Sadly, the extra pounds are not deposited in some inconspicuous place, but most often on the stomach. On this occasion, they even say - "So that you can see how much you overeat, the stomach is located on the same side as the eyes. "To combat excess body fat at the waist, many zealously take on the so-called exercises for losing weight on the abdomen. But the load on the press does not give a positive result, and it begins to seem that fitness is useless for solving this problem.
In fact, this is not the case. It's just that many make mistakes - both in the choice of exercises and in the preparation of the training program itself.
What exercises to do to lose weight on the stomach?
To begin with, I will say that there are no exercises for losing weight on specific body parts. When we lose weight, fat is removed from the entire body at the same time. It is possible to remove it "fragmentarily" only with the help of liposuction. It is physiologically impossible to force the body to burn fat in one particular place. Therefore, it is necessary to emphasize the loss of calories in general. Crunches, bends, and bends do not reduce abdominal fat for the simple reason that they require extremely little energy to perform and involve few muscles.
Just imagine - there is a huge amount of muscles on your body, and you are trying to lose weight, giving only a load to the abs, while the rest of the body is inactive. Hence the conclusion - separately taken press workouts will not remove excess body fat, but only strengthen the muscles.
In order to remove belly fat, regular cardio workouts are suitable - walking, running, swimming, cycling, aerobics and dancing. These activities help the body burn subcutaneous fat directly. Long walks are helpful.
If you have a lot of excess weight, then you need to rely on complex weight loss and do those exercises that burn a lot of calories - for example, squats with raising arms, lunges with turns, etc. Remember, the more muscles you work and the greater the range of exercise, the better.
Another useful group of exercises is balance exercises, such as swinging your leg to the side, when you need to hold on to the other leg without additional support. In the absence of contraindications, jump rope, swim in the pool.
Exercises to strengthen the abdomen and lose weight
There is a group of exercises that are beneficial for the whole body as a whole and perfectly strengthen the abs:
- "Bike". Lie on your back, put your hands behind your head and slightly raise the body, lift your legs bent at the knees so that your shins are parallel to the floor, press your lower back firmly to the floor and do not tear it off during the entire exercise. With an exhalation, stretch your right leg forward, at the same time rotate the body to the left, trying to reach with your right elbow to the left knee, return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise on the other side. Continue until you are tired, trying to move at a good pace.
- Stand straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your hands up and interlock your fingers. Tighten your abs and draw in your stomach. Bend to the right, stretch your arms up and to the side, stretching the lateral muscles. Then, without pause, tilt to the right. Do the exercise slowly, trying to bend as low as possible.
- "Scissors". Lying on your back, stretch your arms along your body and "press" your lower back into the floor. Raise your straight legs up. Without bending your knees, begin to spread and bring your legs, crossing your ankles. If you can, while moving, lower your legs closer to the floor, but do not tear off your lower back.
- "Boat". This exercise is for the back. What does belly weight loss have to do with it? - you ask. The answer is that the muscles of the back and abdomen are antagonists, that is, they work in a different direction - the back unbends the body, and the stomach bends. Together they form the waist, and they need to be strengthened together. Therefore, lie on your stomach, stretch your arms up and, straining your back, gently lift your legs and body up, in this position, hold for a second and lower yourself down. Repeat 10-15 times.
Some important nuances
All that has been said above does not mean at all that exercises aimed at strengthening the abs and oblique abdominal muscles are useless. Strong muscles help support the internal organs. So that you understand what I am talking about, look at the people around them - some have their stomachs sticking out forward, but there is no excess fat on them. This is especially noticeable in thin women who do not play sports. Due to the weakness of the abdominal press, the internal organs begin to "bulge", forming a kind of abdomen. And developed muscles support all organs in the correct position, preventing them from shifting.
Exercise for the press not only solves the problem of aesthetics, but also improves health, as it helps the proper functioning of the intestines, stomach, liver and other organs. Try to pay attention to your abs at least 3-4 times a week, or you can do exercises daily for 7-10 minutes to strengthen the abdominal muscles, then a slim figure and excellent health will always be there.