We’ve all seen the ‘one simple trick’ adverts on Facebook and the rest of the web and for the most part they’re just a lame marketing technique to get our attention.
‘One Simple Trick to Get Amazing Abs! But Should it be Banned?’
The truth, as we all know deep down, is that there is no ‘single trick’ that’s going to turn you into an Adonis overnight (sorry!). But while that’s true, there are some techniques out there that can nevertheless make a massive difference to the appearance of your stomach and this might just be enough.
This one tip is something that all pro bodybuilders use and it’s something that can make your abs look much tighter in just 10 minutes before bed five times a week. If you have ‘somewhat good abs’ but you find that they sometimes end up looking a bit puffy and all over the place, then this one trick is just what you need to get back the tightness and the firmness that you probably want.
Here’s how it works…
What is a Stomach Vacuum?
So the trick is called a stomach vacuum – and this is something you’re going to be doing before bed for 3 x 10 reps of 10 seconds each.
What is a stomach vacuum then? Well, you can put the Dyson down – it doesn’t have anything to do with suction. Rather, the vacuum part of the name is describing the fact that you’re going to be pulling your abs inward and upward into your abdominal cavity essentially creating a situation where your entire lower body looks almost concave.
The reason we’re going to do this is that it trains the transverse abdominis. That’s the sheet of muscle that you have surrounding your core and that is often referred to as ‘nature’s weight belt’. It has the job of stabilizing your core and making sure that your back is straight and you’re not doubled over. At the same time, it also has the secondary function of holding your gut in place and this also prevents your stomach from bulging out.
So while you might have the best and most defined looking abdominals thanks to a strong rectus abdominis, your stomach isn’t going to look flat unless you also have a great transverse abdominis. And most of us would say that a flat stomach is something we want.
How to Perform Stomach Vacuums
So how do you perform the vacuums? Simply, this process is going to involve pulling your navel in towards your spine as though you were trying to touch the two together. As you do that, you want to bring your diaphragm upwards and that means you’re be breathing out. Breathing out creates space in your lungs, which in turn lets the diaphragm come upwards creating the space in your abdominal cavity for you to pull your stomach in. This is now using your TA.
Hold this position for the count of 10 seconds and then release, before repeating the process for 3 x 10 reps. You’ll find your abs look much tighter overall as a result and you didn’t have to do one sit up!
