Exercise bicycle for abs while lying on your back - benefits. Exercise bike for weight loss - how to do it correctly for the abs and legs with video How to do the bike exercise for the press

Hello! On this middle day, another technical note awaits us, and in it we will talk about the bicycle exercise. After reading, you will learn everything about the muscle atlas, the advantages and technique of its implementation, we will also find out the degree of effectiveness of the bicycle and learn about the effect of this exercise on waist size.

So, seatdown please, we begin.

Exercise bike. What, why and why?

The culprit of our article today, the bicycle exercise, can be classified as “they know about it, but rarely use it.” Most of us like to pump up our abs - girls to get a flat stomach, guys - to remove belly fat and make it look like a 1 ball - 6 cubes :). Press activity is a relatively energy-intensive process and does not require any special equipment or special knowledge of technology - all movements are natural and understandable. Each of us has our own favorite set of abdominal exercises, and for the most part they are almost identical, i.e. They are the most familiar to us and, it seems, they even pump something up.

In general, a person does not like change, this applies to both life and the gym. He didn't fall all the time (every 3 months) bother with changing the training program, selecting new exercises, he is more accustomed to figuring out the PT found on the Internet for a whole year and expecting constant results from it. However, I urge you not to be conservative, supporters of frozen forms, and to constantly add variety to your training process; today, this “introduction of zest” into abdominal muscle training will be done by the bicycle exercise.

Note:

For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Muscle atlas

Bicycle crunches primarily target the abdominal region of the abdominal muscles. (the rectus abdominis muscle contracts throughout the movement). Also in the works (during cross crunches) internal/external obliques are involved. The exercise contracts the fibers of the front and sides of the abdominal wall without stretching these muscles.

Muscle ensemble exercise includes:

• targeted – rectus abdominis muscle;
• synergists – oblique, transverse, psoas major muscles.

A complete muscle atlas looks like this.

Advantages

By performing the bicycle exercise, you can expect to receive the following benefits:

• targeted and effective development of the combination of the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles in one movement;
• development of core muscle strength;
• definition (clearer detail/drawing) muscles of the abdominal region;
• burning fat deposits around the waist and creating a flat stomach;
• narrowing of the waist.

Execution technique

The bicycle exercise belongs to the “lightness” class, but it is not without its own characteristics. The step-by-step execution technique is as follows.

Step #0.

Lie on the floor (on a mat) and press your lower back tightly. Place your hands behind your head and form a lock. Lift your top slightly - lift your shoulders off the floor. Bend your knees, bringing them to a position perpendicular to the floor, with your shins parallel to the floor. This is your starting position.

Step #1.

Inhale and at the same time as you exhale, begin to pedal your legs in the air, bringing your left elbow to your right knee and your right elbow to your left. Alternately (for each side) When making movements, perform the specified number of times.

In the picture version, all this disgrace looks like this:

In motion like this...

Variations

In addition to the classic version of bicycle crunches, there are several variations of the exercise, in particular:

• with weights in hands (weighted ball);
• holding the fitball near your feet;
• standing cross step.

Secrets and subtleties

To get the most out of the exercise, follow these guidelines:

• do not hold your breath: exhale when contracting, inhale when returning to IP;
• try, as flexible as you can, to touch your elbows to your knees;
• perform the exercise under control;
• additionally squeeze your abdominal muscles in a contracted position;
• while performing, do not lower your legs and shoulders to the floor, always maintain tension;
• high leg position (increasing angle between feet and floor) makes the exercise easier and places less stress on the lower back;
• numerical training parameters: number of approaches 3-5 , reps 25-30 .

Actually, we’re done with the theory, now let’s look at some practical points.

Is the bicycle exercise effective for the abs?

Numerous studies agree that bicycle crunches are the most effective exercise for strengthening the rectus abdominis muscle and creating 6 cubes. EMG data (Researcher Dr. Peter Francis, Biomechanics Lab, San Diego State University) muscle activity when performing various press exercises showed the following values:

• bike ( 248% ) ;
• lifting knees while hanging on parallel bars ( 212% ) ;
• crunches on a fitball ( 139% ) ;
• reverse crunches ( 109% ) ;
• straight crunches lying on the floor ( 100% ) .

How to burn more calories using cycling exercise?

The following information will be useful for those losing weight. Despite the fact that, from a scientific point of view, the exercise is No. 1 on the list for the abs, in itself (simply from its execution) it won't help you lose weight. To do this you need to create a calorie deficit. (spend more than you consume), conduct a certain type of training and, of course, normalize your diet.

Regarding the training part, you need to include a bike in your HIIT session, i.e. perform exercises without rest using them, tying them in bundles. Combination of 6-8 intense exercise without rest (or in 10-15 sec) - and increased calorie consumption is guaranteed. When doing bicycle crunches, try to develop the highest possible speed while swinging your legs and arms.

You can also enable 3-5 cycling approaches immediately after a cardio session, this is also (all else being equal) will promote weight loss.

Can cycling exercise make your waist smaller?

It can contribute to this due to its effectiveness on the oblique and transverse abdominal muscles, but cycling alone is not enough to reduce your waist. The ideal option for creating a wasp waist is a combination of exercises - cycling + + and torsion of a hoop from 15 minutes every day.

Actually, this is all to the point, let's sum it up and say goodbye.

Afterword

Today we added a bicycle to our collection of press exercises. Now you know what its highlight is and you can appreciate all its charm through “animal practice”, so let’s blow into the hall and begin to evaluate!

That's all, I was glad to write for you, see you again!

PS. How do you train your abs?

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100 points for karma, guaranteed :).

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Modern gyms are equipped with a variety of exercise machines that are designed for all muscle groups, but no one is in a hurry to give up the “bicycle”, familiar to many from school physical education lessons or sports clubs. “Bicycle” is a “cheap and cheerful” exercise: it does not require special sports training or good physical shape, is performed without any equipment - except, perhaps, a mat - and is extremely simple to perform.

When working with this exercise, the muscles of the hips and back are involved, as well as the abs: rectus abdominis and obliques. The latter is especially valuable - thus, a chiseled thin waist is formed.

Regular exercise of the “bicycle” with increasing loads - this is necessary for building the body, since with a constant equal load the body adapts and freezes without progress - helps to draw beautiful, sculpted abs. The abdominal muscles will practically not grow, this is unusual for them, but the quality of the body will noticeably improve. A flat, toned stomach can be achieved by exercising three to four days a week for just 15 minutes a day, the main thing is regularity over several months. A couple of weeks, of course, will not give any visible results, but this applies, by and large, to any exercise.
“Bicycle” has a positive effect on metabolism, intestinal function and overall tone.

Another significant advantage of the “bicycle” is that it does not cause any harm to the body, can be performed at any age, only pregnant women should abstain. Otherwise, the “bicycle” has no restrictions. This exercise is especially recommended for patients with varicose veins and prostate adenoma, as it helps restore blood circulation in the legs and pelvic organs and tones the blood vessels.

Performing a “bicycle”

Lie on the floor or mat, lower your lower back, pressing firmly against it; hands should be held behind the head, without closing in a “lock”; Bend your knees at an angle of 45 degrees. Breathing is even. Then alternately touch your left knee with your right elbow - the right one is slightly extended and remains suspended - and vice versa. Touch the floor with your shoulder blades at the lowest point. Two or three sets of ten repetitions will be enough.
You can increase the load just by slowing down the exercise.

Remember that the correct execution of the “bicycle” implies calm breathing, your back pressed to the floor - your shoulder blades rise - and your shoulders that do not fall to the floor and are constantly in the air. Exactly like the legs: while the knee of one leg is bent, the other leg remains elevated.

The execution of the “Bicycle” varies slightly: if the load is not enough, you can use weights or perform it in the pool, leaning on the side - in one direction or the other. Water will have an additional effect, increasing the effectiveness of the exercise.

Everyone, without exception, remembers their school days, trips to physical education and the teacher who forced them to do a bicycle exercise for the press.

At first glance, it seems quite simple and can be done without much stress, but that’s not the case.

It is the “bicycle” that will help give sufficient load to your abs and will take excellent care of your figure.

At the same time, the exercise can be performed anywhere, it is not at all necessary to spend money on going to the gym, and an excellent effect by doing the bicycle exercise for the abs can be achieved in combination with other loads.

What you need to know about ab workouts?

The abs are not very large muscles that are quite easy to train with just a few exercises.

The obliques act as core stabilizers in most core workouts, so they can get plenty of work.

But if you want to get a defined six-pack, focus on nutrition and specialized exercises.

And don’t forget about an effective bicycle - this is exactly what will also perfectly pump up your body, especially if you are just starting to get acquainted with the sport.

Since the exercise can be classified as a diagonal twist, it allows you to increase the load on the body, thereby making the workout much more difficult.

One of the main advantages is that the complex is performed at home and there is no need to buy additional equipment.

Advice: for the principle of progression to apply, that is, the muscles increase, each subsequent workout should be more difficult than the previous one.

1. Start your work in a lighter version, improving your technique every day, while strengthening your body. If you doubt the correctness of execution, read the thoughts of famous trainers regarding the bicycle exercise for the press and reviews about it.
2. You also need to master a more difficult version of the exercise, this way you will only move forward, developing your physical capabilities.
3. Try making the workout more challenging by pausing at the top, especially during peak muscle contractions.

How to do the press bike exercise correctly?

In order to properly perform an abdominal workout and get the maximum effect from it, you must know all the details and carefully follow our instructions.

To begin, take a basic position, lie on the floor, lay out a specially prepared mat or towel, while your lower back should be pressed as much as possible against the surface.

It is better to clasp your hands together and place them behind your head, spreading your elbows as wide as possible to the sides.

Advice: with the correct execution of the abdominal exercise for men, the stronger half has an excellent chance to get those abs that no woman can resist.

Now you should relax your neck muscles as much as possible, because they are not involved in the training.

Having done this, raise your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to your body and your shins are parallel to the horizontal.

It’s better to pull your stomach in so that the muscles seem to “flatten out.” From this position you should start working on your body.

Exercise for beginners

If you have just started training, then this option is perfect for you. It will help you gradually get used to sports activities.

To begin with, pressing your lower back as low as possible, begin to “pedal.”

There is no need to try to do everything faster than necessary, because in this way the technique of execution is disrupted, and without it there will be no benefit. You should not arch your back; your neck and face should be completely relaxed.

This option can be performed several times a week.

If you have any questions, turn to the Internet for help and watch the abdominal bicycle exercise in video lessons.

Start with several approaches, and over time increase the training time to the maximum possible.

If you find it difficult to complete this kind of exercise, do not be discouraged. First place the leg that needs to be held in the air on the floor, then gradually make the task more difficult for yourself.

Once you get it right, move on to the next variation. This way you will give a good workout to your abdominal muscles from different angles.

Complicated version

In order to do everything correctly, constantly control your movements.

If the knee of one of your legs begins to approach your chest, begin a diagonal twist, while trying to reach it with the opposite shoulder.

Move until your elbow touches your knee.

At the same time, try to concentrate on the abdominal muscles and lower back, because it should not come off the floor. To perform the second twist, take the starting position.

Tip: always breathe correctly when performing, when twisting - exhale, when returning - inhale.

It is much easier to learn how to perform bicycle abdominal exercises with the help of a video where you can see the correct execution of each movement.

Choose videos created by professionals, because amateurs cannot always provide reliable information.

If you decide to start your studies in this way, then pay attention to every little thing, even if at first glance it seems completely unimportant.

This way you can understand the essence and pattern of the impact of the abdominal exercise on your body and understand how to do it correctly.

What is the best thing not to do for proper training?

There are many common mistakes that anyone can make when training at home.

Here are some of them:

1. One of the most common mistakes is helping yourself with your hands when you start to raise your body or bring your elbows together. But this is completely the wrong way, the back muscles should not work, because in this way the load also falls on the neck, which has a very negative effect on the body. The press should be used exclusively.
2. When you start working and changing legs, you don't need to rock your pelvis. This is how you completely eliminate any stress on the abs, and all your efforts will be in vain and ineffective.
3. You should never rush: your main goal is excellent abs, not endurance. If you think only about speed and the number of times you do it, your muscles will work much less.

Exercises bicycle for the press - how much to do?

Many people are often interested in this question.

To achieve results so that the muscles begin to increase and grow, you need to exercise for at least 20–30 seconds, remembering that the number of approaches itself is not as important as correctness and quality.

Do everything slowly, focusing solely on technique. It will be much more productive.

When you feel more confident, increase the number of workouts.

Rest for thirty seconds between each set. Muscles recover quite quickly, so such breaks load the body well.

If you still doubt yourself, you can view the exercise bicycle for abs with photo accompaniment.

This way, it will be easier to hone your technique to perfection and get the desired result.

Cycling is a really great way to target your obliques as well as your rectus abdominis.

This is the main secret of the relief press.

However, you should never forget about proper nutrition, because the less fat in your body, the easier it is for you to workout and the more beautiful your body looks.

Good day, dear reader! We all remember very well our school days, when the physical education teacher forced us to spin “air” pedals. A simple exercise that could be done while laughing. Few people then cared about their figure and thought about the benefits of a “bicycle”. But this is an excellent exercise that you can perform at home, saving money on the gym, and get excellent results.

What muscles are involved?

So, the bicycle exercise, what muscles work when doing it:

I think this is a good indicator for one simple exercise. Of course, for maximum effectiveness you need to develop an individual training complex for yourself. And also, otherwise any training is initially meaningless.

Correct technique

Any exercise must be done correctly. I will describe the technique for performing several variations of the “bicycle”:

Basic seated option.
Sit down, place your hands on the floor, bend your knees. From this position, you can begin to turn the “pedals”, lifting your feet off the floor just a few centimeters. You can complicate the task by giving a greater load with a simple movement - raise your straight arms above your head and hold them that way. It is useful to turn the “pedals” in both directions. This type of exercise perfectly increases blood flow to the necessary points on the body.

Classic "bicycle".
Lie on the floor, straighten your arms, place them along your body, legs lie flat. Then you need to lift your legs to a height of about 10 cm and slowly bend them one by one. If it is difficult to maintain such a height, you can raise your legs higher, only in this case the load on the abs will decrease.

A more complicated type of exercise, but the most effective.
To perform it, you need to lie down, clasp your hands under your head, raise your legs to a height of 10 cm. After which you can begin to alternately connect your left leg bent at the knee with your right elbow, and then your right leg with your left elbow. In order to get the maximum benefit, you must monitor your posture - your back should be straight, your chest should not fall in, your shoulder blades should be straightened.

Benefits for the body

If you are interested in what benefits a “bicycle” can give to your body and organism, read on. In addition to the main pumping of the press, a person receives:

• A real load on all the muscles described above.
• Training for the heart muscle, which begins to contract faster, resulting in a stronger cardiovascular system.
• Strengthens.
• Losing weight in the leg area, because when performing the exercise there is a large load on the leg muscles.
• Fit.
• Increased blood circulation in the legs, and accordingly the prevention of varicose veins and cellulite, which, of course, is more interesting for women than for us.
• For men, the “bicycle” gives them the opportunity to quickly “get” to the day when they wake up with beautiful six-packs on their belly, which drive the female sex so crazy.

Important information

I would like to believe that you have figured out the training and now know how to do the “bicycle” correctly. But now I must tell you about the important points of this exercise:

1. During exercise, your breathing should be balanced and uniform, and not gusty.
2. You need to connect the elbow to the knee as you exhale, and as you inhale, the body should straighten.
3. Don't think that the point of the exercise is to connect the elbow to the knee. It will be enough if they see each other up close.
4. You cannot push your head with your hands.
5. Your lower back should lie rigid and should not be lifted off the floor.
6. Don't try to develop speed, it's of no use here. Doing the training quickly will only lead to the fact that you will do it automatically, without working the muscles. In this case, the phrase “The slower you go, the further you will go” is very useful, in every sense. You need to perform the exercise slowly, without sudden jerks and movements, only then will your abs work to the maximum.
7. When training, try to focus your attention on the muscles, feel the tension and strength in them.
8. Don't let yourself feel sore muscles. To properly work your abdominal muscles, you don’t need to push yourself to the point of exhaustion by doing a large number of repetitions of the exercise.

“Bicycle” perfectly pumps up the abs with a small number of repetitions, about 10 times, 2 or 3 sets. If you are a beginner and even 10 repetitions are difficult for you, reduce them. The main thing is not to feel severe fatigue and burning muscles. You may not be able to lose a lot of extra pounds with this approach, but this is the only way to really pump up your abs.

By following these simple rules, you will not repeat the standard mistakes of beginners.

Advantages of a “bicycle”

Let's sum up everything I said above together. The “bicycle” exercise has many advantages, namely:

• trains several muscle groups at the same time, strengthens the back, cardiovascular system, legs, tightens the buttocks;
• allows you to improve your physical fitness, pump up your abs, and form cubes;
• helps, makes the stomach flat;
• does not require the purchase of expensive exercise equipment or gym memberships;
• does not require special physical training, allowing you to increase the load gradually without terrorizing your own body.

This exercise provides a lot of benefits, the main thing is that you have the desire to become a sculptor of your own body and work on yourself.

Best regards, Vladimir Manerov

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To effectively work out the oblique abdominal muscles, the bicycle exercise is perfect. To complete it, you do not need to visit the gym or purchase additional equipment. All you need is a flat surface, a minimum level of physical fitness and your desire.

In other words, if you practice home workouts, we recommend including this wonderful exercise in your program.

Which muscles bear the load?

Bicycle crunches (as this exercise is also called) primarily load the oblique abdominal muscles. The rectus muscles, hip flexors, and to a small extent the back also work. In general, we can say that cycling perfectly develops the abs as a whole, but if the correct technique is followed, it is the oblique muscles that will be worked to a greater extent.

Bicycle crunches are great for working your obliques.

This emphasis, in combination with other workouts for the abdominal muscles, will allow you to get harmoniously developed and aesthetically attractive abs. Just remember that additional weight in this case should be used with caution. Excessive weight can lead to the fact that pumped oblique muscles will cause the exact opposite effect - the waist will visually expand, and this most often does not look very natural.

Execution technique

Exercise cycling is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Therefore, we will consider two options for its implementation (from simple to complex).

Rotate the pedals

For beginners, a gradual increase in load is suitable. Therefore, first you should learn to simply “turn the pedals.” Let's take the starting position:

1. Lie down on the floor (you can use a yoga mat or similar for more comfort). Press your lower back to the floor, place your hands behind your head and spread your elbows to the sides.
2. Tightening your abdominal muscles (without arching your lower back), raise your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor surface, and your shins, in turn, are parallel. It's like you're sitting on an invisible chair.
3. Keeping your lower back in mind, begin to rotate your legs as if you were pedaling. Try to feel and fully control the work of the abdominal muscles.

Take your time, proper technique is more important than speed. The number of approaches depends on your preparation.

To start, you can perform two sets of ten repetitions. Then build up to three to five sets of twenty reps. Then try to move from a simplified version to a full-fledged technique.

Doing the exercise correctly

The technique is as follows:

1. The starting position is similar - lie down on the floor, put your hands behind your head, spread your elbows.
2. Tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your legs to a small height. Legs should be straight.
3. As you exhale, pull one leg toward your body while simultaneously lifting your head and shoulder blades from the floor. Perform a twist by touching the elbow of the opposite arm to the knee of the leg. That is, if you pulled up your right leg, touch your knee with the elbow of your left hand.
4. Return to the starting position while inhaling. Continue to pull your legs up one at a time, touching your knees with your elbows as you twist.

Try to make all movements as smoothly as possible, avoid sudden jerks. Only in this case the effect will be maximum.

If it is difficult to keep both legs elevated, place the leg that is not moving on the floor. However, you should not get used to this approach; at the first opportunity, switch to the technique described above.

Ideal abdominal development can only be achieved when the leg that is not moving towards the body is suspended. Moreover, the closer your leg is to the floor, the stronger the tension will be; try not to raise it too high.

The obliques will work better if your elbow and knee are touching during the crunch.

Benefits and contraindications

It is useful to perform the exercise in combination with other types of stress on the abs for its harmonious development. Working on your obliques will help you perform many basic exercises more effectively.

Crunches in general do not have any special contraindications. Everything is pretty standard: the presence of injuries, problems of the cardiovascular system, elevated temperature. It is also not recommended to perform crunches during pregnancy; during this time it is better to give preference to special training.