Ab vacuum

khan8

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
i have a pretty distended stomach (and i am bulking, if that matters)
so how many times a day, when, and for how many sets/rest should i do them?? thanks
 
JonesersRX7

JonesersRX7

Registered User
Awards
1
  • Established
Search is your friend mate

I had this article from a few years back from a MensHealth.com article. Good info IMO.

Suck In That Gut
A flatter stomach and healthier back can be yours in no time at all with our easy-to-do midsection tighteners
By Michael E. Price, M.S., C.S.C.S.

There you are, hanging out at the beach or pool when a hardbodied honey crosses into view. There you go, doing what guys invariably do at such times—you stand a little taller, stretching your spine, and suck in your gut for all you're worth, trying to impress her but also hoping she breezes by before you pass out from lack of oxygen.

If you're losing the battle of the bulging waistline, you will be pleased to learn that one of the most effective techniques for flattening your stomach is doing what comes naturally.

Sucking in your gut, a movement commonly referred to as the “stomach vacuum,” is a great way to work the transversus abdominis and internal obliques, muscles that give you a flatter profile and narrower waist.

As a trunk stabilizer, the transversus abdominis is very important in protecting the lumbar spine from injury. If you suffer from low-back pain, incorporating stomach vacuums into your workouts may help mitigate that pain.

FRANK ADVICE
Three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane has these tips for creating a vacuum that will lead to a small waistline:

“Lying on the floor, exhale completely, forcing all the air out of the lungs/ diaphragm with your abdominal muscles. Next, instead of inhaling, suck in your gut, pulling it in so far that you can imagine your abs actually touching your spine. Since there's no air in your lungs, you should be able to suck your stomach way in, which will contract your transversus abdominis.”

“Practice holding this vacuum for longer and longer periods of time. Eventually, your waist will get smaller, providing you don't stuff yourself at meals and bloat with massive amounts of liquids between meals.”

“The idea is to keep the waistline tight, under control. Eat smaller meals, and don't ingest as much food at each feeding, which will prevent unwanted stomach distention.”

“Using this technique, I find myself sipping water more often throughout the day instead of bloating my gut with big meals and large gulps of beverages.”
“If you want to develop endurance—that is, the ability to maintain a vacuum for longer periods of time—as well as a muscular waistline, it will all come down to breath control.”

“After you have achieved a sense of control in the lying position, next practice the standing position. Initially, it will be easier to achieve the vacuum if you press your palms against your upper thighs after exhaling and sucking in your gut.”

“The final step in doing the ultimate vacuum is to start practicing with your hands behind your neck, which is what I used to do at competitions to good effect. This particular vacuum ain't easy, but keep at it.”
 

khan8

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
so what ive gathered is :
do them on an empty stomach
exhale all air out, then stick chest out and pull abs in towards spine
do this until out of breath
rest about 30 seconds,
repeat 3 more times

sound good?
 
JonesersRX7

JonesersRX7

Registered User
Awards
1
  • Established
so what ive gathered is :
do them on an empty stomach
exhale all air out, then stick chest out and pull abs in towards spine
do this until out of breath
rest about 30 seconds,
repeat 3 more times

sound good?
Are you training abs as well?

I do 10 10 second holds with a 30 second rest and then try to increase hold time each week.

I do them 3 times a week after I have trained abs that night a couple hours before I go to bed because they get my heart racing.
 

peterson24

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
in all honesty, start a good diet and work with the 3 major movements. You will get all the ab exercise that you need. I hardly ever do ab stuff, My squats and deads handle that.
 
JonesersRX7

JonesersRX7

Registered User
Awards
1
  • Established
in all honesty, start a good diet and work with the 3 major movements. You will get all the ab exercise that you need. I hardly ever do ab stuff, My squats and deads handle that.
I thought this to be true... but I would disagree now. I used to never train abs but my stomach holds tighter on it's own after abs 3 times a week and doing vacuums.

I wouldn't toss the blanket out like that on abs as every person varies greatly in this department.
 

khan8

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
I thought this to be true... but I would disagree now. I used to never train abs but my stomach holds tighter on it's own after abs 3 times a week and doing vacuums.

I wouldn't toss the blanket out like that on abs as every person varies greatly in this department.
if he saw my (tiny) abs, im sure he would disagree

i need to train my abs because their weak and small!
 
JonesersRX7

JonesersRX7

Registered User
Awards
1
  • Established
if he saw my (tiny) abs, im sure he would disagree

i need to train my abs because their weak and small!
Are you squating, deadlifting and benching? Just curious if you are doing the first two.
 

khan8

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
Are you squating, deadlifting and benching? Just curious if you are doing the first two.
i just started squatting two weeks ago, i have squatted twice so far, before that i was doing incline leg press in place of it. now, i squat extremely light because i lean forward (weak core) so i do ab workouts twice a week to help

i dont deadlift, it causes me lower back pain i think its my body type, it doesnt matter my form, it always hurts (so dont say anything about form)

speaking of which, on leg day (monday), i do squats, incline leg press, standing and seated leg curls

(wednesday) i do arms (and abs)- standing EZ bar curls, standing supinating DB curls (same time) skull crushers, and rope pushdowns

(Friday) i do back (and abs)-bent over bb rows, shrugs, and my question is:

what is the best exercise to add on back day (not deadlifts) for lower back?


thank you
 

khan8

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
oh and here is my ab workout on arms and back day:

3 sets crunches
3 sets lower ab (lie on floor on back, body straight, hands under butt, lift legs up till perpendicular to ground, lower to ground, repeat)
3 sets left hand side planks (AKA bridges) supersetted with 3 sets right hand side planks
3 sets planks

everything has about 30 rest bewteen sets unless supersetted
 

peterson24

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
There is a ton of stuff you can do for your core. You could do Glute ham raises, good mornings, etc... Also, treat your abs like a real muscle, do weighted sets for like 8 reps. Your core will catch up real quick.
Also, if you are leaning forward on your squat, try doing box squats to help you get the feeling of leaning back and using more of your hips and ham's in the movement.
 

khan8

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
There is a ton of stuff you can do for your core. You could do Glute ham raises, good mornings, etc... Also, treat your abs like a real muscle, do weighted sets for like 8 reps. Your core will catch up real quick.
Also, if you are leaning forward on your squat, try doing box squats to help you get the feeling of leaning back and using more of your hips and ham's in the movement.
i do have a core workout, posted right above you its:
3 sets crunches
3 sets lower ab (lie on floor on back, body straight, hands under butt, lift legs up till perpendicular to ground, lower to ground, repeat)
3 sets left hand side planks (AKA bridges) supersetted with 3 sets right hand side planks
3 sets planks
 
JonesersRX7

JonesersRX7

Registered User
Awards
1
  • Established
Peterson has some good recomendations there. Especially with the box squats. Look in the strongman/powerlifting forum for WestSideBarbell sticky and you can see some pics of Dave Tate box squating.

When he says to treat abs like a "real" muscle group, he means when doing crunches put a 25lb plate or do cable crunches.
 

khan8

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
yea, my abs and obliques are too weak to add resistance right now, i am doing bodyweight until i can handle weight.
 

peterson24

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
if you do more then 10 reps with your bodyweight, start adding additional weight and keep it in that rep range. Go up in 5 lb increments. You'll get stronger. Cable crunches are a good start too, I do them every once and a while. Read the westside stuff, I'm actually on a westside program as we speak, it is very good.
 

khan8

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
if you do more then 10 reps with your bodyweight, start adding additional weight and keep it in that rep range. Go up in 5 lb increments. You'll get stronger. Cable crunches are a good start too, I do them every once and a while. Read the westside stuff, I'm actually on a westside program as we speak, it is very good.
i do less than 10 reps with bodyweight, but when i do get over 10 reps, how many reps should i do with weight?
 
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
Weight Loss 1
John Smeton Training Forum 60
Male Anti-Aging Medicine 2
Tighe General Chat 13
Anabolics 6

Similar threads


Top