How to remove belly fat using a towel using the Japanese method

Remove 4 cm from your waist in just 5 minutes a day? Easily! To do this, you just need to lie down correctly... Find out how to do the exercise and reduce your waist size without hunger or dietary restrictions!

Author: Kristina Lobanovskaya, doctor, practicing nutritionist Article updated: 11/10/2020

The path to slimness lies through... a towel! Not the kind that is used to cover a plate of delicious food so that the eyes don’t see and the heart doesn’t suffer, but that is rolled into a tight roll and placed under the back. The method of the Japanese aesculapian Fukutsuji, named after him, is a way to become thinner and slimmer by performing one single exercise. He suggests losing weight by lying down with a bolster for just 5 minutes a day! True, the position adopted in this case can hardly be called comfortable, but it is short-lived and effective. So, all about the essence of the Fukutsuji method for losing weight, the subtleties of implementation, features, hidden dangers and, of course, prospects.

Theoretical basis

At its core, it is Japanese gymnastics for developing correct posture. The Fukutsuji method is based on the theory of gradual divergence of the pelvic and hypochondrial bones. The reasons for this can be different, but the result is poor posture, stooping, compression of the spine and, as a result, a thickening of the waist and even a decrease in height. “He’s worn out,” people say. With age, people actually become shorter, the chest becomes sunken, the shoulders “go” forward, the lower edge of the ribs moves apart, visually expanding the waist and changing its correct contours. The body becomes visually fuller and plump.

Fukutsuji came up with an exercise that returns the bones of the pelvis, spine and hypochondrium to their place through the competent use of one’s own weight. To do this, you need to lie down for 5 minutes a day, placing a thick roll of a regular terry towel under your lower back.

It may seem that everything that has been said applies only to older people, while for young people everything is still in place and the pelvis has not yet moved anywhere, at least in the bones. But that's not true. Incorrect position of skeletal bones is formed at a very young age, and sometimes even at a young age. A person moves less and less, from childhood he is “hooked” on the computer, during the educational process he spends a lot of time sitting, and as he grows up, the situation is aggravated by sedentary work. As a result, already at a young age, a persistent discrepancy of the bones of the hypochondrium and pelvis, kyphosis and other postural disorders can form, making the figure far from perfect.

What is special about the technique?

The Japanese method of losing weight does not require any moral, material or time costs. In order to test the effectiveness of the proposed method, you will only need what you already have at home - an ordinary terry towel and strong tape or thread. The essence of the method is that for several minutes a person lies on a roll of a towel on a horizontal surface (you can lie on a regular hard floor).

If you perform one simple exercise every day, all excess fat accumulation in the abdominal area will gradually disappear, your chest will rise, your posture will improve and, probably, your bust will even increase.

Dr. Fukutsuji paid close attention to the human skeleton and found that the primary cause of a “blurred” waist is the discrepancy between the pelvic bones and the bones of the hypochondrium. The specialist did not stop at the level of unfounded guesses and, through numerous experiments, proved the validity of his hypothesis. In addition, he has developed an effective and relatively simple method that helps you lose weight in the waist area in the shortest possible time, i.e. remove the belly.

Is it possible to lose weight using the method?

If by losing weight you mean a flat stomach and getting rid of extra pounds and fat, then the practice is not aimed at this. But thanks to it, the waist becomes several centimeters thinner, and the figure becomes slimmer. Imagine a plump plasticine man. If this plastic mass is softened to elasticity and the figure is stretched, our little man will become much thinner. At the same time, it is made from the same amount of plasticine as before, which means its weight has not changed. This is roughly how the Fukutsuji practice for weight loss works.

The waist becomes narrower, the chest rises, the back straightens. Fat does not go away from this exercise, but we all know how motivating success is. Perhaps this is why the continuation of the achieved result described above almost always becomes a nutritional correction, an active lifestyle, and then a change of wardrobe!

At the same time, the Fukutsuji method is an ideal complement to complex work on your body, including a healthy diet, physical activity and meditative practice. Works well in combination with the “vacuum on the stomach” exercise.

How can you correct the position of the main joints?

Through regular stretching, by “softening” the muscles and ligaments (for most of us they are quite stiff), you return the joints to their former mobility. “Many women who suffer from musculoskeletal pain engage in strength training to reduce a protruding belly, reduce hip size, or get rid of drooping sides. What you really need to focus on is balancing your core joints and the muscles around them. If you get rid of pain and stiff muscles and build correct posture, the above goals will be achieved by themselves,” adds Kakuko Nakamura.

If the main joints are misaligned (for example, you are used to slouching and your shoulders lean slightly forward), “misalignment” is observed throughout the musculoskeletal system. “The aging process in the body accelerates, the muscles responsible for posture weaken, the person looks lethargic and lacks energy. The shoulders protrude forward, the lower back is twisted, the knees are bent. Even minor physical activity is very tiring, movements are difficult,” warns Kakuko Nakamura.

To slow down these processes, Kakuko Nakamura recommends doing simple gymnastics daily, full stretching for the joints. Here are some exercises you can learn.

What does this practice really provide?

The external effect is the result of the formation of the correct position of the skeleton bones. Thanks to this, posture is corrected, internal organs fall into place, ribs and pelvic bones return to their original state. The muscles that gradually curl the back into a hump are stretched, muscle spasms and tightness in the cervical region, shoulder girdle, and trapezium are relieved. The thoracic spine straightens and the chest visually rises. Breathing becomes smooth, not shallow, and the lungs are well ventilated.

It is impossible not to note the positive impact of Fukutsuji practice on a person on an emotional level. It has been proven that not only the state of mind is manifested in a certain posture of a person, but also vice versa. As soon as you sit in a mournful pose, hang your shoulders sadly and sit like that for a while, all sorts of sadness will begin to come into your head, your mood will very quickly deteriorate, melancholy will appear, and depressive thoughts will begin to creep in. If you practice this body position constantly, you can literally develop neurosis or even real depression out of the blue. Therefore, working on correct posture also has great emotional significance.

Japanese stretching exercises for joints

Do them at your own pace and don't race for speed.

"Up"

Comment by Kakuko Nakamura: “With this exercise we will give space to the vertebrae by stretching in the correct position. The point of the movement is to stretch up and down, using the main muscles and correctly positioning the main joints.”

How to do it: stand straight, place your heels together, and slightly spread your toes. Pull your stomach in and tighten your buttocks. Paying attention to the muscles of the inner surface of the thigh, smoothly rise onto your tiptoes. Keep your back straight and stretch straight up. Don't bend back or lean your body forward. Raise your arms up and stretch them straight above you, push your toes off the floor with force, and bring your knees and shins together if possible. Stay in this position for 5-10 seconds, then lower back to the starting position. Do the exercise 5 times.

"Down"

Comment by Kakuko Nakamura: “Having properly stretched all the vertebrae, we squat to train the work of the hip and knee joints, separately from the spine. Squat down properly and allow gravity and your own weight to fully engage your hips and buttocks to keep the muscles around your hip joints strong.”

How to do it: stand straight, place your feet wider than your shoulders, and point your toes out to the sides. Turn your toes and knees at the same angle

Keep your upper body upright and lower your pelvis down to knee level. Maintain this pose for 5-10 seconds. Repeat five times. If your knees fall forward, push them back with your hands to properly open your hip joints.

"Diagonal"

Comment by Kakuko Nakamura: “With this exercise you will stretch the thoracic spine, which remains practically motionless in everyday life. And also improve the mobility of the thoracic vertebrae using diagonal movements.”

How to do it: sit on a chair and lean forward with your back straight. Turn the upper half of your body to the side, fold your hands with your palms facing each other. Having straightened your chest, raise your upper hand upward, direct your gaze to the tips of its fingers. After twisting as much as possible, return to the starting position. Repeat the same on the other side. Do three repetitions on each side.

Follow this program daily and you will soon notice positive changes in your well-being and posture. Want more in-depth joint work? Follow video lessons with Olga Yanchuk.

What will you need for classes?

The equipment for Fukutsuji classes is simple and accessible - this is an ordinary terry towel, tightly rolled into a roll and tightly tied with twine, tape or anything else. Its length should correspond to the width of the body or be slightly wider. There are also special ready-made exercise rollers, but a homemade one, firstly, works no worse, and secondly, it makes it possible to adjust its volume.

Please note that the roll diameter is selected individually. There are no exact recommendations on this matter, so you will have to be guided by your eye and common sense. You should take into account your own dimensions, since greater weight will give a stronger stretch, and stretching and sagging will depend on the size of the roller. The larger the diameter, the stronger they will be. But accordingly, the side sensations from the load will be more pronounced and may even become painful.

For those who experience back pain or have any other problems with the spine, it is better to start with a lighter version (small roll). In any case, you need to focus on your impressions. Lying down should not be particularly comfortable, but there should not be severe pain.

You will also need a flat surface with good but comfortable rigidity. This could be a carpet, a foam pad for fitness, or simply a thin blanket placed on the floor. You can’t do the exercise on a sofa or bed, it will be too soft. The ideal place to practice Fukutsuji is on a massage table.

Execution technique

• Lie on your back on a flat, hard surface, placing the cushion from below directly under your navel. It is imperative to check the accuracy of the position, as this is very important for the weight loss result. To do this, you need to place your fingers on the navel and draw a line with them around the body perpendicular to the floor, as if trying to outline the circumference of the waist. They should fall exactly to the middle of the rolled roll.
• The legs should be spread shoulder-width apart so that the feet turned inward can touch the big toes. They remain in this position, but without tension! If it is difficult to hold them and requires some effort, you can put a small pillow on top of them or even lightly tie your fingers.
• The arms are extended upward above the head as straight as possible and placed palms down, directly on the floor surface. Their little fingers should touch each other, and their thumbs, on the contrary, should look in different directions. This is the starting position of the hands, which helps stretch the hypochondrium. If the Fukutsuji exercise is done on a massage table, it is convenient to hold its edge with your hands. Not everyone manages to keep their arms straight at first. Over time everything will work out, but for now it’s okay. By the way, this indicates existing problems with the musculoskeletal system. For example, if, when trying to straighten your arms and take the recommended position, your elbows involuntarily rise up, you can talk about some existing problem in the thoracic spine. Be that as it may, no violence! The body should be relaxed.
• Don't throw your head back! She should lie flat, her chin should not stick up, but almost touch her chest.
• No effort! You need to lie relaxed and soft. Breathing is even, eyes are closed.
• Execution time: 5 minutes. If everything is done correctly, the effect will appear gradually, but immediately.

Actually, this completes the classic Fukutsuji weight loss workout. But you can add additional pose options to better define the waist and high chest position.

For waist:

The rolled roll is moved up under the lower edge of the ribs and the whole exercise is exactly repeated from the beginning. The time is the same - 5 minutes.

For chest:

Now the roller is moved even higher, just under the chest, and everything is repeated all over again. That's another 5 minutes of extra time.

Important Notes

You should turn around and stand up after the session very carefully, slowly, without sudden movements! First, slowly turn on your side, then sit down just as smoothly, and only after that can you stand up.

The main condition for obtaining a lasting effect is regularity! You need to find time to study every day.

There is no need to lie down for more than the recommended time; this will not give additional weight loss results, but will increase the risk of side complications.

It may seem difficult at first to lie in this position for the required amount of time. You can start with 2-3 minutes, and then increase to the required five. It will get easier over time, don’t give up, even if the sensations aren’t pleasant at first. We are, of course, not talking about pathological complications from activities, which we will discuss below.

LiveInternetLiveInternet

A thin waist is the main decoration of a woman’s body!

But unfortunately, it is where the hated fat is most often deposited. And if you have gained weight, then it will be most noticeable in the waist area.

Today I bring to your attention another way to achieve beauty in Japanese - special exercises for the waist. Petankoo gymnastics for a thin waist from Dr. Chiaki Fukuda is popular in Japan and is considered very effective among weight loss techniques.

The complex consists of 3 simple exercises. To achieve maximum results, exercises should be performed DAILY and preferably 2 times a day: morning and evening! Don't be alarmed, the exercises are very, very simple and the required time for Petanco gymnastics is about 5 minutes. Motivate yourself with the fact that the result will be obvious in less than two weeks.

The best exercises to sculpt a thin waist are those that engage the oblique abdominal muscles and core stabilizers. Twists and lateral twists are aimed primarily at strengthening the oblique muscles, which “hold” the sides and prevent the waist from expanding in width. But the rectus muscle also does not remain idle - it acts as a stabilizer, fixing the position of the body.

Purpose of exercises: Restore natural muscle corset

Schematically, the first exercise looks like this;

Well, let's get started?!

https://health.goo.ne.jp/diet/topics/0703_no1/03.html

*** During the day, the exercises must be repeated at least 10 times each. Despite the apparent ease of the exercise, in 10 days of doing it correctly, your waist can narrow by 5-7 cm, says Dr. Fukuda.

Shall we try?

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Graceful posture in 1 minute a day

Safety precautions

• Before starting classes, if you have the slightest doubt about their usefulness and safety for health, you should consult your doctor. It is strongly recommended to do this for anyone who has or has ever had any problems with the spine.
• Make the roller small at first, and then increase its diameter, making sure that nothing bad happens to the musculoskeletal system.
• Do not exceed the recommended time of five minutes! This applies even to those who feel absolutely healthy, since the load on the spine can be critical.
• Do not rise abruptly! Listen to your body and do not make any quick movements or sharp turns.

A brief excursion into anatomy: joints and muscles

Joints are the connecting platform for the bones of our skeleton. “Almost every joint is controlled by a pair of muscles. When an agonist muscle contracts, the corresponding antagonist muscle stretches, causing the joint to move. Thanks to muscles and joints, our body can perform complex movements such as stretching, bending and twisting,” explains Kakuko Nakamura.

Our spine is the axis that controls the movement of the entire body and supports it against gravity. “Normally, each vertebra should be mobile, which allows weight to be distributed evenly across them. But if mobility is lost in one place, the load moves higher and lower, so the disorder begins to spread throughout the body, warns Kakuko Nakamura. “Many people think that for correct posture it is enough just to keep the spine straight, but in fact, unless you also correct the movements of the three main joints, it is impossible to correct your posture.”

Contraindications

This technique may be unsafe and not harmless even with minor problems with the spine. Therefore, in case of doubt, the best adviser will be a neurologist or orthopedist, depending on the disorder. Cases when performing these exercises is contraindicated:

• spinal column hernia, disc protrusion;
• spinal injury - any time ago and any part;
• restless legs syndrome (feeling of crawling, itching, tingling in the legs in a calm, relaxed state). Much less often such sensations appear in the hands, and this is also a contraindication;
• elevated temperature, febrile state in any disease;
• high blood pressure;
• problems with hip joints;
• any internal or external bleeding;
• scoliosis (corrected only under the strict supervision of a doctor!).

Reviews and results of losing weight

Angelica, 29 years old

I tried the Fukutsuji practice on myself. I regret that I didn’t measure my height first, but the fact that it has increased slightly is for sure. I focus on subjective feelings. In two weeks, five minutes a day, my waist decreased by 2.5 cm and now became 62 cm. What can I say about my feelings: I didn’t feel any discomfort either the first time or later. The interesting thing is that after this you walk all day and feel how unusually straight your back is. At the same time, posture is maintained even when sitting at a table. As for losing weight, with an even posture you involuntarily suck in your stomach. But I didn’t notice any big fluctuations on the scales. Overall I’m happy with the method and can recommend it.

Polina, 34 years old

As soon as I saw the announcement of the Fukutsuji method, I immediately decided to try it on myself and my husband. From the very first lesson, my waist circumference became smaller by 1 cm, and my husband’s by 0.5 cm. Subsequently, my figure changed to 3 cm. My back straightened literally immediately, as if I had been carrying a basket on my head since childhood. However, there were some painful sensations that intensified and then passed over time. At the same time, I monitored the caloric content of my food and, in general, I can now boast of a thinner, flat tummy!

Vera, 65 years old

Despite my age, I still decided to try the method. I tried to find a solution not so much with my waist, but with my spine. I did lying gymnastics for exactly 4 months, every day without skipping. Waist result: volume decreased from 84 cm to 78 cm. But this is not even the main thing. The age-related slouch began to go away, although I thought that the bones had long ago lost their elasticity and it was unlikely that it would be possible to put them back in place. But the most interesting and unexpected thing is that now I buy bras with a volume of not 85 cm, but 75 cm, with the same cup size! The weight decreased slightly, but my sleep and mood improved.

Reviews from doctors and specialists

Reflexologist V.V. Yachmennikov

This Japanese technique is indeed of some interest. The proportions of the body can change under its own weight, and if this weight is used wisely, the effect will be expected. But I disagree with the fact that the Fukutsuji method is often presented as a way to get a flat stomach or at least lose extra pounds. There are no such mechanisms in this practice. At the same time, the waist can actually become narrower as the pelvic bones rotate. And this cannot but please the fair sex.

The second point is that the moment of rising after performing the exercise can pose a great danger. Do this gradually and carefully - first on your side (lie down), then sit.

And thirdly, I urge people following this technique to be very careful! If you have problems, consult your doctor. Moving the spine and other bones of the skeleton out of place is serious.

Orthopedic doctor Alexander V

Recently, patients are increasingly asking questions about this gymnastic practice. When people ask me “isn’t this harmful?”, I answer that the absence of harm is not yet beneficial. As for the benefits, for the spine it sounds in this case like “medicine for the body.” There are no remedies that solve any problems. But it is very, very easy to harm your spinal column with independent manipulations. For a medically illiterate person, this is the same as being blindfolded, picking up a saber and waving it left and right.

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with this theory. This is one of the many stretching exercises that chiropractors use in their practice. For certain indications they are really effective. The main thing is qualified, competent use.