ABS training – what is it in fitness and who is it suitable for?

ABS in fitness – what is it?

The decoding of the abbreviation sounds like Abdominal Back Spine: where “Abdominal” is “abdominal cavity”, “Back” is “back”, “Spine” is “spine”.

First of all, this is a strength training aimed directly at strengthening the abdominal muscles, but from the name it is clear that the exercise additionally affects the back muscles, which, together with the abs, are stabilizers of the spine. That is, training affects not only the relief and appearance of the abdomen, but also the health of the spine and posture.

The training may include dynamic and static-dynamic exercises for the core muscles, that is, some of them may partially involve the muscles of the thighs and buttocks in the work, but only slightly. More attention in training is paid to the superficial and deep abdominal muscles: rectus abdominis, transverse, external and internal oblique muscles. This allows you to strengthen the front wall of the abdomen, tighten the sides, and reduce the size of the waist.

Such training can be carried out in fitness centers, as well as at home. It is possible to use additional equipment: dumbbells, weights, platforms, balls, etc. There are also many effective exercises with your own weight that will give the same effect as additional weights.

ABS training can be carried out in an express course: 30 minutes, as well as in a standard format: 45-55 minutes, depending on the level of load and program. As we understand, it is impossible to perform an hour-long exercise only on the press.

Main functions of the application

If you have already actively worked with the program for buttocks and thighs, you will easily master this application. It works on a similar principle. You receive a 30-day training program that includes exercises for the waist and sides. Every day is a collection of 8-11 exercises with 10-20 repetitions.

You simply install the application on your smartphone, select any day and start training. Effective abdominal exercises are ideal for a beginner who works out at home - all you need is a mat and a target setting.

Each lesson is accompanied by text instructions, as well as voice and video instructions. Additionally, you can see how abdominal exercises are performed by following the link to the YouTube video.

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The application is not designed for girls only. Men can also achieve spectacular sculpted abs before the hot season. The main thing is to specify gender, age and weight and height data in the settings. And you can find out more about what abdominal exercises for men exist in our article How to pump up your abs correctly.

In the report you can track your progress. Displayed here:

• Number of workouts
• Number of calories
• Total class time

Don’t forget to enter your weight data every day so that you can carefully track your progress in working on your figure on a convenient chart. We also recommend setting up reminders at a time convenient for you so as not to miss workouts or fall out of rhythm.

A beautiful waist is created not only through daily abdominal exercises. Preparing a slim and fit body also needs to be done in the kitchen. Read more about this in our article Diet for Abs: Losing Weight for Perfect Abs.

What does ABS training consist of?

As mentioned above, the training is aimed primarily at the abdominal muscles, as well as other spinal stabilizers. But the direction cannot give a full load and evenly strengthen all the muscles of the body, beauty and health without which tone is impossible. Therefore, to correct this omission, for those for whom the load on the press alone is not enough, the following types of direction were introduced, increasing its effect and benefit, making it more universal.

ABS + Stretch - this workout contains not only exercises for the core muscles, but also relaxing and stretching movements that increase the flexibility of the entire body. You can also find the name ABS + Flex . Essentially, it's the same thing. Stretch – stretching, flex – flexibility. Both directions work to increase muscle flexibility and elasticity, reduce stress and fatigue.

ABS & Back – you may also come across this name: “back” in translation means “back”, that is, the workout contains additional exercises for the back.

BUMS + ABS is a common trend in fitness centers, which, in addition to the abs, develops the muscles of the legs and buttocks in the first half of the class, and in the second - the back, chest, arms and abs. Half an hour is allotted for each part.

ABL + ABS - the first abbreviation means Abdominal-Buttocks-Legs, that is, in addition to the abdominal muscles, the muscles of the legs and buttocks are included in the work. Exercises can be both strength and cardio. Thus, training strengthens almost all muscles except the shoulder girdle.

Exercises for the upper abs

1. I.P. lying on your back, knees bent, you can put your feet on a chair or on a large ball so that your head is lower than your feet, hands behind your head, elbows can be turned both to the sides and forward (in this case you can raise yourself higher). As you exhale, lift your head and shoulders, making sure that your chin is pulled up and your neck is not bent. At the top point, fix the movement and pull in your stomach. Do as many repetitions as possible. It is advisable to do at least 4 such sets with a break of half a minute. You should not take long rest intervals between sets when working on the abdominal muscles.
2. I.P. sitting, knees bent, legs lifted off the floor. Perform body crunches, alternately straightening your arms at a fast pace. Exhale forcefully. 3-4 sets with maximum reps. The exercise is recommended for those who are prepared.

Advantages and disadvantages of ABS

Pros:

1. It qualitatively works the external and deep muscles of the abdominal cavity, forms a sharpened relief, and with the right diet - cubes. Makes the stomach flat and toned.
2. The training takes place without stress on the spine, which makes it safe for protrusions, curvatures and pinched nerve endings.
3. Allows you to reduce waist size due to the fat-burning effect with regular training.
4. Improves posture and generally has a positive effect on the health of the spine.
5. Improves blood circulation in the abdominal organs.
6. Indirectly strengthens other core muscles - back, buttocks, hips, which has a positive effect on overall well-being and appearance.
7. Suitable for any age as it does not involve impact or compression movements.

Flaws:

1. ABS training involves only a small part of the body's muscle groups, so for full and proper development it is necessary to add additional loads to other muscle groups.
2. Not the best workout option to get rid of a big belly. This is because local work on the problem area is not a solution to the problem. Here you need to take a comprehensive approach: develop all the muscles of the body, including large muscles (legs, torso), eat right, exercise regularly, since the effect will not be immediate.

Exercises for the lower abs

1. I.P. lying on his back. To increase the load, you can lie on an inclined bench so that your head is higher than your feet. Raise your legs up, toes towards you, try not to bend your knees. Using the muscles of your lower abs, lift your hips up. The exercise will be more effective if you do not swing your legs, creating inertial movement. 3-4 sets with maximum reps.
2. I.P. sitting on a bench with support from behind on his palms, knees bent. Straighten both legs down, keeping them suspended. Then pull your knees as high as possible towards your chest. Try not to lean your body back too much. Keep your back straight. 3-4 sets with maximum reps. Do not forget that the abdominal muscles are clearly visible if there is no excess fat under the skin, so you also cannot do without proper nutrition.

Back exercises

When talking about beautiful posture, one cannot fail to mention the back muscles. During abdominal training, our back gets tired, being in a half-bent state. The spinal erector, or extensor, straightens your back when you stand up. The development of extensor muscles is also important for maintaining posture. All types of deadlifts, as well as sit-ups from a prone position, strengthen the erector muscles of the back.

1. I.P. lying on his stomach, lean on the bodybar, stretching his arms in front of him. Applying a rolling motion to the bodybar, slowly lift your body up. To increase the load, move one arm back and reach for the foot of the same name. Do the same in the other direction. The largest muscles of the back are the latissimus. They prevent damage to the spine and prevent the development of stoop. The bent-over bodybar row is an excellent movement for the lats, which in addition allows you to load the lumbar region.
2. I.P. standing bent over, body almost parallel to the floor. Take the bodybar with a wide reverse grip. Pull the bodybar towards your abs, trying to raise your elbows as high as possible. In the top position, further squeeze your shoulder blades to increase the contraction of the latissimus muscles. The reverse movement is slow, try not to round your back. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps. You can alternate slow movements with fast ones, while not forgetting about the correct execution technique. You can feel the contraction of the latissimus muscles well by pulling a block to your chest or behind your head. But if you don't train at the gym, this movement can be done with a rubber shock absorber.
3. I.P. sitting or standing, fold the expander in half. Grab both ends of the resistance band and raise your arms above your head. As you exhale, spread your arms out to the sides, stretching the shock absorber, and lower it to your upper chest. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as much as possible. Next, slowly, overcoming the resistance of the rubber, return your hands to the starting position. 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions. Good luck! Always be in great shape!

The effect of strength training

Many girls do not add strength exercises to their workouts, believing that they are only suitable for men, but this is wrong. If a girl lifts weights even 5 times a week, her muscles will not start to look too big, and her figure will not become less feminine. To obtain pronounced muscles, you need to work for more than one year with heavy weights, regularly consuming protein and other sports supplements. Regular exercises with dumbbells or kettlebells will not spoil the figure, but, on the contrary, will make the body elastic and toned, while aerobics will help get rid of excess weight, but will lead to sagging skin and weak muscles, since without strength exercises, not only subcutaneous fat will be burned , but also muscle tissue.