Abdominal exercises with dumbbells at home

Toby Rowland has been on the cover of Men's Fitness magazine for a dozen years now, so he can confidently say which abdominal exercises are the most effective for men. And also give you precise advice on how to properly pump up the abs for men to gain sculpted abdominal muscles at home and maintain them for life. And here's how to do it.

Toby Rowland first appeared on the magazine's cover at age 20, and now that he's 38, he's looking even better. And this is proof that you can trust him when he talks about the best ways to get pumped up after 30. These rules, if you strictly follow them, will help you achieve perfection.

Find out more: How to build muscle and get in good shape.

“I'm almost 40, but I've only become stronger and more muscular because I've learned a lot about training throughout my life,” Rowland says. “I decided that instead of adding more weight every workout, I would lift less weight more times. But toward the end of my weight training, I add high-intensity classes, which burn a lot of calories and keep me lean. But the most important thing here is the pleasure that going to the gym gives me, although I also work out at home. I’ve never enjoyed training as much as I do now.”

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.”

Balance everything in life

“I like to have a glass of wine every now and then, but priority is important: you can’t get drunk on beer every night and still have a healthy, strong body. Consistency is important, and if you train right and eat right, you will get into a good figure and be able to keep it.”

Exercises for drying the abs for men

The best way to dry the abs is through cardiac exercise, and therefore it is advisable to focus on running, jumping on a rolling pin, cycling, and so on. Also, we must not forget about classical exercises. Let's take a closer look at this issue:

1. Warm up. It consists of running, jumping rope and the like.
   That is, we begin to moderately load the heart to burn fat. It is important to know: such exercises will not cause harm to health, as they are done in moderation (10 minutes of warm-up is enough).
2. Bike. Undoubtedly, this exercise is familiar to many, but not everyone knows that it is aimed at developing the abdominal muscles. Let's bend our legs, raise them and begin to imitate riding a bicycle.
3. We raise our legs above the ground. This press is similar to the classic birch exercise.
   We lie on our backs and slowly begin to raise our legs, trying to achieve a right angle, and after you are in the desired position, we begin to stretch your lower back. You need to do about 100 repetitions per day. But this does not mean that you need to do everything at once. Ideally, 1 set should consist of 10 repetitions. And so on throughout the day. It is important to know: at first you will feel some discomfort in the lower back area (this means that the muscles are as tense as possible). But this will pass after a couple of similar training sessions.
4. Book. The book practically repeats the previous exercise, but with one difference - instead of the legs, you will need to lift the whole body, which is much more difficult to do. You need to put something under your back for support (for example, a roll of towels works great). Now, lie down on your back and slowly begin to lift your body along with your legs. As with leg raises, you need to do about 100 repetitions per day (10 times per workout).

The best exercises for the upper, lower and lateral abdominal muscles

Regardless of your goal, whether it's a six-pack or just a more toned upper body, basic compound exercises like squats, overhead presses, and barbell rows will help you, while also working your entire body and increasing muscle strength. There are also movements that locally work the abdominal muscles; they are useful for pumping up the abs for men who want to lose belly fat.

The four-exercise circuits described below include both isolation and compound exercises. By doing them, you can pump up your stomach and sides. There are three workouts in total: the first trains primarily the upper region of the rectus muscle, the second – the lower, and the third – the lateral and deep, often ignored muscles. Although these workouts can be considered a stand-alone workout, they can be included in an already prepared workout schedule to achieve ideal abs.

How to do each of these workouts

Each of these schemes is a mini-cycle that is best attached to an existing muscle pumping program. These circuits will allow you to recruit the maximum number of muscle fibers in the minimum amount of time if you perform all four exercises correctly, keeping an eye on the number of repetitions and rest times. The first movement in each cycle is the most difficult, and the subsequent ones are easier, but have more repetitions. Due to this arrangement, the stomach works longer and does more intensive work - this stimulates muscle growth. After the last exercise, rest and perform the cycle again. Complete three cycles in total.

Upper cycle

Dumbbell Crunch

10 reps, rest 10 seconds
Lie on your back, holding a dumbbell or weight plate in each hand. Place a weight on your chest. Lift your torso off the floor, hold the position and lower back, keeping tension in your abdomen.

Crunch with bent knees

15 reps, rest 10 seconds Lie on the floor with your hands at your head. Raise your legs off the floor and bend your knees so that your knees make a 90-degree angle. At the same time, lift your torso and draw your knees toward your chest. Keep your fingers near your temples during the entire exercise. Perform each repetition smoothly, without jerking. Don't let your feet touch the floor between reps.

Modified V-Crunch

12 reps, rest 10 seconds

Lie down with your legs raised off the floor and extended away from you so that they are parallel to the floor. Extend your arms to your sides, also keeping them parallel to the floor. Keep your arms straight as you lift your torso and bring your legs toward your torso, bending your knees until your chest touches your knees. We return under control to the starting position.

Classic twist

20 reps, rest 90 seconds
Lie on your back, keeping your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest. Raise your torso using only your abdominal muscles, then slowly lower it. Your upper abdominal muscles will already be tired, but try to hold the top position of the exercise for at least a second after each repetition.

Exercises for the lower abdominal muscles

Hanging Leg Raise

10 reps, rest 10 seconds
This compound exercise sets the tone for an overall brutal workout that will include four hanging exercises. Start in a hanging position, keeping your legs straight. Knees and feet touch each other. Keep them together as you lift them, using your abdominal muscles. After lifting, lower them back in a controlled manner.

Torso crunch on the bar

12 repetitions on each side, rest for 10 seconds.
Start in a hanging position with straight legs. We twist our torso while raising our knees, first to one side, then to the other. Continue alternating sides.

Hanging Knee Raise

15 reps, rest 10 seconds
This version is easier than the hanging leg raise, but it's not easy to do. Start in a hanging position and jerk your knees up to recruit more muscle fibers. We return to the starting position in a controlled manner, without swaying.

Knee raises with hold

20 reps, rest 90 seconds

We start in a hanging position, but the knees are already initially raised towards the torso. Raise your knees as high as possible. We lower back to the starting position, keeping the abdominal muscles tense all the time.

Exercises for the lateral (oblique) and core muscles

Incline plank with foot touch

10 reps on each side, rest for 10 seconds
Get into the inclined plank position, supporting yourself on your forearms. We place our feet on a bench to obtain an inclination. Your body should form a straight line, and your goal is to maintain this position throughout the exercise. Lift one leg off the bench, lower it to the floor, and then return it back. Repeat on the other side and continue alternating sides.

Read more: how to do the plank exercise correctly for weight loss.

Russian crunch while sitting

12 reps on each side, rest for 10 seconds
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your heels on the floor. Your torso should be in the top twisting position, forming a 45-degree angle with the floor. Twist your torso from side to side, moving slowly and in a controlled manner.

Exercise "Bicycle"

15 repetitions on each side, rest for 10 seconds.
Lie on your back. We place our hands near our temples, and raise our legs so that our knees form a 90-degree angle. Raise your right knee to your chest, simultaneously lifting your torso, twisting your torso so that your left elbow touches your knee. We lower ourselves to the starting position and do the same on the other side. Shoulders and legs do not touch the floor - then the abdominal muscles work harder, stabilizing the torso.

Plank

Hold as hard as you can, rest for 90 seconds.
Maintain a strict plank by lifting your hips and keeping your torso and buttocks in line. Relax your head and neck. Breathe slowly and deeply - hold the pose to the best of your ability.

Bend forward with dumbbells

These standing dumbbell dips are not as popular as the previous ones, but you can combine them for better results. Bends forward with dumbbells can strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, back, trapezius muscles and forearms. The obliques and any other abdominal muscles are practically not involved in the exercise.

Standing forward bends with dumbbells involve working with two weights. Feet are placed shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. The back should be flat or slightly arched at the lower back. When you bend over, do not round it and look only straight. It is necessary to do 12 - 15 repetitions of the movement, as well as several approaches.

Dumbbell forward bend and side bend exercises cannot be considered interchangeable exercises. They affect the body in completely different ways. Therefore, it is acceptable for an athlete to add both types of movements to his training, combining and combining them.

Girls should be careful when performing bending exercises with dumbbells, since they, if overloaded, can make the waist visually wider. But this warning does not apply to forward bends.

Men are recommended to perform both types of bends with dumbbells for the waist. Only instead of dumbbells, when bending forward, you can use a barbell - it will allow you to work out your muscles better. slopes with dumbbells for girls

Important Tips

Look Beyond Basic Moves

In this era of bodybuilding, you may often hear the statement that a person needs nothing more than deadlifts and other basic exercises to build strong muscles, including the rectus abdominis. This is not true. In contrast, a study designed to compare the effectiveness of the exercises found that push-ups and planks outperformed deadlifts and presses in strengthening abdominal muscles. Although weight-bearing exercises strain the lower back, there is plenty of body weight for the abdominal muscles, both upper and lower, as well as the sides.

What is the execution frequency?

There was once a popular myth that you need to train your abs every day. But now the theory that is heard more often is that it is enough to train the stomach once a week. But the truth lies somewhere between these two extreme assumptions. “Two or three times a week is the optimal schedule for most,” said trainer Johnny Jacobs. “Dividing the three days by type of exercise – static, anti-rotation and dynamic exercises – is even better.”

The return of crunches

By this time, many people understand that hundreds of crunches will not help your back in any way - it is rather harmful. But this does not mean that crunches are irrelevant. In 2020, Dr. Stuart McGill, a back expert, explained: “If flexibility is important to you, then a trainer should choose crunches. If you are developing muscle strength, then crunches and their variations will help again.” What does it mean? Everything is good in moderation.

Improve your existing exercises

When it comes time to make your muscles truly strong, not all exercises are created equal. Try these advanced exercises to see results faster.

Plank to plank with foot touching

Why: While doing the plank, it can be easy to “doze off” and lower your hips to the floor. And then the abdominal muscles will stop performing their function - especially if you did this plank for a while, which is quite difficult. And if you add leg movements, your hips will have to remain elevated and your abdominal muscles will always be working. Plus, you'll be able to count reps instead of seconds. How to: Get into a plank position, lifting your body on your forearms, keeping your elbows under your shoulders. Tighten your abdominal muscles, then lift your hips so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Without letting your hips drop, lift and move one leg as far to the side as possible. Tap your foot on the floor, then bring it back and repeat with the other foot.

Use extra weight

Why: Crunching is the most common abdominal exercise, and also the least effective, because the muscles do not receive enough tension. But crunching with weight—that is, added tension—will force your muscles to work harder and your torso to stay straight. How to: Lie on your back with your knees bent and holding a dumbbell or weight plate in each hand. Extend your arms in front of you. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your torso, keeping your arms straight, lifting the weight as high into the air as possible. Stop and hold this position for at least a second, then slowly lower your torso towards the floor.

Lying leg raises until legs are held

Why: Lying leg raises strengthen your lower abdominal muscles, but this is true for people with a healthy back. They can be difficult to do correctly. And exercise V strains the back evenly, and strains not only the lower, but also the upper abdominal muscles. How to: Lie on your back and sit up straight, arms at your sides, and legs straight. Keeping your arms straight, lift your torso and legs at the same time so that your toes go past your knees to your shins. Slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position, keeping your abdominal muscles tense the entire time.

Reverse curl to fitball fold

Why: If you don't already have strong abdominal muscles, reverse crunches will be more of a simple back-and-forth movement rather than a strain on the muscles. But with this upgrade, your muscles will have to work all the way. How to: Do ​​a handstand with your toes off the floor while using an exercise ball. Your hips should be in a straight line with the rest of your body. Keeping your abdominal muscles tense, lift your hips so that your body forms a V shape. Hold this position for about a second, then return to the starting position.

Exercise “bicycle” before Russian crunch with weight

Why: With the bicycle exercise, it is easier for your abdominal muscles to accidentally shut down because your body will move from side to side, but if you add weight, your abdominal muscles will have to hold tension the entire time. This change will force all the abdominal muscles - both upper and lower, as well as the sides - to work harder, keeping your legs and torso above the floor. How to: Sit on the floor holding a dumbbell or weight plate in both hands. Legs are bent at the knees and feet are raised off the floor. Keeping your weight on straight arms, turn your torso in one direction and your legs in the opposite direction. Make sure your head follows your hands. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Keep your abdominal muscles tense at all times.

Bend over with dumbbells until alternating touches with hands to heels

Why: Bend to the side with a heavy dumbbell is not the most effective way to strengthen your side abdominal muscles. It is much more effective here to alternately touch the heels with your hands. It will act on both the lower and upper abdominal muscles. How to: Lie on your back with your legs and arms straight. Perform a crunch by bending your knees so that your heels are closer to your hands. Keeping your abdominal muscles tense, move one hand down and touch the heel of your corresponding leg. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the other side. Perform the exercise without letting your torso or legs touch the floor.

Side bends with a barbell[edit | edit code]

Inventory

:barbell.

Core muscles

: oblique abdominal muscles.

Additional muscles

: anterior abdominal muscles, back muscles.

Level of training

: initial.

CHECK THE MOUNTINGS! Secure fastening of the rod locks is very important. Check this before starting the exercise.

Step 1

. Feet shoulder width apart. The bar rests on the shoulders and is held by the hands.

Step 2

. Bend to the right side.

Step 3

. Return to the starting position. While bending, keep your torso straight, avoiding bending forward and backward. Return strictly to the starting position without deviating from the vertical. Bend in the opposite direction.

Workout for strong and sculpted abs

Try this six-pack ab workout for men twice a week and add it to your workout plan to maintain a strong core.

Here we will try to train the abdominal muscles from all angles and keep them under tension during the entire complex. This is the “secret” to building strong abs. Of course, you need to eat right, but we think this is obvious.

This six-move workout, divided into two circuits of three exercises, will hit all the abdominal muscles, also hitting the deep ones. After this workout, your body will have no choice - your abdominal muscles will soon become bigger and stronger.

This workout should be done twice a week for a month, increasing the weight each week.

How to do the workout

This complex consists of two mini-cycles, each containing three exercises. This means that you will perform the first, second and third movements without a break, resting only after the third.

You'll do the first circuit three times, which targets your upper and lower abdominal muscles, and then move on to the second circuit, where all three exercises will train your entire core.

To put more stress on your abdominal muscles, tighten them before starting the program so that your torso is stabilized from the start.

1A Dumbbell Crunch

For the upper abdominal muscles

Three sets of 12 repetitions, rest 10 seconds

Lie on your back, bend your knees, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Use your abs to lift your body off the floor, keeping your arms straight to lift the weight as high as possible. We hold this position for some time, after which we slowly lower our torso back.

1B Straight leg raise

The movement targets the lower abdomen

12 reps, rest 10 seconds

Lie on your back with your palms near your head. Keeping your legs together, lift them off the floor as high as possible, continuing to keep your legs straight. Continue contracting your lower abdominal muscles, keeping them tight throughout the exercise.

1C Exercise Climber for the torso

30 reps, rest 2 minutes
Start in push-up position. Without allowing your hips to drop, we pull one knee towards the opposite elbow. We return to the starting position, then repeat with the other leg. It was one repeat. Perform the exercise quickly, but do not lose technique.

2A V-twist modification

3 sets of 12 repetitions, rest for 10 seconds.
Lie down on the floor, hold your palms near your temples. Raise your legs off the floor, bending them at the knees. Pull your knees toward your chest as you twist your torso so that your elbows go behind your knees. We lower ourselves to the starting position. Don't let your heels touch the floor.

2B Russian twist with weight

12 reps, rest 10 seconds
Sit on the floor, keeping your knees bent, legs slightly elevated off the floor, holding a dumbbell in front of you. We twist our torso to the left, pause, then twist to the right. We return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Try to keep your legs raised off the floor while performing the exercise.

2C Lift-T with Dumbbells

6 reps on each side, rest 2 minutes
Start in a push-up position, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your core tight, lift one dumbbell and rotate your torso so that your arm points straight up. Reverse the movement and repeat with the other hand.

Notes and features[edit | edit code]

Dumbbell bending allows you to improve your posture, reduce your sides and fat deposits. When performing side bends with dumbbells, you need to bend strictly to the side; for this you can neglect the depth of the bend. The pelvis must be motionless; in order to bend lower, you need to place your feet shoulder-width apart. You can complement the side bends by moving your arm above your head, which will significantly enhance the work of the oblique abdominal muscles.

To increase the amplitude of the exercise, when lifting from dumbbells, you need to lean slightly towards the contracting muscle, which will increase the load on it. More weight increases the effectiveness of such exercises.

It is recommended to perform this load in three sets of 15-20 repetitions no more than twice a week. It should also be remembered that an increase in the volume of the oblique abdominal muscles, as a result of training, can lead to an increase in the waist, which is often an undesirable consequence for girls. Exercise can improve the condition of muscles, strengthen them, and cause intense calorie burning.

Do not use too much weight, as this can cause spinal injuries.

Ab workout with dumbbells

Get a smart workout in with dumbbell ab exercises to get a toned abs and build a firmer, more defined six-pack.

The best beginner moves to build strong abs, even without machines. This is great news because it means you can start working on your belly anytime—anywhere, anytime. But after the first results, progress becomes slow, and even if you do hundreds of crunches, the body weight is not enough to move forward.

This is where it’s time for you to increase the load on your abs so that they continue to grow larger and become more defined. One easy and very effective way to do this is to add more weight using dumbbells. Try this challenging but rewarding set of six exercises that will help put you on the path to success.

How to do the workout

There will be six exercises in this set, and the set itself is divided into two cycles - so you will complete all three sets without a break. You perform all 1A reps, all 1B reps, and all 1C reps. You can rest for 10 seconds between the first two approaches, and up to a minute after the third. You should complete sets 1A, 1B and 1C, then rest and repeat the same with 2A, 2B and 2C.

Choose a dumbbell that is not too heavy. You must stick to technique with each rep. If it is too heavy, you will start to swing to perform the exercise, and this should not be done.

1A Dumbbell Crunch

For the upper abdomen

3 sets of 12 reps, rest 10 seconds

Lie on your back, bend your knees and lift a dumbbell above your chest with your arms outstretched. Perform a crunch, lifting the weight as high as possible. Stop at the top of the exercise, squeeze your abdominal muscles and return to the starting position.

1B Side bends with dumbbell

Oblique muscles work

12 reps on each side, rest 10 seconds

Stand at your full height, holding a dumbbell in one hand. Extend your arm with the dumbbell and bend your free arm so that your palm is at your temple. Tighten all your core muscles and bend to the side that supports the weight. After this, return to the starting position. Perform all repetitions on one side, then on the other.

1C Lumberjack exercise with dumbbell

Movement for the torso

12 reps on each side, rest 60 seconds

Hold a dumbbell in both hands above your head. Move the dumbbell to the right of the body. Straining the muscles of the torso, sharply lower the dumbbell to the opposite side of the body. The dumbbell should be near your left leg. We perform the reverse movement, returning to the starting position. We perform all the repetitions, after which we do the same on the other side.

2A dumbbell T-lift

For the core muscles

Perform 3 sets of 6 repetitions on each side, rest for 10 seconds

We start in a push-up position, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your torso tense, lift one dumbbell and turn your torso so that the hand with the dumbbell points upward. Reverse the movement and repeat on the other side.

2B Russian standing dumbbell crunch

12 repetitions, rest for 10 seconds
Stand up to your full height, keeping your arms parallel to the floor. We hold dumbbells in our hands. Keeping your hips in place, turn your arms with dumbbells to one side, then to the other. Then we return to the starting position. It was one repeat. Try to work smoothly and without jerking. Keep your arms straight.

2C Mill with dumbbells

12 repetitions on each side, rest 60 seconds
Stand up to your full height, holding a dumbbell in one hand above your head.
Tighten your torso, turn your gaze toward the dumbbells, and, keeping your arm straight, bend at the waist so that your arm moves unloaded down your leg. Reverse the movement and return to the starting position. Complete all repetitions on one side, then start working on the other side.

Crunches

To work out the abs, various twisting options are used. The starting position is the same, but some variations are possible: lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the surface.

To work the oblique muscles. Assume IP, bring your limbs behind your head, placing them under the back of your head. Perform oblique twists to the right and left without completely lowering yourself to the floor.

For straight lines. Hands with dumbbells are raised up and are perpendicular to the surface. Tear off the top of the body and pull it up. Return to the original position without completely touching the mat. An important nuance is that the lower back should be pressed tightly to the surface and be in a static state. Other variations: the upper limbs are crossed over the chest or raised up in front of you; At the same time, the shoulders and legs are raised.

Exercises with dumbbells for losing belly fat are popular due to their high performance, variety and effectiveness. Follow all the recommendations, follow the technique and after a few months of work you will achieve your goal.

Challenge program for 30 days for the abs

Pump up your abs in one month of challenging but effective workouts.

Keeping yourself in good physical shape is a lifelong plan, which is why it's so important to find an exercise that you enjoy. You also need to have goals that you can set for yourself and achieve. Not just any goals, but achievable, tangible goals. That's why many people like challenges so much. You will be surprised how much you can accomplish in 30 days. Completing the challenge will be a big morale boost for you. Maybe this feeling of achievement is just what you need to push you towards success.

Before we move on to long-term plans, let's look at more immediate ones, for 30 days. And this plan has already been thought out for you down to the smallest detail. This challenge was developed by Taofeek Folarin, a trainer from the Sweat It London gym, who has developed a month-long workout to pump up the abs and improve abdominal strength. You may not have a perfect six-pack by the end of the challenge, but your posture will definitely improve, as will your mobility. You will have more strength in your torso for any task.

Out of 30 days, you will only have four rest days, and all other days involve core exercises or high-intensity training. Here's all the information you need to execute your plan.

How to complete this monthly challenge

“This challenge will not only tone your core, but also improve your overall endurance,” says Folarin. “The intensity of the workout continues to increase, allowing you to improve every day until you have mastered all the exercises by day thirty.”

The workouts use only body weight, so you can do them anywhere, anytime. You will be able to continue with the plan no matter what life does to you. What's even better is that even a beginner can do the exercises.

Each week of the plan involves performing the same exercises for five days, increasing the intensity of the exercises by adding ten seconds of work each time until you work 60 seconds without a break. At the beginning of the next week, the timer is set to zero, but a new exercise is added. In the first week, the workout includes three exercises, and in the second - four.

The intensity of exercise is also increased by adding high-intensity workouts performed at intervals of 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest. Five approaches are performed. "High-intensity training will improve your endurance and help you burn fat, so you can see the abs you're developing," says Folarin.

Finally, on days 29 and 30, you'll end your plan with your toughest ab workout yet to show yourself and everyone around you how much stronger you've become.

If at the end of the thirty-day challenge you feel like continuing, you can sign up for Folarin's Sweat It gym.

How to train correctly?

To lose weight and reduce fat on the sides and abdomen, the exercise should be performed according to the following scheme:

• First of all, you need to overcome the desire to take a heavy dumbbell. Firstly, it is dangerous for the spine. Secondly, training with heavy weights leads to muscle growth, and increasing the volume of oblique muscles is not part of our plans. The weight should be no more than 5–7 kg for men and no more than 3–5 kg for women. It is better to take less weight, but do more repetitions.
• We do at least 20 repetitions on each side, 3-4 approaches. We take minimal rest between sets. Alternate approaches left and right.
• The repetitions are performed at a relatively fast pace, but without jerking and always with tense abs.
• It is better to include side bends in the training program as an additional exercise. That is, we leave it at the end of the workout, when the main exercises have already been completed.

A significant fat-burning effect is achieved only with appropriate adjustments to the diet. Also, the process of losing weight will go faster with increasing cardio loads.

There is a popular myth that exercise can remove fat from a certain part of the body. But, in fact, there is no local weight loss, and until a certain calorie deficit is created, fat deposits on the waist and sides will not begin to decrease, no matter how many bends you do.

Bends alone are not enough to lose weight. The nutritional plan must be adjusted.

But what if your goal is not to burn fat, but to work out your abdominal muscles? In such a situation, it must be said that the oblique muscles, one way or another, are involved in the work when performing any abdominal exercises. Of course, you can additionally load them with tilts, the main thing is to strictly follow the technique.

To work the muscles:

• Side bends are performed slowly.
• 8–12 reps on each side, 2–3 sets. We alternate approaches to the left and to the right.
• You still can’t take on a lot of weight.

Exercises

Dead beetle

Lie on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your legs raised, knees bent at a 90-degree angle. At the same time, lower your right leg, extending it. Lower your left hand towards the floor, but do not touch it to the floor. After this, lift your arm and leg and do the same with the other arm and leg.

Twisting

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Use your core muscles to lift your torso off the floor until your torso is vertical. Return to the starting position.

Russian twist

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet off the floor. Lean back so your body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Bring your hands together in front of your chest, then begin twisting your torso from side to side.

Leg raises

Lie on your back. Keeping your legs as straight as possible, lift them until your feet point toward the ceiling. Slowly lower them to the floor to the starting position.

Rock climber

From a push-up position, lift one knee toward your chest, and do it fairly quickly. Then do the same on the other side.

Plank in motion

From a forearm plank position, begin to extend one arm, then the other, to rise into a push-up position, then lower back into a plank with one arm, then the other.

Medicine ball fold

This exercise pumps up the abdominal muscles well, and due to the medicine ball, the muscles of the arms and legs are tensed.

Execution technique

Lie on the floor on your back, take a medicine ball in your hands and hold it above your head with outstretched arms, raise your legs to a right angle with the floor. Lift your arms and upper back and hold the medicine ball between your ankles. Lower your legs until the medicine ball touches the floor. The arms and upper back remain raised at this time. Raise your medicine ball legs and pick up the ball again.

Repeat the exercise 10 times.

You can incorporate these exercises into your workout by replacing regular crunches with ab crunches, or perform all eight as a stand-alone core workout.

To increase efficiency, perform the exercises without rest as one circuit. Depending on your capabilities, do 1-3 circles.

High intensity exercise

Find out more about why high-intensity training is most effective for weight loss in men.

Running in place with a high hip lift

Run in one place, but at the same time raise your knees almost to your chest.

Frog

From a push-up position, suddenly move your legs so that they are in front of your hands. Then move your legs to the starting position.

Jump with legs tucked

From a standing position, jump as high as possible. Raising your knees to your chest. Land softly and immediately move on to the next jump.

Burpee

From a standing position, fall into a push-up position (and do a push-up to your liking), then quickly stand up and jump up. Land softly and repeat.

We recommend that you learn in more detail what the correct burpee technique looks like to achieve maximum effect.

Muscle work

When you do side bends with dumbbells or other weights, the main load falls on the external oblique abdominal muscles. It is they, when well designed, that create the characteristic curve of the silhouette. Additionally, the rectus abdominis muscle, internal obliques and stabilizers are included.

Muscle work when bending away from the dumbbell and towards the dumbbell.

Also, when performing a lateral bend, you create a certain load on the lumbar spine. Therefore, it is extremely important to follow the correct technique. It is not recommended to bend your body if you have any back problems.

Table of the 30-day challenge of abdominal exercises

This abdominal muscle training program is designed to perform a series of movements every day. The table shows the schedule for performing movements to pump up cubes per month. To quickly achieve the desired result, you need to follow a diet with a calorie deficit for weight loss so that subcutaneous fat disappears faster.

Sources:

• https://www.coachmag.co.uk/abs-exercises/7809/how-to-get-abs-faster
• https://www.coachmag.co.uk/core-workouts/7712/the-core-workout-for-men-who-want-defined-abs
• https://www.coachmag.co.uk/abs-workouts/7613/the-six-pack-workout-to-build-bigger-abs
• https://www.coachmag.co.uk/abs-workouts/7877/take-the-30-day-abs-challenge
• https://www.coachmag.co.uk/workouts/abs-workouts

Variations of the exercise

In the absence of dumbbells, bending the body to the side can be done:

1. No inventory. In this case, both hands are fixed on the belt. To make the task somewhat more difficult, you can raise your clasped hands above your head.
2. With a barbell or bodybar on the shoulders.
3. In a crossover (when tilted, the upper block is pulled down with one hand).
4. With a kettlebell, weights or any other weight.

In general, whether or not to use various lateral bends in your training program is up to everyone to decide for themselves. However, once you figure out how to do them correctly, you are guaranteed to be able to strengthen your obliques and achieve defined sides.

To lose weight, weight training should be combined with cardio exercise and a balanced diet.

Correct technique

Now we will give specific step-by-step instructions on how to do side bends with a dumbbell:

1. Stand up straight, take a dumbbell in that hand.
2. It is best to raise the second hand to the head - this will stretch the muscles better, but you can leave it hanging along the body.
3. As you inhale, bend to the side towards the dumbbell as low as possible. The greater the range of motion, the better you will work the muscle.
4. As you exhale, straighten up and lean in the opposite direction.

This is what it looks like: