I’ve been feeling lazy lately, I’ve stopped doing exercises in the morning , extra kilos have piled on.

Something needs to change. I decided to return to morning exercises and at the same time learn a new exercise, “abdominal vacuum.”

Why is a stomach vacuum and why is it needed?

Before getting down to the question of how to properly make a vacuum, I’ll tell you why I decided to take up this exercise.

1. Firstly, for me personally, for motivation, in addition to other conversations about usefulness, I need interest, and learning something new is always interesting.
2. Secondly, I liked the postscript to the exercise - “for the lazy”, in this situation it suits me.
3. Thirdly, despite the attack of laziness, I am not indifferent to my health, and they say about this exercise that it not only tightens the stomach, but also heals the body.
4. And the last argument is the reviews of those who did it - not difficult, but effective.

I even came across this headline:

If your belly is lying nearby, and summer is already close, a belly vacuum can help you!

Fortunately, my case is not so advanced, but it’s intriguing, right? I don’t know about you, but for me the puzzle formed an attractive picture, hence the desire to master the technique of performing a vacuum. But no matter how much the headlines attract us, first we will learn about the benefits and harms of this exercise, what its essence is, and only then will we make a decision whether to do a vacuum or not.

Abdominal vacuum - benefits and harms

How to tighten your abs, reduce your waist - not only overweight people are interested in this question; even with a slender body, there is often a bulging belly. And not always classic abdominal exercises (lifting the body, legs, twisting, etc.) help to create an ideal stomach. The reason is that these exercises mostly target the rectus and oblique (external and internal) abdominal muscles. The rectus muscles form the relief, the so-called cubes, the oblique muscles form the sides, in other words, they sculpt the figure.

But to get ideal results, you need exercises for the transverse muscle, which is responsible for keeping your stomach flat and not protruding.

The function of the transverse muscle is to reduce the volume of the abdominal cavity and support the internal organs. If this muscle is weakened (sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activity), then the volume of the abdominal cavity increases and, accordingly, the stomach grows.

The vacuum exercise is designed to strengthen the transverse abdominal muscle and its essence is not in active physical exercises, but in the fact that by tensing the muscles and proper breathing you seem to create a vacuum in the stomach. In bodybuilding, athletes often include this exercise in their training thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger, who himself actively used it and widely promoted it among bodybuilders.

But this exercise came to bodybuilding and the masses from yoga and it is called “uddiyana bandha”. And for yogis, as we know, the main goal is not the cult of a beautiful body, but the health and harmonious development of not only the body, but also the spirit. What else, besides a beautiful figure, will this exercise give us, since it came to us from yogis?

Another exercise that strengthens the transverse muscle is this, there is an article on the blog about this exercise, click on the link.

Benefits of exercise

With proper and regular implementation of the vacuum technique, the internal healing of the body and all its systems occurs. Judge for yourself:

• visceral fat burns;
• the abdominal muscles are strengthened, which has a positive effect on displacement and prolapse of internal organs;
• abdominal volume decreases;
• blood supply to the abdominal organs improves, a kind of massage of the internal organs occurs;
• Digestion improves, the rectum is cleansed, toxins are eliminated;
• the back muscles are strengthened, back pain goes away;
• endocrine glands are healed and rejuvenated;
• overall well-being and quality of sleep improves;
• a feeling of cheerfulness and lightness appears throughout the body, it’s not for nothing that “uddiyana” translated means “soaring, flying high.”

Impressive, isn't it? But is everything so rosy, there are probably some downsides.

Contraindications

• at the time of exacerbation of stomach and duodenal ulcers;
• during menstrual periods in women;
• should not be given to pregnant women;
• cannot be done immediately after childbirth and operations, several months must pass;
• Contraindicated for arterial hypertension, tachycardia and increased intracranial pressure.
• You can, but be careful:
• in the presence of cardiovascular diseases;
• in the presence of lung pathology;
• in the presence of a hernia in the abdominal cavity;
• with weak abdominals and a large abdomen;
• in case of disease of any internal organ adjacent to the diaphragmatic septum.

An important point is that when performing this exercise you should not experience any discomfort and certainly no abdominal pain.

We conclude that if you can’t do it, then you can’t do it, and if you don’t do it with caution, then you must not only be careful when performing a vacuum, monitor your feelings and well-being, but it is better, if you have chronic diseases, to get advice from your doctor.

I think there is enough information to understand whether you can do this exercise or not, if so, then move on.

Abdominal vacuum - how to do it correctly

As experts and those who have already mastered this exercise say, it is, in principle, not difficult. The main thing for beginners is to understand how to do it correctly, so that the vacuum does not cause any harm and the expected effect is:

• it is important to understand at the muscular level how to properly draw in the stomach;
• It is very important to master breathing techniques.

Therefore, for beginners, if there is no person who will prompt and control you, you can learn with the help of videos and they will definitely continue.

They do a vacuum in the abdomen in different poses:

• lying down;
• On knees;
• sitting;
• standing.

I will dwell in more detail on performing it in the “lying down” position; it is from this position, as experts say, that they recommend starting to master the vacuum technique. In this position it is easier to control and feel your muscles, and as we remember, this is very important when mastering this exercise.

Vacuum in a prone position for beginners

The advantages of performing it in a lying position are that it is easier for beginners to draw in their stomach, and it is in this position that the abdominal organs receive a good massage effect. Another plus is that you can train immediately after waking up without getting out of bed.

1. Lay out a mat, lie on your back, place your arms along your body, relax, there should be no tension in your body.
2. Bend your legs at the knees.
3. To begin, do a couple of approaches - take a deep breath and exhale, set yourself up for this exercise.
4. We begin to make a vacuum - take a deep breath through your nose, then exhale sharply through your mouth, trying to remove all the air from your lungs and at the same time draw in your stomach as much as possible, as if you want to reach your spine with your navel.
5. Hold this position while holding your breath, your stomach should be motionless, this is what helps strengthen the transverse muscle. Hold your breath without fanaticism, it’s definitely not necessary until you lose consciousness. At first, 5 - 10 seconds, gradually can be increased to 30 or more, if holding your breath for a long time does not cause discomfort.
6. Relax your stomach and inhale through your nose.

When you master this exercise, try to complicate it a little and do a stomach vacuum while lying down, but with straight legs, then you can move on to other options.

Vacuum in a pose on all fours

The next most difficult pose after the “lying down” technique is the pose on all fours and it is very useful for the female body.

1. When you get down on all fours, it is important to take the correct position, make sure that your shoulders are above your arms, your buttocks are above your knees, your neck and head are parallel to the floor.
2. I won’t talk about breathing, it’s the same as in a lying position.

Vacuum while sitting

This version of the vacuum promotes additional training of the rectus abdominis muscle; another plus, it can be done at work while sitting in the office.

There are two options offered here:

The technique is the same - inhale, exhale while tightening your stomach, while you can round your back a little, hold your breath, release your stomach, exhale.

Vacuum while standing

Bodybuilding professionals do a vacuum in a standing position; it is believed that it is in this position that we draw in the stomach in the way that is most necessary.

There are also two options here:

How to do it correctly and how much

Carefully study this section so that you take into account all the advice of experts and the abdominal vacuum will only be for your benefit.

• In order to get the effect that we expect from a vacuum, it is advised that before starting the exercise, you should work separately on breathing and retracting the abdomen. Learn to draw in your stomach to the maximum, imagine that you just need to fit into tight jeans and you are trying to button them while lying on the floor. The more you pull your stomach in, the better the transverse muscle will contract. To create a vacuum in the stomach, you need to exhale all the air from your lungs, and you need to learn this if you want to perform this exercise correctly and profitably.
• It is recommended to do this technique on an empty stomach. In the morning on an empty stomach is the ideal time. Before doing this, go to the toilet and maybe drink some water. Although there is an opinion that you don’t need water either, since you won’t be able to pull in your stomach well. Maybe so, try it and you will have your own opinion on this issue.
• For faster results, it is recommended to do this exercise twice a day. Nutritionists recommend evening meals 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. This means you can do this exercise a second time before bed.
• How much to do is the main question. The advice is different, some say from 5 to 15 repetitions, but after reading a bunch of information, I came to the conclusion that it is not the number of repetitions that is important, but the time of holding the breath, the longer the better, but, as I already said, without fanaticism. There should be no discomfort or unpleasant sensations. Therefore, the recommendation for beginners is to start with 3 repetitions, gradually increasing the hold time. Ideally, 5 repetitions in one session with a one-minute breath hold. And in what position you will do this is up to you.
• Another important point, and this is not news, is the regularity of execution, and not from time to time. As experts say, to evaluate the result you need a month of constant training, provided that you do the vacuum correctly. But everything is quite individual, because we are all different, both external data and metabolism, so someone may see the result earlier, and someone later. Read reviews on the Internet, they say that this is actually an effective and useful exercise, the main thing is not to lose heart, show persistence and patience if you want to improve your figure and improve your body.
• If you decide to do a stomach vacuum for weight loss, you must understand that this is not a magic pill and exercise alone will not solve the problem. Add other exercises to it, review your diet, drink more water, only an integrated approach to the issue of losing weight will give results.

Video instructions on how to properly do a stomach vacuum

I offer you a video in two versions - in female and male versions, watch carefully to understand the correct vacuum technique.

This is where I will probably end my article; I hope my information and instructions in the video gave you a complete understanding of the technique of performing a vacuum. If you are interested in this exercise, then measure your waist, start doing it, and after a month we will compare the results. Or maybe you are already an expert in this matter, then share your experience with us in the comments.

There’s also a useful video to help you, click on the link and grab it while it’s freely available.

Beauty, youth and health to you!
Elena Kasatova. See you by the fireplace.

A thin waist plus a flat stomach is a woman’s dream. To implement it, they adjust their diet, “live” in the gym, and spend hours pumping up their abs. All this is commendable, but this set of measures lacks the main thing - properly organized work of the internal abdominal muscles. This is achieved using vacuumization of the press, borrowed from yoga and used in bodyflex. How to do the abdominal vacuum exercise correctly in order to become the owner of an attractive hourglass silhouette?

A blurred waist, fat sides, and sagging belly make people take a different look at themselves and their own health. But a protruding belly is a fairly common problem among athletes, those who attend fitness training, and even naturally slender and thin girls. It would seem that there are no prerequisites for its appearance, but... It's all about weak muscles, which should reduce the size of the abdominal cavity. The vacuum exercise helps get rid of the problem.

Why pumping up your abs is not enough

In the human body there are four groups of muscles that form the abs: straight, oblique (internal and external), as well as the deepest - transverse. They are interconnected, and each is involved in creating the press. The emphasis of the load is shifted to the desired abdominal muscle.

By performing traditional abdominal exercises, the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles are loaded. They provide body movement and are responsible for aligning the contour of the sides, forming the coveted cubes, and sculpting the figure. The transverse muscles are also involved, but their task is to support the internal organs and spine in a natural position. This muscle group is responsible for keeping the waist narrow and the stomach reduced in volume.

Regular abdominal training is useful, but only exercises to develop the transverse abdominal muscles will give a “flat” result.

Benefits and harms

In addition to losing weight and strengthening underdeveloped abdominal muscles, exercise has a general healing effect on the body. When performing a vacuum, the following positive effects appear:

• the functioning of internal organs is improved;
• digestion and intestinal function are stabilized;
• blood supply improves;
• the lumbar region is strengthened;
• toxins are eliminated;
• posture is corrected.

Vacuum exercise is especially useful for women: it is a good prevention of congestive processes in the pelvis, increasing the body's resistance to stress due to its beneficial effect on the nervous system, and improving sleep quality. Abdominal vacuum exercise allows you to recover faster after childbirth.

Contraindications to abdominal vacuum exercises include gastrointestinal diseases and problems of the genitourinary system. It is dangerous to make a vacuum if you have a peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. Harm is possible during menstruation and pregnancy. You should not do the exercise if your stomach hurts. If pain is persistent, you should consult a doctor.

Abdominal vacuum exercise: technique

The technique of performing a vacuum for the abdomen looks simple from the outside. The method consists in drawing the press “into itself” as much as possible (to the limit) and fixing it immobilized for 20-30 seconds. The exercise was borrowed from nauli yoga, where asanas are based on proper breathing. What we call vacuum is called “uddiyana bandha” in yoga.

Breathing in our case is also a distinctive feature of the execution technique. Therefore, retraction of the abdomen occurs after the complete release of air from the lungs, during exhalation. At this time, the front wall of the abdomen seems to be pressed against the spine, and the “insides” are shifted to the hypochondrium.

The vacuum breathing exercise for the abdomen, which exists in different variations, is best performed in the morning on an empty stomach.

Prone: for beginners

Peculiarities. The tactics of execution in all methods are absolutely the same, but lying down with bent legs, the exercise is easiest to do. Therefore, beginners who decide to remove their belly are advised to start there.

How to perform

1. Take the starting position: lie on your back, relax, bend your knees, place your hands along your body or on your stomach.
2. Exhale slowly, without tensing your body muscles.
3. After emptying your lungs of all available air, tighten your abdominal muscles and draw them in as hard as possible. There should be a feeling of “false inhalation” without air entering the throat.
4. Mentally draw a picture: the stomach is “glued” to the spine. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds.
5. After a short inhalation, without relaxing your muscles, repeat the exercise five times according to the same pattern. Finally, push your stomach forward without inhaling air.

The traditional duration of holding the breath is 20-30 seconds, but beginners are unlikely to be able to immediately perform the exercise for this time. Therefore, it is allowed to reduce its duration to 15-20 seconds. Do not torture your body: at the first discomfort, take a breath. When retracting your abdomen, also focus on the body’s reaction. If it’s hard, you can relax your abs by repeating a couple of free inhalations and exhalations. Exhaling again, draw your stomach in deeper.

Standing: the main way

Peculiarities. When the art of vacuum for beginners is well mastered, try to move on to the main exercise, vacuum for the press - in a standing position.

How to perform

1. Take the starting position: feet shoulder-width apart, arms along the body or palms on the ribs. Exhale through your mouth.
2. Take a full breath, and at the same time tilt your torso forward, bending your knees. The head is lowered, as if pressed with the chin to the chest, the gaze is directed not at the floor, but directly.
3. Then, as you exhale, draw your abs in tightly. Time it for 20-30 seconds. Exhale loudly and rhythmically, with the sound “h-ha”.
4. On your next approach, hold your breath for no more than five to ten seconds. During a short relaxing pause, restore your breathing and do four more repetitions.

During the exercise, keep your back in a perfectly straight position. If performed correctly, it will feel as if the internal organs are being lifted towards the ribs. In fact, this is what happens: the abdominal muscles contract during exhalation, and during the “false inhalation” the chest expands and the muscles are pulled towards the diaphragm. In a standing position, raise your arms up - this will connect the upper abdominal muscles to the load.

On your knees: making the workout more difficult

Peculiarities. This method is more complicated and is suitable for those who have mastered the first two abdominal exercise techniques. An absolutely identical technique is used when performing the exercise on all fours, that is, with the stomach down. This option is considered the most difficult, because according to the laws of physics, the body is pulled down.

How to perform

1. Take the starting position: get on your knees, put your hands on them. Then lower your body to a sitting position, but so that there is 20 cm between your buttocks and feet. Your back is straight and your torso is slightly pushed forward.
2. Exhale slowly through your mouth.
3. Then inhale through your nose and tighten your stomach for 20-30 seconds.
4. After a sharp exhalation, draw your abs deeply again.
5. The exercise is performed with five repetitions.

When you learn to do these exercises freely, you can master a method that is very popular among bodybuilders. To do this, tilt the body 45° and lean on any stable surface, for example, a table. The technique is similar, keep your head straight.

Regularity

The effectiveness of the vacuum depends on the frequency of execution. You need to do the vacuum exercise for a flat stomach regularly. Focus on the following numbers: during the day there should be at least two or three approaches, from ten to 15 repetitions with a duration of one muscle contraction of 15 seconds. If you work in this mode, you will get rid of 2.5 to 5 cm in your waist after one to two months of training.

When training becomes the norm, the number of approaches is selected individually: the vacuum is repeated until it becomes difficult to blow out air. To quickly get into the routine, make it a habit to wake up, vacuumize, and only then have breakfast and do other things. For an evening approach, the time before bed is convenient.

How to get maximum effect

The main disadvantage of a vacuum is that you won’t be able to do all the exercise techniques correctly right away. Although at first glance everything seems accessible and simple. But don’t rush to give up; reviews of the abdominal vacuum exercise confirm that after a month of regular exercise, the stomach tightens. To get the expected result, listen to the recommendations:

• start simple– the “lying down” option is best suited;
• use the bodyflex breathing system– after exhalation there is a sharp inhalation through the nose, then an active exhalation through the mouth;
• breathe if necessary– take short breaths through your nose;
• imagine how the navel and spine are glued to each other;
• do not let go of your stomach jerkily– on the contrary, smoothly and not completely;
• hold the muscles minimally– 10-15 seconds, and maximum – 60 seconds.

Vacuum exercises for losing belly fat for women will help your dream of a beautiful, slender body with a narrow waist come true. Over time, it will definitely become a habit that the transverse abdominal muscles should be in a tense position. They will acquire tone in a few weeks, and additional efforts will no longer be needed to control them. And if the goal in itself is also weight loss, vacuuming the press can be alternated with cardio loads and strength training. They will help burn fat. Such weight loss will be natural and will not bring stress to the body.

Print

A large belly, lack of waist and hanging fat on the sides are quite common problems that force people to take care of their figure. It is believed that to lose weight in the waist, you need to pump up your abs as much as possible. But strength exercises do not always give the desired results, because... in this case, the fat is transformed into muscle, and the stomach still does not look flat. One of the most effective is the vacuum exercise for a flat stomach, which is often used in yoga and bodyflex. From this article you will learn how a vacuum will help you remove your belly and improve your overall figure, you will learn the correct technique for performing this exercise, as well as the basic rules of training.

Feature of the vacuum exercise

The abdominal vacuum exercise is rather a combination of several techniques that must be performed in a certain way. This technique came to fitness from nauli yoga and uddiyana bandha. Similar exercises are also found in gymnastics based on aerobic breathing.

The essence of this technique is extremely simple. All that is required of you is to pull your stomach in as far as possible and hold the muscles in this position for about 20-30 seconds. But it is very important to master the breathing technique.

Any vacuum exercise is performed with a full exhalation.

This technique allows you to work the transverse abdominal muscle, which holds all the internal organs. In fact, it is precisely because of the relaxation of this muscle that the stomach looks imperfect. The fact is that during any sport, be it fitness or strength training, the main load falls on the external and oblique abdominal muscles. Having pumped up these muscles, the stomach, of course, will look more toned than before training, but due to the relaxed transverse muscle, it will still not be flat.

In mastering the art of holding the stomach in a complete vacuum, the most important thing is consistency. Despite the apparent simplicity of this technique, it is unlikely to be performed correctly the first time. However, do not despair, because judging by the results of people who actively engage in these exercises, after about a month of constant training, the stomach will not only be toned, but perfectly flat. This technique is often used in their training by professional bodybuilders and bodybuilders whose belly appears too large due to overtraining. A striking example of this was Arnold Schwarzenegger, who not only actively used this technique, but also complicated it a little, adding various exercises, twisting and lifting. As a result, a vacuum in the abdomen - the Schwarzenegger exercise - allows you to work the transverse muscle, at the same time eliminating fat deposits and tightening the abdominal muscles.

How to perform the “vacuum in the stomach” exercise

Having been inspired by positive reviews and deciding to practice using this method, the most important thing is to learn how to do the vacuum exercise correctly. There are several variations of this exercise, which are performed from different positions.

The simplest type of technique is an exercise performed lying down with bent knees. Having taken the starting position, you need to stretch your arms along your body and try to slowly exhale all the air in your lungs. After this, the stomach is pulled in as deeply as possible and held in this position for about 20 seconds. While holding your breath, your stomach should be motionless, this is what helps pump up the transverse muscle.

Having mastered the technique from a lying position, you can move on to performing the main vacuum exercise for the press. It is done as follows: you need to stand straight, spreading your legs shoulder-width apart. While inhaling deeply, bend your body slightly forward and bend your knees, placing your palms on your hips. Then all the air from the lungs is exhaled, and at this time the stomach is drawn inward as much as possible. To perform this exercise correctly, you need to monitor the position of your head. The head should be slightly tilted down, as if you want to press your chin to your chest, but you should not look at the floor, but straight. It is this position that prevents air from entering the lungs. In addition, your back should be perfectly straight while performing the exercises. If done correctly, you will feel like your internal organs are slightly rising towards your ribs. Essentially, this is what happens. Hold your stomach in a retracted position for at least 20 seconds, slowly relax it, restoring your breathing.

Also, the vacuum exercise, the technique of which remains the same in any position of the body, can be performed while standing on all fours or sitting. Having learned to perform these exercises freely, you can make the task slightly more difficult by mastering an exercise that is extremely popular in bodybuilding. To do this, you need to tilt your torso about 45 degrees and lean on something strong. If you are studying at home, for example, you can lean on the table while looking straight.

Regularity and rules of training

Experienced athletes recommend exercising in the morning and evening, when the body is most receptive to physical activity. In the first week of mastering the technique, it is enough to perform exercises for 15 minutes, gradually increasing the training time to 30 minutes. Exercises can be alternated with cardio or strength training. The number of repetitions is purely individual - repeat the exercises until you feel that it is difficult for you to completely exhale the air. In addition to losing weight and pumping up abdominal muscles, vacuum exercises heal the body. For example, it is believed that it rejuvenates the nerves of the gastric tract and intestines, promotes the elimination of toxins, strengthens the back muscles, which has a good effect on the stomach, massages the internal organs, and also rejuvenates the internal glands.

Contraindications

However, despite its enormous usefulness, the vacuum exercise for a flat stomach also has its contraindications. Firstly, you should not practice it if you have a stomach or duodenal ulcer, on “critical” days and during pregnancy. Secondly, this exercise must be performed with extreme caution in case of any diseases of the lungs, stomach and heart muscle.

Try it, master the technique and get rid of that annoying tummy forever!

An indispensable element of the standard of beauty for a female and male figure is a thin waist. For men, it emphasizes the width of the shoulders, and for women, it emphasizes the chest and hips.

However, even well-trained people often cannot boast of a narrow waist. They have well-defined abs, elastic abdominal muscles, but at the same time the waist remains wide.

It happens that even a well-trained front wall of the abdomen protrudes forward, spoiling the aesthetics of the figure. A special exercise that we will tell you about today will help you cope with this – a vacuum for the press.

What does the vacuum exercise do?

The abdominal vacuum exercise has long been practiced by Indian yogis, and it was from yoga that this exercise migrated to modern fitness.

The vacuum exercise is used for weight loss, with its help you can reduce the size of your waist and abdomen, as well as improve the health of the body by normalizing the functioning of internal organs.

Systematically performing the vacuum abdominal exercise will provide significant benefits to the body:

• intestinal function is normalized;
• stimulates the removal of harmful substances from the body;
• thanks to the massage of the internal organs during the vacuum, their functioning improves;
• the endocrine glands become healthier;
• metabolism is stimulated and fat burning processes are launched;

• the body is saturated with oxygen;
• strengthening the abdominal muscles allows you to return the internal organs to the correct position;
• the volume of the waist and abdomen decreases, which makes the figure more aesthetic;
• while performing a vacuum, the nervous system calms down;
• the lumbar spine is strengthened.

But do not forget that the vacuum exercise has contraindications for those who:

• Suffering from stomach ulcers or intestinal problems;
• Combats problems of the cardiovascular or digestive systems;
• Experiences dizziness or periodically faints.
• Also, performing a vacuum is prohibited for women during pregnancy.

How does vacuum exercise affect your waist?

Let us consider in detail how the vacuum exercise affects the human body from an anatomical point of view.
In the abdominal area there are 4 muscle groups that form the abdominal muscle corset:

• rectus abdominis muscles;
• external oblique muscles;

• internal oblique muscles;
• transverse abdominal muscles.

All these muscle groups act in concert and are all involved together during abdominal loads. Only the shift in load on different muscle groups changes.

During abdominal training, the load falls on the groups of rectus and oblique abdominal muscles. As a result, the external muscles can be well-developed and elastic, but the stomach will still be bulging.

This occurs due to pressure on the outer wall of the abdomen of the internal organs and the visceral fat layer that envelops them.

Untrained transverse abdominal muscles cannot cope with this pressure, and as a result we see a bulging belly.

The vacuum exercise is aimed at strengthening the transverse abdominal muscles.

It allows you to tighten this muscle group, as well as reduce the level of pressure on the internal organs on the front wall of the abdomen and return them to the correct position.

As a result, your waist and stomach will begin to decrease in volume, allowing you to achieve the desired slimness.

Using a vacuum exercise does not mean at all that you don’t need to do abdominal exercises. The external muscles require the same regular work.

For exercises for the abs that will bring them into ideal shape, see our article Exercises for the abs at home

To ensure maximum effectiveness of the vacuum exercise, it is necessary to follow a number of rules and recommendations:

• perform the exercise regularly - you need to do a vacuum every day for at least a month, at least 2 times a day;
• Perform the vacuum outdoors or in rooms with good air circulation;
• It is advisable to watch yourself through a mirror while you are doing the vacuum to control the correctness of the exercise;
• do not forget to train the whole body, and not just the abdominal area;
• train on an empty stomach and follow a diet.

As mentioned above, you need to do a vacuum at least 2 times a day. It is advisable to do the exercise for the first time in the morning, when after sleep your waist size is minimal and your abdominal muscles are maximally toned.

The second set can be performed in the afternoon during your main workout. One approach to performing a vacuum should include 20-30 repetitions, with a delay in the position of a retracted abdomen for 20-30 seconds.

If you are a beginner and you cannot handle such numbers, it is enough to pull in your stomach for 10-15 seconds.

In addition to the vacuum exercise, there is a whole set of exercises aimed at creating a slender waist and flat stomach, which you can read in detail in our article Exercises for a thin waist.

How to do the vacuum exercise

The vacuum can be performed in several basic positions:

If you are just starting to exercise or are doing the vacuum exercise after childbirth or cesarean section, start doing it in a lying position. In this position, the internal organs do not put pressure on the abdomen, and the vacuum is easier to perform than in any other position.

The technique for performing a vacuum on the press is the same in all positions and consists of the following elements:

• take the starting position depending on the position in which you perform the vacuum;
• exhale slowly and then take a deep breath;
• exhale as much air as possible, pulling the abdominal muscles towards the spine;
• hold your breath in this position;
• try to inhale air without passing it through your throat. This will retract the diaphragm even further;
• pull the abdominal muscles of the abdomen to the maximum towards the spine and up to the chest;
• hold this position as long as you can;
• Exhale slowly, gradually relaxing the abdominal muscles.

Repeat these exhalations 10-15 times and give yourself a short rest between sets of repetitions.

In addition to performing the vacuum every day, try to pull in your stomach a little during your daily activities, tensing your abdominal muscles and not holding your breath.

This will strengthen them and speed up the formation of a slim waist. Also, when doing abdominal exercises, try to pull in your stomach - this will create additional stress on the muscles.

Video tutorial on performing vacuum exercises

You can study in detail the technique of performing the abdominal vacuum exercise using the following video:

Look through it carefully, and you probably won’t have any questions about how to do the vacuum exercise for the abdomen correctly and for how long.

Abdominal vacuum exercise – reviews and results

Bogdana, 30 years old:
A year ago I gave birth to twins. My joy on this occasion knew no bounds. However, pregnancy also gave me a distended belly with saggy skin.

I wanted to get in shape, because I’m still a young, beautiful woman. I went on a diet and started taking care of myself regularly.

A friend advised me to do a vacuum exercise in addition to training. The advice turned out to be practical - after 2 weeks I noticed that my waist had decreased by 3 cm, and my stomach had become more toned.

Alina, 27 years old:
For a long time I couldn’t get rid of my bulging belly. Regularly doing abdominal exercises did not help. Yes, the stomach was prominent, but it stuck out!

The fitness instructor, noticing my efforts, introduced me to the abdominal vacuum exercise.

With his help, I finally achieved my ideal figure - my stomach stopped sticking out after just a month of training.

Marta, 25 years old:
I regularly perform the vacuum exercise at the end of my regular workout in the gym. At one time, with its help, I managed to achieve an ideal flat stomach, but now I use a vacuum to keep it in good shape.

Alena, 35 years old:
I had a difficult birth and had to have a caesarean section. After giving birth, I couldn’t get back into shape for a long time. During this time, my stomach, which already didn’t look great after giving birth, became even more flabby and saggy.

It was difficult for me to do abdominal exercises, and the doctor advised me to temporarily limit myself to performing abdominal vacuum exercises.

This yielded results - within a month my waist decreased in volume by 3 cm, and my stomach began to gradually tighten.

If you don't know how to achieve a perfectly flat tummy and thin waist, try the vacuum exercise. It's easy to do and won't take up much of your time, but the results will be more than impressive.

There are many ways to lose excess weight: heavy physical activity, proper nutrition, or even strict diets. But often, in the struggle for a beautiful body, people encounter the problem of a sagging belly, which no diet can cope with.

Abdominal vacuum exercise

You can achieve excellent results in losing weight thanks to a special breathing technique that has many positive reviews. At first glance, such information may cause mistrust, but the mechanism of action is very simple: by saturating the body with oxygen, you help it burn excess fat. There is a special vacuum gymnastics for the abdomen, by performing which you not only train the deep abdominal muscles, but also saturate the body with oxygen. Arnold Schwarzenegger himself loves the abdominal vacuum exercise and performs it in the following positions:

• standing;
• on the knees;
• lying down;
• sitting.

During the process, you need to create a vacuum in the abdominal cavity, and not just breathe, tightening the muscles. Proper retraction of the abdomen using this method will help not only make the muscles strong, but also remove extra centimeters from the waist. During the process, not only the deep muscles are trained, the elasticity and tone of which increases, but also the diaphragm itself, which is responsible for supporting the internal organs.

Abdominal vacuum - benefits

If we talk about the result that you get after several weeks of regular exercise, then this is not only a toned abs, but also significantly stronger abdominal muscles. By training using this method, you will significantly reduce the load on your spine, your posture will become straighter, and your silhouette will become slimmer. Therefore, it is useful for women to perform the abdominal vacuum exercise after the birth of a child - the benefits of which after childbirth are much greater than exercises aimed at pumping up the abs.

Vacuum for the abdomen - technique

Before starting classes, you need to familiarize yourself with the step-by-step instructions, since the vacuum in the abdomen technique, which at first glance is simple, has its own nuances of implementation. It’s easy to master the correct technique if you initially perform it in front of a mirror: you need to pull in your stomach so that your ribs are visible. The main secret of how to correctly do the vacuum exercise for the abdomen is to hold your breath while exhaling completely while tightening the muscles.

How to do a stomach vacuum

For such a workout, the stomach must be empty, so it is better to train in the morning on an empty stomach. To master the basics, try doing the exercise first while lying on your back to feel your muscles, and then check the correctness of the actions while standing in front of the mirror. There are some differences in the method of performing retractions after childbirth to restore tone and to pump up the abs, so find out how to properly do a vacuum for various purposes.

Press vacuum

The most effective method for creating a beautiful tummy is the vacuum ab exercise, which is popular in bodybuilding, yoga, fitness and home body shaping programs because it is aimed at strengthening muscles that are inaccessible to other methods. You can get the desired result after just a couple of weeks of perseverance - your abs will tighten, become flatter, and your waist will be noticeably thinner. How to do the abdominal vacuum exercise correctly? You need to do the vacuum press exercise in the morning on an empty stomach according to the following method:

1. Take as deep a breath as possible, then release all the air from your lungs. To do this, it is better to use the bodyflex technique, in which, after exhaling completely, take a full, quick breath in through the nose, then immediately exhale sharply through the mouth, at the moment when the stomach is drawn in.
2. As you exhale, you need to pull in your stomach as much as possible and stay in this position for 5-8 seconds. In this position, due to vacuumization, the transverse abdominal muscle is tightened.
3. Exhale slowly, take a break for a couple of free breaths, and repeat the breathing technique at least 5 times. For the first week, five times is enough, from the second you can increase the number of repetitions and not take a break to restore breathing.

Vacuum after childbirth

The usefulness of the vacuum technique for women after childbirth is undeniable, because... The technique is aimed at relieving pressure from the pelvic floor muscles and pelvic organs, this contributes to the proper and rapid recovery of the woman’s body after the birth of a child. The complex has no contraindications, does not cause harm, and can be performed even by girls during menstruation. Abdominal vacuum after childbirth is performed in a lying position as follows:

1. Lie as comfortably as possible on your back, bend your knees and focus on them.
2. Take a deep breath, feel how your ribs expand along with your lungs, remember this position and stay in it.
3. In the same position of the muscles, exhale as much as possible to feel the diaphragm tighten. Stay in this position for 5 seconds. You also need to do what is described on an empty stomach, every day, in order to get the result that you will feel.

Video: how to do a belly vacuum for the press