Bodybuilding.com - Making Your Waist Smaller - Learn About Vacuuming The Stomach!

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Stretching is a type of exercise program in which you assume exaggerated postures that stretch muscles, joints, and connective tissues, hold these positions for several seconds, relax and then repeat the postures.

Learning to vacuum your stomach is necessary to offer greater symmetry and control lower back pain. This article is short but to the point. Learn more...!

Making Your Waist Smaller - Learn About Vacuuming The Stomach!

By: Dr. David Ryan

A picture is worth a thousand words, but four pictures in a series can speak volumes.

Click To Enlarge.
Ellington Darden PhD.
Shows His Ability To Perform The Stomach Vacuum.

Learning to vacuum your stomach is necessary to offer greater symmetry and promote a better look for the judges. It also helps to control lower back pain.

RELATED ARTICLE

Back Pain: How Exercise Can Help.
While any form of back pain should be assessed by a qualified medical practitioner, certain exercises can greatly reduce the pain. There are many exercises you can do to improve and prevent back injuries.
[ Click here to learn more. ]

If your waist is thicker or you have smaller hips, this can offer you an improvement on your ability to maintain a better look while on stage or for the photo shoot, or just that someone special you want to impress.

Photo Shoot Preparation:

Learning To Vacuum Your Stomach

Lie on your back. For example while in a tanning bed or other firm surface.
Reach your arms over your head and keep your legs flat and straight.
Begin by exhaling your air.
Lift your chest and arch your back.
Draw in your stomach for seconds at a time.
Continue to try and hold your stomach in for longer and longer periods of time.

Click To Enlarge.
Stomach Vacuum.

Stomach Vacuum Video.

Windows Media (103 KB)
MPEG (563 KB)

Using this method will help develop the muscles in your stomach. Some other suggestions are to attempt to vacuum your stomach while you have no food in your stomach.

Variation:

Have a friend gently push down on your belly button and attempt to hold the stomach in.

Click To Enlarge.
Partner Assisted Vacuum.

Partner Stomach Vacuum Video.

Windows Media (155 KB)
MPEG (518 KB)

Deep Layer Control:

There are several layers of muscle in the stomach. You must learn to control the deeper layers to achieve the smaller waist look.

The Stomach Muscles.
Back Next

Most bodybuilders and figure athletes will perform dumbbell pullovers immediately following squats.

This is done while the large lung capacity required for squats has warmed the chest cavity up enough to allow for additional expansion.

Click To Enlarge.
Heavy Dumbbell Pullovers.

Usually heavy dumbbell pullovers are done in a 3 set X 10 rep format, while attempting to perform the stomach vacuum.

Pullover Stomach Vacuum Video.

Windows Media (217 KB)
MPEG (497 KB)

Click Here For A Printable Log Of DB Pullovers.

Bonus Section
From The Stomach Vacuum: The Forgotten Ab Exercise
By: Karen Sessions

The Stomach Vacuum - How To Do It.

A stronger Transversus Abdominus can create a stronger Valsalva Maneuver (the powerful exhale necessary to contract a muscle during an intense workload).

This is one of the best exercises you can perform to shrink your waistline in a very short amount of time. Many can knock 2 to 4 inches off their midsection in as little as 3 weeks with this technique.

Also, building this area of the abdominal muscle will help you gain more control over your "abs" and assist you better in explosive lifts. Stomach Vacuums take practice, but they are extremely effective.

EXERCISE DEMONSTRATION VIDEO

Click Play To Start The Video.

Standing Stomach Vacuum

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Visualize trying to touch your navel to your backbone. One isometric contraction of "X" seconds is one repetition.

Once mastered, the Stomach Vacuum can be performed in a standing, kneeling, seated, and lying position. Now you will have no excuse to avoid abdominal training if you are stuck in traffic.

As an added bonus, you can use the Stomach Vacuum when doing your regular abdominal work. Focus on pulling in on the Transverse Abdominus. Simply do this by pulling in your stomach as far as you can and flex your groin muscles, as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine.

Training Guide For The Stomach Vacuum: