Can Stomach Vacuums Give You Defined Abs?
Trends and gimmicks will always be part of the fitness industry, as will the never-ending quest for 6-pack abs. It seems like people will try anything and everything to chisel their abdominal area. One of the weirdest ab exercises I’ve come across is stomach vacuums, a trend that has been on the rise since 2018. I was exposed to them for the first time a few years ago in an advanced yoga class, when the teacher demonstrated how he could suck in his stomach and move his abdominal area around like waves in the ocean.
As someone who’s very interested in strengthening and controlling my core, I was intrigued, and curious about what this exercise could achieve. Do stomach vacuums actually work? Can you get defined abs if you practice them frequently? Are they safe to perform? I did some research, and am going to break all of it down for you in this blog post.
What the heck is a stomach vacuum?
Stomach vacuums involve sucking in your stomach area and holding it in, giving it a hollowed-out look. Your ab muscles consist of several groups: the rectus abdominis (aka, the "six-pack"), and deeper muscles like the transverse abdominis and internal and external obliques. Stomach vacuums focus on the transverse abdominis, which runs along the side of your torso and up underneath your ribs.
The transverse abdominis is kind of like a built-in corset, and it supports your lower spine and pelvis area. It helps keep your spine in a neutral position so that you’re not arching your lower back or rounding your upper back. If your transverse abdominis is weak, you might have posture issues and breathing problems, and you will most likely injure yourself if you try to lift anything heavy.
Where did stomach vacuums come from?
This exercise can be traced back centuries to yoga practice. The posture, known as Nauli Kriya, was a way for yogis to bring vitality back to their mid-section by massaging their inner organs and digestive system. It also supposedly relieved discomfort, increased appetite, and aided in digestion and weight loss.
Nauli Kriya can be intensified by “bouncing” the belly in and out or “churning” it back and forth while the breath is held. In addition, to achieve the full effects of the exercise, yogis were instructed to maintain “locks,” which are mula bandha (contracting your pelvic muscles) and uddiyana bandha (lifting the diaphragm). The ultimate goal was to be able to control the abdominal area enough to cleanse the digestive organs and small intestines.
The modern version of stomach vacuums was introduced to the bodybuilding world in the 1970s by our pal, Arnold Schwarzenegger. But the exercise really took off when it was popularized by renowned American bodybuilder, Frank Zane. As a three-time winner of Mr. Olympia, he was known for being incredibly lean and disciplined. He credited stomach vacuums, which were part of his regular routine, as the reason for his small waist.
Are stomach vacuums safe?
Yes, stomach vacuums are generally safe. However, there are a few exceptions. Anyone with an abdominal hernia or serious back issues should probably avoid stomach vacuums. Women who are pregnant or on their menstrual cycle should proceed with caution as well. Performing this exercise can raise your blood pressure, so individuals with high blood pressure should also avoid them. As with most exercise, listening to your body and not straining are keys to ensuring safety.
How do I perform the stomach vacuum exercise?
You should ideally be practicing stomach vacuums on an empty stomach, so the best time to do them is first thing in the morning. Stomach vacuums can be done in a variety of positions: standing, squatting, sitting, laying down, bent over, or on all fours. I personally find sitting in a cross-legged position to be the most comfortable.
Start by exhaling all the air out of your lungs. Hold the exhale as you suck your stomach in, pulling your belly button to your spine. It will probably feel a little strange first, but see how long you can hold that position. When you’re done, take a breath in and your stomach will naturally come back out. If you’re a beginner, try holding the vacuum for 5-10 seconds. As you become more comfortable with the exercise, you can aim for 20-30 seconds, or even a full minute.
Do stomach vacuums really work?
Well, it really depends on what your goals are when incorporating them into your fitness routine. Stomach vacuums basically train your abs to brace themselves, so if you’re looking for more core control, they might be an exercise to try. If you have a condition called diastasis recti (a separation of the abdominal muscles common before and after pregnancy), stomach vacuums have been known to help with that as well. In addition, your posture can be improved if you practice them enough.
If chiseled abs are your goal, however, you’re going to be very disappointed with stomach vacuums. They can’t reduce belly fat or build muscle, both of which are essential for visible abs.
How to actually get defined abs
So, if stomach vacuums can’t get you the 6-pack of your dreams, what can? A combination of diet and exercise, that’s what!
Proper Diet/Nutrition
If you’re really serious about achieving defined abs, your best bet is to start by examining your diet. We’ve all heard the adage “abs are made in the kitchen,” and there’s nothing more truthful. Incorporating lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates into your diet will help you to reduce body fat and reveal your ab muscles. Maintaining a calorie deficit also helps to reduce body fat, so you may want to consider trying that as well.
Core and Full-Body Exercises with Cardio
To be frank, if you want chiseled abs, you’re much better off doing multiple exercises that target the different areas of your abs than stomach vacuums, which only works the transverse abdominis. You can try sit-ups and bicycle crunches for your rectus abdominis, side planks or Russian twists for your obliques, or hollow body holds and dead bugs for your transverse abdominis. Full-body workouts with big movements that activate your core will also help build your abs, like in this excellent kettlebell abs workout.
You can also get great results from trying an ab roller, which activates the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and obliques in order to control your movement forward and back. An exercise ball is another tool you can use to work your ab muscles. Exercise balls add an element of instability, which requires you to engage your core muscles more to maintain balance. There are a number of exercises you can try on the exercise ball. Plus, using one in place of your desk chair will help you improve your posture.
Cardio is yet another important puzzle piece when it comes to building a 6-pack. Incorporating cardio-heavy exercises like running, cycling, rowing, or HIIT will help you reduce body fat, which in turn will show off your muscles.
So, can stomach vacuums give you defined abs? No. Can they give you a smaller waistline and better core control? Possibly, with enough practice. The bottom line is, if you want defined abs, you need to build muscle in that area through resistance training and reduce your body fat through diet and exercise so that the muscles are visible.
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