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Abdominal exercises when performed correctly are excellent for defining the abdominal muscles, leaving the belly with a 'six pack' appearance. However, those who are overweight should also invest in aerobic exercises, such as exercise bike and running on the treadmill to burn fat and so that the abdominals can stand out.
Practicing only the traditional abdominal exercise, having fat accumulated in the belly area is not enough to lose weight, nor to lose belly, because this exercise does not have a high caloric expenditure and are not very good for burning fat.
Traditional abdominal risks
Traditional abdominal exercise can cause back problems, such as back, neck, and even herniated disc development, when performed incorrectly. However, there are several variations of abdominal exercises, which when performed correctly, do not harm the spine.
The best way to do sit-ups without harming your spine, is to do various types of sit-ups, working not only the rectus abdominis, but also the lower abdomen and the sides.
Correct way of doing abdominal
See how to strengthen the abdomen without damaging the spine in the video:
The front plank is one of the best ways to work the abdominals, as it works the entire abdominal region, both anterior, posterior and lateral, not harming the spine or posture at all.
Whoever is unable to maintain this static position for 20 seconds, should maintain it for as long as possible and then divide this value by 2, to perform 3 sets. For example: if the maximum the individual can achieve is 10 seconds, he should do 3 sets of 5 seconds, keeping the abdomen muscles always tight and the back as straight as possible.
Is doing abdominal every day bad?
Doing this abdominal exercise (front or side board) does not harm the spine and does not hurt. However, the same exercise should not be performed every day, so that the muscle fibers rest and thus reach their maximum potential, making a kind of natural belt that will not exactly burn the fat accumulated in this area, but may improve the its appearance, leaving the abdomen more defined and without cellulite.
Doing abdominal with weight or sitting
It is not recommended to do a weighted sit-up, because of the potential risk of spinal injuries.
However, the ideal is for the individual to talk to a physical educator who can indicate the type of abdominal most suitable for their real needs, before performing any exercise at home or at the gym.
Here are some examples of abdominal exercises: