How can you pump up your abs in the office, right at your workplace?

Crunches

This is a standard abdominal exercise. It is during crunches that the rectus abdominis muscle (responsible for the abs on the abdomen), the pectoralis major muscle, the external and internal obliques, and the transverse abdominal muscles are activated.

Performance. Make sure to keep your middle and lower back pressed to the floor. This way you avoid engaging the hip flexors. Try to keep your hands at your temples, do not reach up with your chin and neck. The abdominal muscles should lift you up. When ascending, you should exhale deeply and inhale in the lower position.

Perform three sets of 30 reps.

Effective exercises at home

There are simple and energy-intensive exercises for the abs that are applicable for men and women. But men solve one problem by doing press exercises at home, and women solve another. Men are pleased to have a cubic relief. Women are attracted to having a toned, flat stomach. Depending on the purpose, it is possible to use different press swing schedules:

1. For men. Crunches 4 x 9, hanging leg raises (with weights), upper crunches 4 x 7, Burpees 4 x 18, Corner 4 x 10.
2. For women. Lying crunches 3 x 18, plank 3 x 50 seconds, bending with weights 3 x 18 on each side, “Climber” 3 x 20, “Frog” 4 x 12.

Schemes of abdominal exercises compiled on the recommendation of the coaching staff:

1. Monday. Warm up 20 minutes, “Letter V” 3 x 8, back bend 2 x 8, leg lifts 3 x 12, lunges with weights in hands 4 x 10.
2. Tuesday is rest.
3. Wednesday. Warm-up 20 minutes, “Bicycle” 3 x 12, push-ups 3 x 13, bent-over arm extension 3 x 23, “Accordion” 2 x 13, pruning 3 x 12.
4. Thursday - rest.
5. Friday. Warm-up 20 minutes, upper body raise 4 x 12, ball exercise 3 x 18, “Scissors” 2 x 28, calf raise 100* 2.
6. Saturday is rest.
7. Sunday is rest.

V-shaped crunches

Lie on your back with your arms spread apart (wider than your shoulders), while simultaneously lifting your torso and legs. After fixing the top point for a second, lower your body and legs to the floor.

Intense push-ups

When performing push-ups from the floor, try to get up on your hands slowly and descend faster. This way the press will work more actively.

From a standing position, take a lying position, acting quickly, do a push-up, stand up, jumping out of a squat.

Jumping up with arms and legs extended to the sides.

Standing Dumbbell Row

Standing up straight and holding dumbbells, bending slightly, using sliding movements (along the thigh), lower the sports equipment below the knee. With smooth movements, lift them to the waist, bringing your elbows behind your back.

Stand upright, lying down, supporting yourself on your forearms and toes, hold the bar, aligning your torso and legs in one straight line.

Frog

Lie on your back with your feet together and your arms crossed over your chest. Raise the shoulder-scapula part of the body to the maximum, lower the body down.

Crunches with turns

Lie on your back, place your hands on the back of your head, raising your shoulders, touch your left elbow to your right knee and vice versa.

Rotations of the lower extremities

Starting position: back pressed to the floor. Raise your legs up at a right angle, then lower them to the left, and then to the right.

Bends with a load

Hold the weight with one hand and hide the other behind your back. Bend to the side, sliding the dumbbells along your thigh to your knee. Straighten your back.

Scissors

This exercise is aimed at working the lower abs (abdominal part). Muscles involved in this exercise: iliopsoas, tensor fascia lata, sartorius, rectus femoris, adductor longus and brevis, pectineus, rectus abdominis, oblique and transverse abdominis, and quadriceps.

Performance. Lie on the floor, stretch your arms along your body and press them to the floor. Raise your legs off the floor and perform crossing movements. While performing the exercise, make sure that your lower back is pressed to the floor. The lower your legs are, the greater the load on your lower abs. If you find it difficult to keep your legs at this level, raise them a little higher. If you feel your lower back lifting off the floor, raise your legs a little higher. Make sure your legs are straight.

Perform three sets of 30 seconds each.

How to pump up the press correctly

Below, you'll find Rowland's tips for transforming your body and creating a strong, ripped six-pack. We've also selected six abdominal exercises for men that aren't as effective as many people think, and we've rounded up alternatives that work better than them in building strong muscles. They'll put you on the path to a six-pack abs.

Lose weight

“As I got older, I took lighter weights, but I did more reps with them, so I got the same amount of tension,” Rowland says. “When you're young, you can lift the heaviest weights, but over time, muscles and joints wear out and lighter weight exercises that won't cause injury become necessary.”

Choosing pairs of exercises

“I like to superset, doing two different movements that complement each other. Sometimes I do antagonistic supersets and do back and chest exercises. Or maybe a complementary approach, for example, a bench press followed by push-ups. It's very effective, and you also have to focus on your tempo and rest time to make each workout effective."

Recommended: 8-week push-up program.

Do more intense workouts

“One of the big changes to my training is adding high intensity intervals towards the end of my workout. Exercises such as the farmer's walk greatly increase the heart rate, this end of the exercise is very effective in making the entire body more toned. And they give me a huge boost of good mood – another reason to include them in my workout.”

Don't Focus Just on the Rectus Abdominis

“I rarely do exercises that only target six packs because my core is always working, no matter what exercise I do. If your stomach is tense when doing squats or bench presses, it’s still doing the work.”

Diver

This exercise is also aimed at working the lower abs (abdominal part). Muscles involved in this exercise: iliopsoas, tensor fasciae lata, sartorius, rectus femoris, adductor longus and brevis, pectineus, rectus abdominis, oblique and transverse abdominis, and quadriceps.

Performance. Lie on the floor, stretch your arms along your body and press them to the floor. Raise your legs above the floor and perform walking movements with a small amplitude. Socks should be pulled towards you, your lower back pressed to the floor. The lower your legs are, the greater the load on your lower abs. If you feel your lower back lifting off the floor, raise your legs a little higher and hold this position. Make sure your legs are straight.

Perform three sets of 30 seconds each.

Exercises to burn belly fat

Cardio is an important part of exercising to burn belly fat. Leg raises and squats are considered effective for men.

Women are recommended to devote 15 minutes of continuous walking every day.

Burn a lot of calories:

• walking;
• run;
• jumping;
• cycling.

People with a lot of excess weight need to exercise a lot. Walking for an hour burns 400 kcal. You should train three times a week at a low pace.

600 kcal per hour disappears thanks to running. However, such activities are not suitable for overweight people. You need to exercise 3 times a week for 30 minutes. If it is difficult to run without stopping, you can alternate running with walking.

A bike ride burns 600 kcal in an hour. The load on the knees is low, so this type of exercise is suitable for overweight people. For training, it is enough to allocate 3 days a week for 30–45 minutes.

Experts recommend performing 3 simple exercises one after another:

1. You need to lie on the floor with your back down. The legs are straightened and slowly raised to an angle of 30 degrees. Stay in this position for 20 seconds. Slowly descending. Do 10 repetitions.
2. Raise the body, leave the legs on the floor. They don't help themselves with their hands. They try to keep their back straight.
3. Raise the lower limbs and body at the same time. They keep their balance and tense up. The difficulty in performing this lies in maintaining balance.

If the final exercise does not cause any difficulty in performing, the muscles can be considered sufficiently trained. They try not to overexert themselves. Pulse is constantly measured. The exercises described above plus cardio training will help deprive the body of fat deposits and speed up metabolism.

Crunches with legs raised

This exercise works the rectus abdominis, external oblique, quadriceps, and tensor fasciae lata (thigh muscles). This exercise is more aimed at burning fat, rather than working out the relief.

Performance. Lie on the floor, raise your knees bent (the angle should be 90 degrees), stretch your arms in front of you. Raise your upper body towards your knees, reaching forward with your arms. Exhale while going up, and inhale when going down. Try not to lift your lower back off the floor or lower your legs. Make sure that your chin is not pressed against your neck.

An easier option for performing this exercise is to cross your arms and lie on your chest. More complex - hands are placed behind the head or at the temples.

Perform three sets of 10 reps.

Simple exercises for abdominal muscles

Simple exercises for the abs and sides with a chair will help burn fat deposits and reduce your waist.

To tone your oblique muscles in the workplace:

1. Sit straight on a chair, place your hands on the table. For abs, exhale from your lungs and at the same time pull your knees towards your chest, pressing lightly onto the table. Start inhaling and lowering your legs. At first, your feet can be placed on the floor, but you should strive to ensure that they do not touch the surface.
2. This abdominal exercise has the same starting body position, with your arms at your sides. Exhale - tilt to the right, inhale - return to the starting position. Repeat alternately on each side.
3. While sitting on a chair, lift your feet off the floor and keep them a short distance from it. Place your hands in front of you and rest against the furniture. Exhale and turn your knees to the right, while inhaling, return to the starting position. To pump up your abs, you need to alternately rotate in one direction and the other. It is important to keep the upper body motionless and work only with the pelvis.
4. The body position is straight. The hips and buttocks do not move in the chair. We carefully turn in one direction while inhaling, and then return and do it in the opposite direction. Helps pump up your abs.
5. Without getting up, put your hands behind your head, straighten your back and draw in your stomach as much as possible. Reach your left elbow toward your thigh. Repeat the exercise on the other side.
6. Hold your sides on the chair with your knees bent and slightly forward. Raise your torso, transferring your weight to your limbs, tighten your abs strongly and hold at the top point for 10 seconds. Number of repetitions – 5 times.

All of the above tasks for tightening the abdomen are performed while sitting on a chair with a hard surface. The number of repetitions of one exercise is 10–50 times. To pump up your abs using this method, you can practice in any conditions.

In addition to losing weight in the waist and sides, you can improve your posture.

To do this, pump the abs on a Roman chair - a bench at 45°, which has bolsters at the bottom to hold the legs. Hyperextension can be used. You just need to choose the angle and height.

Simple abdominal exercises using a Roman chair:

1. Twisting. The technique is the same as for regular training. Due to the oblique surface, additional load is created on the direct and lateral press. To avoid losing your waist, it is not recommended to do side crunches.
2. The exercise is suitable for men who want to quickly work out their abs on a chair and get relief. Take a five or 10 kilogram disk and clasp it around your chest. Lie down on the machine and stretch upward, lifting your shoulder blades.
3. Lateral lifts. This will require hyperextension. In the exercise, it is important to find a comfortable position and maintain balance on the chair. Secure your feet on the lower stand, and lie sideways on the pillow. Stretch to the side opposite the machine. After 10-15 repetitions, switch sides.

Swing with bent leg

During this exercise, the main load is directed to the oblique abdominal muscles, but the rectus abdominis, quadriceps and tensor fasciae lata (hip muscles) are also worked.

Performance. Lie on the floor, put your hands behind your head, bend your knees. The feet should rest on the floor. Perform a crunch in which the right elbow reaches behind the left knee toward the middle of the thigh and the knee moves toward the elbow. While performing the exercise, try to raise your upper body so that your shoulder blades come off the floor. The lower back should be pressed to the floor. Do not press your chin to your neck or pull yourself up with your arms. When twisting, exhale; in the starting position, inhale.

The closer the feet are to the pelvis, the greater the load.

A simpler option for performing this exercise is to stretch the non-working arm to the side (forming a straight line with the shoulder girdle) and press it to the floor. This will give you extra support while twisting.

Perform 30 repetitions on each leg.

How to pump up your abs at work

Loose skin, lack of abs and muscles, loose belly – these are the main indications for doing bodyflex. An effective workout includes exercises performed lying down, standing or sitting on a chair.

Before each task, you need to draw air into your lungs, then exhale sharply to the end and strongly pull the abdominal wall under the ribs.

We recommend reading

• The best exercises with a gymnastic roller for the abs
• Fitball training for belly fat loss
• Static exercises for weight loss and muscle tone

Bike

This exercise works the rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, transverse abdominis, and leg and buttock muscles (gluteus maximus).

Performance. Lie on the floor, place your hands behind your head. Start making movements with your feet as if you were pedaling a bicycle. At the same time, lift your upper body, trying to lift your shoulder blades off the floor. Alternately stretch your right elbow to your left knee, your left elbow to your right knee. The exercise can be performed at any pace. Try not to press your chin to your chest or pull your head up with your arms. Don’t forget to breathe correctly: exhale every time you twist.

Perform three sets of 20 reps.

Exercises for the upper abs

It is possible to pump up the abdominal muscles in the upper part by performing three types of crunches: on an incline bench, on a fitball and using a block exercise machine. Exercises should be performed in a high-intensity mode with a large number of repetitions and approaches.

Before you start training, you need to warm up. To do this, you can use cardio equipment: treadmill, elliptical, stepper. Aerobic exercise time should range from 7 to 15 minutes. After this, joints and ligaments should be prepared for force loads. To do this, a set of exercises is performed: tilting the body in different directions, rotating the pelvis, circular movements of the arms, raising the knees.

Bench crunches

To perform the exercise, you need to set the optimal level of inclination of the bench. For beginners and people with a voluminous belly, it is recommended to set the angle from 20 to 30 degrees. For men and women with good physical fitness, the inclination should be increased to 45-60 degrees.

Exercise technique:

1. Climb onto the bench and place your feet under the support bolsters.
2. Fix your hands on the back of your head and spread your elbows to the sides.
3. Fully straighten your body along the bench, lowering your back onto it.
4. As you exhale, quickly lift your body up.
5. As you inhale, smoothly and slowly return to your original position.

The number of repetitions is 13-15. The number of approaches is 4-5. The rest interval between series should not exceed 1 minute.

Crunches on a fitball

Before you begin the exercise, you need to choose a sports ball that is optimally suited to your personal growth. To do this, sit on the fitball and look at the angle between your hips and your back - it should be 90 degrees.

Technique:

1. Take a position lying on your back on an exercise ball.
2. Spread your elbows to the sides, placing your palms on the back of your head.
3. While exhaling, lift your shoulder blades away from the projectile and lift your upper body, while at the same time turning your body to the right side.
4. As you inhale, lower to the previous position.
5. Repeat lifting your chest up, turning to the left.

In total, about 20 repetitions should be performed in one approach (10 in each direction). Number of episodes - 4-6. The pause to restore strength between approaches is 70-80 seconds.

Crunches on a block (exercise “Prayer”)

The exercise should begin with setting the optimal load. To do this, fix the adjusting pin in one of the holes on the block plate of the simulator.

Correctly perform twists like this:

1. Grab the rope levers with your hands.
2. Lower yourself down into a kneeling position.
3. Bring your legs together.
4. As you exhale, pull the ropes down while simultaneously tilting your upper body down.
5. Straighten up to the starting position.

Volume of load: 12 repetitions in each of 5 approaches. The time interval for rest between series is 1 minute.