Upper press: a set of exercises, recommendations and reviews. How to pump up the upper and lower press: simple and effective exercises The two best exercises for the upper press

To pump up the abdominal muscles, it is enough to have a fitness training mat and know. Additional devices will be needed for advanced athletes. Since the upper press very quickly comes into the desired shape and is easily restored, there will be no problems with its training if all the recommendations and instructions are followed.

How to pump the muscles of the upper press for girls?

Especially for girls, a complex has been developed, which consists of 6 effective exercises.

No. 1. Rack

Despite the apparent ease, it is quite difficult to perform a rack. Start with 20 seconds and build up with each workout:

  1. Starting position - lying on the stomach;
  2. Rise on your elbows, keeping a straight line of the back and legs;
  3. Hold this position and lower yourself to rest for 10 seconds;
  4. Repeat the task.

No. 2. Twisting

  1. Take a position lying on your back. The head is raised, and keep your legs hanging, bent at the knees at a right angle;
  2. Tearing the shoulder blades off the floor, pull the chin to the chest, twisting the upper part of the press into an accordion;
  3. Hold this position for 10 seconds;
  4. Return to starting position.

No. 3. deflections

This task also seems relatively easy, but you should not ignore it, since it is one of the best, thanks to which you can tone the upper abdominal muscles:

  1. Lie on the floor on your stomach, stretching your legs and arms along the body;
  2. Lift up the torso, tearing it off the floor as much as possible. At the same time, take your arms and legs as high as possible to the ceiling;
  3. Return to the starting position after a delay of 3 seconds and repeat the task.

Breathe deeply and evenly while doing this, feeling the work of the abdominal muscles.

No. 4. Combined lifts

In this task, the torso is raised with bent knees, as well as using dumbbells. Allows you to provide the muscles with a more detailed study:

  1. Sit on a mat with your knees bent, leaving your torso on the floor;
  2. Pull your torso to your knees, while keeping your hands straight in front of you, without helping them in the process of execution;
  3. Get down on the floor;
  4. Now pull yourself up again, but at the same time grab the dumbbells lying next to you and pull them to your chest;
  5. Get down on the floor again.

Do the task rhythmically, but not too fast. The total number of repetitions is 30 times for a beginner.

No. 5. Running from a prone position

Outwardly, this task resembles climbing on the floor in place:

  1. Lean on your palms, keep your back straight. Bend one leg at the knee;
  2. Change legs abruptly, as if jumping up.

Do the task 40 times in total.

If it’s still hard for you to “run” while lying down, then you can make it easier for yourself by simply changing legs alternately, first bending one, returning it back and bending the other. It’s easier to do this way and the load is less, but then you need to try to switch to an advanced version of the task.

No. 6. Twisting from a position on the hands

  1. Stay in the same position as for the previous task - leaning on your palms and keeping a straight back;
  2. Pull one knee towards you, and then bring it to the opposite side, making a kind of twisting;
  3. Return to starting position and repeat for the second leg.

In total, you need to do this 16 times. In the advanced version, try to move your legs as far as possible, and do the task itself more slowly. This will increase the load.

Upper press tasks for men

Loads for men should be higher than for women. You can start working right away with light weights and use a variety of exercise machines to help.

No. 1. Press from the bench at an angle

To complete the task, you will need a bench at an inclination of 30 degrees:

  1. Sit on the bench so that your head is lower than your legs. Attach your feet to the support. Keep your hands behind your head or in front of you, crossed;
  2. Rise up to touch your elbows to your knees. It is not necessary to do this, but the main thing is to almost get it;
  3. Gently lower yourself back and repeat the task.

During execution, you can use a combination of light and deep lifts. To do this, in the first lift, rise low, and in the second, reach your elbows to your knees. This will provide a different load on the muscles and make them work better.

If you want to make the task even more difficult, cross your arms in front of you and in this initial position rise up. The higher the angle of the bench, the more difficult it will be to do the exercise.

No. 2. Fold forward with a load

For the task you will need a simulator:

  1. Position yourself with your back to him, kneeling, and grasping the weight with your hands. Set small weights initially;
  2. With force, pull the weight in front of you, trying to tilt your hands straight to the floor. You will have a prayer pose. Keep your back slightly rounded;
  3. Hold at the peak point for a few seconds and slowly rise.

Start with 20 reps and gradually increase the load and reps.

No. 3. Press in the hang with raised legs

You will need a crossbar:

  1. Hook your hands on the crossbar;
  2. Pull up the outstretched legs so that you get a right angle;
  3. Hold this position for a few seconds;
  4. Return to the starting point.

Repeat the task 15 times. In the future, you can use dumbbells or weights to increase the load on the legs.

This exercise involves all the muscles of the abdomen, so it can be called universal.

No. 4. Triple complex with the addition of a load

This is a combined task of three exercises. The main thing is not to get confused:

  1. Lie on a flat surface, pull up your knees, put your hands behind your head;
  2. Rise torso up;
  3. Get down;
  4. Pick up the dumbbells lying next to you, cross your arms over your chest and lower yourself again;
  5. Return to starting position, stretch your legs;
  6. Rise up again, now with straight legs and dumbbells on your chest;
  7. Go back;
  8. Repeat the complex from the very beginning.

The cycle is built in such a way as to gradually increase the complexity of the load in one approach. In total, repeat the complex 10 times.

In general, it is better for men to go to the gym, where you can do much more exercises for the press, which we wrote about. .

How to pump up abdominal muscles at home?

It is easy to pump up the upper press at home, since it is not necessary to have special simulators for the work of these muscles - it is enough to work with your own weight or supplement the load with dumbbells (water bottles).

Exercise number 1. lazy press

This task can be done early in the morning, before getting out of bed. Find 2 minutes immediately after waking up to complete it. This does not guarantee you cubes, but elasticity and tone will definitely appear in a couple of weeks:

  1. Lying in bed on a flat surface, raise your chin, looking at your feet;
  2. Hold this position, experiencing tension in the abdominal muscles, for one minute;
  3. Lie down for 5 seconds in relaxation and repeat the task again.

Start with 3 sets of a minute, gradually increasing the load, watching how easy it becomes for you to perform a lazy press. If the voltage is low, then the number of approaches and the duration of the task should be increased.

Exercise number 2. Classic press

The simplest and at the same time the most effective task for the upper abdominal muscles:

  1. Hook your feet to the edge of the bed. It is best to keep your legs bent at the knees, but if you already have some training, then keep your legs straight or pull them up with your knees bent;
  2. Throw your hands behind your head and do not help yourself with them in the process of completing the task;
  3. Rise at a calm pace, forcing the muscles to tighten;
  4. Get down to the starting position.

Repeat the task 30 times. Over time, the load needs to be increased and the task to be complicated by weighting agents. Also, at a certain stage, you need to learn how to do without support - the legs are freely fixed on the floor or hang in a bent position in the air.

In the most difficult version of the exercise, the legs can be raised to a small height.

Exercise number 3. oblique turns

To complete this task, you need to find a surface in order to throw your legs there. A bed or sofa is quite suitable:

  1. Position yourself so that your back is on the floor and your legs are hanging (a simplified version is in a bent position on the floor);
  2. Close your hands in a lock behind your head;
  3. Raise the torso so that the right elbow touches the left knee and the left elbow of the right knee alternately, while pulling the right knee to the left elbow, and vice versa (see photo below);
  4. Repeat the task for each pair 15 times.

There are several options for this exercise. Use the heaviest or all at once.

  • Alternate repetitions . In this form, you first do press-ups of the left elbow to the right knee 15 times, and then repeat the task for the other pair. It is important to keep a calm pace of climbs.
  • Pair lifts . During the task, you first raise the right elbow to the left knee, lower, and then raise the left elbow to the right knee and lower again. The effectiveness of the exercise does not suffer from this. The total number of repetitions for a beginner is from 30 times.
  • Delayed lifts . In this version of the task, you raise your right elbow to your left knee, and then immediately, without lowering, stretch your left elbow to the opposite side. Do 5 times for each side and lower yourself. Thus, you will increase the load on the abdominal muscles by delaying in static tension.

Read more about what exercises for the press can be done at home.

Video exercises for the upper press

See clearly how to properly pump up the abdominal muscles and achieve a beautiful relief.

Pumping up a beautiful and elastic press is quite simple - regular exercises against the background of proper nutrition will help pretty quickly. Find the most suitable combination of exercises for yourself and perform them regularly, constantly and systematically increasing the load. Only in this case you will notice a positive progress on your stomach.

It is very important to develop and maintain in good shape the abdominal muscles, not only for a spectacular press. Do not forget that it is these muscles that perform a protective function for our internal organs and stabilize the body, helping us to maintain an upright position. Consider exercises in order to pump up the upper press.

Anatomy of the upper press

The press is usually called the anterior abdominal muscle, which is visually divided into the upper (of the four upper cubes) and the lower (usually this section consists of two cubes). The anterior muscle is located along the abdomen from the sternum to the crest of the pubic bone. In the middle, it is divided by tendons vertically into right and left parts, as well as horizontally into those very cherished cubes that many dream of.

The main functions of the anterior abdominal muscles are to bend the body forward in the lumbar region, lower the rib cage, stabilize the pelvis while walking, and protect the internal organs.

Exercises for the development of the upper press for men and women

Since the rectus abdominis is divided into upper and lower only visually, it is impossible to pump one or another part in isolation, but you can shift the load with specially selected exercises. In this article, we focus on the top four dice.

You need to pump and strengthen the abdominal muscles for a number of reasons:

  • Strong and developed abdominal muscles increase your performance during other exercises.
  • During the pumping of the abdominal muscles, the process of enriching the internal organs with oxygen and blood takes place, which has a positive effect on the general condition of a person. In addition, people with a pumped press are less likely than others to suffer from gastrointestinal diseases: the higher your physical activity, the more your body's resistance to disease increases.
  • Well-developed abdominal muscles provide high-quality support to the spine.
  • The embossed press is attractive and aesthetically pleasing.

It is advisable to perform abdominal exercises at the end of the training complex, since the abdominal muscles should not be tired before performing other basic exercises, because they are included in the work during each of the exercises in which there are any body movements. You can also pump up the top of the press at home.

Lying torso raises

To perform such lifts, it is advisable to place a gymnastic mat under your back to avoid back injury.

  1. Starting position - we lie down on a gymnastic rug, bend our legs, press the lower back and feet to the surface and do not tear them off throughout the exercise. We put our hands behind our heads.
  2. On the exhale, we begin to lift the body.
  3. We return to the starting position, but as soon as possible we continue to perform the next lift, because in the starting position the abdominal muscles begin to relax, and this should not be allowed until the end of the approach.
  4. Repeat the recommended number of times until the set is completed.


It is advisable to perform about 20 repetitions for each of the 3 sets. For greater pumping, you can complicate the exercise by picking up a pancake from the barbell or any other weighting agent.

Video: torso lifts while lying on the mat, can be performed at home

Hip lift

In the process of lifting the hips, the lower back is minimally loaded, which is very good, since it reduces the chances of injuring it. The rectus abdominis works fully, which is what we need.

  1. Starting position - we lie down on a gymnastic rug, straighten our legs diagonally to the floor, stretch our arms along the body.
  2. On the exhale, we tear off the hips from the surface of the mat and try to lift them vertically upwards. In this position, we linger for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.
  3. We perform 20 repetitions in 3 sets.

Such an exercise is performed only thanks to the work of the abdominal muscles, in no case should you bend your knees and bring them closer to your face - the legs stretch straight up.

Such an exercise not only makes the abdominal muscles work, but also strengthens the back muscles. "Folding Knife" refers to the initial exercises in terms of difficulty for men and women.

  1. Starting position - we lie down on a gymnastic rug, stretch our straight arms behind our heads, connect our straight legs.
  2. As you exhale, raise the body and arms together with the legs, trying to fold in half. In this position, it is recommended to linger for 1-2 seconds, after which, while inhaling, gently return to the starting position.
  3. Do 3 sets of 20 reps.


If you are doing this exercise in order to reduce the waist, you should not include it in your daily workout - just pay attention to it about two to three days a week with a break of one day.

Video: how to pump the press with the help of the exercise "Folding Knife"

Twisting with turns

During the exercise, try not to lower yourself on the mat to the end, so as not to reduce the load.

  1. Starting position - lying on a gymnastic rug, legs bent at the knees, hands behind the head.
  2. On the exhale, we begin to do twisting to the right side, bringing the right elbow closer to the left knee.
  3. On inspiration, we return to the starting position.
  4. Do the same twisting, but to the left side and bring the left hand closer to the left leg.
  5. Again return to the starting position.
  6. Perform 15 twists in each direction in 3 sets.


No need to try to touch the knee with your elbow, just bring it. Also, do not rush during the exercise - just a slow pace will make such twisting more effective.

Video: performing twists with turns of the body in order to pump up the press

Hanging leg raises on the horizontal bar

Hanging leg raises on the horizontal bar are rightfully considered one of the most effective exercises for all abdominal muscles at once, since they load them as much as possible during training. Therefore, in combination with other exercises for the press, lifting the legs in the hang on the horizontal bar should occupy one of the first places.

  1. Starting position - after you have hung on the crossbar with straight arms and legs, tighten your abs.
  2. As you exhale, raise your straight legs forward. If this is still difficult, first do the exercise with bent knees.
  3. You should try to bring your legs as close to the crossbar as possible. In this position, it is recommended to linger for 1-2 seconds.
  4. On an inhale, slowly return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat leg raises 10-15 times for 3 sets.
  • You should not include daily exercises to develop the upper part of the press - he needs to be given time to recover. It is advisable to do this after every second day of training, which includes several exercises for the press.
  • Burning sensations in the abdominal area indicate the maximum involvement of the abdominal muscles in the work, respectively, you should not be afraid of these sensations.
  • The longer we stay at the point of peak muscle tension, the more effective the exercise becomes for us.
  • Before starting abdominal exercises, it is necessary to perform a warm-up that allows you to warm up the abdominal muscles and thereby increase the effectiveness and safety of training.
  • All training for the press, as well as for other muscle groups, is very important to accompany a healthy lifestyle, as well as proper nutrition. It is very important to exercise at least 4-5 hours before bed and two hours after the last meal.

The abdominal muscles literally connect the upper and lower parts of the body together. In everyday life, as well as during any workout, each of us needs strong, trained abdominal muscles.

Traditionally, the upper press is called the four cubes located above the navel, and the lower, respectively, everything that is below. However, the abdominal press is a solid muscle (cubes form tendon bridges), and dividing it into 2 parts is very conditional. Therefore, the exercises for the upper press, which we will consider in this article, affect the rest of it, just to a lesser extent.

We work out the press at home

We will please you - you do not need to go out, everything can be done at home. We will need:

  • fitness mat (required);
  • inclined bench for the press (optional, but it is better to have it);
  • 1-2 dumbbells with pancakes.

Exercises on the mat: twisting and lifting the torso

We close the windows so that there is no draft. You will need to lie down for 5 minutes or more. During this time, you may be blown out. We lay down the rug and lie down on it with our backs:

  1. Hands behind the head or cross them on the chest.
  2. We bend our legs at the knees, or throw them on a chair, sofa, bed.
  3. On the exhale we raise the body, on the inhale we lower it. Raise the body to the maximum possible point. For beginners, it is enough to slightly bend your back in the upper section, raising your head.
  4. We do 2-3 sets of 15-30 times. On the first day, you can do 1 set of 30 reps.

Legs need to be bent in order to press the lower back to the floor. If your legs are straight, your buttocks will get in the way, and your lower back will arch.

Exercises involving lifting and bending the upper body are aimed at training the upper press. To pump up the lower press, you need, on the contrary, to raise your legs. However, we remember that the press is a solid muscle, so its lower section always works together with the upper one. In the above exercise, you can increase the load on the lower section by raising your legs in the air.

Shaking the upper abdomen, you must not forget about the bottom. To do this, we recommend doing the second exercise on the press - fold at home. It looks like this:

  1. We lay down on the mat. The arms are extended up (it turns out, parallel to the floor), or along the body (this option will be noticeably easier). Feet are on the floor.
  2. We begin the simultaneous movement of the knees and hands with the body towards each other. Hands go behind the knees. Legs need to be slightly bent. With straight legs, the exercise will not work. Do not forget to breathe correctly: exhale on the rise, move back - inhale.
  3. The pelvis serves as the fulcrum for your body at the top point. Your task is to keep your balance so as not to fall on one of the sides.

Here is another interesting version of the exercise, which you can also pump up the oblique abdominal muscles at home:

  1. We lie on our backs. Knees bent, feet on the floor or thrown on a sofa, bed or chair.
  2. Hands behind the head with elbows to the sides (only so).
  3. We twist the body and take out the left elbow of the right knee. We go down to the starting position.
  4. We stretch the right elbow to the left knee. In this case, the knees do not move (feet on the floor), and the movements are carried out by twisting the body.

Thus, the upper press and oblique muscles, located just from the sides of the upper part, work. We breathe right!

If you want to swing the lower press in parallel, you can use the option with lifting the body and legs bent at the knees. At the same time we move the elbow and the knee of the same name towards each other. It turns out that each repetition of the exercise involves one side of the upper and lower abdomen.

It is much easier to pump up the abdominal muscles at home (both the lower and upper abs) if you buy an incline bench for the press. With its help, you will be able to work with additional weight. The load in this case will be higher and the muscles will grow faster.

If you start working with weights, then you should not pump two parts of the abdomen in one day. Do one thing, it will be difficult to swing both parts at once. It is easier to throw off a couple of kilograms of fat so that the cubes become more visible.

Home exercises for overweight people

It is known that it is difficult for overweight people to pump the press due to frequent back pain (or it is simply difficult to do exercises). Therefore, you should increase the load gradually. Two or three sets of 15-30 times in this case will be a lot. Do 10 times in the first week. Every time try to raise the case higher.

Start with a normal prone torso raise and twist as the elbow goes to the knee. Then do alternating knee and torso raises. This concludes your abdominal workout.

If you do everything right, then after 2-3 weeks you will already be able to make a fold several times, and the lower press, along with the upper one, will noticeably strengthen.

Now consider the exercises for the upper press, which can be performed in the gym.

If at home you lack motivation, get a subscription to a fitness club. There you will have an external will in the person of a coach who will not only draw up a training program for you, but will also monitor its implementation.

We swing the press in the gym

Let's talk about the Roman chair and incline bench for the press (there are many options). For some, these are generally types of the same simulator.

There are benches that do not have legs that can be attached to the Swedish wall. There are benches with adjustable backrest. And there are classic Roman chairs, where there is a mount for the legs and a support for the pelvis. On all of them it is very convenient to download the upper press.

Roman chair lifts

On a classic Roman chair, you should be careful. Since your body is in a free state (there is no support for the back), and the entire load on holding it goes to the lower back. With weak abdominal muscles, or problems with the spine, pain in the lumbar region may occur. If you feel discomfort when doing exercises on a Roman chair, then your body is not yet ready for such a load.

  • On a Roman chair, you should not go far with your back down. It is enough to deviate slightly above the parallel with the floor, then return to the opposite position.
  • Raise the body completely, or work near the parallel level - it's up to you. We recommend that you ensure the maximum amplitude of contraction of the abdominal muscles.

For beginners, Roman chair sit-ups will be too difficult an exercise, and not everyone will be able to do it right the first time.

Incline bench press

Another option is when you are working on an incline bench. Here you can adjust the angle of the backrest. You are hanging upside down, so the greater the angle of inclination, the more you will be hindered by the force of gravity of the Earth.

You need to start at 30 degrees. It is advisable to lower your back on the bench, but you can not touch it with your head. So you keep the tension of the working muscles. Hands are held behind the head or on the chest.

On the bench, you can work with extra weight. When you are strong enough, you can do exercises for the upper press with pancakes from the barbell or with dumbbells. We recommend that you work on an incline bench, and not on a Roman chair, as in this case there will be a convenient support for your back.

You can download the press on the bench in two ways:

  • Rounding the back - then the upper press works more.
  • And do not round your back - the load will be evenly distributed throughout the press. In this case, the load on the lower back also increases. If she is sick, this option is for you.

The first option, in our opinion, is more convenient.

You can increase the load even due to a sharper angle relative to the floor. However, in this case, there is a risk of jumps in blood pressure, as you will lie upside down. It is better to swing the press with weight than to be zealous with angles. You are not a ninja.

An incline bench trains the upper part of the press as much as possible, but the lower section, on the contrary, is minimally involved.

Belly fat is almost the most common problem in girls. In order to get a beautiful tightened upper press instead of folds, you are encouraged to regularly conduct workouts that include exercises specifically for this zone. What are these exercises and how to do them correctly, you are invited to find out further.

When and how to start training?

There is an opinion among the people that there is nothing better than a morning workout on an empty stomach and cannot be, but there is a refutation of this. The fact is that in the morning your glycemic index is close to the minimum mark, so your strength and energy are not in the best condition. In this regard, please note the following:

  • Before direct training on the press, a warm-up is required. For example, dance aerobics (actually belly dance, oriental dances), stretching or a mini-cardio warm-up so that the body is ready for further exercises.
  • You can and should do it in the morning, but doing “passive” exercises, stretching, yoga or Pilates is best, this will be your best contribution to the start of a new day.
  • After the exercises, you need to supply yourself with protein (chicken breast, cottage cheese) and porridge (oatmeal), you can supplement it with fruits, a spoonful of honey.

Most often, there is enough time in the evening, so come home from work, have a healthy light dinner and after an hour and a half you can start warming up and strength exercises for the upper press.

Remember, without small adjustments in nutrition towards cereals, fish and plant foods, you will not be able to achieve the desired result.

Twisting - the most effective exercises for the upper press

Twisting is best done in two sets of 20 times. At the same time, the efficiency increases if you freeze for a few seconds on the rise. We felt that the muscles were “burning”, relaxed the attack. You can see the different twist options below:

Twisting on the floor

When performing such an exercise, the main load falls on the abdominal muscles:

  1. Lie on your back.
  2. Place your hands behind your head and bend your knees.
  3. Tighten the abdominal muscles and lift the upper body, bringing the ribs and hips as close as possible. No need to touch your chin to your chest.
  4. Hold on for 3-4 seconds on the rise and slowly lower yourself onto your shoulder blades, exhaling.

How to do the exercises correctly, you can see in the video:

Raised leg crunches

The exercise is performed in this order:

  1. Lie on your back, place your hands behind your head, while the elbows are directed to the sides, and straight legs look up.
  2. Tear off the shoulder blades, twisting the spine and straining the abdominal muscle.
  3. On the rise, make an entrance with your mouth.
  4. At the top point, a small fixation - in half a second, after which it will go down at the exit.

Exercise can not be done with jerks, all movements are smooth and slow.

Cross twists

The following exercise allows you to work out all the muscles of the press:

  1. Lie on the floor, keep your hands locked behind your head, with your elbows apart to the sides. The upper body is in a twisting position.
  2. A rotation is performed in which the right leg bent at the knee will reach the left elbow, however, there should not be a touch.
  3. A turn is made with the movement of the legs - now the left knee is pulled to the right elbow.
  4. For each counter movement of the knees and elbows, an exit is made.

Twisting is done until a burning sensation appears in the abdomen. After a short rest of 10 seconds, the exercise is resumed. The number of approaches is 3-4.

In the next video, a fitness trainer will talk in more detail about the technique of such twists, and a wonderful assistant will show you how to do them correctly:

Exercise "book" with a fitball

An exercise with a ball is extremely effective - lie down on the mat, grab the ball with your legs and perform the classic “book”:

  1. Lie on your back, pull your socks forward. We don't put our feet on the floor.
  2. Take the ball in your hands behind your head.
  3. Raise your torso and legs so as to pass the ball to your legs.
  4. Lie on your shoulder blades, holding the ball with your feet in weight.

Twisting on the upper block

Exercise is done in the gym:

  1. Sit on your knees, placing the ring near your head.
  2. Round your back to engage your abs.
  3. Make an entrance and twist.
  4. At the maximum point, linger for half a second and return to the starting position at the exit.

You can clearly see the female version of the exercise not on your knees, but standing, in the video:

A set of exercises for the upper press

The rest of the exercises are no less effective, as they help strengthen the muscles of the upper press in combination with standard twists:

  • Lie on the floor with your right leg bent at the knee - it will be the supporting one. Raise your pelvis, keeping your left leg parallel to the floor. Perform 15-20 repetitions with each leg.
  • Sit down, place your hands in the east-west direction so that they are supporting, while standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Raise the pelvis to a height parallel to the floor and lower it. This exercise can be performed at a good pace, for example, alternating with smooth twists, doing 20 repetitions.
  • An effective exercise is backbends. Lie face down on the mat with your arms and legs extended. Start smooth lifting arms and legs at the same time without frills. Do not strive to raise your arms and legs to the skies, namely, stretch and stretch and you will feel the tension and, accordingly, the work of the abdominal muscles.

  • Scissors work extremely effectively with the upper part of the press: lie on the floor, lift your legs and start crossing them alternately. An important point: the lower above the floor you perform this exercise, the more effective it will be to work out the upper press.
  • Bicycle is a simple exercise that works with the upper abs, whether you're pedaling while lying on the floor, or just alternately pulling your leg in and out above the floor.
  • "Bridge" is a childhood exercise that will inevitably help you in the fight for spectacular abs. The bridge can be made by extending the arms. The main thing is to feel the press and freeze in this position, starting from 30 seconds and above.

  • Lie on the floor, raise your legs perpendicular to the floor and place the lock from your hands under your hips. Spread your legs as much as possible and return them to their original position - the muscles of the upper press will “burn”.
  • Vacuum is a chic exercise that will easily force your abdominal muscles to wake up and discard the excess. Moreover, this exercise can be done lying down, sitting on the couch, working at the computer, sitting behind the wheel. You just make sure you're sitting upright and take a deep "belly" breath with the obligatory feeling that your belly is about to touch your spine. Done, lingered for 30 seconds and exhaled. Do 3-4 sets.

In addition to the above exercises, do not neglect the bar, as it has a general strengthening effect on the entire torso as a whole. It is good to finish the cycle of exercises for the upper press with the bar, and you can do its different options:

  • on the elbows;
  • on outstretched arms;
  • lateral;
  • moving from classic to lateral.

The main thing to remember is that you need to linger in the bar for at least 30 seconds. You can visually familiarize yourself with the correct technique for performing the bar in the video:

Video: How to build an upper press for a girl?

In the following video, the fitness trainer will tell you why it is important to pump up the upper press and how to do it correctly, as well as show effective exercises that you can do in the gym and at home:

The upper press is work, but work that will always answer you with beauty, so do systematic exercises aimed at the press, do not overdo it with side twists, so as not to make a "square" waist, and follow the rules of nutrition.

The embossed inflated press is the dream of many and the object of envy. Before the start of the beach season, everyone wants to look fit and slender. A smooth, slender belly and abs are the main indicator of good physical shape - it’s not a shame to flaunt in an open swimsuit or swimming trunks on the beach with this. How to properly pump up the upper press in order to achieve a slim and beautiful figure?

Upper press - what is it?

The upper press is not even a separate muscle, it is part of the rectus abdominis muscle - more precisely, this is its upper section. In this article, we bring to your attention a set of exercises for the upper press. This complex, which contains all the best exercises for the press, will allow you to get a flat and toned stomach in a fairly short time.

Most of the exercises proposed here will easily help you properly help pump up the upper press at home. Some of the exercises can only be performed in the gym.

The abdominal press can be conditionally divided into several departments or parts:

  • The abdominal wall, which forms the external and internal oblique, as well as transverse muscles;
  • Anterior wall with rectus and pyramidal muscles;
  • Back wall with square muscles of the lower back.

To strengthen each of these departments, a well-defined set of exercises is needed.

Things to remember

The features of pumping the press are such that you need to approach this matter without fanaticism. If you want to achieve embossed cubes, you should know that not everyone and not always gets them in the end. The quality of training is irrelevant. It's just that each organism has its own genetic feature and its own capabilities.

During the period of active pumping up of the press, take care of a competent diet. It doesn't have to be weight loss. The diet should include more fresh vegetables and fruits. Milk protein is a must. This will help you see the results of your workouts faster.

Upper Press Exercises

To get started, we offer you a video on how to pump up the upper press - a set of exercises at home. These exercises are generally quite simple, but also very effective. They are ideal for beginners.

Now more active and advanced exercises in terms of load. They are perfect for the gym. Ideally, if during their execution you will be supervised by an experienced instructor.

Trunk raises on an incline bench

This exercise for the upper part of the rectus abdominis muscle - helps to achieve relief in the upper abdomen - the coveted abs cubes. The quadriceps and hip flexors are also well involved.

How to:

  • Sit on the top edge of an incline bench. Lock your legs and lean back so that your body is almost parallel to the floor.
  • Raise your torso to a position perpendicular to the floor.

What to do with hands? Hands can be laid behind the back, crossed on the chest. It is important to properly fix the feet. If there is no bench, you can use any inclined surface, fixing it to the Swedish wall. In this case, the legs cling to the crossbars of the Swedish wall and it is better to bend them a little at the knees in order not to burden the spine.

By the way, thanks to the Swedish wall, you can change the slope of the bench and adjust the degree of resistance (load on the muscles) during the exercise. The minimum slope is suitable for beginners, a steeper angle of inclination is for experienced athletes.

To create more resistance, you can take a weight on your chest - for example, a “pancake” from a barbell or a pair of dumbbells in your hands.

Do 3 sets of 10-20 reps depending on your ability. Over time, the load can be increased.

As an option for the home - you can perform this exercise just lying on the floor. Legs should be securely fixed and bent at the knees.

Body twist

This exercise is for the upper abs and obliques.

How to:

  • lie on the floor, bend your knees at an angle of 90 degrees, and put your hands behind your head, you can clasp them into a “lock”.
  • Slowly lift your shoulders and lift them off the floor, leaning slightly forward. At the same time, the lower back should remain on the floor, only the chest, shoulders, arms and head rise. In the lower part of the body, in the hip joint, no movements are made - this must be monitored.
  • Return to starting position.

Perform 3 sets of 10-20 times.

Twisting on the block

This exercise engages the entire rectus abdominis, not just the upper section. In addition, the oblique abdominal muscles are also included. The exercise is performed using a special simulator with weighting blocks. Adjust the load (number of blocks) on your own or with the help of a trainer, depending on the degree of your physical fitness.

How to:

  • Stand in the starting position with your back to the upper pulley and grab the cable holder/handle with both hands.
  • Lean forward, twisting the body to the right.
  • We return to the starting position.
  • We repeat the exercise now with twisting the body to the left.

Perform the exercise in 3 sets of 20 times.

Exercise for the upper press on the horizontal bar

This exercise is difficult to perform and requires good preparation.

How to:

  • Grab the bar with bent knees and hanging upside down.
  • Raise your body until your elbows touch your knees.
  • In this case, you can make turns left and right.

The exercise works the upper part of the press.

"Frog"

According to contemporaries, this is Bruce Lee's favorite exercise in order to pump up the press. The effect is almost not long in coming with a competent approach to implementation.

How to:

  • Hanging on your hands on the bar, bend your knees and lift them up to the level of your stomach.
  • Don't help yourself by rocking and tensing your back muscles. Pulling up is done only due to the work of the abdominal muscles.
  • Hold this position until a strong burning sensation appears in the muscles.
  • Do 3 sets of 10-20 reps.

In the future, you can raise your knees to chest level.

Beginners should carefully listen to their body. Watch experienced trainers, listen to their advice on how to properly pump the upper press. This will help to avoid injury, overtraining, disappointment. Train properly and your figure will find its beauty.