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Ever wonder how are athletes or bodybuilders are effortlessly able to do stomach vacuum exercise? It looks easy but it’s actually quite difficult for beginners to do because it involves many abdominus muscle.
For some, it can take a bit of time before you can do a full stomach vacuum by drawing your belly button to the back of your spine.
If your goals are aesthetic based and performance based. The answer is absolutely YES, it can definitely benefit you.
Did you know that there’s a whole set of abdominal muscles behind your six pack? It’s called the transverse abdominus (TVA). The only problem is the TVA isn’t fully activated during normal crunches and sit ups.
In simple terms, the transverse abdominus is your inner abs, the stomach vacuum is going to work those inner abs which often times are under worked and under developed. That’s why it’s difficult to get started doing the stomach vacuum exercise.
But when you work to strengthen it, it can do some wonderful things: Support your spine during heavy lifts, improve your posture, and even hold your tummy in tighter to your body for a slimmer waistline.
The stomach vacuum exercise is a really powerful (and convenient!) way to work the transverse abdominus anytime, anywhere.
You will find it a lot easier when you do the stomach vacuum in the morning. As that is going to be the easiest to do on an empty stomach.
Lots of fitness gurus will tell you do it standing up but it’s too difficult when you first starting out. Practice with a hunch over a platform or edge or the edge your bed to simplify the stomach vacuums exercise.
1. Start by leaning over with a slight hunch, grab the edge of the platform to get more leverage
2. Breath out all the air out of your stomach towards your spine until you feels like your lung is empty. This is crucial
3. Hold in for as long as you can
4. Inhale and draw your belly button in towards your spine. This is when the transverse abdominus is contracted the most
5. Repeat
6. Do 10 sets of stomach vacuums first thing in the morning
If you practice every day for one month, you’ll be able to do it with no problems. Eventually you’ll be able to do stomach vacuum standing up. It’s like whistling, once you develop the ability to whistle then you can do it forever.
With a little practice and a lot of consistency, the stomach vacuum can have some massive effects on your midsection: Toning, tightening, strengthening, and giving you that flat midsection you’ve been craving. This infographic from The Trusty Spotter explains how to do the stomach vacuum and why it’s such a good addition to any core workout routine
