Surely if you are in the gym you want to have a well defined abdomen. Marking the famous six pack is something that more than one considers when it comes to getting in shape. However, this is quite a difficult task that requires not only sacrifice, but also some experience to perform a good technique in the exercises. Today we are going to teach you a type of exercise that will help you enormously to reach the goal of the marked six pack. It is about the isometric abs. In addition, we will teach you some other important guidelines to take into account to achieve it.
Do you want to know more about isometric abs work? Keep reading because we tell you everything in detail.
Isometric crunches or static planks
This type of exercise is also known as a static plank. The main advantage that these abdominal exercises have over the rest is that results begin to be seen in a short time. And is that if the technique is correct, they can exert a lot of influence on the abdominal muscles. In addition, you can forget about having to bend over and over again doing endless repetitions.
Thanks to this type of exercise, some benefits can be obtained apart from having a six pack, such as correcting posture and making our spine straighter. The strong abdomen is responsible for better correcting posture. In addition, they also serve to strengthen the arms, shoulders and quadriceps, since it is a type of exercise that involves many muscles during its execution.
This exercise is progressive. That is, we ourselves can overcome the time that we can stay on the plate and working more and more. Isometric abs are pretty tough at first. Few people tend to last more than a minute doing the plank without the need to give up. Your arms, shoulders, and quads are getting numb and you can't take it anymore. However, you notice enormous pressure in the entire abdominal area that will give you a much greater load than any other exercise.
The truth is that it is quite complete. Although initially expensive to implement, the benefits are immediate and long-lasting. For many people with an abdominal complex, this type of exercise is perfect to look slimmer and notice that you have worked that area.
Many women find it perfect to do this type of exercise after giving birth to get back into shape and toning. In this way, the bikini fits better and they can be more self-confident by looking more beautiful and slim.
Aspects to consider
One thing that must be clear to mark a six pack is not so much the isometric abdominal exercise, but the diet. Even if we spend the whole day doing isometric planks, it will be useless if we do not have a low fat percentage. About 11-12% for men and 17-18% for women. If our fat is higher than those percentages, the abs will not be seen even if we do isometric abs.
To reduce our abdominal fat, we have to be on an eating plan based on a constant caloric deficit over time. A diet based on high levels of protein, medium in healthy fats, and low in carbohydrates. In this way we can lose fat without losing muscle. Ideally, do some weight work as you lose weight to avoid muscle wasting.
And, as we have mentioned before, isometric abs will not only help you aesthetically to have a very attractive abdominal, but will also contribute in the future, when you are over 50 years old, to correct your posture and avoid a large part of the typical injuries of the elderly.
There are many women who, during pregnancy, suffer from severe back pain. For all those who have curvature in the spine, these exercises will help you (whether you see the six pack or not) to create a natural girdle that corrects postures and reduces pain.
We must not only think about the aesthetic benefits, but about our health. Keep in mind that the only way to increase our abs is through a muscle gain stage. In it we will have to gain some weight and fat in the process, which will then later be reduced in a definition stage where we can mark our beloved six pack.
Benefits of isometric abs
These abs have great benefits for our body. The aforementioned fixes
postures and reduction of back pain. It also helps our joints not suffer over time.
The best thing about these exercises is that you can combine them with other types of abdominal exercises and some cardio at the end of your exercise routine and you don't need to go to the gym to work them out. You can do it at home, in the garden, on the beach or in the pool. You will only need a mat to avoid hurting your arms while you are supported.
Among the benefits we obtain from these exercises we list the following:
- Increase in our strength and muscle tone.
- Prevention of pain, injury and improvement of our posture.
- Development of abdominal muscle building.
- Increase in our resistance.
- Strengthening the abdominal and lumbar area.
- Increases self-esteem in many people to see themselves with a defined abdomen.
How to make the isometric planks to perfection
Now we are going to tell you the ideal guidelines for the iron to get the most out of exercise.
- We place our hands or elbows in line with shoulders making a perfect 90 degree angle. You can channel the energy better by clenching your fists.
- We straighten the back and align the pelvis with the whole body.
- To do the exercise well, we will also put tension on the quadriceps to keep the body straight and not hurt our knees.
- Your ankles should also be at a 90 degree angle.
- The neck is aligned with the back and we keep our gaze down with the jaw closed so that the cervicals do not take tension.
- You have to squeeze your abdomen hard and mentally pull your arms back. In this way we increase the tension in the core and improve the stability of the body.
I hope that with these tips you can make good and better isometric planks, along with your diet, the abdomen that you want so much.