There’s a new hype about getting a flat belly for the summer, and it has an unusual name. But stomach vacuuming isn’t as weird as it sounds. Despite the name, it’s one of the most effective exercises for your abs.
It’s a breathing exercise that’s supposed to activate and strengthen your transverse abdominis (i.e. your deepest ab muscle) by contracting it. Stomach vacuuming experts swear it’ll help tighten your abs while stabilizing your spine and improving your posture.
The science behind this is that we have two layers of ab muscles in our belly.
In simple words, they keep your belly flat. When you “hold your breath” to keep your belly in, you actually hold your internal abs tight.
If you train those muscles regularly your belly will look more and more flat naturally, even in a relaxed state.
It may at first seem an easy and useless exercise, but if you start doing it every day you will see huge changes in your waist line.
According to the YouTube video on the technique posted below, you can do a stomach vacuum while standing, sitting, kneeling, or lying on your back. All you need to do is breathe through your nose for up to five seconds, exhale through your mouth, draw your belly button into your spine, and hold it for several seconds before starting again.
Stomach vacuum steps:
- Knees and hands on the floor, or from a standing position with your hands on a table. It’s important that your back stays curved to facilitate the vacuum.
- Blow out all the air from your lungs, squeeze your diaphragm.
- Suck your belly in, try to expand your lungs like if you were breathing but don’t let any air in. Use your diaphragm to suck in your belly very tight. Feel your stomach squeezed against your spine.
- Hold on for about 10 seconds.
- Release and breathe a few times.
- Repeat the exercise.
